Friday, March 16, 2007

New Love and Podcasts

I have a confession: I am kind of glad for the nasty weather we are getting here in Maryland today. It's been sleeting almost all day (and now, I think I see snow). True, I don't have to go anywhere or drive anywhere. I am all cozy in my office with a cup of tea and my new love. My Fetching mitts!









I know I am late to the Fetching party. But I jumped all over this pattern last summer when it showed up on Knitty. I just had all these other projects in line to do first. Then a few weeks ago I finally bought yarn for Fetching. And last Sunday I finished knitting and starting blocking my Rachel sweater. And I wanted a QUICK project. Something I could wear on my upcoming trip to Wisconsin. So I cast on. And finished the first mitt Monday night. Then cast on for the second on Tuesday and finished it Thursday. I didn't knit at all on Wednesday. So basically it was two evenings of knitting per mitt for me. And I am NOT a fast knitter. But oh! the gratification! Oh the love!

But you see it was 80something degrees here on Wednesday. I thought I'd finish the mitts and pack them away until next Nov. But then, a last blast of winter hit (and hopefully it'll be a short blast, I am not crazy enough to want this to last! Though it would be nice to wear that sweater just once ...).

Anyway, the astute will note that I am not, in fact, in Wisconsin. My work trip was canceled because the meeting I was to attend was postponed. There have been some insane shake ups at work this week that I will not talk about here. (I don't like to talk about work on this blog because you never know who's reading.) So I worked feverishly all weekend to finish my sweater to bring to WI and then the trip was cancled. Just as well, I would have stayed up really late seaming Tue. night. Sadly I had planned to get together with L (who conviently is in WI now) for yarn store crawls and salsa dancing. Oh well. We'll have to get together when she's back in MD.

Today is the perfect day for listening to knitting podcasts, something I've wanted to do for awhile. And I can't figure out why I haven't until now! True, I don't have an ipod, but I use itunes all the time. I had a lot of busy work to do today, perfect for listening to podcasts. So I've been sitting with my peppermint tea and my Fetchings and listening. I really enjoyed SticksandString by a man in Australia. What other podcasts should I be listening to?



Here's the details on my Fethcings:
Started 3/11
Finished 3/15

Yarn: 2 balls of Debbie Bliss aplaca silk (this is NOT the yarn the pattern calls for but called for a similar gauage. Note on this yarn: the alpaca results in a "fuzzy" finished mitt, not the most suitable for the cables. And it does split a bit. But it is very soft yarn and feels very nice and on my hands.)

Needles: size 4 DPNs. The yarn calls for a 7/8 but this pattern is worked at a tighter gauge. And since I knit loose, I used an even smaller needle than the 6 the pattern recommends.

Modifications: I added one cable repeat to the cuff. And I made the thumb longer. I have a fair amount of yarn left over so I could have made them longer still. But I think this length is good. They are truly hand warmers, not arm warmers.

I am now planning to make Dashing, because I think my Fetchings need a beau.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice job on the fetchings. :) It is a good day to sit and knit with all the weather. Too bad your trip was cancelled. I'll have to check out that podcast.

Pheelya said...

I am enjoying the weather as well. Though I am glad that school was not cancelled due to it! I'd rather not have to make up that day of work in June :) And I know it will just look so pretty outside in the morning!

I have been wanting to make some Fetchings myself, but right now work and National Board certification have been comsuming all my knitting time *laugh* But the portfolio deadline is March 31st, so soon I will have my time back!

I love the color you chose! And I think I even have some DB aplaca silk in my stash somewhere! Though by the time I get to it Mother Nature may be giving us that beautiful 70 degree weather back and I will just need to pack them away for the fall, or I could leave them in my school office for days that the AC tries to freeze me out of my office :)

Yes, Gloria was a very special friend and teacher. Thank you.

Coleen said...

Your Fetching Mitts look amazingly similar to mine! Very similar colors.

Other podcasts.... CastOn, Craft Sanity, It's a Purl Man.

All good!

KnitPastis said...

How about all this snow we just got! You made these Fetchings just in time and they look so warm.

NH Knitting Mama said...

I am in NH, and feel the same as you about the weather.... it was SO NICE to be able to stay home and just catch up on knitting and tea-drinking!

http://nhknittingmama.blogspot.com/

Jody said...

Awesome mitts! I love the color.

I still wear my Fetching mitts when I drive - I definitely needed them last night!

OH and give Lime and Violet pod cast a try - they are funny!

Anonymous said...

Those are so pretty! The yarn looks soft and yummy. I want to make myself a pair of the Dashing, maybe, because I don't think the boyfriend would be interested. He's such a lame. =D As for podcasts: Sticks and String is so GREAT. I love his accent. Lime and Violet are amazing. I also listen to CraftLit, which is audiobooks + knitting, Knitty D and the City, which is general hilarity, Stash and Burn, which is very cute, and The Knitting Cook, which is knitting, spinning, and food. Good stuff. Enjoy!