One Thumb Done, Some Stitching, an Oratorio, and Zipper Pulls

Last night I finished the second Latvian mitten. Note the mirrored Latvian braids on the cuffs.

I removed the waste yarn of the second mitten, picked up the stitches and knit the thumb. It blends in nicely with the palm. I did duplicate stitch on the last red stitch on the thumb. Next time, I'd probably duplicate all the third colour sts rather than be annoyed with carrying 2 colours behind and having the wrap them around each other to anchor them.

 

The palm side of the thumb was too fiddly for me so I just alternated colours to carry both yarns across the back. 

I should be able to finish the second thumb in one sitting - maybe tonight.

With only 68 sts in a round, they are a bit small so I will wet block them firmly stretching the sides out. They'd be perfect for someone with petite hands.

If I were to knit mittens with 68 sts in a round again, I would go up yet another needle size.

During the Crafternoon chat on Wednesday afternoon, I got quite a bit done on Moonshine Cabin.

There is a lot of repetition in the pattern which is good for social stitching. I didn't have to count that carefully when filling in the walkway or horizontal lines. The trees and stars, however, will require much more of my attention.

Strangely, after spending 30 years teaching classroom music (band, vocal, guitar) I tend to not listen to music for enjoyment at all. It is not customary for me to just have the music wash over me as my critical music mind is searching for themes and compositional devices as I listen. Usually when I am doing housework or working in the kitchen I'll put on a podcast or audiobook rather than listen to music. But for a change I have decided that while I'm sitting at my computer I will just tune into a Classical radio station and have it on in the background.

I did listen to some Christmas music over the holidays - while decorating the tree, prepping Christmas dinner, etc. While listening to my coveted Barry Manilow Christmas album

there was an intro to one of the songs with a snippet of one of the choruses from the 'Messiah'. I had an hour to kill while waiting for dinner to cook so I queued up my CD of Handel's 'Messiah',  hauled out the score, 

and sang through all the choruses like I have done several times at Massey Hall with the Tafelmusik orchestra.

Geri and Alexa at Massey Hall, December 2016

The tabs for the choruses were still in place so it was easy to advance from chorus to chorus on the CD as well by skipping tracks. While doing this I thought to myself how enjoyable it was so decided to listen to more music in the new year.

I have made a few project bags over the last couple of years. I like to add a zipper pull and usually use a piece of ribbon or a really skinny tab. When I received my Moonshine Cabin kit, it came with a cute little house charm with a lobster claw clip which was perfect to use as a zipper pull on the bag. 

Looking at it, I thought, "Heck I can make those". I had to think what a good generic charm would be that I could order in bulk and make a bunch of these myself. I decided a key would be appropriate.

With small lobster clips and 6mm jump rings from the local big box craft store, I made a bunch for my own bags and some of those I've made for other folks.