New England necessity

Lately I can't seem to keep my mind on a project for long, which might just be a sign that I'm sick of knitting socks. It's not that I don't love knitting socks—because I do. They're the perfect portable project, and I love the magic of the short-row heel. But clearly, I need to clear my head. I've knit the first few rows of a garter stitch dishcloth, trying to teach myself Continental. It's odd, and very slow-going at the moment, but if I ever hope to do any colorwork, I'm going to have to get used to it. I figure a dishcloth or three should do nicely to get my fingers adjusted.

Then it occurred to me yesterday—it's winter. Those of you in New England might not have believed me, a week ago; but winter it is. Winter in New England, and I can't seem to find a pair of gloves anywhere in my apartment. And, as I am currently poor and unemployed, I figure I'd just have to make do without them. No longer; I actually have enough yarn lying around to knit a pair! Fantastic. I'm going the combined fingerless glove/mitten route, and am just a thumb and some finishing shy of completing the fingerless glove portion of the first of the pair. I figure I'll knit both gloves first, and add the mitten flaps later—at least that way, I'll have a working pair of gloves within the next few days. (Pictures will emerge soon; I promise.)

Clearly, these gloves were exactly the project I needed to clear my head. Also, glove contruction is a lot easier than I'd expected—perhaps I'll be able to manage the Mermaid Gloves on my own, after all. That is, once I can afford the yarn.

—J