Thank heavens we had a sunny day. I shoveled the snow off the deck so the cats could get outside and I would have a place to lay out knitted items for some pictures. As usual MacKenzie had other ideas about this.
Still, I got some shots during beaks in the action, and here is what I’m working on right now.
I really liked fellow blogger Andre Sue’s half finger mitts that she shared with us. (Here’s her pattern). My hand is really short and fat with nice swollen fingers so I had to make alterations to her pattern so it would work on my hand. (“Oh my, your hands are really puffy,” commented a nurse while getting me ready for an endoscopic GI exam. “Did you know your fingers are turning purple..?”) Thank you Reynaud’s and scleroderma. I’ll be putting these fabulous alpaca half-gloves on for the next visit to the gastroenterology torture chamber.
I wear lots of layers these days including these comfy kimono sleeve sweaters from J.Jill. I made the cuff of the gloves a little longer than Andre Sue’s pattern called for so that they would cover the gap between my hand and the bottom of the sleeve. I’m thinking that I want to add some embellishments that I will share with you all when I get the pictures of the finished mitts posted. Maybe by Friday if I hustle. There is a big snowstorm coming this weekend, and they sure would be nice and warm to wear…
I’m also working on another Hitchhiker made with the fabulous 20% cashmere hand-painted yarn that practically threw itself at me last week (that would be the yarn in the serendipitous phenomenology post). I have about half of the points done, but still a lot of yarn left to knit as the shawl gets wider the longer you knit. I just love the colors and it is working up to be really nice; the hand and drape will be just what I want. Can’t wait to get this one done too.
Well that’s it for this week. I plan to really get cracking on finishing all of these up. I’ve been looking at shawl patterns, and I have a couple of weeks of knitting before I need to start on the March New Year’s resolution sock. Gosh, it would be really nice to have a new shawl (I mean, a shawl that is NOT a Hitchhiker. You know, something with lace in it that involves reading a chart… Beads too. I definitely need beads). I wonder if my family would like shawls for their Christmas presents?
Time to go dig in the stash!!
Yarn, Books & Roses 
I love your kitty enjoying the knitting and the sunshine. 🙂 You knit fast! Both your mitts and your hitchhiker look fantastic. I’ve cast on for my own hitchhiker with a silk merino blend but a cashmere blend sounds even better!
Racing Hitchhikers! Can’t wait to see your pics.
Just finished a lacy shawl–Haruni by Emily Ross. (ravelry)
Oh, wow! That is a beautiful pattern! I just added it to my library. Thanks.
The chomping on yarn is bad. But the shedding all over your knitting just adds to their warmth and fiber content! Maybe I only think that because everything I own in covered in cat hair….
The fingerless pattern looks great in that colour. And boo to swollen hands, I have Reynauds. Here’s hoping the hands heal enough for you to get some relief and show off those finished mitts.
Boo is right! I am lucky that they really don’t slow me down as long as I keep them warm. The mitts really help.