Just hands and feet

All my lofty plans to finish Boy 1’s sweater before the holiday are dissolving. Every year, I forget how little “free” time there is in December. Normally I don’t overcommit with my gift knitting, but this year I got surprised by a couple of things that I decided to go ahead and do. One of those is a pair of fingerless mitts for my mother outlaw. I’m using more of the same yarn I used for my mom’s birthday pair, with a free pattern called Straightforward Mitts: This is an interesting design with a twisted stitch ribbing that grows outward in a V shape – see?I am at the point where I have just finished all the thumb gusset increases and need to put stitches on waste yarn. These will look better when they’re done. The fabric is wonderfully stretchy. Unfortunately, the pattern is just a bit too fiddly to take to the office, so I’m only getting a bit done in the evenings. Some evenings, at least.

I started another pair of Felici sportweight socks for social/office knitting, and they have been whipping along: I toyed with the idea of trying a new heel on these (Cat Bordhi’s Sweet Tomato heel)… but these are the only thing I have on the needles that I can do mindlessly and learning a new heel isn’t mindless. So they’re getting the usual afterthought heel. The colorway is called “Too Cool” and it’s totally me. One of the places I worked on these was backstage at the beautiful Majestic Theatre, waiting to perform with Gamelan Gita Semara. Marta took a picture for proof!YES, I’m wearing a SKIRT! Well, a sarong. Too bad you can’t see my awesome toenail color here (gamelan players don’t wear socks/shoes). This isn’t the best photo in the world, but I’ll share it in the interest of evidence. Yes, you can see some traditional percussion instruments in the background (because we had a joint concert with the Gettysburg College Percussion Ensemble). I’m going to play the Gangsa Suwil for this piece.

I haven’t shown you S1’s Sebastian Gloves in a while. I kind of stalled out when it came time to start the fingers. These are a Christmas gift, too:

What else? You all read about Clara Parkes’ fabulous new project The Great White Bale, didn’t you? What a fabulously interesting journey it sounds like. I think I’m going along!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, I’d better get back to my mitts now. Hope your holiday knitting is going well, if you have any holiday knitting to do.