285. A Mitten Design Announcement

After we were all well breakfasted and caffeinated yesterday, we took Mr. Jefferies for his first outing to Central Park.  He was extremely nervous, but with the dog whisperer along (that would be me) he settled down and had a great time. 

I had to keep on training not the dog, but Ryan, that the dog is a puppy, a baby, that needs to experience things in baby steps.  Ryan would have had him on a leash and walking 39 blocks.  With a load on his back, pulling a sled. 

Anyway, there was plenty of stimulation for a little dog.  On the subway ride home, he totally zonked in his little pink carry-bag.  He's a wicked cute boy.  It was an incredibly lovely day -- the weather was stupendous -- and the only photo I got is this one of my Saturday sky  that I took with my BlackBerry while waiting in the long line for the bathroom.  I couldn't be bothered to haul the big-ass camera -- I didn't need more weight in my carry-on and figured the BlackBerry would suffice in a pinch.  In the end, I'm not so sure about the wisdom of that.

Every photo I tried to get of Mr. J. was blurred.  Puppies move fast and digital cameras -- especially on cell phones -- (or maybe that's just me) move slow.

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AND NOW:

ANNOUNCING the DIMORPHOUS MITTENS design:

I bet you didn't know I was a designer, did you?  Well, I'm not, but I have friends.  Oh, yeah, baby, I have friends.  And I had a dream.  I had a dream of what I wanted my two-layer mittens to look like, but I didn't know how to execute the dream.  Remember back when I bought the Manos silk blend yarn and the buttons?  That is when the idea was born. 

I sketched it out and scanned the sketch.  I sent it to Miriam, who has now completed the design, and she now has it for sale.   

Check.it.OUT!  [We're trying to time our posts so they come up simultaneously, but if you don't see her mitten post yet, it means something has gone awry and it will be up soon.  Don't fret.]

I'm so excited that Mim made my idea come to life and that I can help my friend who is an independent knit designer. When it came time to name the mittens, Miriam consulted me with some ideas.  There were simple names she suggested such as "Norma's Mittens," and she bounced a few other clever ideas off me.

I thought on it for a bit, and I really didn't feel the name needed to be tied to mine.  I suggested that since I'm so heavily involved in science these days, something scientific, and yet still appropriate to the design, might be in order.  That's where I came up with "Dimorphous."   

As for my pair, I'm almost finished my second liner mitt, and when I return home where my green Manos silk is, I will be able to start my outer mitts. Thank you, Miriam, for the wonderful design!  It's exactly what I wanted, what I envisioned, and what I sketched out. 

These are going to be so practical -- the fingering weight liner mitt acts as both a lightweight mitten for early and late in the season, when it's cold enough to need something on the hands, but not a heavy mitten. 

The outer mitten is worn over the liners in the deep of winter when one needs an extra layer of warmth.  The best trick I know to staying warm and toasty in the extreme cold is "layers, layers, layers."

The keyhole opening in the solid-colored Manos silk yarn, which has a lovely sheen and superb insulating abilities, allows the fun and funky colorful Trekking liner mitt to show a little more.  The button adds both style and functionality to keep the cuffless outer mitt on securely. 

Get that pattern and make some!  You know you want to.  Think of what a beautiful and welcome gift a pair of these would make, too! 

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Oh, and by the way, on another topic, I cast off my second sleeve while we were coasting on the runway during our JFK arrival.  Now to start seaming on the way home.  I'm going to have multiple blood tests when I get home.  All this knitting activity might be indicative of a serious health concern. 

Comments

[Sarah]

Looks like your mitten post is first. They are nifty!

[Kristen]

Congratulations on your first joint design!

[marianne]

I just love it when you go all dog whisper-y on me and had to giggle about training the human.
Congratulations to you and Miriam on the Dimorphous Mittens! I WILL be getting that pattern because, once again, you're right, I DO want to knit them, heh.

[Dave Daniels]

Those mittens are nothing short of fantastic! They look like Mary Janes for the hands. Cuteness.
Ryan on a leash? Sounds like it has possibilities. :)

[Carole]

The mittens are terrific - you had a great idea and Miriam is a wonderful designer - there was no way to lose on this one!

[Paula]

Beeoootiful mittens! But how do you get the button done up on the second one?

[margene]

They turned out great! I had fun looking through colors of yarn with Mim and what she picked is wonderful. Very cute idea, Norma (and useful, too). We have snow today so they are just in time!!

[Elizabeth]

Love the mittens!
Paula has a really good point....

[margaret]

thrilled to have you in our fair Big Apple - the weather has been stupendous, yes?

mittens are wonderful -

[scoutj]

I saw these on flickr yesterday and told her how freaking cool they were! How cool that YOU came up with the idea! You rock!

[Cheryl S.]

I saw Mim at the Great Basin Arts Festival with one of those mittens, and I practically squealed with delight. Then she told me it was a pattern she'd have for sale and I nearly peed my pants with anticipation. I didn't know they were your brainchild - that makes it even more wonderful!

[Miriam]

Paula and Elizabeth: Once you get them done up once, you can keep sliding the mittens on and off without unbuttoning the outer mitt. So you just need help once, or you could do up one, take it off, do up the other and then put the first back on.

[Cathy-Cate]

Seaming up on the way home? Ah, so you did take sweater pieces with you! No wonder you didn't have room for a camera!

The mittens are great! Great idea on your part, great bringing it to life on Mim's -- great partnership. Kind of like Lennon & McCartney! I know it doesn't quite make up for the lovely lost mittens, but by being your very own in other ways, these mittens will be special too.

Good luck with the human training. It takes a while. Looking forward to pictures of Mr J when feasible.

[Cookie]

Love the mittens!

Looking forward to seeing the completed sweater and photos of Ryan on a leash.

[Marcia]

Love. Them. And you better bring pics of the grandpup to Rhinebeck, missy!

[carol]

Great mittens! You're geniuses! Off to buy the pattern now. (And the name is just perfect. Well done)

[Lee Ann]

With the keyhole, they should be Sexbomb Mittens.

But that is just my opinion.

[Kate]

Two-Layer Mitten... Norma you are going to save my cold hockey watching fingers. LOVE YOU!

[Jenn C.]

Those mittens are fabulous. I love the concept, and the execution is simply elegant.

[Vicki]

Love it, Norma!! What a great design.

[sandy]

NORMA! Those mittens are fabulous! Wonderful collaboration!
xo

[kelli ann]

the mitten pattern is just lovely. excellent work!

[jessie]

Excellent.