I'm Dreaming...

Of a freakin' sun-drenched tropical island where the beach is hot, the ocean is warm, and the beer is cold. Really.

Well, in lieu of said island (someday...someday...), we'll settle for the white almost-Christmas we enjoyed in Seattle. Here in the D.C. region, our holiday is supposed to be chilly and semi-clear. But, thank goodness, snow free! (Can you tell I'm a summer kinda girl?)

Speaking of Christmas, I've been hearing something interesting from people lately. They're checking out of the consumer-driven rush. Not buying presents and telling family members they can forgo buying gifts, as well. Changing their focus, their priorities. After all, Christmas is supposed to be joyous, no?

For many, the answer is a resounding: "No." Caught up in the frantic cooking, the running around, the shopping, the wrapping, the trimming, the traveling, the partying, the spending...and all that damn "good cheer" and "holiday spirit" that our society crams down our throats beginning in September. It's exhausting! Can anyone honestly tell me why all this is a good idea? Most people can't.

So, even though we're all supposed to go out and spend money we don't have to "stimulate the economy," more and more people are choosing to celebrate their holidays more simply. They're focusing on everyday pleasures: time spent with those you truly love, time spent doing things you're passionate about, time spent contemplating the goodness that comes our way each and every day.

Give it a try. Here, I'll even go first...

I count myself fortunate. Sure, there are things I want. I want my college loans to be paid off. I want my CFS/ME to go away. I want a full tank of heating fuel. I want several sweaters' worth of yarn, more spindles for my spinning wheel, a pair of dark brown Dansko clogs. But do I need those things? To survive? No. Except for the heating fuel, perhaps, the answer really is: "No."

You see, I have what I need. I have my husband, whom I adore. I have two kitties who make me laugh and who warm my heart when they snuggle. We rent a delightful little cottage, and drive a fun little car (a Nissan Versa, in case you were wondering). AND I have a loving family (see husband, sister, and nephew, in photos above). I have tranquility, laughter, and happiness in my life.

Sure, I often feel like crap and can't do what I used to. Sure, we've had to cut back to bare-bones spending. Sure, we can't go out and spend, buy, do, go all the time. At first these things seemed BAD. But little by little I've learned some lessons because, without all the doing and going and spending to mask it, the truth was clearer: I am so fortunate.

Maybe it sounds mushy and trite, but it's true: I have what I need. What more could I want?

Just something to ponder over the coming (longer!) days...

I'm Dreaming...

Inspiration Parfait

Last week we traveled to visit family -- including our one and only nephew -- in Seattle. As expected, most days featured a certain amount of gloom and dampness. When Saturday rolled around, however, the sun --and the mountains -- peeked out just in time for our trip to Pike Place Market. Gorgeous.

First we had hum bao, tasty Chinese BBQ pork buns (yum). We followed with a chaser of hot, fried, sugary doughnuts, so fresh our bag was oil-soaked in minutes (heavenly). Then my sister headed off to be interviewed on a radio show. While she was gone, we grabbed a table at Local Color, where I had some superb pumpkin pie (my favorite).

The grub was good, obviously, but there was so much to see, so many places to explore, and so much color just exploding around us -- we were overwhelmed! I managed to snap a photo or twenty so I could share some of the images with you. And (surprise!) most were photos of food. I didn't think you'd mind...

Now we're back at home, getting ready for a very quiet Christmas with just the two of us and the kitties. Maybe some fresh cinnamon rolls for Christmas brunch, and some Cornish pasties for dinner. Simple and sweet. That's how we like it.

I hope this holiday season is bringing you many hours to enjoy the pleasures of anticipation, of serenity, and of doing what you love with those you adore.

Inspiration Parfait

Hat's Off! (New pattern coming soon!)

In case you're wondering, there really is a reason I put an apostrophe before the "s"in the title: My hat is off the needles! And just in the nick of time. We're headed toward a real Winter Wonderland this year, I think...It's only Dec. 5, and we've slid down into the low 20s at night more often than I care to remember.

I cast on for this hat on Thanksgiving Day and finished it up on Black Friday (which is called Frosty Friday in this region...something I'd never heard before). It was a super-quick knit, and it was nice to do a little colorwork for a change. It's been a while!
So here I am, looking a little geeky in my new hat, but who doesn't look geeky when taking self-portraits intended to show knitwear to its best advantage ;-)

Here are the vital statistics:

• Pattern: Of my own making...
  
• Yarn: Cottage Craft 2-ply Wool in Plum (272 yd /4 oz skein); Peace Fleece Worsted Weight in Antarctica White (200 yd/4 oz skein)
• Needles: US# 6 & 7 circular needles (Addi Turbos)
• Gauge: About 5 sts/inch in st st

I think I may write this pattern up. The hat is cute, in a reminds-me-of-my-childhood sort of way. (Remember all those long, long, rainbow-colored stocking caps we wore in the 70s?) Plus, it's woolly and warm. Who could resist such a combination?

PS. For those of us who love knitting, but don't care for cold weather in which to wear our creations: Spring's only a little more than three months away!!!

Hat's Off! (New pattern coming soon!)

Little Red Mittens

Card design (c) 2008 by Hannah Six

I'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?

***

On another note, I have some toasty green mitts coming off my needles today...

Cozy Mohair Mitts by Hannah Six

A 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?

Little Red Mittens

Take it Easy

Now and then you just need some mindless knitting. A project you don't have to think about at all. One that you don't have to rush to finish, because it's for you.

I find this to be especially true during mid-winter and mid-summer, when you're often "trapped" in one place because you're traveling, or because it's freakin' freezing or bloody boiling outside.

Enter the humble sock. This isn't a fabulous look-at-me lace sock. It's not a startling crazy-colored sock. It's modest, yet warm. Comfortable, like your favorite jeans. And oh-so-easy on a tired brain...

Yarn: Shalimar Yarns Zoe Sock; needles from KnitPicks

The stitch pattern is a double-garter rib (you'll find it in most stitch dictionaries and in the fun Blueberry Waffle pattern). It's stretchy and allows some air to be trapped in the little "pockets," keeping your feet nice and toasty.

This sock has no secrets. It's a plain old cast-on-64-stitches-and-knit pattern, allowing your hands to fall into the rhythm and your mind to wander. No need to urge yourself to relax, to focus, to hurry, to do anything. No need. Just hang out with your knitting. Just take it, as The Eagles advised, easy.

Why not grab a skein and give it a try -- use plain old stockinette stitch or K2 P2 ribbing, if you want. All I'm saying is, give yourself permission to cast on something easy once in a while. Like now. Go with it. See where it takes you.

Take it Easy

Mittens for Knittin' (Free Pattern!)

About a week ago, I found myself with some knitting time on a Saturday morning. As always, plenty of unfinished projects lurked about the house. But that day, they didn't tempt me much. I wanted to knit mittens.

During the previous week, Afghans for Afghans sent out an e-mail update asking for mittens, ASAP. So I gave myself permission to cast on yet another new project and went stash diving.

When I surfaced, I had in hand a skein of heathery-raspberry Peace Fleece (appropriate, no?) and another of Knit Picks Telemark (in green, which, according to A4A, is "the beloved color of Islam"). I grabbed some DPNs and tuned the radio to hear two of my favorite shows: Car Talk and Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! The sun was shining, the heater was blurbing and glugging (it's an old house), and I was happy.

Off I went, knitting without much thought to the hows and whys of mittens. They're pretty simple, after all...Nothing more than a cuff, a simple gusset, and a toe-like tip. If you've ever knit socks, you can knit up a pair of mittens, no problem!

Once they'd been blocked and had dried through (with a bit of assistance from my air purifier), I packed them up and shipped them off to San Francisco, where Afghans for Afghans was tallying up an impressive mountain of mitts. In about three weeks, they received more than 1,000 pairs!

In my enthusiastic state, however, I'd failed to take a photo of the finished mitts! So, until I make another pair, I've photographed my sketch for you (a reasonable facsimile, I think). Together with the notes I jotted down after finishing the second mitten, I managed to create a pattern I call "Knittin' Mittens!" and I'm posting it here, free, for your knitting pleasure. Happy stitching!

Knittin' Mittens

• Yarn: Two colors (approx. 150 yds main color [MC] and 20 yds contrasting color [CC]) of Peace Fleece or other worsted/heavy worsted-weight yarn (I used Peace Fleece for the MC, and double-stranded KnitPicks Telemark for the CC)
• Needles: Set of five US#6 DPNs (or circular needle, if you prefer)
• Notions: scrap yarn, tapestry needle, scissors, stitch markers
• Size: Child's Medium (but very easily customized by adding length to hand/thumb)
  
• Gauge: 4.5 sts per inch in st st

Cuff
CO 32 sts with MC and join to work in round; place marker (PM) to mark beginning of round.

Work two rnds K2P2 rib.
Join CC and work K2P2 rib for four rnds, carrying MC up side.
Break CC and continue with MC for ten more rnds.

Start Thumb
Rnd 1: K to end.
Rnd 2: K7, PM, M1R, K1, M1L, PM, K to beg of rnd.

Alternate these two rnds until you have 11 thumb sts between markers.
Knit around, placing thumb sts on scrap yarn as you go.

Next rnd: K6, work RT* on two sts immediately above thumb opening, K to end.

K three rnds.
Join CC and K six rnds, carrying MC along inside edge as you work.
Break CC and pick up MC.
K three rnds.

Decrease @ Fingertips
Rnd 1: [K6, K2tog] four times (28 sts).
Rnd 2: K to end.
Rnd 3: [K5, K2tog] four times (24 sts).
Rnd 4: K to end.
Rnd 5: [K4, K2tog] four times (20 sts).
Rnd 6: K to end.
Rnd 7: [K3, K2tog] four times (16 sts).
Rnd 8: [K2, K2tog] four times (12 sts).
Rnd 9: [K1, K2tog] four times (8 sts).

Break yarn leaving at least 8" tail. Thread yarn on tapestry needle and draw through rem 8 sts two times, pulling tightly to close hole. Insert needle into center of hole and draw yarn through to inside. Weave in yarn end on inside of glove.

Here's a little intra-pattern cuteness just for you!

Make Thumbs
Place sts from scrap yarn AND two new sts directly above thumb opening and one new st on either side (between thumb and hand) on 3 DPNs [15 sts].

Divide these sts as follows:
N1: first 5 sts from scrap yarn
N2: next 5 sts from scrap yarn
N3: last st from scrap yarn and the 4 new sts picked up where thumb meets hand.

1) K one rnd.
2) Next rnd, K to N3; on N3, K2 tog, K3, K2tog (by knitting last st on N3 with first st on N1) [13 sts].
3) K one rnd.
4) K2tog, K to N3, K2 tog, K to end [11 sts].

Work even in st st for 11 rnds or desired length.
Next rnd: [K1, K2tog] around.

Break yarn and, using tapestry needle, draw through rem sts twice. Draw hole closed tightly, then thread yarn through to inside of thumb.

Finishing
Turn mitten inside out and weave in ends.

Block by soaking in lukewarm water with a bit of cleanser. Rinse gently unless you used a rinse-free wool wash. Be careful not to agitate the mittens as you wash and rinse them or they'll felt and shrink (unless you used superwash wool).

If yarn color bleeds, soak in lukewarm water with a bit of white vinegar to help set dye. Blot dry with towel, lay flat, pat into shape as desired, and allow to dry thoroughly before wearing.

***

Just one request: If you use this pattern, please consider making a pair for the charity of your choice. And, as always, do let me know if you spot anything that needs clarification.

Enjoy!

* To work RT: Insert tip of right needle into next two sts on left needle and K2tog without letting either st drop off; insert right needle into first st on left needle and K this st again; drop both sts off needle.

Mittens for Knittin' (Free Pattern!)

New Twist Collective and Knotions

Did you notice that the Winter 2008 edition of Twist Collective is live? Isn't it beautiful? A treat for the eyes. And the needles, I'd say.

Knotions' Winter issue is up, too. Lots of cool designs and articles...

Hmmm...Good reading, inspiring patterns...Where to start?

Happy knitting ;-)

New Twist Collective and Knotions

Hannah Six Designs Six Shalimar Yarns Exclusives

Clover Honey Shawlette by Hannah Six

Over the past couple of months, I've designed six patterns for Shalimar Yarns. It's been a whirlwind of creating, swatching, ripping out, revising, writing patterns, and having them test knitted. In other words: It's been a blast!

In total, I did six designs for Shalimar Yarns, inspired by their delicious colors, by the scrumptious base yarns, and by Kristi, who owns both Shalimar and Eleganza Yarns, a Frederick, Md.-based store (which is well worth a side trip if you're in the area!).

One of the designs, the Clover Honey Shawlette, was particularly popular, with 20 copies sold in just a few days! Clover Honey is knit from just one skein of Shalimar's Zoe Sock (each skein has an ultra-generous 450 yard put-up!) on US #5 needles.

With a bit of shaping to ensure it hugs your shoulders and a fun beaded cast off, it's both practical and unique. What an amazing (and affordable!) holiday gift this would make! If you're interested in buying the yarn and pattern, just visit the Shalimar Yarns Web site or contact Kristi at Eleganza Yarns.

Swatching for the Shenandoah Capelet

In the coming days, I will post more info about my other patterns, which include:

• The Rotunda Baby Blanket, a Rococco-inspired confection in Honey Worsted, with an intruiguing pattern ever-increasing cables...
• The Shenandoah Capelet, knit in Missy Bulky, with soft and lofty braided cables and unique twisted-I-cord button loops...
• The Freesia Socks, inspired by the glorious Iris colorway and my memories of a freesia-filled garden at my Northern California high school...

I've even created a special pattern, named Schuylkill Punch (in honor of Philadelphia's World Series Championship), for the Shalimar Yarns sock club! So stay tuned for more photos, more pattern information, and more about Shalimar's wonderful yarns and colorways...

And meanwhile? Happy Knitting (of course)!

Hannah Six Designs Six Shalimar Yarns Exclusives