Kisurakkaus Mittens

 I finished these mittens just in time. I need to send them to my daughter next week if they're gonna make it there by her birthday.

Pattern: Kisurakkaus Kirjoneulelapaset by Hanna Pesonen

Size: Womens Medium

Yarn: Lana Gatto Wool Gatto

Content: 100% Superwash Wool, Sport weight
Color: Black

Yarn: Berroco Comfort Sock
Content: 50% Nylon, 50% Acrylic. Fingering weight
Color: 1812

Needles: Circular size 3

Started: March 21, 2024
Finished: April 21, 2024

Comments: I learned so much making these mittens. I wouldn't recommend them for a beginner though, that's for sure! First of all, the pattern is written in Finnish, which I don't know anything about. The charts are pretty good though, so I figured I'd figure it out.

The designer made these with Aran weight yarn and got a gauge of 29 stitches to 4 inches. With ARAN yarn! I could not get that gauge using a light worsted weight (I originally planned to use Cascade 220 Wool) and size 1. I dug in my stash and found a skein of sport weight black Lana Gatto. I found two skeins of Berroco Comfort fingering sock yarn for the second color. Decided to knit with 2 strands held together of that. I got gauge with a size 3 needle.

I made a small change to the pattern. I started with 3 rounds of 1 by 1 rib. I felt the need for something to pull the fabric in just a bit before that first Latvian Braid. It has a kind of stabilizing effect.

The main motif on the back of the hand is this cute little Art Deco style cat. 

The pattern only has one chart, so I had to figure out how to reverse it for the second mitten so the cats would face each other. I scanned the chart into my computer as a jpeg, flipped it and called it good.

This is the palm side.

Here's a close up of the paw print.

Detail of the thumb. Little cat heads. The back side is just the alternating dot pattern. The thumb gave me a hard time. When you put the thumb stitches on a holder, you then cast on just 3 stitches in the space made and carry on. When it is time to put the thumb stitches back on the needle, you then have to pick up 11 more sts, but there's only three in that space. I've not seen a thumb like that before. Fortunately, my daughter came to the rescue and found a video that explains how to do that here:

Picking Up Stitches For The Thumb

And, because people ask, here's the inside floats.

There was a lot of tinking and frogging for this project so I'm super glad to have them done. With any luck, I'll get them in the mail later this week.

I still don't have my Medicare card. I talked to them on the phone a second time which resulted in them sending me a form to have my husband fill out which confirmed I'm his wife. Then two weeks ago I found out my application has been denied for not having enough work credits. 

That was it! I've been waiting for 3 months! Friday of that week I finally called Senator Crapo, who is our Senator, and asked for help. Their problem solver emailed me a form to fill out giving them permission to look into my files, and I was told they'll get it fixed. Last Friday I received the official application denial from Social Security in the mail. Haven't heard from Crapo's office since sending in the form.

Contrary to what SSA seems to think, I am qualified to receive Medicare. I've been married to my husband for 42 years. I figure I've worked maybe a total of 7 years during that time. The rest of the time I've been the house wife/stay at home mom. Doug worked enough to qualify us both for Medicare. Sheesh, what a mess!

This year I bought my plants for the deck flower boxes early. Plants are readily available too soon by at least 6 weeks for my personal weather zone. I can't plant until after Mothers Day. I thought I could keep them alive by putting them out during the day, and bringing them in at night so they don't freeze. I got 36 marigolds and 12 strawberries. Yup. That didn't work out. I forgot to bring them in 2 nights later and we got a freeze cold enough to kill the marigolds (strawberries are fine). I was lamenting this to my friend on Monday and she told me about a tiny little greenhouse on sale at BiMart. She went with me to the store to help me find them. I bought one. I also bought marigolds to replace the dead ones. 

This little house works! It's surprisingly well made. The front has a doorway that zips closed. I've been putting a pot of tap hot water on the bottom shelf at night to make extra sure my plants stay alive, but it's supposed to be able to keep them alive down to 20F with the door zipped up.

I'm very happy with it.

Still working on Andoa. I'll talk about it another time.

Live long and prosper. \\//