Smitten Mittens

I have a funeral to attend in NC this weekend. Today, as a matter of fact. Tuesday evening I made an emergency stop at the Stitchin' Post in Nashville for a yarn project. Mrs. Pat who runs the store was out of town and had left her wonderful husband Mike there and he was kind enough to rush through the store with me (seconds before closing-time) helping me select yarns and needles for a knitting pattern I hadn't even decided on yet. Knitters will understand how that works but non-knitters just think we're screwy. Mr. Mike, as a well-conditioned longtime crafter's husband, was more than patient with me and I got some lovely Patons 100% Merino wool in a color called Peacock. I'm smitten with it, it's beyond beautiful.

I had originally thought it would end-up as slipper-socks for my Patient Mum (PM) but I couldn't find a project that suited me so it has become Peacock Smittens instead. I chose a simple pattern from my new Weekend Knitting book and have edited it slightly to be longer up the arms and convertible. I made them in the largest size because Mum's hands are a little bigger than mine but I'm using a smaller gauge yarn than recommended. I figure if the mittens are a bit too large then I'll lightly felt them which will make them even warmer for Mum.

I also got three skeins of yarn when only one would have sufficed, because KerstinGermany from Ravelry has a NIFTY hooded-scarf design that I'm anxious to try-out.

I knitted for an hour at the Greyhound bus station. I knitted for the four-hour bus trip. I even knitted after we got to my twin, Lua's, house. (Lua is a boy, it's his nickname, his real name is William. My nickname is Lahlah. We don't ask why in this family... we just answer to what we're called.) I've got the first Smitten nearly completed and took some pictures. After the funeral I'll knit some more and maybe I'll have one entire Smitten to go with my one sock and my cardigan that's all done except for the one sleeve...

Does this seem like an unfortunate theme I've got going on?

Anyway, the Smittens are for my Mum, who is blonde and is going to look exquisite in this color. I can't wait to give them to her for her birthday next week! I've got some serious knitting to do between now and then. Bless her heart, she asked for house slippers to keep her tootsies warm this winter and I've gone and deviated into mittens and a hooded scarf. I'm a bad daughter. I'll blame it on Lua and Greyhound! And Mrs. Pat at the Stitchin' Post who went on vacation when I needed her most!