Bird in Hand mittens, complete

I just remembered that I never posted finished photos of my Bird in Hand mittens.

I started these in December and finished them earlier this month. I remember why I don't knit mittens more often -- I hate knitting thumbs! Fiddly little things. (I don't know how Sandy makes so many mittens.)

These thumbs are worth the aggravation though. So cute!

(My birds each have their own personality...)

The palms are plain with little flecks of white ...

And the insides are almost as pretty as the outsides.

Full specs on Ravelry.

These are beautiful mittens, and Kate's non-repeating design was so fun to knit!

Unfortunately, I don't know when I will ever wear these. One of my many quirks is that I only like matched sets -- hat, scarf, and mittens. See my winter accessories, or my father-in-law's hat, scarf, and mittens, or Thom's hat and mittens. (Apparently, I knit both hats in the pre-blog period, so I'll have to get some photos of those. They match the mittens, suffice it to say.)

I guess I could buy more yarn and design a hat and scarf to knit, but I just don't see that happening. So, I'll just enjoy looking at them.

the post in which I whine a lot and set forth several excuses and rants

I feel a long post coming on. You might want to fetch a beverage.

OK, settled down? Let's begin ...
(I've interspersed some knitting photos and updates along the way as a reward for your patience in reading the rest. Or at least pretending to read. )

• • •

SCHOOL
(I'm adding some section headings, for the scanners out there...)

School started again last week. I'm taking classes #5 and #6 of the 8 I need to get my master's degree in Higher Education Administration. This semester seems like it will be more work than last, at least for the first several weeks. I'm feeling a little overwhelmed.

I really like one of the classes, an elective course on student affairs. The professor is more of a facilitator than a lecturer, which is exactly what I like. Lecturing has its place, but I learn so much more -- and have more fun -- in classes with a lot of discussion. In addition to the readings and papers, I'll be doing a semester "field research" project on service-learning and community service programs in local colleges and universities.

The other class ... eh. It also has a lot of discussion, but with a very different vibe. More of the "did you do the reading" kinds of discussion topics rather than "what do you think -- let's grapple with this question" kind of discussion.

In fairness to the professors -- and other students -- I must admit that I have high standards. I expect a lot of stimulation. I want to be challenged. And, not unreasonably I think, I expect that students seeking a degree in higher education should have some interest in the intellectual community of a campus, and should want to engage in the commerce of ideas. As opposed to the classmate from last semester who said "I think it's unfair that part of our grade includes class participation. Some of us just don't like to talk about stuff." Sorry, sweetie, but you're in the wrong line of work. Luckily, my student affairs class has a lot of student that I do like :)

• • •

KNITTING, THE FIRST

I finished some knitting this week! Thom now has a fine pair of Manly Mitts to keep his hands warm. These are knit in Lamb's Pride Naturespun yarn. Stranded knitting, worsted weight, knit smaller than 6 sts/in. He should be toasty warm. He likes them and has worn them several times (and even surrendered them one day so that I could take a photo in the daylight hours).

Details on Ravelry

• • •

WORK

Work has been busy. Nothing out of the ordinary, though, just an annual project that involves coordinating a grant proposal and a grant report with over 30 different people on campus, including several faculty members, a handful of fundraisers, a dean or two, some department heads, and the provost. Coordinating with faculty? Its like herding cats. Cats who have egos.

Some interesting possible career directions have surfaced recently. A conversation or two, nothing concrete. But, it's thrown me into a tizzy of re-evaluating my career path. I am simultaneously ambitious and complacent. It makes for some strange conversations in my head. But mostly, I am hesitant about change. It's easy to stand still, though I know that it's better to move ahead. Must think further, but not tonight.

• • •

HEY, LOOK, MORE KNITTING!

My Bird in Hand mittens are almost done, just one thumb to go.

What's that? You wanted to see the bird? Oh, ok.

On Ravelry.

I might redo the eye. It seems a bit large. Not as cute as Maryse's birds, but I like him. (It's a male bird. Not sure why, just is.)

• • •

INDECISION, PART I

I've been gripped by a serious case of indecision for the past month or two. I just cannot seem to make up my mind about anything.

I have $35 to spend at Amazon.com (gift certificate $). I should buy something for myself, but I could also save it in case I need to buy any more books for school. I want to get the Knitters Book of Yarn, and it only costs $20. So, I have another $15 to spend, and I'll throw in a little more if needed. What to get? There are so many books I want, but I can't choose.

Help me! Any good suggestions? I lean towards books that are technique heavy, or maybe something about stranded knitting. Oh, I know -- I want an Elizabeth Zimmerman book. Not Knitting without Tears, but any other one. Maybe that. Which one should I get?

• • •

IT'S A HAT!
Subtitle: No shit, Sherlock.

Ravelry, of course

A baby hat for Thom's cousin's new baby. I'll probably make booties or socks to match. I love baby hats. They're like the potato chips of the knitting world.

• • •

INDECISION, PART II

I need to buy some yarn at Webs. I promised my dad a sweater as a father's day gift last year. He's asked for a gray cardigan, so I'm buying some Cascade 220.

I also need to buy some Ultra Alpaca for a winter accessories set -- scarf, hat, mittens. I told Lucia that I would test knit a scarf she's designing, and it will look fabulous in the subtle colors of Ultra Alpaca. I just can't decide which color!

Turquoise, Yucca, and Lavender

I'm leaning towards Lavender. What do you think?

• • •

SQUARED UP

I'm knitting some squares for a blanket for Elisa's dad. Washable wool. Started at lunch today.

Leftover yarn from my Thujas. Less pink, more red, than the photo shows. Square is also on Ravelry.

• • •

INDECISION, PART III

The indecision has crept further into my knitting life. I can't settle on a project. In addition to the square above, and a second ball of plain gray yarn for another square, I also found the following items in my knitting bag while at work today.

In the top left corner, we have the baby hat shown above, plus yarn to make matching booties. Plus yarn in other colors. You know, just in case.

Next, the Bird in Hand mittens. Because nothing says "mindless lunch knitting" like two-color mitten thumb in a non-repeating pattern, complete with embroidered detail.

Next to that, a skein of Manos. As if I had a skein winder in my back pocket.

On the bottom, starting at the left ... some ShiBui sock yarn. For which I have not yet picked a pattern. Then, some handspun. I've not swatched, or picked a pattern. I think these are my security blanket. When in doubt, hug the yarn.

Finally, in the 6th position, a skein of Dream in Color Smooshy, which has started its transition to becoming a pair of Vinnland socks. Except that I don't like them. The pattern is great, the yarn fantastic, not a speck of pooling. But, even at 9 sts/in, I want a firmer fabric. So, I think they will get ripped. But I'm just not sure. They could be fabulous. Should I knit just a little more before I decide?

I have enough yarn with me at work to survive the Armageddon. Or at least a blizzard.

• • •

AND NOW FOR MORE WHINING...

I wish I did a better job leaving comments on all your posts. I am reading them, I just don't have the time to write much. I wish I wrote back to all of my nice commenters. I wish I could be more like Carole or Bertha or Chris or Phoe who all reply to every comment I leave for them! I wish I blogged more. See the School and Work section above for why I don't.

In the interests of maintaining sanity, I can only do so much. Know that I am reading when I can, and writing when I can. But, since this post has taken over an hour to write, I must now turn my attention to homework.

Thanks for listening, yo. It's been cathartic.

if everyone else jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge ...

So, I've hopped right up on the bandwagon and am working on a pair of Bird in Hand mittens. I love Kate's pattern -- it is beautiful and very well written.

I cast on for these on Christmas Eve at my in-laws. The photo above is from a few days ago. I'm almost up to the top flower on the second mitten now. Once I finish both, I'll do the thumbs. Mitten #1 already has all of its other ends woven in, though.

Alison gave me a good tip -- she said that she did the embroidery on the thumb before finishing the last few thumb rounds, and it made it easier to maneuver. If you're not familiar with this pattern then stop hiding under that rock you might not know that there is a little bird on the tip of the thumb, and you embroider his eye, beak, and wing onto the mitten.

I'm knitting these from stash -- Paton's Classic Merino (dark green) and Cascade 220 (white). Both of these were acquired in Ravelry trades earlier this year. Very good aquisitions, I would say!

I'm loving the stranded knitting. Should be nice and warm. I think I'll whip up a pair of Manly Mitts next. Thom said that the Lite Lopi mittens I made for him aren't warm enough. And, umm, he can't find them anyways. He's been wearing a pathetic little pair of cotton gloves, a freebie from an event during my college years (1999 to be exact). What's that about the cobbler's daughter having no shoes ...?