The Mitten Tree

Once upon a time, I saw an image of a bare, wintery tree festooned with many, many mittens. Whether it was in print or online (can’t remember), this image has clearly made an imprint on my psychology. While I was photographing the church for an earlier post, I had a vision of our maple tree, leaf-less and snowy, sporting a colorful array of mittens that is nothing short of miraculous. Now I gotta do it.

I have always loved making mittens and, because my Mother was a knitter, have always had a lovely arsenal of them. As a child I could wear a different pair every day, depending on the weather and my disposition. Even in New Orleans I wore mittens, such is the smooshy joy I get from wearing them. Mittens offer a veritable buffet of creative options, don’t take much yarn and knit up quick so you’re never bored. What an excellent way to control the stash!

I’ve done a little research, scoured the web and put together a bunch of inspiration photos. I’ll be able to experiment and stretch my wings a little, technique-wise.

Here is my first-in-a-very-long-time bash at knitting stripes. I learned a thing or two which I am incorporating into “The Pattern”. This “Pattern”, (complete with tips for knitting stripes), in keeping with New Years Resolution #1: I will not procrastinate about writing “The Pattern”, shall be available on my “Patterns” page and my Ravelry page as soon as I have finished writing it 🙂

As it happens, many of my Southern friends are either moving home to the north, visiting the north or homesick for the north while my northern friends live…well…in the north. Either way, who couldn’t use another pair? Once my mitten tree is complete, I thought I’d let my friends ‘pick’ them! What’s left will be donated to New Circles, a charitable organization that distributes warm clothing to New Canadians, those poor souls who have reached our frigid shores somehow unprepared.