Friday, June 12, 2009

Meditation Mittens - a free pattern


I don't share much about my non-knitting or -writing life (gosh, is there even anything left after writing and knitting?) but I will say this: the last month or so has been a time of High Stress, without any of the amusing moments of the similarly named High Anxiety.

Shortly before the HS began, I cast on for these mittens. I had stumbled across the blog What Housework? and loved Jessie's writing and photographs, and then I visited her shop and really, really loved her gift for colour.* I fell hard for this lovely green in Bristol Real Vermonter and when it arrived, along with an undyed mate I thought might be an interesting contrast, I was amazed by its touch factor. This yarn was made to Jessie's specifications and shows her flair - it's got bite, somehow, and it's invigorating to work with.

I started right in on my favourite mittens in Favorite Mittens, but I couldn't follow the pattern to save my life. So I decided to maximize the softness and warmth for Jessie's yarn by stranding it and designed this pattern, right on my hand. Later I designed a man's size, on a nearby man's hand.


During the HS I've been knitting three projects. One is pleasantly mindless; one is eye and hand candy (I'm looking at you, Vesper Sock Club Socks); and these mittens - these are the ones that calm me down. You can't be stressed and be weaving yarn back and forth as you change colours for each stitch; the work reminds you with every movement to breathe deeply, to slow your pace, to be where you are. I am enormously grateful to have had the support of these mittens, and even though it is now summer here I am enormously pleased to put them on, every time I notice them on the side of my desk.


I hope the same is true for anyone who cares to knit a pair themselves.


Download the .pdf of Meditation Mittens


* I am also more than smitten with Jessie's spinning gear, but that's another story - suffice it to say that next time she stocks up with her husband's hand-made applewood nostepinnes, the line forms behind me.

6 comments:

Diana Troldahl said...

Yummm.... i thin you just saved me thousands in therapy :-}

And I hope the HS passes into smooth and happy times soon.

Anonymous said...

Only one word: WOW (possibly an abbreviation of 'where's our wool'as in 'so I an cast on right away'). They're stunning (especially on, and most especially on that gorgeous model).

Anonymous said...

PS: very bizarrely, I see High Anxiety is on television tonight. Should I wath it?

Karen said...

How lovely, Maire! And I know just what you mean about HS projects. I have a few of those myself.

CraftyCarole said...

lovely mittens... thank you for sharing the pattern

tina said...

Absolutley love the mittens! Yarn from my stash is just jumping up and down to be knit into this pattern. The yarn was a gift from a friend's trip to England. Now if I can just get the meditation pattern to download, I'll be happily knitting!