More Cables!!

Hip, hip...hooray!!!! Not only did I get the one additional person I needed to make my cable mitten knitting class happen at my local educational center, the class filled to the maximum number I would accept which was six knitters. I am excited and delighted and can't wait for the first session tomorrow evening. Thanks, to Lizzie for helping test knit and proofread my patterns and making suggestions.

The other day Deb mentioned in her blog that she felt like knitting something with cables. She even mentioned my cable mittens and Brooklyn Tweed's Almeara gloves (also in this issue of Vogue Knitting) in the same sentence. Though flattering, now, that was a stretch. If you have not heard of him, go check out his blog. His knitting and photography are always inspiring.

So, I pulled out this UFO filled with cables and am excited to return to it. That left edge is secured when completed. It's an extremely difficult and time-consuming pattern. I have written each row on a color-coded index card as the repeats are not the same number of rows alongside of each other. This is what it will look like. When I started this project, and we won't mention when that was, I would bring my lawn chair and park myself by beautiful Lake Champlain on a mild summer day. As I write this, we are getting 12 inches of snow.

I live 5 1/2 miles from work and it took 1 hr. and 45 minutes to get home tonight. I am content to stay indoors where it is warm.

More good news tonight, actually....great news! The local TV station announced that Vermont will be getting a fair amount more in $$$ from the stimulus package that is expected to be signed as early as this evening and those deep budget cuts, involving job losses, cuts in prescription subsidies for the elderly and much more will not happen for my state. There is enough money for the next two years with careful planning for the future. For many years, Vermont was one of the few states with a balanced budget. We will be fine.

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!