Wild Sparrow

Be back soon....

2010-07-15T06:23:00.000-07:00

Though I hate to admit it, a realistic little whisper warns me that my posts are likely to become irregular while I work out living arrangements and other consequences of my marriage separation. I'll still try to post whenever possible. Please hang tight in the meantime. I look forward to better blogging in the future!
Thank you for your understanding!

Diversions

2010-07-08T14:49:00.000-07:00

The other day, I made myself a simple lunch to enjoy while overlooking the garden. I was so pleased with having accomplished this rare feat - my actual preparation of a "meal" - that I had to photograph it to share it with you!

I also took a stroll along the Richmond dyke.

It's a lovely spot, speckled with sparrows and colourful songbirds, overlooking the Frasier River.

The trigger finger on my camera enjoyed an adventure around the back garden...

Getting Unstuck Exercise #1: Doodle

2010-07-03T19:27:00.000-07:00

Dear readers, I'm sorry for the delay in posting!

Life has a way of getting away from you sometimes, you know? ;)

The doodle project was fun!

Since it had been a long time since my last doodling session, I felt a little awkward at first and was slow to start.

Still, I enjoyed myself and switched from a pencil to coloured felt pens.

As I went along, little random phrases would meander across my mind. So I began to incorporate them, too!

Getting Un-Stuck

2010-06-30T00:07:00.000-07:00

Luckily, the blog is fully functional again. (Thank you, mighty goddess of the internet, thank you!) With the help of the new Blogger template designer, I've also added a few layout updates.

In my June 23rd post, I alluded to a major life shake-up. Indeed, this thing has plucked me up, tossed me about and strewn me out like a Yahtzee game piece. My husband and I, now three days from our sixth wedding anniversary, have separated.

Yeah.

Sad.

I am tremendously grateful that Kye and I have been such close friends and are able to remain so now. Certainly we still love each other, but perhaps we will come to see that our friendship matters most of all.

Heartbreak.

No other sting so deeply pierces the soul.

This past week has seen the beginning of our separation. I've found myself stuck. There is so much that I must accomplish (you know, little things like finding a job and a place to live). All I want to do is play in my studio - but its door looms with such melancholy and regret, harsh with the reminder of its impending abandonment.

I'm 'putting it out there in the universe' that I'd so appreciate to find an affordable, rentable room large enough to accommodate a bed and a work space. Yet the practical voice in my head assures me that's a tall order for Vancouver. Still, I'm determined to find shared accommodation near the flamboyant diversity of Commercial Drive. How I love the poetry slams, art shows, international foods, colourful characters and rich, bohemian spirit of the place. The rent is higher there, for sure, but the neighborhood hums with an eclectic mix of art and culture (not to mention fresh produce) that sings to my spirit and beckons me home.

(Oops, I hadn't intended to ramble on so.)

Rather, I wish to share with you these lovely leaping off points from Eccentric Spirit. Today, I'm thinking that I really need to motivate myself into action. To help me, I'm going to follow Eccentric Spirit's 10 Ways to Get Unstuck:

Doodle
Do some contour drawings
Splash on some colour
Fingerpaint
Consult an expert
Empty your head
Artistic cross-training
Go for a walk
Hydrate
Blast some tunes

Click on 10 Ways to Get Unstuck to read her notes on each suggestion.

As Eccentric Spirit notes, her ideas apply equally well for those with artists' block as for those of us stuck in the mire of life change. And more importantly, it just sounds fun.

So, for the next ten days, I'm going to follow and post about one prompt every day. Try it with me, if you like!

"Life is about change,

sometimes it’s painful,

sometimes it’s beautiful,

but most of the time it’s both."

(Smallville)

Bloggy Boo-Boo

2010-06-26T15:48:00.000-07:00

Ughk.

Yes, ughk.

It seems that I have offended the blogging goddess by way of some mysterious (at least to me) and inappropriate application of widget code semantics.

That is to say, bloggy has a boo-boo.

Aww, my poor little blog. I sincerely hope that you will be well soon.

In the meantime, let me spend a grossly inordinate amount of time tediously re-typing sections of code and praying that a generous internet spirit somewhere will take pity on us and bring the Wild Sparrow blog back to good health.

Dear Mighty Blogging Diety,

Please let my widgets load;

My images appear; and

My background margins recover in all their glory.

Amen.

...and the drumroll, please!

2010-06-25T20:32:00.000-07:00

In a surprise turn of events, we received the help of two handsome helpers!

Rachael, of Hello Earth, captures the comical climax of our giveaway:

(Yay for romantic partners who play along with our zany ideas!)

Congratulations Carma of Carma Sez!

Carma, you are the lucky winner of:

Three original art pieces or prints by the talented artist at Hello Earth;
Three handcrafted and finely detailed wallflowers by Lilac Saloon; and
An appliquéd clutch purse with sparrow signature detail and single snap enclosure, crafted from vintage linens.

We hope that you'll enjoy your prizes! Your items will be mailed to you separately,
so you can look forward to an enticing sequence of deliveries.

Thank you to everyone who entered!

I continue to be boggled by the blogosphere's capacity to connect us, despite the boundaries of our geography.

I appreciate that each of you took the time to stop by and share your favorite summer pleasures!

I also really enjoyed collaborating with the two enthusiastic new artists,
Lilac Saloon and Hello Earth. Thanks girls!

Surprises Aplenty!

2010-06-25T17:08:00.000-07:00

We have a special surprise for you, dear readers!
A secret guest will be performing the random selection of the Summer Begins Giveaway winner!

I have to tell you, I am particularly excited about our mystery guest - who has very graciously volunteered to do us this honour.

Here are some clues:

the special guest is...

very attractive;
a wonderful cuddler; and
swooned over by women and men;

I assure you, it will be fun! As soon as our mystery guest is ready, we will divulge (his or her, mmm?) identity and who has won the Summer Begins Giveaway!

Last chance to enter the Summer Begins Group Giveaway!

2010-06-24T10:02:00.000-07:00

Today is your last chance to

enter our Summer Begins Group Giveaway contest!

Entries will be accepted until 11:59 pm this evening.

Click here to enter now
and you could be the lucky winner of these 7 wonderful prizes!

Visit this post to see why I love the Summer Begins theme and to celebrate our authentic, creative selves.

Don`t forget to gain additional entries by commenting on Hello Earth and Lilac Saloon`s blogs, as well.

One special entrant will be randomly selected on Friday.

Check back tomorrow to find out if you`re the lucky winner.

Best of luck!!

A Whirlwind of a Weekend...

2010-06-23T14:16:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed my short absence from the Blogosphere...

It happens that my life has been swept up and throttled about during a whirlwind of a weekend. It is amazing how incoherent one's life can become over the course of a few short days.

Of course, major life events often herald the good as well as the bad. This is true, despite the difficulty that one frequently encounters when attempting to glimpse the sun through the murkiest shroud of pitiless cloud.

So let us look to something cheery, today. Let us turn our eyelids to the sun and squeeze supple blades of grass between our toes. Let us lose ourselves in our dreams... and envision their transformation into a bold new reality.

Celebrate Your Beautiful, Creative Self!

2010-06-17T22:25:00.000-07:00

The "Summer Begins" giveaway is officially on!

To enter, visit my contest page or click the banner to the left.

Good luck!

I love the summer growth & renewal theme - yes, because it signifies an beloved seasonal benchmark - but also because of the symbolic value of summer's re-emergence.

As artists and crafters, we often experience a kind of internal "opening up" and "blossoming" through the practice our art... a metamorphosis not unlike the unfolding of peonies' petals and ripe red buds stretching to the sun.

To me, this is one of the most amazing aspects of creation: that in the process of crafting something new, the artist undergoes a fantastical transformation herself.

To celebrate the flourishing nature of creative play and the luscious warmth of the growing season, we are sharing our creative endeavors with you!

As an entrant, I hope that you will be inspired by our summer theme. Consider your own flowering experience: the people, places and actions that have inspired your own growth. And don't forget to appreciate how beautiful you've become along the way!

Summer Begins Giveaway!

2010-06-16T19:35:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to share this with you!

Hello Earth, Lilac Saloon and I have teamed together for this summer-celebration of handmade giveaways.

Here are the wonderful prizes you can win:

(1) A collection of three handcrafted and exquisitely detailed textile art wallflowers from the creator of Lilac Saloon;

(2) A selection of three dreamy, original art pieces or prints from the talented artist at Hello Earth;

AND...

(3) An appliqued clutch pouch with single snap enclosure and signature sparrow detail.

Handmade from reclaimed linens
(by moi).

Woohoo!

Here are the Summer Begins Giveaway details:

1) One lucky winner will receive all of the prizes! To enter, post a comment below indicating your name, location and favorite summer activity.

2) The contest is open until June 24, 2010. Visit the Hello Earth , Lilac Saloon, or Wild Sparrow blog on June 25th to see if you`re the lucky winner!

3) Post a comment to all three blogs to earn additional entries.

4) Sorry, but our close `real-life` friends and family are not eligible to win.

5) Each item will be mailed separately by its creator, so the winner can expect a very exciting sequence of prize deliveries.

Feel free to share our contest info with your friends & family!

BEST OF LUCK!!

Exciting Events Are Around the Corner!

2010-06-16T02:22:00.000-07:00

It`s been a few days since my last post, largely because I`ve been holding my breath to share some very exciting news! Since the official declaration isn`t quite ready yet, I feel compelled to at least share a teaser with you:

I`ve joined up with two amazing artists for a an extra special giveaway contest! Our official announcement will be launched very, very soon - so stay tuned! It`s going to be GREAT! Just wait until you hear what our theme will be and who my mystery teamsters are!

Another exciting bit of news is that Wardrobe Refashion has just re-opened registration for new pledges. WR is a site dedicated to clothing re-construction and the re-purposing of materials. To take the pledge meas to stop buying new clothing items (handmade and work uniforms are excepted) and to instead take advantage of existing or second-hand materials to flex your eco-friendly and frugal fashionista skills.

Wardrobe Refashion is a site where I`ve long been a skulker but never a poster. With the Wild Sparrow blog now available for a personal project forum, it`s time for me to quit fooling and make a pledge!

It seems like great timing, too. Wardrobe Refashion is going through a major overhaul as the website moves to its new domain at wardroberefashion.net and a whole new arena of subscriber benefits becomes available. You can visit the Wardrobe Refashion update info here to learn more about the new changes. The new round of Wardrobe Refashion pledges begins July 2010.

I`m very excited about these new projects and I can`t wait to share it all with you soon!!

Spring Joy

2010-06-10T11:41:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love spring?

I adore the scents of fresh foliage, the sweet sounds of songbirds, and the lusciously vivid colours of springtime flowers.

To share these wonders with you, here are some photos of my favorite new neighborhood blooms.

I only wish that they were scratch and sniff! :)

In Awe of AVAoriginal's Floral Art Accessories

2010-06-07T10:39:00.000-07:00

I recently came across the amazing work of AVAoriginal. She handcrafts the most stunning floral accents I've ever seen. Based in Berlin, this artist works with felt textiles to produce gorgeous necklaces, scarves, hair clips and home accessories.

I am truly in awe of this artist's work. The remarkable realism of her flowers entices you to stroke the velvety soft texture of their petals. These pieces are large enough for visual effect without appearing over-the-top; the designs are decidedly softer and more delicate than the oversized flowers of 2009 (à la Sex and the City). More than a fashion fad, these necklaces are handcrafted works of wearable art.

AVAoriginal's florals have me intrigued by their artistic talent and amazed by their beauty. I think I'm in love! Visit AVAoriginal 's Etsy Shop here.

Love Makes It Cute

2010-06-03T23:18:00.000-07:00

First off, let me tell you that I have a wonderful husband. Yes, yes, I know that you're husband (wife/partner/other) is wonderful, too. But mine is really wonderful.

This is a man who brings me breakfast in bed for no reason other than he was up before me. Who, while I was in university and constantly running 20 mins behind, always had my lunch, books, a steaming travel mug of Caf Lib and a kiss waiting for me at the door. Who built me a custom composting station and rain water basin for a previous birthday and is refinishing a vintage bicycle for my coming birthday (*swoon* all worth more than gold in my book). He even agreed to let me gut our storage room and declare it my "Studio" ...on the condition that he could finally put a punching bag in our living room - well, okay..! And of course - you were expecting this one - he puts up with me and all of my shenanigans.

I'm still in the never-ending process of organizing my studio space. For a work table, I mounted an old door onto a wooden shelving unit that we'd cut in half (actually, these shelves used to constitute "the pantry" - which is another amusing title due to the cozy nature of our one-bedroom suite). Since the shelves made the work space pretty high and I wasn't willing to sacrifice an inch of crafty storage space, we sought out an appropriately tall chair at a local thrift shop. All excited, I brought the chair home, grandly placed it before the table and ...Voila! It was perfect! Just the right height for me to work comfortably for hours on crafty projects.

Only later did I realize one important defect: my feet couldn't reach the sewing machine pedals!

So I asked my wonderful husband - his name is Kye, btw - if he could please make a stool for my sewing machine and serger pedals. He likes to do handy things, which is a handy thing for me. My special request was that it have a wooden bar along the top back edge to prevent me from kicking off the pedals (or whatever... I have a knack for such silliness.).

So while I was busy doing something else, he used some scrap wood to construct a special little stool just for me. Then he came and got me and showed me my surprise.

Here it is!
(in front of a fabric stash)

How adorable is this stool?!

Okay, so this little baby will never sit in a museum or be sold for hundreds of dollars.

It will not suite everybody's artistic or decorative preferences.

But I love it.

And I think it's wonderful. And sweet. And cute.

Love Makes It Cute. :)

I Won!! (And Why Handmade Items Make My Heart Melt)

2010-06-01T23:26:00.000-07:00

I've just won these gorgeous lampwork and enameled metal beads courtesy of Anne at Gardanne Glass Lampwork Beads & Artisan Jewelry! Anne hosted a popular giveaway on her Gardanne Life blog. The prize consisted of these beautiful handcrafted beads.

And I've won them! How amazing is this? I can't wait to create some magical pieces with these beauties!

I'll be honest now and admit that I've been drooling over the enameled metal spheres in Anne's Gardanne Handmade Lampwork Glass Beads shop on Etsy for some time. So, of course I jumped at the chance to enter her blog contest.

Anne creates these beautiful beads herself. I feel honoured to work with materials that have been lovingly handcrafted by another artist.

When I work with such treasures, I imagine each of our fingertips delicately rolling the materials and carefully configuring the pieces together. The collective endeavors of the artists add a depth of meaning to a new project and emblazon it with a rich personal history.

There is no item quite as valuable as one which carries a collection of personal narratives.

However, this is not to say that other objects lack important background stories. Just as we each have a collection of personal experiences behind us that have influenced who we are today, material things have histories of their own.

IMO, its extraordinarily important to consider the backgrounds of our objects: Where did its component ingredients come from? How was it assembled? How did its production affect its environment? Whose fingerprints are invisibly inscribed on the object? How did it come into your possession and where will it eventually end up?

To ponder these questions means to re-evaluate the ways in which we live our lives. For too many people, an object's story begins with a retail purchase and ends with a garbage can. Yet the truth is so much deeper.

This is part of the reason why I love handcrafted items. I enjoy the knowledge offered in an artisan product. I like to imagine the care and ingenuity applied during its creative production.

Experience has shown me, too that artisans often use materials that are meaningful to them. This meaning may come through the knowledge of a material's background. Perhaps the wool came from a family-run sheep farm. Or the wood from a sustainably managed forest. Or the buttons from a vintage jacket.

Maybe the artist has re-used materials, giving things new life and keeping them out of the landfill. Or perhaps the material was selected for its ability to break down after use... like a handmade holiday card infused with wildflower seeds.

Artisans also consider a project's future. Will it go to a new mum? A young girl receiving her first fine jewelry? An art aficionado? A neighbor? A fellow handcrafter?

I think about these things a lot and I'm sure I'm not alone. When I work with my hands, I infuse a little of myself into the project. I carefully prepare materials, review design patterns, and tenderly and deliberately create new items - all the while considering the appropriateness of my materials and where the final product may go.

There is an essence of the artist's soul contained within a handcrafted product.

I am so wonderfully, lovingly honoured to continue the process with these new Gardanne beads. Already beautiful on their own, I can't wait to discover what they will become!

Thank you so much to Anne of Gardanne Glass Lampwork Beads & Fine Jewelry! I cannot tell you how ecstatic and thankful I am for your generosity!

Please take a moment to visit Anne on her blog Gardanne Life, Artisan Jewelry shop or Etsy Bead shop. When you see her beautiful pieces of handcrafted goodness, you'll be glad you did!

Cool DIY Dishmats by Noodlehead!

2010-05-28T13:13:00.000-07:00

How great are these homemade dishmats made by Noodlehead? What a cute & practical idea - click on Noodlehead: dishmats or her photo to see her post and a tutorial link!

Me and My One Track Mind...

2010-05-27T14:52:00.000-07:00

Good morning! Sorry for the short break in blogging. The past few days have been very busy! I'm a little ashamed to admit that I wasn't very productive over the long weekend, but I'm getting back into the usual swing of things now. :)

It's almost 9:00 am and the sun is beginning to break through the morning cloud. It's one of those days that I don't know whether I'd prefer to sew or sow!

Sidetrack: my clematis is blooming like crazy! This makes me happy. :)

I've had one thing on my mind lately - labels! I've been busy working in the Wild Sparrow Studio and have several projects awaiting a custom Wild Sparrow tag.

There are tons of great label-making tutorials out there. In fact, there are so many that I'm having a hard time deciding which technique I'd like to use. Patchwork Pottery wrote this widely used tutorial that prints custom designs onto iron-on transfer paper; Sewtakeahike has this tutorial that uses printable fabric sheets; Everything Your Mama Made posted this No-Itch Twill Tape Tags and Clothing Labels tute using hand stamps and iron-on transfer paper; and Lillipops Designs shares this unique tutorial that uses household ingredients to make homemade & non-toxic printable fabric . Wow!!

These are all wonderful, well-written tutorials. I think that I'll definitely have to try out Everything Your Mama Made's twill-tape stamping technique as well as Lillipops Designs' eco-friendly option. (I'd had no idea that you could make your own printable fabric sheets!)

I'd love to hear from you if you've made your own labels! If you have, what technique did you use and how have your results held up through regular use and laundry?

Hmm...I think I have some supply shopping to do!

Wooden Button Love 2!

2010-05-23T09:34:00.000-07:00

Although short on time, I finished a few buttons yesterday. I used a branch that had fallen from a neighborhood tree during a winter storm.

As mentioned in the Esprit Cabine tutorial, I highly recommend the use of a miter box when sawing the branch - it really helped to keep my cuts straight and clean! Next time around, I might even try cutting on a 45 degree angle.

Although I love the bark edging on whippoorwheel's wonderful persimmon buttons, my branch was very dry and the bark chipped off during the sawing process (which is okay, too!).

My button pieces didn't look very impressive after I'd first cut them, but a little hand sanding revealed the natural beauty of the wood. I varied from the tutorial and sanded the front, back and side surfaces. Here are my sanded pieces on a dew-dressed collard leaf:

Lastly, I brought them indoors, clamped each piece to a bench pin and used my Dremel to drill the button holes. As you can see in this final photograph, I can use a lot more practice here! I could also use a tinier drill bit for the small buttons.

I've definitely been inspired to try more of these buttons. My husband suggested carving a few into heart shapes, which could be really cute!

I'd also like to finish these buttons with oil or wood stain, or even experiment with my wood-burner tool for more intricate designs. I'm already envisioning little wood beads, too. Oh, the possibilities!

Wooden Button Love!

2010-05-22T13:15:00.000-07:00

I adore wooden buttons! I love the idea of adding a sweet, rustic touch to a beloved cardigan or clutch purse.

If you have a penchant for wooden embellishments too, check out this wonderfully simple tutorial from Esprit Cabane*. What a great way to salvage a few fallen branches!

I've been thinking about making branch buttons for a while, but this Esprit Cabane tute sounds so do-able that I can't wait to try it out. My long weekend will mostly revolve around reluctant spring cleaning, but I'm determined to try out a few of these later today. Some long, fallen branches that I've been storing for a different project should be perfect for this.

Be sure to use dead or already fallen wood for your button-making to keep your crafting eco-friendly.

For either inspiration or purchase, you must see these gorgeous handmade buttons available on Etsy:

whippoorwheel made these bloom-shaped beauties from fallen Persimmon branches. The natural shape of the Persimmon bark produces the lovely flower-shaped outlines. I think I`m in love!

*BTW, if you haven`t checked out Esprit Cabane, you should! It`s a virtual Eden of eco-crafting goodness! It`s the English translation of a French web magazine. Highly recommended!

Feed Your Soul

2010-05-21T15:45:00.000-07:00

I highly encourage you to visit Liz Kalloch`s art on indiefixx.com/Feed_your_soul and print off this beautiful artwork. (Trust me, this small attachment doesn`t do it justice!)

Mount it in a frame or add it to your inspiration board - love it and enjoy it.

Kalloch`s piece reads “We are most alive in this world when we bloom with total abandon.”

I had just finished reading this post at Sharon`s Jewelry Garden when I happened to click on an old bookmark. Although I didn`t recall at the time where the bookmark linked to, it was in a Creative File I`d labeled “Inspirations.” (Do you collect gazillions of Creative bookmarks like I do, or am I a lone virtual pack rat?)

It seems to me now that it was wonderfully serendipitous to have come across this beautiful artwork and its inspirational inscription at precisely that moment.

Remember that you can accomplish the most amazing acts and become capable of unknown abilities when you let yourself free of self-imposed boundaries.

Please print it, love it, enjoy it.

In Adoration of Scented Spring Showers

2010-05-18T17:44:00.000-07:00

It's one of those wonderful, fresh coastal days in May. The air is pregnant with mist and scents of spring. A warm, soft drizzle welcomes your face to the outdoors; you lean in and inhale the sweet, earthy aroma of azaleas, lilacs and cedar.

A friend of mine once told me that her late middle-eastern husband had been awed by our moisture. He'd gaze out the window and describe rain as sacred silver threads delivered from heaven.

Similarly, I see our coastal showers as Earth-bound blessings that nourish our soils and souls. When I see rain, I can't help but envision masses of sweet spring buds and overflows of beautiful emerald lusciousness. To me, the rains and the bountiful coastal foliage are inseparable. I am thoroughly enthralled by them both!

Tutorial: A First Knitting Project - Fingerless Mittens!

2010-05-17T23:39:00.000-07:00

Since I'm a beginner blogger, I thought it'd be fitting to post a tutorial for beginners. These fingerless mittens were my very first knitting project! I'd wanted to try fingerless mittens, and although there are plenty of simple patterns out there, I wanted to start off with something really E-A-S-Y. Hence this pattern.

When I first learned to knit, I borrowed a copy of Stitch & Bitch from the local library, searched YouTube videos and referred to http://www.knittinghelp.com. If you're like me, reading is an important learning tool. Debbie Stoller, author of Stitch & Bitch and Editor-In-Chief of Bust Magazine, makes the reading amusing and easy. The YouTube and Knitting Help videos were great too, in that I could pause and re-play the videos repeatedly while practicing the techniques.

I definitely recommend these resources if you're brand new to knitting. Lion Brand has some great-looking instructional videos, too! For this tutorial, you'll need to know how to:

tie a slip knot onto a knitting needle
cast-on (any method you prefer)
make a knit stitch
make a purl stitch
bind off/cast-off

Videos for each of these techniques are listed on these Lion Brand and Knitting Help links.

Okay, so here's the tutorial:

My First Knitting Project: Fingerless Mittens!

(Click Here for PDF Version)

These fingerless mittens were my very first knitting project. They are fun, super easy, and knit up very quickly. After these mittens, I was hooked on knitting. Hopefully, you will be, too!

This pattern is composed of only two simple stitches: knit and purl. Getting the hang of these two basic stitches will provide you with the foundation for all kinds of knitting projects!

You can use whatever yarn & needle size works best for you. The smaller the yarn & needles, the more stitches you'll need to make. I used a worsted-weight yarn and a US size 6 needle. Personally, I found it much easier to use bamboo knitting needles when I first started, since the surface is not so slippery. (Although now I much prefer my metal needles!)

1) Cast on 27

This is the width to wrap around your hand & wrist. You may need it smaller or wider, but remember that the knitting will stretch!

2) Row 1: Knit

3) Row 2: Purl

4) Repeat rows 1 and 2 until you’ve reached your desired length for the sleeve.

If I were to make these mittens now, I would complete the last five or ten rows ribbing to prevent the bottoms from rolling up. To do this:

Start a row: *Knit 2, Purl 2, Knit 2, Purl 2; and repeat from* to the end of the row.

Next row: *Purl 2, Knit 2, Purl 2, Knit 2; and repeat from * to the end of the row..

Continue to alternate these 2 rows until you’ve reached the desired length for your fingerless mittens.

5) Bind off.

6) Fold the fabric in half, right sides together (the “v”s inside and the “bumps” outside). Using safety pins/markers, gauge where you want the thumb hole to be - mine are about 1” to 1.5” from the top.

When I first began knitting, my cast-on edge tended to be tighter than my final row. If you experience this too, make sure that the tighter end is at the top of the mitt (where your fingers will fit through) to be sure that you’ll be able to get your mitts on!

7) Using yarn and a large-eyed needle, sew up the sides, keeping the thumb-hole open. Slip your hands in and enjoy!

Even if you have a few mistakes, keep your first fingerless mittens! I still regularly use my first pair. They may not be perfect, but every time I wear them I’m reminded of my first forays into knitting. I also get to appreciate how much I’ve learned since then.

Happy knitting!

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments! Thanks for your interest!

This Blog is Carbon Neutral!

2010-05-16T13:12:00.000-07:00

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Welcome to my blog! How exciting it is to be writing my first post. It seems most appropriate to start off this new blog with a celebratory tree planting!

If you haven't heard of the Carbon Neutral Blog program, you really must visit http://www.kaufda.de/umwelt/carbon-neutral/how-you-can-join/. When you add a posting & button to your blog, the Arbour Day Foundation plants a tree for you! So the tree is a living, breathing and beautiful way to counter the carbon dioxide emissions resulting from your blog space and power usage. How wonderful is that?

Enjoy!

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