On the Road Again

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Up early and off again,  anther flight to the West Coast, this time to write, tie up Sock Summit ends and work on the November retreat. (All full, thank you, as is the waiting list) and I gathered up little Frankenmitten and left bright and early. 

The coffee that I poured on Frankenmitten in the Denver airport last week washed right out, and had the added bonus of blocking the mitten, which I had thought might be too small, and really isn’t.  Turns out that was  lucky coffee, since it saved Franken from another ripping – this one bitterly unnecessary.  

Frankenmitten and I flew out of Toronto on a delayed flight, which totally gave me a chance to cast on her mate (mitten seen here demonstrating how delayed we were – two braids and twelve rows)

and once in the air  we watched shows on the laptop and made the most of the flight, and the lady next to me said the funniest thing.  I had the whole thing set up.  The laptop, the pattern, post-it notes, two balls of yarn, needls, mittens, knitting…

and this lady looks over at me while I’m knitting and she says "Oh!  Do you knit?"  and I had to fight the urge to laugh out loud.  We went on to have a very nice chat, but for one minute, I had to really squash the urge to answer her question with "No.  No I don’t.  It’s an elaborate ruse.  Don’t let the actual knitting fool you. I am absolutely not a knitter.  Shhh…"

In any case,  this is how long it takes to get to Oregon from Toronto by way of Vancouver  if you have one big delay, two coffees, one connection, one beer, a cheese bagel and a nap.

It’s pretty far.

180 thoughts on “On the Road Again”

  2. That is truly a beautiful mitten ( and a half)!It deserves a prettier name. Have a wonderful, productive time. I’m waiting for the East Coast one.

  5. I suspect the whole trip, there and back, would not be long enough for me to knit even the cuff of that lovely pair of mittens, let alone as much as you got done. These are turning out SPLENDID, Stephanie!

  7. Oh…… I hope your neighbour would have enjoyed your humour! (Ca spellings just for you) I know I would have. Frankie is just gorgeous……. knit on!

  8. This is going to sound really weird, but it is so reassuring that you are knitting on a plane! No matter what anyone says!
    Maybe it’s pretty hard to believe that your accomplishment (said Frankenmitten) is truly simply knitting. Maybe to the inexperienced, you are making a miracle, maybe it’s beyond knitting, maybe it’s MITTING or something else, truly amazing! It sure doesn’t look like a scarf or a dishcloth.
    Possibly it was the computer that threw her off. It’s only recently that one needs a computer to knit! Just saying.

  9. Steph, the mitten is so lovely. I don’t think I could do it. However, I would try it at an Eastern knitting conference. Get it? Eastern? As in EAST COAST?? And so we wait…Lily

  10. Frankenmitten is turning out absolutely beautiful. Everything you wanted her to be and more. And since she is so elegant, don’t you think she deserves a new, dignified name? After all, she had a very high standard to meet.

  11. I took a flight recently without my children (who are small) ad I was amazed at how much I got done! I actually finished a pair of socks – it usually takes me much longer! Have a lovely trip.

  12. The mittens are so gorgeous! I’m sure your hands are going to be very happy when winter comes around and they should help you win the furnace war 🙂

  14. I try not to be resentful of how day to day life gets in the way of my knitting. Things like sleeping and work. Love the dofm by the way.

  15. Everyone else is commenting on the lovely knitting, but I have to say, the first thing I thought of when reading of all of those fluids was the need to pee…

  16. i second the motion for an event east of the mississippi! we knit like fiends here in indy, and we love your books, too.
    pretty, pretty please?!?!

  17. It looks like you are using Signature needles. I would be too afraid they might be taken by the TSA to try taking them on the plane. The last time I flew they did a hand search of my carry on because they were concerned about the 2 inch long plastic scissors in my knitting kit.
    I love the mittens and am glad the coffee came out. You may want to hide them in case one of your girls decides she really needs them more than you. I know you don’t care if your scarf, hat and mittens match but I am thinking a scarf with a matching border would be great to go with them.

  18. Welcome back to the west coast. We missed you at OFFF last weekend though. Too bad you couldn’t come out a couple of days earlier….

  19. That is such a lovely mitten Steph. The intended owner is indeed blessed to have them.
    I so wanted to go to the November meeting. I just cant swing the funds though right now. Bummer, but maybe next time?

  20. The midwest is a delightful place for an event…if i maybe so bold. Ohio winters are cold, long and in dire need of some fresh knitting excitement (especially since the neighborhood yarn shop just (sniff, sniff) closed its doors for good).
    And, while i am making requests, I’ll add a request for the pattern for lovely little Frankie. I’ve never attempted a mitten, but she’s lovely enough to help me overcome any trepidation.

  23. Those are gorgeous! I kind of want to make them myself. I have some lovely fingering weight Shetland in similar colors that I started using for stranded mittens of my own design, but right now I am stuck in a rut after the cuff. I started knitting before I finished designing… maybe I’ll just do the hand part and keep my cuff… I have graph paper and a fair amount of patience for figuring it out.

  24. I’m glad Frankenmitten got another chance on the needles. The finished one is beautiful, and its mate has great aspirations.
    A few weeks ago, I was knitting at a coffee shop and an older man sat next to me. “I’m surprised to see you knitting. No one knits anymore,” he said with much authority.
    I gave him a brief run down of all the local knitting/yarn stores in the area, and described the number and variety of people who attend the two knit nights that I frequent. I was about to tell him of the great spectacle which was “Sock Summit,” but he left.
    I may have been slightly more zealous in my explanation than was absolutely necessary. I think I scared him (I may have been waving my needles about as I explained).

  25. pretty, pretty, pretty!
    knitting is the only way I can stomach air travel (for business) anymore.
    I would cry if they did not let me knit.

  26. Pretty sure the whole “Here’s your sign” thing by Bill Engvall was born of situations like yours. (The sign being the warning to those around that the one wearing the sign is dumber than a box of rocks. Or at least said something that dumb.)

  27. You know, I get a similar question when I’m standing behind the circulation desk with my nametag on, working on the computer–“Excuse me, do you work here?”

  29. Neighbor on plane: Oh! Do you knit?
    Knitter on plane: Why no, I was just sitting here minding my own business, and these two absolutely beautiful balls of yarn just fell OUT of the overhead and Landed On My Lap. HERE’S YOUR SIGN!
    (Apologies to Bill Engvall)

  30. I am so enamored of “Snowflake” (new name?) that I don’t even feel the need to nag about Joe’s gansey…Congratulations and good luck!

  31. Now I want to make mittens… lovely, lovely mittens. (Although I doubt mine would look anything as nice as yours do). Happy travels.

  33. They are so very lovely! Congratulations! I think the latest one could be the subject of a fabulous B movie – The Return of Frankenmitten’s Daughter at 35,000 feet. And that is far… probably there and back again were those needles in my hands.

  38. Oh, I LOL’ed at the “Are you knitting?” comment! And, as another commenter has brought up, I really feel Bill Engvall could have done it justice with a “here’s your sign” comeback. But I don’t think you have quite that sense of humor. (As in, you wouldn’t want anyone to feel stupid, I wasn’t meaning you’re not funny… I’m going to stop shoving my foot in my mouth now, I hope.)
    Frankie and Ben(Stein), the awesome mittens! You’ll just have to give us a pattern when you finally organize a conference in Missouri, right? Isn’t it nice to be loved?

  39. Oh my but your desk top could do with a little sprucing up. The mitten and a half are beautiful none the less.

  40. Gorgeous, gorgeous! But aren’t you tempting the knitting and computer goddesses unnecessarily by setting up your laptop and your knitting (including the completed, previously baptized Frankenmitten) right *next* to your coffee again?? I hope the plane didn’t do any happy dances to celebrate!

  43. I just want to apologize in case I am ever on a plane and get to sit next to you. After gushing over you (and probably telling you who you are- as Cookie A pointed out everyone did to her at sock summit) I would then proceed to stare at you knitting for the whole flight, maybe doing a stitch or too of my own.
    I hope this woman someday realizes she was able to sit next to greatness!

  46. I’m so glad something in my home town (Denver) was good luck for you. One of these days I aspire to find out where you are in time for me to be there (inevitably I find out after the fact–call it the Albuquerque syndrome).

  49. I used to work at a yarn store, and when people would say “Oh, do you know how to knit?” *while I was knitting* I would respond “No, they just turn me loose with props on the weekend.” And people always believed me, and asked when a knitter would be in, so they could come back.

  50. Glad to know that others measure travel time by amount of knitting. Haven’t started my own mittens yet, but have a good start on ones for neighbors…one adult pair, followed by 2 pair of kidlets.

  51. Well, Sweetie…not exactly. That’s what YOU accomplish b/t Toronto and Oregon by way of Vancouver. That’s what I accomplish after circumnavigating the earth–several times. Lovely mittens. Wish I needed them more often in SF. For that pattern, I’d start circumnavigating right now.

  56. Go Franken!!! The mittens are gorgeous! No matter how long I travelled, even if I didn’t take a nap, I’d be struggling along at cuff #1. Knit and frog, knit and frog…

  57. The mitten is doing wonderfully! Love it!
    And yes, I have had cases in which I’m knitting, and they’re like, “Oh you knit?!” I occasionally had the urge to say, “No, I’m crocheting. Don’t tell anyone.”

  58. You should really think about staying in Vancouver for longer that an hour or two. Its quite nice and we’d love to show you around.

  60. I have to say that cup of coffee is too close to your laptop. My husband recently dumped a cup of tea right in his laptop and killed it. That was a $1000 disaster! I was so glad it wasn’t me who did it.

  61. You should have totally gone with your first answer, after a hearty laugh. :o)
    I once said something nearly as obvious as the “Do you knit?”, when I asked a Costco cashier (who looked so much like Mel Gibson that it made my heart race), if anyone had ever told him he looked like Mel Gibson. His response was on the shady side of friendly, and man, did I feel like a slow-top.
    Have fun in Portland!

  62. Did I ever tell you my favorite color is blue and that I think those mittens are UBER pretty? LOL! How nice of you to make them for me. (just kidding!) They are so beautiful! I don’t know how you didn’t burst out laughing when the lady asked you if you knit.

  63. Gorgeous mitten! I’m not surprised that someone would say something clumsy when trying to start a conversation with a knitter. Sometimes people just really want to initiate a subject and they fumble the approach. I vividly remember being at some kind of authors’ event–years ago–and happening to encounter a man wearing a name tag that bore the name of a children’s author I had always considered a genius. I could not believe he was right there in the flesh. What came out of my mouth was one of the stupidest comments of all time: “Are you REALLY Paul Zindel?” (Um, no, I’m just wearing his name tag. . .)

  64. I work at a LYS that has the word “Yarns” in its name. A few Saturdays ago, I was working alone and a woman called repeatedly for directions. The third time she called, she asked “Do you sell YARN?”
    It took every fibre of my being to NOT reply “Nope. We sell beer.” ::sigh:: LOVE Daughter of Frankenmitten. Very nice!

  65. Gorgeous mittens.
    Your desktop, however, is a total disaster. I want to reach over your shoulder and clean it up. How do you just keep icons all scattered around like that? It stresses me out all the way from Winnipeg!

  66. I could imagine a specialty bookstore that had “yarns” in the name, something like “Folklore, Yarns, and Tall Tales”; sometimes it pays to ask the stupid question. Such as: why does Franken-2 look like it has a big opening in the cuff, through which one can see Franken-1? You don’t have to answer right away; you can answer that during the East coast workshop….

  67. Remember when the cranky guy in the seat next to you made you put your knitting away on a flight?
    I think he was on my flight from LA to Portland yesterday– he lectured me on the risks of “poking my eye out” with those “sharp pointy things.” I ignored him, but he’s still out there.
    Sigh.

  68. My paranoid self is dearly hoping that the distance between knitting/lappy and coffee remains at the current level (or further). In my klutzy world, non-clear beverages are not permitted within eyesight of the knitting, and NO liquids get near the lappy!

  69. great mitten. it makes me want to do color work.
    also, i will now be stalking your page religiously so that i can get in on the next retreat. i was totally doing “irish cottage knitting” on my project all day for good luck while i waited for the call LOL.
    have fun on the west coast!

  71. I’ve read a couple of Fair Isle books recently.. Alice Starmore and Ann Feitelson. I’m anxious to try it, but neither author really discusses linings or limitations. It doesn’t seem conducive to a simple scarf, I mean, should it be lined or is it better knitted in a tube? I was just wondering if you had any suggestions for a newbie!

  73. Saw Tina for a quick hug on Saturday – and the story was (when I asked her if she was taking time to relax… ahem) that you two were headed to the beach… Applause, applause.
    I hope that was indeed the truth, and that you’re both off to relax and enjoy.
    Take two mitts, add several beers, and a couple of friends to laugh, stir with a beach house and some lazing about, and have a wonderful wonderful time.
    Those mitts are a 12 on the drool-worthy scale.

  74. Did you ever watch Jeff Foxworthy or hear his “Here’s your sign” monologue. It addresses just such questions as your seat mate posed. Hilarious!

  76. I am the worst person at small talk and probably would have made an equally dumb-ass remark simply trying to start up a conversation. Nice of you to remain polite. In the meantime – nice mitten(s).

  77. Did you rip out part of the cuff in the last picture? the part between the braids? i feel that there is a part missing that wasn’t missing in the first picture. it is making me anxious and worried for the mitten.

  78. Ah, September on the Oregon Coast can be absolutely gorgeous with sunshine or absolutely hideous with rain. I’m hoping you have some lovely sunshine and warm days.

  79. Beautiful mittens! I just cracked up when I read this post. The lady on the plane reminded me of an incident that happened to me a long time ago. I was in a pet store that specialized in breeding parrots visiting a friend who worked there. I have parrots myself and I was helping to hand feed the latest set of baby cockatoos when a woman and her 5 year daughter entered the store. They came over to see what we were doing, and after we told her she asked me “Do parrots come from eggs?” We both stopped what we were doing and looked at her to see if she was serious or just busting our chops. She was serious! I finally managed to ask her if she thought parrots were birds and she said yes. I then asked her if birds hatch from eggs and she said yes. I then told her that since parrots were birds, and birds hatch from eggs, then parrots must hatch from eggs too. She thought about it for a bit and then decided that I must be right. Her poor 5 year old was so embarrassed that she turned bright red and apologized LOL! I’m amazed to this day that I didn’t say something stupid to her myself. I have never wanted to say “Duh!” to someone so badly! I hope you have a great trip!!!

  80. I, too, have taken note of the lovely needles you are using.Not much need for mittens in Queensland! – but I think I may be going to succumb to the desire for some of these needles, for knitting socks. I knit these for my son in Canberra, which is VERY cold.I’ve never really felt comfortable with circular needles, I prefer ordinary old double points!

  81. How on earth do you get knitting needles onto an airplane? I really want to know. I thought they were in the Absolutely-Forbidden category. I mean, if nail-clippers can be confiscated as dangerous weapons, what about long things that are pointy on both ends?

  82. Wow – Frankenmitten is lovely!
    Our plane outta San Jose three weeks ago was delayed by 3 hours. I knitted half the foot of a jaywalker type sock whilst waiting. And the flights from Paris to SJ allowed me to knit well over half of a small shawl.
    Thank heavens for being able to knit beyond security checkpoints and on planes – we’d go nuts if we couldn’t!

  83. Oh, beautiful! Those are Snow Queen mittens. And you can juggle a laptop, a coffee and your knitting on a tray table! I am continually inspired. And thanks to the incentive of your lovely posts I have finally mastered the purl stitch.
    My husband looked at my lovely 4 rows of his new K1P1 winter hat and said “Looks like long underwear, kinda.” I was so proud. Then he saw FrankenDaughter and said “Those rock. When can you do that?” That’s like asking the guy loading your bags when he’ll be piloting the plane. Um, later. Much later. 🙂

  84. Oh Steph, how about an East Coast Summit? I am sooo wishing I could go to sock camp! Have you been down here? It is perfect for socks! But you wouldn’t get much knitting done on the airplane, hardly you’d get yourself all set up and then you’d have to pack it all up for landing, maybe a row or two…

  87. You seatmate was funny. When I was in high school, my friend and I were horseback riding around town and ran into a boy I went to school with. He said, “You ride horses?” I looked down at the horse I was on and said, “hmmm, apparently so.” We laughed for the rest of the afternoon.

  88. I gotta say, you’re a very brave lady to have a cup of coffee sitting next to your computer on the plane. With my luck, the plane would hit a bubble of turbulence, and that would be the end of the computer, so I hope you’re luckier than me! The mitten is gorgeous!

  91. And my husband wonders WHY I always take my knitting with me.
    Gorgeous gorgeous mittens. I agree about the cup of coffee though . . . it would be one of those slow motion things . . . we hit turbulence and the cup joggles and as I reach for it, the knitting goes flying and punctures the woman sitting next to me and I would be hated by all knitters who would no longer be allowed to take their knitting on planes. Sigh.

  92. My husband says it’s like the classic Animal House scene, “are you guys playing cards?” I’m not one who has the whole movie memorized like he does!

  93. Your mitten is fantastical. I wish I could knit, have tried and tried but now know I’m a crochet person and thats it. How does one go about getting your Frankenmitten because as we all know crochet just doesn’t come out looking like those beautiful mitten snowflakes even if you could find a pattern. Unfortunately I can’t wear wool so if they’re made of wool I couldn’t wear them anyways but am just wondering……lol. I’ve been reading your blog for a couple of years give or take and you are the funniest person. My kind of humour. Love it.

  95. I’m not knitting. I just hold hold the needles and trained nanobots make the stitches. Sometimes they let me choose the colors though.

  96. “Do you knit?”
    Heehee!
    To quote Bill Engvall: Here’s yer sign!
    Love, love, love Frankenmitten! Hmmm… I think my snowboarding sister needs a pair. 🙂

  97. It was during a six hour flight delay that I realized that knitting had reduced my stress level significantly. I got the news, found myself a comfy chair and (very relaxed) began to knit. I know travel with enough yarn to get myself through the trip and delays (which is not really so much yarn since I’m a very turtelesque knitter). Your mittens are coming along beautifully and I suspect if you were to auction them off for charity would fetch an excellent price. Heck, if you sold $100.00 raffle tickets you’d be able to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars. Everybody wants them.

  98. Great mitten, but I have to admit, it is especially reassuring to see I’m not the only one with such an organized desktop

  100. I’m glad you are a polite Canadian with a sense of humor! I’m an 18th C reenactor…I get questions like “Is that a real fire” (pointing towards a merrily burning fire) and “Is that a real baby?” pointing towards my actively breastfeeding infant (dressed in colonial clothing), “Are you going to eat that?” as we are chopping veggies and pouring ingredients into the pot on the camp fire, slicing bread, etc. And my favorite: Tourist: “what are you doing?” Me: “washing dishes” (as I sit in front of big thing of soapy water…washing dishes) Tourist: “why?” Me: “to get them clean” (before I realized I should explain that we’d just finished eating dinner!)
    We finally realized that all these amazingly stupid questions aren’t stupid questions. They are the questions that come out when people are self-conscious and trying to start up a conversation, but don’t know exactly how to start. If people realized how they sounded they’d be mortified…
    I’ve learned to cut them slack, and to try to ask a question of visitors to our camp before they can ask one of me…that breaks the ice better, and they then have intelligent conversations, and learn some history.
    When we are knitting in public it’s not quite the same thing as doing an 18thC demo, although there are similarities. Save up the silly things that come out of people’s mouths for the giggle value (heaven knows we need laughs!), but usually they are just the result of feeling awkward.

  101. I am in love with the colors that you’ve chosen! In fact, I now feel inspired to make my Christmas cards in the same combo. So wintery and peaceful.

  104. I AGREE! Your Franken Mitts need new names…
    how abour Snow Queens. Royal Beauties….
    I’ve got it!!! Queen of the Night!

  105. years ago on the New York subway, a girl asked her mom what I was doing. “Crochet”, her mom said. “No,” I answered, “I’m actually knitting.”
    “Don’t be ridiculous. I know crocheting when I see it” said the lady.
    My New England heritage won out over my instinct to correct the woman in front of her daughter, but it was a close call!

  106. For a moment, that beautiful mitten almost made me decide to move to a place where people wear mittens during the winter. Then I remembered the other things that go along with winter…

  107. Never a wasted delay or spilled coffee. Knitter’s motto. I have a feeling you’re getting to know that route pretty well!
    Mittalicious mitts, by the way.

  109. My daughter says we all have so many “stupid points”. We lose a point when we answer a question like that politely. When our points are all gone, we say exactly what we think. I guess I must have a lot of points, cause I haven’t said what I think yet.

  110. Beautiful mittens Steph, but how are you knitting them? I only see 3 needles in the photos; front, back and working. Would love the pattern.

  111. What is it Bill Engvall (Blue Collar Comedy) says when someone asks a ridiculous question like that? Oh yeah, “Here’s your sign!” (after he’s made a snappy come-back like your thought up, but not said comment.

  113. The Franken mittens are beautiful.
    I live in the south, so I’m not aware of the finer points of mitten design. Why would you make a mitten with no ribbing (other than the chance to knit-in more design)?

  114. An airplane may not be the best place to declare you are not a knitter when you have stiletto point metal DPNs around. 🙂 I’m glad you fought the urge, although a headline about a harlot trying to hijack a plane with Signature needles would be really amusing.

  116. Is it bad that I ususally answer that obvious “Do you knit?” question with “No, I quilt.”, just to see the confusion roll across their face? Yeah, it’s probably bad.

  118. Frankenmitten is beautiful as is the part of her mate.
    People do ask odd questions. I think it’s our awkward way of breaking the ice with total strangers.

  120. Welcome back to Portland, so glad to have you back. Sorry that you missed OFFF. I wish I were that lady sitting next to you. I’d be too shy to tell you how you inspire me to knit “one more row”! 🙂
    I absolutely love Frankenmitten. I wish I had the talent to make one!

  121. Um, I’m probably looking at the picture wrong. Some trick of the light or something.
    But is that a big gaping hole in the cuff of the 2nd mitten? And if so, why? I’m so confused.

  122. Lovely mittens — just remember to make 1 left mitten and 1 right mitten! 😉
    But what happened to the cuff of Twin of Frankenmitten?

  123. The mittens are so beautiful! Will you post the pattern when you’re finished?
    / Camilla from Sweden

  127. I love your absolute faith that the fragile,top heavy container of coffee is not going to tip over again!

  128. Well, that does it. I’m going to have to cast on colourwork mittens now, despite having purchased yarn only yesterday for TWO new sweaters that I AM very excited about. I will simply have to stop working and eating and caring for my family in order to knit the sweaters and the mittens at the same time.
    That’s how pretty those mittens are.

  130. Have you ever had an airline attendant on the plane check the pointyness of your needles, or insist you not knit during take off and landing? Or did I just get the one attendant with a hate on for knitting?

  131. I am curious, do you buy carbon offsets? What is your “take” on them?
    Frankenmitt is lovely BTW.

  132. Those mittens are simply drop dead gorgeous!! Might you ever publish the pattern? And, re: your seat mate: “Here’s your sign.”

  133. Frankenmitten is quite beautiful.
    And TracyKM, no, you didn’t get the only attendant who hates knitting. I had one a few years back who insisted that I put my blunt-tip plastic needles in my carryon bag, as I could hurt someone with them should there be turbulence. The same attendant then spent the entire five-hour flight ignoring the two little darlings in the seat behind me (in first class, no less), who spent the whole flight throwing their toys and food on other passengers. Some people are just that hopeless.

  134. I love Bill Engvall…
    I used to travel quite a bit by train. Long haul stuff to NYC and Washington DC.
    SOOooooo… the things I used to bring with me was my knitting and 2 newspapers.
    given that the seats are kinda narrow, and my bum is NOT narrow, I would tuck the papers under one bum cheek. Nice gentleman on the train points to my nicely tucked paper and asks “are you reading that?” I said yes.. stood up.. turned the page on the paper and sat back down! Smiling sweetly all the time.

  135. Hi! Wow, awesome travel knitting! The whole world is going to be jealous of those mittens where ever you go. I spent this past weekend in a car (2,000 miles in three days is way too much!). My travel knitting came to a crashing halt when I discovered an issue in the pattern that required consulting the designer. Someday I will have wireless access in the car. Note to self: only bring knitting that is known to be error free or self designed. On the other hand, frogging is not nearly so painful when one knows there is ample time to repeat whatever one frogged and make additional progress!

  136. I love the mittens. I like the name, Frankenmitten, Frankie for short, in case anyone is counting.
    I once flew to Montreal on the red eye from Vancouver via Toronto. It is a long way. I don’t knit that fast.
    I hope you have a fire place where you are.

  137. Beautiful mitten. And amazing self restraint answering your seatmate. A coworkers once said to me “Wow, your shoes match your blouse really well. Did you do that on purpose?” I had much lest self control than you.

  138. Frankenmitten is SO gorgeous. I am feeling nostalgic for snow just looking at her. She’s just the kind of mitten that the Snow Queen in The Lion / Witch Wardrobe would wear, if she were not evil.
    Will you elaborate again on how you made her? I want to make Frankenmittens!
    Sarah

  139. When someone asks me if I’m knitting when I’m actually knitting I usually answer: No, I’m just pretending.
    Most times good for a laugh, they understand that they are asking for the obviously.

  141. I’ve been making “Scandinavian-type” mittens for about a year now mostly from Charlene Schurch’s book, but yours are much more feminine. Just lovely. So, aside from asking for your pattern for these, I would like info on the cashmere lace smoke ring you designed a while ago. Did I miss the pattern link? If so, please help!

  142. I’m with Kristin at 9:19: the mitten is just beautiful, but I’m totally in love with the thumb pattern.
    And it’s OK with those of us in the Pacific NW if you keep on coming back! ;o)

  143. I can’t believe you let that mitten so close to a cup of coffee – taunting the knitting gods?

  144. The mittens look great!
    And I wanted to let you know that while watching Millionaire today they asked what Poutine is! And I knew the answer because of your blog!
    And btw, he got the question wrong and the expert had no idea either!

  147. Stephanie,
    1st let me say I truly enjoy your blog. I have never read a blog before this one. But I have a small comment…(ok here it comes)Youu are always having classes and what not in Washington/Oregon state…could you PLEASE spread yourself out a bit and maybe have classes in say Florida(since that would be real convenient for me). Lots of Canadians come down here for the entire winter season. Why not join the crowd for a holiday.
    Just a thought. Do Canadians get to write off working vacations like Americans do???
    daune

  148. Somehow the 9/29 comments are broken. I can’t get to them! As far as following the crowd goes, I love to see garments on lots of people so I can get a better idea of how it will look on me. That’s why I don’t think I’ll be knitting the February Lady sweater. I’d look pregnant–not a good look for a woman my age.

  149. The mitts look wonderful. I have been inspired to peruse the copy of Selbuvotter in the LYS where I work, and it is definitely going on my holiday list. What a wonderful art, and a wonderful tradition. I think I need a new adjective though 🙂

  150. Your mittens are beautiful. I envy you the speed and talent that you have acquired through many years of practice. I am an aspiring knitter who dawdles along at a very slow clumsy pace, and feel defeated by the lack of progress and the lack of quality. One of these days I will eventually have invested enough time to be up to your caliber, but that day is a long time coming at my current pace.

  151. The mittens are beautiful – would you please post the pattern? I would love to make a pair myself.

  153. We would love for you to come to Acorns & Threads sometime while you’re in Oregon–we’re a cross stitch shop but we had a knitting pattern once….for quaker pinballs knit with 100/3 silk thread and 000000 needles. Does that count? I’ve even thought about starting one!
    Laurie

  155. Hello! I am a new (but very ambitious) knitter, and would like to know where to find the instructions for making the braid on your mittens. Is it a published pattern?
    Thanks-

  156. Being asked “is that knitting” is better than “is that cross-stitch.” But, I have to say that when people ask me if I knit WHILE I am knitting, I really feel like saying no, I’m riding a horse.

  157. I don’t usually comment but love the “are you a knitter?” I like answering, no! its VOODOO, a curse in every stitch. Want one?

  158. I attend a large university that has it’s own campus bus. I was knitting on my sock when a girl took the seat next to me as she boarded. She looked at me and said the usual “You knit?” to which I choked out a pleasant “Yes.” (You’d be surprised how many college students get crochet and knit mixed up…actually, you probably wouldn’t.)
    Then she twisted up her face and said, “like, as a hobby?” to which I replied “Yes” whilst screaming inside my head at the top of my head-lungs:
    “NO, NOT AS A HOBBY! I AM PART OF A MOBILE SWEAT SHOP AND ALL WE DO IS KNIT SOCKS DURING EVERY WAKING MOMENT OF OUR LIVES. I DO IT SO I CAN AFFORD TO PAY FOR COLLEGE AND ANSWER IDIOTIC QUESTIONS LIKE YOURS ABOUT KNITTING AS A HOBBY!!!)
    God, I love knitting.
    …and you 🙂

  159. Just catching up on my reading and glad to see that Frankenmitten has a mate. About the lady asking if you knit…kind of like people asking a friend if her boys were “both twins.” Made me want to respond, “No, just the one on the left. The one on the right just happened to be in the womb at the same time.” People can be so silly.

  161. I could not have knit that much mitten on a trip from Toronto to Oregon by way of Vancouver if I’d gone by covered wagon. You are amazing.

  165. Laugh out loud funny. I have people ask me all the time if I knit while i am knitting, I just smile and say Yes, Yes I do!

  166. It’s a wonder that you didn’t respond to your seat-mate, ” No, I crochet…and I should know.”
    Truly lovely Daughters-of-Frankenmitten, though!

  171. Your experience on the plane is akin to working in a retail store that requires you to wear a giant red apron with the store logo and then getting asked, “Do you work here?” It is particularly amusing when you are up on a ladder poking around in the back stock. I always had to fight off the urge to say “No, I just wear the apron because it’s such a great fashion statement.” Nothing will turn you into a misanthrope faster than customer service.
    Frankenmitten is truly lovely.

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