Little Red Mittens
Card design (c) 2008 by Hannah SixI've always had a love for little red mittens. I must have had a beloved pair when I was a kid. Though I don't remember much need for mittens in San Francisco, I did spend a winter in Spearfish, SD, when I was about six-years old. And that's a place where mittens are de rigeur.
So maybe it's not surprising that, when I decided to make my own Christmas cards a few years back, I chose a little red mitten to symbolize "Comfort and Joy." Honestly, is anything cuter than a child's warm, woolly little hand on a cold day. There's your Joy. And the Comfort? Well, I think that's pretty self-explanatory.
I loved these cards, so I'm probably going to resurrect the design again this year. Deciding to send cards isn't easy these days. Postage costs a fortune, but then so does everything else!
And the joy (there it is, again) of opening your mailbox to find a handful of warm holiday wishes from your loved ones makes up for the time and energy spent writing and addressing your own batch. To me, at least. I LOVE receiving Christmas cards. Or cards for any other holiday we celebrate in December.
Actually, this year, I might actually pursue my life-long dream of printing some of my cards so I can sell them locally and on my (recently neglected) Etsy store. My head is bursting with design ideas. (BTW: If you think you or anyone you know might be interested, let me know; this really is about as close as I ever get to "Market Research" -- ha ha!)
On the other hand...If you decide to make your own cards this year, for whatever reason, take a few moments to consider what brings you comfort, what adds joy to your life during these long, cold months. That will make coming up with a design a little easier. After all, why not share these personal symbols, and what inspires them in you, with those you love?
So maybe it's not surprising that, when I decided to make my own Christmas cards a few years back, I chose a little red mitten to symbolize "Comfort and Joy." Honestly, is anything cuter than a child's warm, woolly little hand on a cold day. There's your Joy. And the Comfort? Well, I think that's pretty self-explanatory.
I loved these cards, so I'm probably going to resurrect the design again this year. Deciding to send cards isn't easy these days. Postage costs a fortune, but then so does everything else!
And the joy (there it is, again) of opening your mailbox to find a handful of warm holiday wishes from your loved ones makes up for the time and energy spent writing and addressing your own batch. To me, at least. I LOVE receiving Christmas cards. Or cards for any other holiday we celebrate in December.
Actually, this year, I might actually pursue my life-long dream of printing some of my cards so I can sell them locally and on my (recently neglected) Etsy store. My head is bursting with design ideas. (BTW: If you think you or anyone you know might be interested, let me know; this really is about as close as I ever get to "Market Research" -- ha ha!)
On the other hand...If you decide to make your own cards this year, for whatever reason, take a few moments to consider what brings you comfort, what adds joy to your life during these long, cold months. That will make coming up with a design a little easier. After all, why not share these personal symbols, and what inspires them in you, with those you love?
***
On another note, I have some toasty green mitts coming off my needles today...
Cozy Mohair Mitts by Hannah SixA few years back I made a red pair, with long, long ribbing at the end of the hand so you could fold it down over your fingertips when it's bitterly cold, then fold it back when you need to use your hands.
Knit on US#3 needles from Dale of Norway's worsted-weight Sisik, the red mitts ("Red Hot Mitts" on my Ravelry projects page) are virtually wind-proof! And the garter rib stitch creates little pockets to trap warmth. Cozy!
Well, this past summer, I set up a table at a local arts market. Even though it was closing in on 100 degrees outside, I decided to put the Red Hot Mitts on my table to fill in some space... (production knitting is H.A.R.D.!) And? Someone I know was so enamored of them that she actually bought them--in July! And she loved them, and I loved that.
Soon afterward, and this was a surprise, she asked me to knit a few for her to give to friends this Christmas. Thanks to some lovely Ravelers who had a few balls of the now-discontinued Sisik in their stashes, I managed to collect enough yarn to make several pairs, all in different colors. This is pair #1: Spruce. Next up? Maybe Eggplant. Or Cranberry.
Holiday knitting. The pressure. The pleasure. Is there anything like it?
Knit on US#3 needles from Dale of Norway's worsted-weight Sisik, the red mitts ("Red Hot Mitts" on my Ravelry projects page) are virtually wind-proof! And the garter rib stitch creates little pockets to trap warmth. Cozy!
Well, this past summer, I set up a table at a local arts market. Even though it was closing in on 100 degrees outside, I decided to put the Red Hot Mitts on my table to fill in some space... (production knitting is H.A.R.D.!) And? Someone I know was so enamored of them that she actually bought them--in July! And she loved them, and I loved that.
Soon afterward, and this was a surprise, she asked me to knit a few for her to give to friends this Christmas. Thanks to some lovely Ravelers who had a few balls of the now-discontinued Sisik in their stashes, I managed to collect enough yarn to make several pairs, all in different colors. This is pair #1: Spruce. Next up? Maybe Eggplant. Or Cranberry.
Holiday knitting. The pressure. The pleasure. Is there anything like it?
1 comment:
I would TOTALLY buy your "comfort and joy" cards -- they're so cute!
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