Knittin' mittens

I just wanted to say, I am loving my mittens. I designed them myself and am almost done with the thumb gusset on the first mitten. Since I made the cuff very long, this means I am about 5" into the knitting. I love how fast it's going. I've never made mittens before, but I am thoroughly charmed. I wonder if I will have the same reaction to socks?

I would tell more about my mittens, but I love them so much I think I may try to get them published. Wouldn't that be a hoot? We'll see how they turn out, first :-).

Because they're small, the mittens have me thinking about knitting gifts this year. I am definitely going to knit socks for my mom for Christmas--I am curious about sock knitting, and she did request a pair. I am knitting that hat for my boyfriend. But my boyfriend has several gift requirements this fall: there's our first date anniversary, then Christmas, then his birthday, all within two months. I feel that I cannot, however much I am tempted, give him knitted things for every occasion.

For one thing, I don't think I have the time to knit everything I want to knit in the first place.

For another, well: knitting doesn't excite him the way it excites me :-).

Besides, there's the Curse of the Love Sweater. Part of me wants to invoke it: I'm at a point in my life where, if it's not going to work out, I want to know sooner rather than later, and the Curse is as good a way as any to find out. On the other hand, I'd hate to put all that work and yarn to waste.

While I ponder it, here's another FO:


This is the second (technically third) thing I knitted, the alien illusion scarf from Stitch 'n' Bitch. It was a gift for my "pseudoniece." I'm not sure she much cared for it, which is why I am wary of giving too many knitted gifts. Knitting is just not interesting to non-knitters. When I was a non-knitter, I couldn't imagine ever taking up knitting, because I just didn't see myself ever needing that much knitted stuff. Indeed, though I've knitted quite a few things, I find I hardly ever wear them. Part of this is, well, it's summer right now, and too beastly hot to wear anything knitted. As fall settles in, we'll see where my knitted garments stand.

At least I'll have a pair of gorgeous warm mittens!