Friday, December 16, 2011

December - Day 16


The sun rose at 1104 and set at 1321. The length of the day was 2 hours and 17 minutes. Cloudy, grey, some new very wet snow. The forecast for tomorrow is about the same.

Where is the cold weather? On the other hand one really has to be careful for what to wish for and I am a bit hesitant to wish for cold weather, since I can still remember well the winter of 1999 when the temperature went down to -50°C (-58F). There were serious power failures all over Lapland but luckily we were saved. That cold front stayed for a few days and I remember sleeping downstairs and keeping the fires going almost non-stop and at the same time I was very worried of breaking the chimneys because of all that heating. I would not like to experience that kind of temperatures ever again, they were truly very scary and worrying.

Mittens - I like these both a lot. I truly like the stripes. But



1. Do I keep the arrow heads?

2. Should I keep the band but instead of knitting the arrow heads add some embroidery there?

3. Should I get rid of the band with or without the arrow heads or embroidery and do just plain striping and then embroider something on the striped background?


The thumb gussets need some tweaking there

And I am still thinking of the snow mittens.Thinking a lot but making very little progress.

Have a good weekend!
Woolly one.
Lene

24 comments:

  1. hi up to the North, its far to warm in Switzerland too.. not one snowflake yet at the Lake of Constance...
    and I really love those mittens...
    have a wonderful weekend, ciao ciao Christa

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lyn, in Melbourne23:23

    Well, I think all three of your suggestions would work, but I must admit to always being enamoured with your embroidery. It's starting to warm up here in southern Australia but that's as it should be!

    ReplyDelete
  3. It isn't cold yet in New Jersey, USA but I'm sure that it will get cold soon. I like all of your ideas. As soon as I finish the Irish sweater that I'm making for myself, I think that I'll make a new pair of mittens.
    Happy knitting,
    Gita

    ReplyDelete
  4. cgirlslife23:56

    I love the little diamond where the arrows come together!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous23:59

    I also love that little diamond under the thumb.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Keep the arrowheads! Maybe move them down a bit?
    Some small embroidery too would be nice.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I think they are perfect as they are! The gray and red is such a nice combo - might try that for my next pair of mitts! Still not really cold "enough" here in Madison, Wisconsin - we've had a few days around -10 C but mainly hovering just below and above zero.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous00:31

    All three! I, too, love the diamonds and the arrowheads, but it will be interesting to see how your variations work up.
    There are not enough warm mittens in the world to deal with that outer space kind of cold. Perhaps you need to knit mittens for your chimney?
    Have a great weekend, Lene.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I like the arrowheads on the mittens very much.

    One weather forecast says we may see snow flurries on Sunday (in southeastern Pennsylvania, in the USA -- between Washington and New York on your map), but that's the closest we have come to real winter.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Love the mittens as they are, though embroidery would be lovely too. Don't move the pattern band downwards, everyone else's mittens are like that - these are different.

    ReplyDelete
  11. mkg in Vermont01:46

    I think they are fabulous just the way they are; I love the arrowheads!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous01:56

    LOVE THE MITTENS AS THEY ARE - with arrowheads
    margieinmaryland

    ReplyDelete
  13. I like the arrowheads very much, they must stay! And, perhaps I am too much of a cluttered type or magpie, but personally I never regret seeing your embroidery on something.

    ReplyDelete
  14. AnnP04:19

    I think they are absolutely beautiful as they are!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I really can not imagine dealing with - 50 degree weather. Glad it is so unusual for your town.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I would like to see the mittens on a hand. The shape looks, I don't know how to describe it, awkward somehow. But I bet they look good with a hand in them. Can we see that please?

    I love the edge of the red/gray one - is it a tubular edge?

    ReplyDelete
  17. Alla suggestions would work but I am on the same wavelenght with Marika, maybe the arrowheads could be a litlle lower. I love your knits and embroydery, they are always so beautiful and well finished!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Your mittens are quite lovely! They are possibly a bit more masculine with the arrowheads, so would be suitable for either a man or a woman.
    I love your embroidery, too, and I know that whichever way you decide to go, they will be perfect.
    No snow here in Michigan, USA, either, just lots of cold rain. Did you know that the state of Michigan is shaped like a mitten? You would be quite at home here!
    Thank you for your lovely blog. It always gives me such a feeling of peace and comfort to read your words.

    ReplyDelete
  19. How lovely!- I would keep the arrows a n d add some embroidery on the stripes over and under the arrow stripe...just my humble opinion.
    Have a wooly weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  20. P.S.: It is snowing at the moment, we have temperatures of about 1°C (Bavaria, Germany)

    ReplyDelete
  21. I love the arrowheads and a little embroidery is always your special signature touch.
    -50 is unbelieveably cold...I couldn't even imagine how that would feel.
    I am feeling sad that their will be no snow for Christmas this year which almost never happens here in Ontario. Even my little chippie (chipmunk) is confused and has come back out of hibernation. I am supplying him with lots of nuts and seeds.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous20:13

    Love your mittens. Ideas? I would make the ribbing deeper, lower the arrow row beneath the thumb, and leave a blank area on the back of the fingers to embroider a small pine tree or pine cone...something that would pick up the pattern of the arrows or the centered diamond under the thumb, but at 90ยบ difference. The grey/red looks very nostalgic, turn-of-the-century, charming. I can't think of anything on your blog that doesn't charm....the weather, the lake, your knitting, your customs, your dogs & cat, your young lady daughters, lack of sunshine, shortening days, snow, cold, grog, or doting husband. Everything about you, Lene, is so cozy and lovely; that is why all over the world once your blog is found, it is loved.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Outch! Those cold temperatures are scary! I have been in Iceland many times but escaped the colder weather!
    Answers to the questions:
    1 yes, 2 yes, 3 no. I hope I have not forgotten anything! Anything you knit is lovely at any rate!
    Keep warm and thank you for sharing a little of your corner of the world!
    Joeux Noel!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Hi Lene
    I think the arrow heads are brilliant! A simple but clever design.
    Daniela

    ReplyDelete