The Replacements

In this holiday season, I've been thinking a lot about knitted gifts. There aren't big holiday deadlines for me this year -- I dialed it back to save my sanity. I prefer to dole my handknits out throughout the year, often for no occasion at all. And I've been knitting for a few years now, long enough to have gifted just about everyone in my life with something knitted. I love knitting for someone -- with almost every stitch, I'm thinking about the recipient, saying little prayers or wondering about them, or just generally reminiscing. I try to envision the recipient enjoying the handknit, not sticking it on a shelf.

Luckily, I think most of my knitted gifts get a lot of use. Especially those that go missing.

Which brings me to replacement knitting.

This month I'm doing two replacement gifts. One is the aforementioned scarf for my aunt, who left the first one in a bar. She was so embarrassed to have lost it that of course she gets another one! (Though I'm tempted to embed a lo-jack in it in case she ties one on again. Wouldn't that be something!)

Auntie Scarf
Pattern: None. Garter Stitch over 22 stitches
Yarn: Colinette Fandango, colorway Jaypond
Needles: US 10.5 Lantern Moon
Finished size: 7" x 70"

The second, sadly, was a relatively new scarf. My friend in Connecticut had the misfortune to live next door to a bloomin' idiot. His neighbor put a ashes from the fireplace in a cardboard (!) box on the wooden (!) deck and then went to bed. Ashes ignited the deck, and the whole outside wall of the apartment complex went up in flames. My friend lost just about everything, and what wasn't lost to flames was ruined by water or smoke. [Yes, this is a sign from God that he should return to DC where he belongs.]

Anyway, I'll be bumping his replacement up to the top of the list. He was so sad that he'd left it in the apartment. I'm just glad that he's okay! Eesh. Take a moment today to be grateful for what you have (and for insurance), okay?

So, replacements. Do you knit replacements for people who ask for them? Or do you knit something similar but not exactly the same? Or do you think that if they lost it, they didn't appreciate it enough and don't deserve another?

Part of why I ask is these.

The mittens, they are done.

Pattern: Fanning the Flame Mittens (Heartstrings Pattern)
Yarn: Koigu, shade label long-lost, purchased at the Yarn Barn
Needles: US0 Addi Turbo
Modifications: I went down to a size 0 needle because the US1 fabric felt loose -- good for a mitten I suppose, but still pretty airy. I wanted these to be stiff, dense mittens to stand up to subzero Kansas winds. I also lengthened the thumbs by a couple of rounds.
Comments: The end product is stunning (if I do say so myself!) but the pattern is uberfiddly. Each fan is picked up and knit. Lots of little pieces, lots of ends. (They wouldn't be done today without the heroic end-weaving assistance of Elspeth and Jasmine. I totally owe you girls!!) Some people like modular knitting. I learned it's not for me.

They're off to my sister, just two short years after her request. I've been thinking about ways to prevent her from losing one or both. Knit an icord to tie them together, and string through her sleeves? GPS trackers? I know that I'll just have to be zen about it and hope for the best.

Because as excited as I am about finishing them, I really, REALLY hope to never have to knit a replacement.

Henry and Mittens

So, good old Henry the Navigator decided that he needed to see a bit of town before heading off to his next port of call. As luck would have it, he was with me when I visited my favorite statue in DC, the Awakening:

But wait - the Awakening Man got hungry!

I had to pry Henry free so he could continue his travels safely. He's now en route to his next port of call. Stay tuned to Yarn Aboard to follow along!

While I was at Hains Point, I saw the most fabulous thing:

Two bald eagles, high up in the trees. I've NEVER seen a bald eagle that wasn't in the zoo. I found myself totally awed by their presence. And wishing I had a decent zoom lens.

*****

So, the mitten. I finished the first one way back when, and it was such a pain I've really been dreading the second one. But, for some reason this week I've been inspired by a "finish what I've started" mood, so out it came.

Almost done. That's everything except the cuff, the thumb and [the worst part] the weaving of the ends. There's a lot of ends on these suckers! [If any of the Irregulars feel like helping a girl out -- name your price.]

Anyway, the next time these appear, they'll be finished. And that will be a great feeling.

Yarn Aboard!

Surprising as it is, I've been sort of a one-task knitter since the last post. But look, here's a pair of socks, all happy and complete!

Pattern: Friday Harbor from Knitting on the Road
Yarn: Mama-E's sock yarn, Veruca colorway
Needles: US1, done on two circs
Size: To fit size 7.5-8 woman
Comments: As I noted earlier, I modified the pattern to work for 70 stitches around, but I was spot-on row gauge, so still did 7 repeats. I wish the yarn was a bit more variegated and less stripey, but I can deal with it. I did really enjoy knitting with the yarn -- it has a nice halo and is super soft.

These are now headed to points north for a knitterly friend who has never made (or had) handknit socks. I'm trying to convert her!

So, with those socks complete, I [sadly] have nothing to distract me from finishing up the mittens for my sister. Or so I thought.

That's a swatch for Bloom from Rowan 36. Yeah. I'm just saying. (And yes, I know I still need to finish Jemima. I keep forgetting to block out the pieces and start with the seaming).

******

In super-happy news, a wayward adventurer has stopped into my corner of the world!

It's Henry the Navigator, part of Yarn Aboard!

Henry came to me via Laura of affiknitty. I sure was glad to see him, and he was chock-full with goodies! Here's what I saw when I opened him up:

So pretty! Such a cute little knitterly card!

Henry brought with him some lovely Trekking and some superfun Koigu, plus some chocolate, tea, a candle and even a CD! That Henry/Laura. Spoilers. [Thank you!!!!]