There might be mittens
First of all, people, best birthday EVAH. It started with a sweet and lovely snowfall and attendant kid euphoria, then was followed by the kindest act of comment pimping possible, and was capped off by my coworkers throwing me a rocking surprise party. I confess I was completely unable to deal with being surprised, and was eventually given a talking-to by one of my colleagues, who told me to shut up and do as I'm told, which still didn't stop me from completely ruining the surprise. But there were margaritas and a homemade cake with butterfingers in the frosting (I know!) and some of my favorite people and tapas so I was a happy camper. What a great birthday. Thanks and thanks and thanks again.
Black Friday may mean shopping for many, but for me it's the start of holiday knitting. The situation of two schools and a crew of teachers and aides means further complications. And of course my first project, a pair of fetching mitts made with handspun, will need to be frogged. I knit one and it's just a little too "swamp thing" for a gift. I'm pretty sure this teacher will get the value of a handspun, handknit gift, but you know, it just doesn't work. Frog pond.
More successful so far is a pair of pirate mittens for Mr. Henry. He seems to like the finished one (though pronounced it "yarny" in a way that was not altogether positive, though I think he was responding to scratchiness). Me, I like 'em.
And back to it...
Thrilled to hear about the birthday surprise and the fun that was had by you! And loved the chuckle that I got about the "swamp thing" and the "yarny"- ness of the mitten. My youngest did the same thing after I stayed up into the wee hours of the morning finishing up a multidirectional scarf he begged for in Noro Silk Garden- "scratchy!" He did wear it to school for geometry show and tell.
Posted by:Manise | November 25, 2007 at 11:06 PM
So glad you had a great birthday!! Butterfinger frosting? Beyond. Awesome.
Posted by:JessaLu | November 25, 2007 at 11:18 PM
Mmm, Butterfinger frosting. I may need to request that for myself. Hopefully Henry will still wear the mittens despite being "yarny" -- they're really cute!
Posted by:Danielle | November 26, 2007 at 06:31 AM
Glad it was a good one. 'Swamp thing' is a very funny description. I think I understand.
Maybe we can stop you from the pressure of gift knitting, started this late? Maybe?
Posted by:Laurie | November 26, 2007 at 06:53 AM
I'm glad your birthday was so sweet - you deserve more of that in your life.
Posted by:Carole | November 26, 2007 at 07:05 AM
Did you downsize the pirate pattern so it would fit Henry? I have a little friend about his age who would love a pair of those....What's yer yarn?
Posted by:Stephanie | November 26, 2007 at 09:04 AM
I want some butterfinger frosting to go with my coffee this morning. Because it's not enough that I just gorged myself for 4 days at the inlaws.
As to the mittens: Yaarrrrrnn! (said in best pirate voice :)
Posted by:katy | November 26, 2007 at 10:26 AM
Having been through the two schools, etc. holiday routine, please, please, please, learn from my past experiences - you will just make yourself, and everyone around you, if you try to knit all the well-deserving teachers a gift. If you want to do handmade, which I completely understand, bake - cookies or lemon bars can be doubled and get multiple gifts done at once, and most coffee cake type recipes can be put into smaller, mini-loaf pans, thereby yielding several gifts from one mixing. The other nice thing about baking, the kids can help and they'll learn stuff too (baking is wonderful for teaching early fractions). Besides, the gift then comes from the kids, too, and they get the satisfaction of giving something they helped make. Just my not-so-vey-humble opinion, of course.
Posted by:Kim | November 26, 2007 at 11:52 AM
Happy Birthday (belated)-the cake sounds worthy of an extra bolus or 3 of humalog!
Posted by:amysue | November 26, 2007 at 02:16 PM
My son has two van drivers, one van monitor, one teacher, three aides, three therapists (OT, PT, and speech), and possibly a mainstream teacher or two. I'm so petrified of missing someone that I just send in a big tin of popcorn or cookies or something.
Nice pirate mittens! Made of yarrrrn, I presume. I have to start some mittens and/or socks for my various nieces. My daughter wants yarn. Do you think she might be related to me?
Posted by:Lucia | November 26, 2007 at 03:11 PM
Now I'm hungry. Is it too early in the morning for cake? :-)
And some of my handspun ends up looking like Swamp Thing *before* I knit it up. The green Grafton, in particular. Which begs to be...
wait for it...
Kermitts.
Posted by:Lee Ann | November 27, 2007 at 09:32 AM
what stephanie asked. I'm all about the mittens these days.
Posted by:julia fc | November 27, 2007 at 10:54 AM
Love the pirates! Glad you had a good birthday.
Posted by:Kat with a K | November 27, 2007 at 11:51 AM
Ditto Stephanie and Julia. I have a someone in my house who would love those mittens.
Sorry I missed your birthday, but thrilled it was a good one. Oh, and re: holiday gifts? Last year Young'un helped me make hot chocolate mix for his teachers. We put it in cheap tins from the craft store, paired it up with a mug from TJ Maxx, and voila! It was good stuff, too ... if you want the receipe, just ask.
Posted by:Ruth | November 27, 2007 at 05:46 PM
Arrr, they be nice mittens matey.
Glad you had a great birthday.
Posted by:Dr. Steph | November 28, 2007 at 09:58 AM
Swamp Thing. Heh.
Posted by:Cassie | November 28, 2007 at 10:58 PM
hey, congratulations on your yarn harlot prize! i'm jealous!
Posted by:jenn | November 29, 2007 at 02:36 PM