Two Days, Two Mittens and a Bowl

I tell you what, do yourselves a favor and don't attempt anything within 20 square miles of Disneyland on a Thursday after Christmas.

After waiting for over an hour in a line that would have taken over two to buy tickets, we bailed. Disney was a bust. And just an hour later, while looking mournfully out our hotel window across the street, I spotted a big flashing sign over the park that said: "Sold out."

Part of me was relieved because the last thing I wanted was to stand in line for fifteen hours so I could have "It's a Small World" playing and replaying in my head for days after.

But I feel horrible for poor Girlfriend. Big liars and guilty parents that we are, we took her to a shop, bought her some pink Minnie Mouse ears, and tried to convince her that the shop was actually Disneyland. Then we took her to an outdoor mall, put her on the carousel, and tried to convince her that the carousel was Disneyland, too. Then, we tried to get into the outdoor ice rink, but it was sold out.

Later that night, and after waiting for more than two hours for dinner, we gave her a giant piece of chocolate cake, and tried to convince her that the chocolate cake was from Disneyland. Then on the way home, we decided to hit the L.A. Zoo. On the way, I got car sick (from knitting in the car) and we had to go home. While I convalesced, HWWV took Girlfriend to Chuck-E Cheese. Today, HWWV took Girlfriend to the Santa Barbara Zoo (and tried to convince her it was the L.A. Zoo).

Now HWWV is talking about Super Bowl Weekend. He's convinced Disneyland will be empty and we'll have the park all to ourselves.

Disneyland is the last thing on my list, but the prospect of two hours each way of knitting time sounds alright to me. On this short trip, I completed all that you see here. A felted bowl (I felted it when I got home although I bet I could have done it at the hotel) and a pair of fingerless mittens for my sister out of the Koigu. The fingerless mittens are the kind I like: Ones without leaf motifs, doo-dads or yarnovers.

If you want to make some:

1. Do a gauge swatch.
2. Measure around your wrist.
3 Cast on enough stitches to reach around your wrist plus about a half inch (round numbers to either an even number for 1x1 rib, or to a number divisible by 4 for 2x2 rib).
4. Join in round and work in ribbing for about 1.5 inches, or desired ribbing width.
5. Change to stockinette and work until the mitten reaches just above your thumb joint.
6. Bind off 8 sts at beginning of the next round (or about an inch worth of sts).
7. At the end of that round, cast on 8 sts just above those that you bound off.
8. Work in stockinette again until the mitten is just over your knuckles.
9. Change to ribbing again, for about an inch. Bind off.

If you use the Koigu, it'll take just one skein! (But that is, of course, if you make a small size). I used 3mm needles.

Happy New Year! (Oh, and by the way, the yarn inside the bowl is this amazing superwash merino from Scout's Swag. Can you believe the gorgeous color, the Orchids colorway? I love it! I also bought a Namaste knitting bag which I'll show later. And the red felted bowl was an easy-do. When I have the time, I'll tell you how I did it. I was going to store yarn labels in it, but Girlfriend likes it. Maybe I can convince her that I got it at Disneyland.)

Comments

[jill]

Another lurker coming out to express her condolences to girlfriend. She must have been so disappointed. That chocolate cake-carousel trick may work, though. My great-grandmother used to take my brother and I to Knott's all the time when we were little. We rode the carousel and little rides and ate at one of the restaurants. I didn't realize until I was much older that we never stepped a foot in the park.

As for Disneyland, my parents and I went on Christmas Eve, about 3:30-ish. It was busy, but we got in. The lines weren't too horrendous, even for my extremely impatient father. The park closes early, but it might not be a bad ritual to start next year.

[Stephanie]

I just got back from spending Dec 29 - Jan 2 at Disneyworld. We couldn't get into the Magic Kingdom at noon on New Year's Eve because it got too full and they had to close it. Yikes! I've had people overload and need to be a hermit for a couple of days to recover. But I did get 10 hours of car knitting each way, so I shouldn't complain too much. 1 hat, 1 pair of socks, and 1/2 of a sleeve isn't bad!

[Allison]

I did a College Internship at WDW and I can tell you when not to go (at least down there). Any time the kids are out of school is bad. The three day holiday for Presidents Day is terrible, Easter is Bad and the Superbowl Means it will be empty is a myth. Right before Presidents Day and after the New Year is great. After PD and before Easter is good too.

And when we went to DL last fall, when it was raining it was great. But when the sun came out the next day it was bad. Most of the folks who visit are locals who can say "Screw it" if its raining, unlike WDW where it rains all the time and people drove 20 hours and they are going to have a good time dangit!

[kerr]

so, i am interested in the bowl! can you give me a hint as to where i can find that pattern? i am new to this whole site, so please excuse my learning curve!

[viv]

I was just wondering how many stitches you cast-on for you fingerless mittens.