and here area couple of pairs I knit for family---"half mitts" or "fingerless" mitts, and some itty bitty baby mittens (no thumbs)
I was way more into knitting half mitts last winter when I lived in a colder climate (Portland, OR)-- here in Berkeley we rarely really need even half mitts.
In the process of knitting these itty bitty thumbless baby mittens for my 3 month old Grandson, I remembered the mittens my own grandmother used to make. Every fall---(we lived in Alaska, so a good pair of mittens for the winter was a "must have" item) my Grandmother would present everyone of her 7 grandchildren (4 in my family---3 in my cousin's family) with a newly knit pair of wool mittens---sized to fit you just that year.
I think she must have started knitting on those mittens in June or July to have them all ready by September....granted they were child sized--but that is 14 mittens! Each pair was a different color--so we would never mix them up; and woe to you if you lost one--not that Grandma would be mad, she would just knit you a replacement without commenting--but my Mom would be very upset. Fortunately the mitttens were always connected by a knit cord that went through your jacket sleeves, which helped to prevent losing them.
I was quite young--6 or 7---when my grandmother (I called her Gram) sat me down and taught me to knit--I remember the day clearly--- so I was surprised to recently come across this photo of my Mother helping me to knit---with my Great Aunt Esther ( my grandmother's sister) watching. I don't remember my Mom ever knitting, but I suspect I was a very new knitter here and she is helping me---once I came home from Grandma's still needing some help.
So now -- as I sat knitting on these first of many pairs of mittens I will knit for my own grandbaby, Jasper---I think of my Grandma, Aunt Esther, and my Mom and the knitting legacy they passed down to me...with gratitude and hope. Happy Holidays to everyone and to all good cheer!
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