Bundle Up

Waking up for school like any other day, I coudn’t help but wonder where could something as enormous as the sun possibly be hiding, Bleary eyed and half asleep, a furtive glance at the clock affirmed that it was 6:30 am, and it really was time to start making my way to the train station and fight off other semi-concious commuters to board. Suiting up to face a rude awakening via the blast of cold air that was certain to await me just beyond the back door, I regreted my unwavering focus on making stuffed animals as of late. With a hobby specifically originating from the need to make warm garments, it’s a wonder that I rarely make any clothing whatsoever.

Being so scatter-brained before my first cup of coffee kicks in, the freezing winds outside don’t often register in time for me to prepare. Besides, I often reason to myself, I’m hardly outside for any considerable time! Unfortunately, it’s just those days when the train is mysteriously running late, or my bus afterschool decides not to come at all. This is just one of those times when I wish I had listened to the insistant nagging of my mother to bundle up. She never lets the weather slow her down, arming herself with a heavy coat, gloves, and scarves – Yes, scarves. Not one, but two scarves that I knit for her a year ago. Happy to see her don my hardwork so frequently, I decided that perhaps I could help add some fresh accents to the rest of her winter wardobe, too.

Seizing my opportunity to try making my first pair of gloves, I was sad to discover a rather dismal selection of free patterns at my disposal online. Nothing looked quite right or fit the ideal image I had for the end product. After much hemming and hawing, I settled upon some instructions found through About.com. Almost as soon as I had cast on, I was already making alterations – A shorter cuff to ensure that the single skein of my mom’s favorite color would suffice, different proportions for the palm area, omission of the stripe, longer fingers… The whole enchilada, so to speak.

Pleased with the overall results, I only regret loosing the file containing my final alterations. I could always start again and take it from the top… But all this business of rewriting written patterns is truly exhausting! No gloves for me, atleast this winter.