Resolution Number Nine
I refer you to Resolution No. Nine of my original resolutions list, something along the lines of doing foolish things and doing them with enthusiasm.
And maybe even completing them:
To me, that’s a nice, neutral glove.
The gloves strike a rare ladylike pose:
Specs, in case you wish to duplicate my folly:
1 ball Trekking XXL in colorway 131,
2 24″ circular needles, U.S. size 1,
2 jazzy buttons,
1 pattern from Not Just More Socks.
I now know that pattern like the, well…
back of my hand.
Since doing foolish things with enthusiasm is not mutually exclusive with admitting that, as the Reagan Administration used to so skillfullly put it, “mistakes were made,” I will now review the list of things I would have done differently.
1. Although it isn’t that obvious in the photos, the lower part of the hand is somewhat too big for me and the gloves are therefore rather ill-fitting. All of this even though the pattern claims to be sized for a women’s medium! I would have thought my hands were nothing if not medium, but perhaps I have been laboring under a delusion all these years. Anyway, if I did it again, I’d either reduce the number of stitches I cast on or knit the pattern using U.S. size 0s.
2. We have previously discussed my struggle with the mitten top. Nothing further shall ever be said on this subject. If you bring it up, I will deny that it ever happened.
3. I cast off a couple of the fingers while watching rather tense parts of the BBC’s production of Smiley’s People. Do not try this at home. You’ll regret it the first time you wear the gloves and your index finger turns purple from reduced circulation. Then you’ll have to reknit those fingers while “hanging loose,” something not all of us are really that good at doing, in order to avoid gangrene. Ugly.
I am nonetheless pleased with the unabashed riotousness of the colorway,
Brother, can you spare a dime?
and the general unconventionality of the finished article.
Unhappily, I have bad news to report. Coming on the heels of the sudden removal of our derelict truck—from which we have, as you can imagine, barely recovered—the revelation that Shelley had been “invited to leave” her graduate program in paleontology came as a terrible blow.
My advisor never liked me.
January 9th, 2007 at 11:10 am
Great gloves. You really had me worried there for a while I had forgotten that Shelly was a dog member of the family I was thinking she was human!
January 9th, 2007 at 5:12 pm
Wowsa. Those are just a *riot* – in a good way. Man, they’d brighten up any winter around. Love ’em! Btw, go read the stub about dichroic glass at Wiki if you get a sec:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dichroic_glass
Heh – no wonder the stuff’s expensive! And with the closer look, I’m pretty sure those buttons are. Definitely, *the* only choice possible for such a joyous pair of gloves. A totality of coolness all around.
And oh dear re Shelley’s academic news. The worry wrinkles on the brow in that last pic! My sympathies, Shelley. Perhaps you might encourage plans by the humans in the household for an independent field expedition this spring? You know how it is. One’s always reading about the sudden appearance of a mammoth during spring thaws and such. I mean, Nat’l Geo, for instance, doesn’t insist all its contributors have doctorates. It’d be something you could really get your, er…teeth…into.
January 9th, 2007 at 7:44 pm
Are you the fastest knitter in the world, or what? You and Lily Chin should have a contest. Gloves, yay. Getting kicked out of grad school, priceless. Now Shelley has time to explore what she was truly meant to do–nap, eat, scratch and cheer up the bipeds in her life.
January 9th, 2007 at 11:29 pm
When one door closes another one opens…perhaps in the field of forensics or maybe even the culinary arts?
January 10th, 2007 at 9:43 am
Great gloves! Do you like that book Not Just More Socks? Is it worth a purchase?
January 10th, 2007 at 10:02 am
Hi Sarah! About your question: sadly, I would have to say, don’t buy the book. I think the gloves/convertible mittens pattern is the best one in there, aside from another regular gloves pattern that is very cute.
The rest are either some variation on socks (you don’t need a pattern), weird camisoles, iPod covers (I think I’m remembering that correctly), etc. Both Kat and I agree that the whole book isn’t worth the cost.
That said, I think the glove pattern was very good.
January 10th, 2007 at 5:57 pm
I have this vision of someone/something hobbling around minus one leg! The gloves definately turned out very cool! I’m making the button gloves, and plan on doing the tabi socks at some point – they’re about # 3 or 4 on the list of things to knit.
January 10th, 2007 at 7:20 pm
Great gloves! And really great dog. I love a happy dog.