"I Heard The Bells" - Progress Report and History

Please see previous post for more detailed information on the "I Heard The Bells" mittens with valuable information.

It's difficult to put down my knitting.  I love this pattern. 

"I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day" is a poem that was written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, born in the early 1800's in Portland, Maine.  On my next visit to my home state, I hope to visit his home which is open to the public. 

Longfellow wrote this poem while grieving for his wife who died of burns suffered when her dress caught fire while waxing an envelope.  Longfellow went to her aid and was severely burned about the face as well and thus, legend tells that is why pictures of him show him sporting a beard. 

Longfellow often went to Portland Head Light to write his poems....one of my favorite places to go and knit, cross-stitch, etc.  The park is huge with grounds for kite flying, picnicking with an old abandoned fort for kids to explore.  I never get tired of taking pictures of this lighthouse. 

Portland Head Light was commissioned by President George Washington.


Below is a view from the ocean.  $15 will get you a 2-hr. boat cruise on Casco Bay on a beautiful double-decker boat affording sunshine and/or shelter. Again, one of my favorite things to do.

It's ironic that there was a shipwreck on the shores of this lighthouse on Christmas Eve.

Links that you might enjoy!

"The Life of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow"


"I Heard The Bells" with Johnny and June Cash


"I Heard The Bells" Lyrics

I wish I were cooling off by this ocean scene this week.  It's another very hot day in Vermont, the only land-locked New England state.

Happy Knitting!

Cowls and Mittens

I knitted this cowl for my co-worker, Amy.  You've seen this same cowl in various yarns several times on previous blog posts.  Amy is always doing something nice for everyone else.  Amy is a fantastic baker and is always bringing baked products into work.   She is proud to say that all her baked goods that she sells incorporate all local ingredients. 

I think this colorway looks fantastic on Amy.  Her hair is a beautiful "salt 'n pepper" and wasn't it convenient for her to wear red the day I gifted her the cowl.  The buttons are from a stash of buttons she gave me awhile back.  Quite a propos!!!  I used Cascade 220 and adjusted the pattern accordingly as it called for DK. 

I have as much fun selecting buttons as I do knitting!

A close up!!

Brian sent me an e-mail because  he knew I had been looking for "Magnificent Mittens" for quite some time.  It's been out of print and if you can find it, the cost will be anywhere from $149 to $1,000.  My co-worker, Amy, surprised me one day.  She borrowed the book through inter-library loan.  Why I can't take books out of the library is a story for another day.  I drooled over this book  and decided the only way I could possibly ever own it was finding it at a yard sale where someone didn't know what they had. 

Well, much to my excitement, and I mean excitement, the book, "Magnificent Mittens and Socks", is going to be published again for $16.47 at Amazon.  I'm not sure if all the same mitten patterns are included along with the socks.  I don't care.  I am buying myself this book.  Here are a few pictures.

A thumb and a spare so that when one wears out, you flip the mitten!!!

I like the large cuff that easily goes over a jacket sleeve!

These would be a slight challenge but well worth the time!

I started teaching my cowl knitting class last evening.  All the women except for one are previous knitting students.  One of the women was disappointed I was not offering another class through by "Recreational Department" before the holidays so she offered her beautiful home to a small group of knitters.  We had less than a week to advertise if we were going to complete four Tuesday classes before Thanksgiving.  I've also been approved to teach additional knitting classes at the Rec Dept. starting in January.  It's exciting and I'm having a terrific time.  The women are lovely and we soon become friends.

Happy Knitting!

Not So Many Mitts!

Originally posted on my Yahoo 360 blog on December 31, 2007

Pattern: Manly Mitts (<----click) (from knitty.com)

Yarn: Knit Picks - Telemark - Colorways Cardinal and Drift Needles: Size 4 DPs

I saw these mittens on someone's blog and wondered why they had to be "manly". I decided that the choice of color could make a difference and acceptable for a woman to wear. I wanted to knit these mittens to compliment a favorite red scarf.

This is a close up of the gusset (and soon to be thumb) that is a different pattern from the main portion of the mitten. I like the contrast.

The days of partying on New Year's Eve are behind me. I used to host a dinner party with an evening of games for my friends but have stopped that as well when some drank to much and had to be driven home. I'm now content to sit in front of the TV with my favorite munchies and knitting. Of course, I will have "tourtierre" (pork pies) for dinner as that has been a lifelong tradition. My daughter made 20 pies this year and always sends me home with a frozen one. I think she has outdone herself this year as they are delicious. The only time I eat pork pies is at Christmas and New Years.

Happy Knitting/Crafting!

Magnificent Mittens!!!

Originally posted on my Yahoo 360 blog on January 23, 2008.

After blogging about the bad week I had been having, so many of you responded with comments that were so heartwarming, funny, and more. Some of you were going to take me yarn shopping. Kim was trying to calculate how long it would take her to drive from NJ to Vermont and stop and pick up alcoholic beverages along the way…lol. Some of you said you would go grocery shopping for me or to the pharmacy. Thank you!!! Reading your comments lifted my spirits.

This morning when I arrived at work, a co-worker, Amy, put the pictured book on my desk. OMG, I was so excited. I have been wanting to see this “out of print” book for some time. It is on loan to me for awhile. This book sells on e-bay for anywhere from $175 to $1,000. It all started when I saw a pair of mittens on someone’s blog and the pattern was from this book.

The mittens are knitted fingertip up as oppose to cuff down. There are so many valuable knitting tips as well. I’ve decided that the only way that I will be able to add this book to my permanent knitting library is if I locate at an estate or yard sale. I’m so fortunate to have a great group of women that I work with.

Here are pics from the book!!! Wish I had knitted these mittens!

A thumb and a spare! The book stated that fishermen wore out mitten thumbs quickly, thus the 2nd one!

Many of the patterns have the large cuffs on the mittens as shown in this pic.

I’m going to knit the below pattern!


I must, I must, I must be disciplined and not start another project till I have my UFO’s completed.

Happy Knitting!

Selbuvotter, I love you!

Pattern: Selbuvotter NHM #9
Yarn: Palette by Knitpicks (fingering)
Needles: Size 1 & 2

I told you the other post about my Selbuvotter mitten book I had just purchased from KnitPicks.com. You still have time to get it at 40% off till tomorrow. I love, love, love, this book!

It was extremely difficult trying to decide which mitten to knit first. I've been chatting with Gayle (<---click) who knits beautiful mittens from this book and she has given me valuable pointers on Stranded Knitting which has several approaches one of which is holding one color yarn in one hand and the other color yarn in the other hand. (English and Continental)

Well, no pun intended, but I feel like I'm all thumbs so it has been slow going but definitely worth it.


You must be comfortable reading charts to knit the mittens in this book. I still need to highlight certain things to make it easier on my eyes as well as locate my magnetic board with a line ruler to rest this pattern on while knitting. I'll also show you in a future post some of the gadgets I use so not to handle my patterns any more than I have to. Otherwise, I lose valuable knitting time.

Already, tonight will be the 3rd of four mitten classes with my students. It has been so much fun. I need to come up with a new knitting project for the next class that will be offered that will entice folks to sign up as the nice weather will be here by then and it may be a little more difficult to recruit people. Any suggestions?

I've finished the Helena sweater....post in a few days. I've also finished another Thermis neck warmer....post in a few days.

Happy Knitting!

Knitting Fun!!!

I want to show you my order from Knit Picks while I can still keep my eyes open and not fall asleep kissing my keyboard.

Friday I had a funeral to attend and took the afternoon off so I returned home earlier than usual. Well, I wasn't about the deduct that vacation time from my accrued total and do housework. You guessed it, I knitted instead. I was up quite late and think I did the Cinderella adventure and barely went to bed before midnight.

Tired the next day, I repaired a knitted project for some lady on the bus whose name I don't even know (but I will seeing she entrusted me with her knitting).

Worked all day and knitted on a project for a friend till 11:30 p.m. All of a sudden I thought to check the back door to see if the mailman had left me a package. I really didn't think it would arrive till Monday or Tuesday. BUT THERE IT WAS!!! My order from Knit Picks.

I was so excited that I didn't go to bed till 1:30 a.m. Guess whose butt is dragging today! Moi!!!!

Here's what I purchased. I know you will drool with envy or wonder what the excitement is all about.

This will be fun!! A good way to use up scraps of yarn.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this book. I plan to start writing patterns so I purchased this book as a guide on blind faith. It is fantastic, absolutely fantastic!! It also has knitting graph paper because stitches are not square, they are rectangular. If you were to draw a circle on regular graph paper and followed the chart and knitted that circle, it would be oval. Whereas the circle will remain true to its shape if the design is laid out on knitting graph paper first and then knitted. Lots of wonderful photographs and great information. Definitely worth the money!

I have been wanting this mitten book for a very, very long time. I actually belong to the Yahoo group Selbuvotter and have just lurked on that site. I can't wait to start one of these mittens. This book is probably more for experienced knitters.

And here is the total order, all $51.34 so I could get free shipping. All the yarn is from the Palette colorway collection at Knit Picks.

Happy Knitting!

Mittens Galore

I've been staying out of trouble and knitting mittens. I've been testing various techniques such as casting on, the "afterthought thumb" and different mitten tips. The class I hope to teach starting this Thursday (if one more person can just please sign up) will focus on cables and the mittens in general. The cuff on the mitten above has a knitted picot edge as opposed to a crocheted picot edge on the blue mitten. The white accent rows will be wider on future mittens. They are somewhat lost in the shadow on these mittens.

I've been using up my stash. What was I thinking when I purchased this colorway?

I plan on gathering various knitted items in my possession that have different types of cables as samples. Fortunately, I didn't have to hurry and knit those up this week.

Lizzie has been test knitting for me as well. She's always such a great help. If you don't read her blog, go on over there as she always has great tips on a number of subjects.

Tonight I need to write up two mitten patterns. Even if the class does not materialize, it will be good practice for me.

I'm reading your mind!!! I bet you are thinking, "Gee, Joansie just added 3 more UFO's to her long list!". I know, I know!!!!

Happy Knitting!

Beginner Easy Cable Mittens

Pattern: My Own - Still Designing
Yarn: KnitPicks Wool of the Andes - Blush
Needles: Size 5 dp's

I'm scheduled to start teaching a mitten class next week at my local recreational department. I need one more person to sign up to make it happen!

As a very young girl of 13, I knitted my first cable mitten (with a different style thumb). It was a bright orange and was to be worn to my local high school's football games. We were proud "Tigers" and always wore black and orange.

I couldn't find a mitten pattern with all the features that I wanted so I am writing my own. It really is not rocket science. I do want to present to my students a nice booklet with a glossy 4x6 picture of the mitten on the cover.

Most mittens using worsted weight yarn are on size 6 needles. I'm using size 5 as I wanted a tigher knit providing additional warmth.

The students at my mitten class will be learning how to cast on properly, measure for a comfortable finished mitten, an afterthought thumb and have a choice of two mitten tips. One is the classic "rooftop" requiring a kitchener finish and the other a more rounded top.

I also experimented with the mitten below which has a cable cuff with a picot crocheted edge. I decided to go with the pink mitten as this one, the cables will be somewhat hidden by a coat sleeve.
I always enjoy teaching knitting and don't consider it a job till it's time for the paycheck to come in.

I'm already thinking about my next class for next fall. That one will either be Magic Loop socks or a moebius scarf. I'd also like to have a Christmas stocking class, stranded knitting, etc., etc., etc. Can you see why I have so many things on my needles? I just love it all.

I can actually go to bed at a decent hour tonight. The inauguration is over, the balls are over but I don't have an excuse to just sit there and knit.

I think I've been using my camera as a "one size fits all". I better check my settings as the pictures are not as clear as I would like them to be.

Happy Knitting!

Fanning The Flame Mittens-Finished!!!

Pattern: Fanning The Flame Mittens
Yarn: Jitterbug - 1 skein
Needles: Size 1
I'm quite proud of these mittens. I looked back in my posts and I briefly wrote about them on Oct. 15th. and then promptly lost one of the finished mittens and recovered between the seats of my car!!!

This type of mitten falls in the "modular knitting" category. With a provisional cast on at the fingertips, each fan is knitted by picking up stitches on the side of two of the fans. I was totally confused at first and had to return to my LYS to view their finished mitten and then it was easy.

When I reached the thumb portion, it just didn't seem right. My goodness the opening was huge...........because.............
The thumb is actually knitted to fit your thumb very comfortably. Most mittens have a circular opening, this pattern doesn't.
I must have started the thumb on the 2nd mitten at least three times. This is where "stubborn" works to my advantage.

Mittens were completed and then I knitted the neck warmer I posted a couple of days ago. I forgot to mention in that post that the neck warmer has a unique bind off reminiscent to a Kitchner stitch without joining two edges. It makes the item more elastic and I love it. So, I ripped out the last couple of rows to this mitten and used that method to bind off.

These mittens were very time-consuming. Not the kind of project you knit while chatting with friends.

Happy Knitting!

Fanning The Flames Mittens - Part 1

Pattern: Fanning The Flames

Yarn: Jitterbug Fingering Weight

Needles: Size 1
When I saw this pattern, I knew, I just knew I had to have it and knit these mittens. This company also has the matching sock pattern.


I tell you, I am just loving it! Absolutely loving these mittens and they are for me to go with my very favorite winter coat. The true colors really are greens with golden greens and rasberry and some blue.


I have since knit quite a bit more of this mitten and will blog in a couple of days about the thumb. It is just absolutely wonderful the way it fits. Now, doesn't getting excited over a mitten thumb sound absolutely pathetic? Really, I must get myself a life!!! :>) It's because it is very different from other thumbs I have knitted. Ok, I'll stop...it's getting worse...I must do something other than knitting!!!
Here's a closeup! What is so great about these mittens is that it is started with a provisional cast on at the tip of the fingers with a total of 14 knitted fans. Side fans wrap around the hand. You can quickly see your progress by counting the fans and not just trying to remember where you started knitting today. Quick gratification!!! The two live stitches on each fan eventually connect to another fan.


I'm thinking of knitting the cuff in a rasberry color. This yarn is beautiful and wonderful to knit with. However, this is also the yarn that had knots in it which is ok for this project as the yarn is cut after each fan allowing for easy avoidance of those knots.

This company also has this pattern. Essence Gloves It is on my "to do" list for sure but perhaps not until the holidays have gone by. I have another pattern I received yesterday that I am just itching to start but I must be disciplined......I MUST be disciplined.

Vermont is so gorgeous right now. The colors are brilliant probably as a reward for the rainy summer we had. Some years the foliage is better than others and this is one of those years. Check out VTknitboy's (<--click) blog to see spectacular pictures of Vermont's foliage. You'll be envious of the scenery.

Happy Knitting!