turquoise armies

hello my name is elle. and i’m a fingerless gloves fanatic.

there is a group and forum on ravelry (a fiber arts online community) called something to the effect of ‘the fingerless gloves fanatics’. i am one of these fanatics.

i heart fingerless gloves!

of all the different types of projects i’ve worked on so far from crocheted amigurumi-type dolls to hats, my favorites tend to be those that are fingerless gloves related: armwarmers, wrist-warmers, fingerless gloves, handwarmers — whatever you want to call them. those that go to one’s elbows, and those that only go to your wrists; from black and silver to pink. i am a fingerless gloves fanatic.

true, i’ve only made two types so far, although i have crocheted at least 6 if i recall correctly over the past few months: 2 pairs of black, one in blue, one pink, a purple, and a short pair in black and silver. oh wait, i also made one in furry soft periwinkle-ish blue, so 7. it turned out that one friend of mine in particular really enjoyed the first pair i gave her, and requested more for friends. i also made a few for myself, and my sister-in-laws. the two types were armies with a standard single crochet stitch, and wristies wtih half-double stitch in back loops only.

my history of fingerless mittens at work

since about 2005 now, i’m known for my store-bought black fingerless gloves. i bought them in japan at a store called ‘tokyu hands’ during one of my trips visiting my relatives (do you remember these, yuki-chan?). i have always wanted a pair, especially since at one of my previous employers’ workplaces was extremely cold in the offices/cubicles, and i found my hands to be numb and chilly to the touch. as a systems administering computer user, i needed the flexibility of fingerless-ness for the dexterity of my fingertips. together with a black felted looking scarf, i was constantly in winter mode, at work and in my personal life. i loved this fashion, and i still do.

expanding my horizons

i’d like to work on more with variant features: for instance, with different stitchings types, maybe a bit of eyelash yarn or trimmings weaved in somewhere. some are based on others’ amazing patterns, while others would be from my own imagination. i’ll also be knitting some warmers soon.

it would be awesome if someone said to me something to the effect of, ‘make me a pair of wrist/arm/handwarmers of this color and this other color and with your stitching and extra add-ons of choice. surprise me and i’ll also pay you a few dollars for them.’ that would be fun! i don’t know that it would make much sense for me to own too many of my own warmers-creations as i tend to have simpler (and few) needs, but i would be stoked making a bit of income creating cool, fun ones for others to use and enjoy.

recent projects

i just completed a pair for a friend’s friend upon request, out of red heart’s turquoise soft yarn. my friend (thanks anna!) had asked for an ‘aqua’ pair, and after googling for what ‘aqua’ color images, that yarn was the closest in that yarn line i found. i showed her that yarn in person recently over brunch, and she seemed excited and pleased with the choice.

pair of turquoise armies

top view of armie

palm view

sideview

cuffs

sigh. jo-ann’s has run out of the red heart soft black yarn in both of the two branches that i frequent due to their recent massive sales i must go search michael’s and/or hancock fabrics — i have about an hour or two left of work on the second pair of black warmers with extra long cuffs that i am making for the same friend’s request.

next armwarmer will have to be the same pair of debbie mumm’s i made for one of my sister-in-laws in japan, as she seemed to really enjoy those black and silver colors.

you know what could be fun? becoming known as the fingerless gloves girl/crocheter/knitter, the-one-who-is-obssessed-with-fingerless-gloves. i could insist on and specialize in only making these type of gloves! not sure how far that would get me in sales though. but they do say to do what you love

second to these warmers, i also enjoy making bags.

do you have an arm/wrist/handwarmers request/challenge you’d like to order from me? whether for yourself, a family member, or a friend, if interested, i mainly ask for money to cover the cost of yarn, small traveling expense, and less-than-minimum wage labor, at about $12 a pair + shipping and handling. spread the word! please let me know!

the fiber resolutions:

1. work on one or at most two projects concurrently, rather than 8-12!  finish what i started before moving on.  focus! (i have pseudo-ADD.)
2. buy only the yarn that i need for the one or two projects at hand.  don’t get yarn-shoppy crazy, stocking up unnecessarily on yarn! (yes, i have a yarn problem.)
3. plan ahead at least 2 months for birthday/holiday gifts for family and friends.  avoid last-minute marathons! (i need to reclaim saner and quality sleep!)
4. have knitted or crocheted a project with a non-mainstream yarn (eg, artfibers, who is one of my work clients)
5. crochet or knit something for a good cause

related crafty resolutions:

• begin using my new sewing machine!
• keep up with managing/submitting to crochet related blog carnivals (crochet carnival, make it from scratch, DIY Jubilee, crafts carnival, yarnival..)

.. and not to mention the gazillion to-do list of projects (including knit the SO something nice already!) i have been working on/ that are backed up in my head!

looks like i have my work cut out for me.  i’m looking forward to honing my crafts-y skillz!

how about you?  what are your crafts-y resolutions?

can you find the deer? and a snow-covered truck

it’s been a cold winter so far, even for me and those nearby here in usually sunny warm san francisco bay area, ca.  in the county of solano, it’s been dropping to temperatures in the 40 degrees fahrenheit!  that’s cold for here to me, i think.  not so much complaining really, as observing, as i know that a lot of peeps out there are exposed to much more chilly weather than us over here.  for instance, while in sierraville near tahoe for some skiing with the SO over the christmas holiday, it was surely closer to 10 degrees fahrenheit!  the truck was practically buried in snow when we got up in the morning, the snow/wind storm shook the house during the night, and since i forgot a hat, there i was crocheting a beanie!

• Nancy McCarroll presents Leg Warmers to Knit or Crochet posted at Nancy’s Arts, Crafts and Favorites, saying, “easy crocheted legwarmers”
• Ann presents Crochet for a Cause - Crocheting a Scarf for Someone in Need posted at Craftdrawer Crafts, saying, “Crochet for a cause and provide crochet project to the needy”.
• elle presents a simple beanie posted at Elle’s Crochet Corner

crocheting a project for someone in need is a noble endeavor.  on a tangent, speaking of prayer shawls, i have been thinking about making one for a longtime childhood friend of mine who will soon have her first baby.  the writer mentions shawls symbolizing peace, and somehow this makes me think of my friend.

i may have to try making those legwarmers.  i love legwarmers!  i bought a pair of grey ones actually 3 years ago or so (has it really been that long?!) in japan near my in-laws’ town of nagoya at a store that reminds me of target or walmart.  they had a gazillion socks and the like though.  i used them the other day while working at home.  they actually are warm and useful and fashionable, too!  i like how the picture included in the blogger’s post have a multitude of colors (although i’m more into only one or two (solids)), but each from the pair is not exactly the same blend of them from the other.

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.. or warp speed!

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