Yarns: Boiled Wool Fingerless Gloves and The "Enigma"

      I'm working on creating Boiled Wool Fingerless gloves for my son Jon who lives in Maine and works as a carpenter on sustainable passive housing.  It gets very cold and he found the Boiled Fisherman's Mittens I made last year extremely warm and dry in the rain.  I'm using several patterns, most of them a variation of this WW II pattern - Trigger Gloves.  I'm finding this pattern the most helpful - Men's Fingerless Gloves.  In order to shrink them down, I'm making them a bigger size.  I'm using a size 6 double pointed needles instead of #3 suggested.  (More details on this glove - Yarns: Remaking WW II Fingerless Gloves and Finishing "One Day in December".)

     In order to create a glove that can be shrunk to the right size, I'm going on my experience from last year making Boiled Fisherman's Mittens and a couple of facts I gleaned from reading different posts online.  One source said that wool shrinks about 40 % vertically, up and down, and 25% horizontally, side to side (now to have it perfectly figured out you should swatch and shrink it, but I didn't want to waste yarn and my whole glove is a tester).  I know my son loves long cuffs so here I've done a super long cuff.  I'm going to see as I follow the Men's Fingerless Gloves pattern that by using a larger needle does it naturally make the glove long enough?  It's the length that will shrink the most and I know Jon likes a snug glove so I'm not worried too much about the width  He might ask that I not widen it as much, I added 4 extra stitches after the cuff as per instructions, but with the Fisherman Boiled Wool Mitts he didn't like it as wide.  So we shall see.  This is a tester.  Hopefully usable, but I'll be doing a re-do in better wool next time - KnitPicks Simply Wool Worsted.  Right now I'm using Patons Worsted Wool.

   Off reading another new genre, at least one I haven't read in decades.  I used to be a thriller reader, then I veered to Romances when I found after 50 I just wanted a happy ending.  Now with Book of The Month Club, I've been stretching myself and reading more modern fiction, probably future classics.  You do fall in love with a perfectly worded phrase.  But for Christmas, my husband gave me a book by an author I used to read Catherine Coulter called Enigma (FBI Thriller #21).  I literally read the first 2 in the FBI series when they came out a few decades ago.  I'm really enjoying it.  The whole series revolves around an FBI couple.  It starts with an escaped prisoner and then goes on about a stolen baby and a deranged man, both considered "Enigma" and I'm just getting an idea of what it's about 100 pages plus in.  But it's good, very good and because I missed almost all of the previous 20 books I have lots to enjoy in the future!

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Yarns: Remaking WW II Fingerless Gloves and Finishing "One Day in December"

 

     My son graduated from an Ecology college in Maine last Spring and stayed there.  He swiftly got a carpentry job for sustainable passive home builders, his dream job.  But sometimes that's a tough job and when one day he was working all day in the cold rain he dreamed of the perfect mitts his mom could knit him.  He wanted fingerless gloves with the fingers exposed to work but the glove itself like his Fisherman Boiled Wool Mitts.  He loves his Boiled Mitts, says they're the best for keeping warm and dry.  I could just imagine the scene.  So he told me this story skyping on Christmas Day and I stayed up past Midnight searching out for what he wanted (some details I will purposefully omit because he's always thinking of being an entrepreneur and develop something to sell and so I won't let all the details out).  Suffice to say he wants fingerless gloves that are boiled wool.

Trigger Gloves

© Namma119

WW II photo of Trigger Gloves

     So I started looking for a pattern for regular sized fingerless gloves, knowing I could use larger needles and get a bigger version to then shrink down to size.  My first hunt uncovered WW II fingerless gloves called Trigger Gloves.  This pattern has been copied from an American Red Cross pattern dated 1940 and does seem the basis of several re-do patterns such as Modified Army Gloves and Men's Fingerless Gloves.  After several (or perhaps lots is a better word) of rip outs, I found the second pattern close (so far) to what I want; we'll see as I progress along if I need to jump around to other patterns.  Because I want to shrink it I'm aiming for knitting one of these patterns, but they all are done, like the WW II one, on # 3 needles.  I found for the worsted yarn I'm using that #6 made a nice fabric, #5 was too tight and I had read that for a boiled wool project you want the fabric a bit loose.  So I also found this really beautiful pattern for Boiled Wool Fingerless gloves called Digits.  They are also similar to the WW II pattern, but of course, designed to give you a big fingerless glove to knit and then shrink.  Hers is done on #5, but this made the fabric much too tight.  So I will forge ahead.  Constantly I imagine my son's cold fingers and I want these done soon.  

        

KnitPicks Simply Wool Worsted

     These first fingerless gloves I imagine are the testers.  I choose Worsted wool so I'd have flexible fingers and Patons Wool because I had the skein on hand.  Optimally I'd like to use KnitPicks Simply Wool Worsted because I found their Bulky version perfect for the Boiled Fisherman Gloves.  It's a natural, unprocessed wool yarn that I think would appeal to my son because of his background at an Ecology college.  And I also so love the colors!

     I'm a hair from being done with my book "One Day in December" by Josie Silver.  It's definitely going to be up there with my all time favorites and I want to revisit it again, perhaps next December.  The writer has such a perfect and unique way of describing things and the plot is definitely unique!  It could be described as a un-romance.  I mean most of the book the possible couple are missing each other.  Sigh.  Constantly I'm loving the book but also feeling like yelling at it to get them together.  I'm almost at the end, have patience I say, it's worth it.  Laurie the main gal is waiting one December day in a crowded bus in London at a bus stop and she sites this gorgeous guy sitting outside on the bus stop bench.  He looks at her and it's love at first sight, but no one moves.  She searches for a year with her best friend and roommate to find him, but he's nowhere.  Until she meets her roommate's new amazing boyfriend.  Yup, it's him and she doesn't tell her best friend.  The rest of the book covers 10 years, but it's at times funny, definitely engaging and I love every page.  I'm ready to turn to the first page again.  Really lovely.

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Men's Fingerless Gloves pattern

     I'm storing this pattern for Men's Fingerless Gloves here because the main source on Ravelry is gone and it's only in an archived spot.  It's a variation of the Red Cross WWII Fingerless gloves called Trigger Gloves; copied here - WWII Mittens and Gloves.  I like that the cast on is a bit smaller, adding the rest of the stitches later at the wrist. The thumb shaping has purls going up and I find that easier to follow and makes a handsome edging. It also has better reviews for fit.

Men's Fingerless Gloves

Pattern alterations of Red Cross WWII Trigger Mittens  by J. Campbell

Size:
Fits medium-large man's hand
Measurements:
Width of glove, minus thumb, is about 4.5"-4.75" wide
Materials:
Sport weight or light weight worsted yarn, less than 200 yards/m (I used less than two skeins of Lion Brand AL PA KA, a 30% alpaca, 30% wool, 40% acrylic mix which comes in 1.75 oz/50 gm balls (about 107 yds/98 m per ball)
set of 4 or 5 dpns (pattern is written for set of 5), size to get gauge (I used US size 3's)
cotton thread/yarn for stitch holders
blunt needle for darning in ends
stitch markers
Gauge:
6 stitches per inch
Pattern:
Right Glove
Cuff
Cast on 52 stitches on 4 dpns (13-13-13-13). Work in k2, p2 ribbing for 2.5"-3" or desired length. On last round of ribbing, increase 4 stitches evenly for a total of 56 stitches. Change to stocking stitch and work 3 rounds.
Thumb Gusset
On next round, start thumb gusset as follows: (Place marker if desired) P1, inc. in next st., k2, inc. in next st., P1. (Place marker if desired.)
K2 rounds even, keeping the P 1 sts uniform.
Next round: P1, inc. in next st., K 4, inc. in next st., P1, K to end of round. K 2 rounds even, keeping the P2 sts. uniform.
Continue to inc. every 3rd round in sts. inside of P1 sts. until there are 18 sts between the 2 p sts.
Next round: K1, slip next 18 sts. onto holder or string, cast on 4 sts, K around. (56 stitches)
K even for 1/2" inch or desired length to beginning of fingers.
Now, starting with needle on line with the thumb, leave first eight stitches on needle, then slip 40 stitches onto stitch holder or cotton string (I prefer cotton string), leaving remaining 8 "back of hand" stitches on remaining needle.
First Finger
Now, knit first eight stitches (palm of hand), cast on 3 st for gusset, and k remaining 8 st (back side of hand) for first finger. Work 1 to 1.5" in. or to desired length, then change to k 1, p1. (To keep in ribbing pattern, it is necessary to purl together the last two stitches of the first round of
ribbing). Continue in k1, p1 for about 4 rounds, then bind off in rib.
Second Finger
Pick up 7 from back of hand, 3 st from 1st finger gusset, and 8 st from palm of hand, and cast on 3 for gusset. Join, work in round in same manner as for 1st finger. Bind off.
Third Finger
Pick up 6 st from back of hand, 3 from 2nd finger gusset, 7 from palm of hand, and cast on 3 for gusset. Join, work as for 2nd finger.
Little Finger
Use remaining 12 st, pick up 2 from 3rd finger gusset. Work for desired length and bind off.
Thumb
Pick up 18 stitches on a string and 4 stitch which were cast on. Work a few rounds in stocking st to desired length, finish in k1 p1 ribbing as for fingers. Bind off.
Left Glove
Work as for right glove, except starting at thumb gusset increases, work around to last 6 st of round. P1, inc. in next st., K2, inc in next st., P 1. Work as for other glove. Remember when picking up sts for fingers that back and palm of hand are now reversed.

---

Copyright 2000 J. Campbell.

Wednesday's Yarns - A Green Fisherman's Scarf and "One Day in December"

© Purl Soho Seafaring Scarf

     One cold day walking with my husband I remarked he ought to have a scarf.  Well, he has a really long one done by his oldest daughter, but not that everyday scarf.  So scrounging around I found a beautiful green of Wool-Ease Thick & Quick Tweed called "Kale".  With a quick Ravelry search of super bulky scarves I found the Seafaring Scarf which looks huge and long but what interested me was its thick stitch which is called a Fisherman's rib.  It's simple and involves knitting into the below stitch and purls.  I'm knitting it on size #15 needles.  The end result is a three-dimensional scarf, almost an inch deep!  I cut down the cast on stitches to 21 at first, then ripped out.  Then 19 stitches, still too thick for a men's scarf, I thought and I've settled for 15 cast on stitches.  I'm imagining a more narrow scarf that's not as long as the original.  I'm super happy with the ease of knitting and the squishy feel of the scarf.  I think it'll be super! (My project Ravelry page with details - Fisherman's Scarf). (Also I found a Cable cast on was a looser cast on opposed to Long-tail).

     I started "One Day In December" on December 21st, the exact day the book starts on.  It's a charming read and quirky verbally at times because it's British.  On that day Laurie on her way home in a crowded bus sees waiting outside at a bus stop a guy, THE guy, who looks up and meets eyes with her and instantly she's in love.  A moment passes and the bus goes on and then she hunts for him for a year and then finds him, but...  I don't want to give away anything. It's a lovely read.

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Wednesday's Yarns - Presents For Maine

     Just down to the wire.  The presents for my son in Maine and his girlfriend are just done.  The thumb on his New England Boiled Mittens finished this morning.  I ship them to him and he shrinks them down to size.  Last year's adventures in shrinking his boiled mitts - Wednesday's Yarns - Boiled Fisherman's Mittens.  I made my mittens from KnitPicks Simply Wool Bulky on #8 needles.

      I finished the hat for my son's girlfriend and washed it in Woolite and soaked it for a bit in an organic hair conditioner.  Both to soften it.  It's drying on an oatmeal box with a bowl on top.  This Sockhead was made from Patons Croy Sock yarn in Celestial.  I'm getting so fond of this hat, the Sockhead Slouch Hat, that I'm tempted to keep one on the needles at all time.  I can grab this one and I can knit it without looking and just read.  Often I'd knit something for a while that needed my attention, then I'd put it down and grab this hat, so I can read.  I do have leftover Hawthorne yarn in a speckled orange on white that I'll be starting one for my youngest daughter next.

     I'm always scouting for a free book to enjoy.  Through The Fussy Librarian, I found this Romantic Suspense "Bluegrass Undercover: Bluegrass Brothers".  It's about a DEA undercover agent trying to discover where the new steroid-like drug is coming from to stop young athletes from dying.  She poses as a guidance counselor and with the new football coach they try to stop the flow of the drug while not getting killed.  It's been a fun exciting read so far.

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Have a Merry Holiday

 from our household to yours!

Wednesday's Yarns- Boiled Wool Mitts

Christmas Gift alert!  Don't proceed if family!

     I've got one week to create an oversized wool mitten for my son, using this pattern from "New England Today"  New England Boiled Wool Mittens.  This was last year's Christmas gift and he liked it so much he asked for another pair, but with a few modifications.  I started them last year using KnitPicks Simply Wool Bulky and then they ran out of his color.  Left with a part of a mitt done, I ordered more yarn this year and finished the one mitt.  I just got the yarn, so I'm hoping to dash off the second mitt.  Here's my copy of the pattern in case the link doesn't work: Boiled Wool Fisherman's Mitten Pattern.

     Last year I knit the Boiled Wool Mittens exactly to pattern and sent them to my son.  He spent a lot of time experimenting on what was the best way to shrink them and his results are in last year's blog post - Wednesday's Yarns - Boiled Fisherman's Mittens.  (Hint they shrink best in the dryer!)

  

 How to best shrink these mittens - Boiled Fisherman's Mittens

     This year he wanted the cuffs longer, so they're 7" before shrinking.  And the glove overall tighter.  So I didn't do any increase after the cuff.  It's straight from cuff to mitt (which means you have to adjust the decrease rounds at the end, I skipped the first decrease and started after that).  Then when I did the thumb gusset I also did one less increase on it (so the thumb has 2 fewer stitches) and to even up the stitches on each needle I also knit two together.  We'll see how it works.  I'll update this later after he gets them and shrinks them.

This year's slimmer design:

Last year's Boiled Mitt (before shrinking)

     I got sucked again into the apocalyptic world with a freebie offer of  "Altered Genes: Genesis".  But I find it an intelligent read that describes a very plausible circumstance (but hopefully won't happen).  Through spycraft, the world is exposed to a virulent pandemic, a created germ with no cure.  Made to defy any antibiotic available.  The main characters are out to survive but also to find a cure and they have the means within their circle of survivors.  In creative ways, the author educates the reader on the scientific details of certain germs and what can happen and for a non-science geek, that's truly helpful.  I find the worldview of life after a devastating event also more hopeful.  While some people are violent, there are also others that are heroes like the Chinese spy and kind people who crop up constantly.  The characters are likable and it's a great read.  I finished the first book and I'm onto "Altered Genes: Revelations ".

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Yarns: Project Peace and The Honey Cowl

 

 My Honey Cowl on top of my Great Grandmother's Saratoga Trunk

     My yarn for Project Peace never arrived.  It might be lost in its travels; it disappears on the tracking last Wednesday in Indiana.  It's from KnitPicks and they've always been fast, but it was Black Friday weekend, so...  But Project Peace 2018 started Saturday, December 1st.  So I remembered this lovely green KnitPicks Preciosa Tonal Worsted I had two skeins of.  And I immediately found a simple but lovely cowl that's long and will be perfectly snuggly to wear called Honey Cowl.

Honey Cowl

© madelinetosh

 It's also all right if it takes forever.  I'm simply doing a bit here and there and still focusing on my two gifts I need to finish.

Project Peace 2018

     Project Peace 2018 has so far been a lovely string of daily blog posts by The Healthy Knitter.  We're dwelling on different "P's" to process PEACE in our lives.  For me, I thought of PERSISTENCE as a necessary element for me.  I constantly have to remind myself to reach for peace, persist when I fail and retry over and over again.  Present was a very good word introduced at the beginning of the week.  We need to BE, AWAKE, aware, here in the now.  And yesterday a reminder to walk that can bring peace, a time to reflect.  Today the word is positive words for affirmations.  So whether you knit along or not join us on this peace journey.  December 21st. is a peace knit-athon where everyone is encouraged to knit that day, together in peace. (The Healthy Knitter post full of details: THK Project Peace 2018)

"The KAL culminates on December 21, World-Wide Knit for Peace Day. The 2018 Project Peace pattern symbolizes 'seeds of peace' representing that age-old wisdom that one simple seed, one peaceful act, can nurture others, growing and cultivating the peace we all seek. Blog posts will offer simple steps readers/knitters can take to create more peace and harmony in their own life, even as simple as enjoying a 20-minute walk in the outdoors." Project Peace 2018

  I tried to read "The Music Shop", again.  I do really love it, but I got hooked on this apocalyptic book series "After the EMP: Survival in a Powerless World" Boxset by J.S. Donovan.  Totally I put it away for a whole day because of the violence.  I had just started the second half of the series.  Same EMP disaster, new characters in another location.  I kept reasoning with myself.  I'm doing Project Peace 2018, I need to read peaceful stuff.  Or, the violence can't be good for you, my mind told myself.  But like a kid, I wanted to know what was going to happen.  I think I reasoned it out that I'm much more peaceful enjoying myself and it's a fun read (violence notwithstanding).  I really feel like I'm acknowledging an addiction to junk food here.  But I've tried and I will get back to good reads, soon.  I promise.  I just need just a bit more of this adrenaline pumping fun read.

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