This is my next-door neighbor's porch. . . When it is warm, I wish I had a porch. But we just have a stoop. The Hubster and I are "front porch people," and we like to sit outside together and watch the afternoon go by in the nice weather. Neighbor kids come by to play frisbee in the front yard, just like we played with our own kids there when they were small. Neighbors sometimes stop over to chat. After walks around the neighborhood, there's just nothing better than taking off our shoes and sitting out front in the evening with a tall glass of something cool to drink. . . In the winter, there isn't much front-porch sittin', but we are porch people, nonetheless.Today, we are also empty-nesters again. College Girl was home, and so were Army Boy, Wifey Poo and Puggle Face. AB, WP and PF left last weekend, and CG packed away her things and left this afternoon.
It's so nice to get to know this young woman who used to be my little girl, but I get a little sad each time she goes. Maybe it's because she is the baby, maybe it's because she was home for an extra week after her brother left, maybe it's because she is becoming more and more like a new friend as she grows up, and I miss my friend. Or maybe I get sad because every time she comes home, I come a little closer to the fact that one day (maybe soon) she will have her own home, and she won't need me as much. But that is exactly as it should be, so the sad does not usually last very long.Part of my get-happy plan for today was Christmas Mittens in bright red (with dark blue and purple) yarn! The pattern is Warmest Mittens, but I have made some changes. . .
Like making these into split-top mittens, so I can pull my fingers out to grab a credit card at the gas station or pay for a frozen coke at the drive thru. . .how crazy is that? I need mittens because it is too cold for fingerless gloves, and I am stopping for a frozen coke. . .perhaps I will rethink that, but probably not. I like frozen coke!
Another change is the addition of 4 extra stitches when I got to the stockinette portion of the hand, so I would not have to go home to get a larger needle for that portion. And I made a change in the thumb gusset as well. And I added additional rows for more length. The yarn is Cascade 220 Paints, and the needle is a size 4, so these are dense and very warm. Other than that, though, these are pretty much a re-design, based on the pattern mentioned above. Haha - I am a Fearless Knittah!!!
Like making these into split-top mittens, so I can pull my fingers out to grab a credit card at the gas station or pay for a frozen coke at the drive thru. . .how crazy is that? I need mittens because it is too cold for fingerless gloves, and I am stopping for a frozen coke. . .perhaps I will rethink that, but probably not. I like frozen coke!
Another change is the addition of 4 extra stitches when I got to the stockinette portion of the hand, so I would not have to go home to get a larger needle for that portion. And I made a change in the thumb gusset as well. And I added additional rows for more length. The yarn is Cascade 220 Paints, and the needle is a size 4, so these are dense and very warm. Other than that, though, these are pretty much a re-design, based on the pattern mentioned above. Haha - I am a Fearless Knittah!!!In other knitting (umm, I mean crocheting) knews, I am about halfway through my Diamond Trellis afghan, and I realy like it. It will be much smaller than the original pattern specifies, but I really like how it's turning out. I have fearless plans for a border treatment, too! Squee! And I am still working on my January sock-a-month kit! So, no after-holiday low, and no boredom in Pretty Knitty's world for now.
Hey! I think I'm happy!
I hope that you are happy, or getting there, too.
Knit in Good Health!
Very cute mittens!!
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