Socks And Mittens

I'm close. But the box won't go out today either. I stopped last night just as the needles approached the toe area.

Today, toe decreases, grafting and then James socks go into the box.

Knitting to a deadline isn't the most fun I've ever had with my needles (you'd wonder why I do it so often) so to alleviate the boredom factor, I started a pair of mittens for Fred.

Directly opposite the socks on the yarn scale, these are knit with local, Grey County yarn, unsophisticatedly spun and still containing much barn matter. Perfect for fishing mittens. Fred asked!!! for a pair of mittens to keep his hands warm while he fishes in sub-zero weather. Since his hands are so cold as he practices his 'haven't brought home a fish this year' kind of fishing, you'd wonder why he does it so often. Guess we both have our passions.

These mittens, I will make with both the thumb and index finger separate from the rest of the fingers. In less 'aware' times, they were called smokers mitts. Now that we are so enlightened about life's bad habits, I call them fishing mitts. With them, Fred can engage in another of life's dangerous habits -standing on the icy rocks along the side of the frigid river, throwing his weight behind a line toss into the rushing waters. I'm an knitting enabler!