Decisions, decisions

     Last night I cast on the Gathering of Clouds mitts. Since I’m working with a gradient, I had to decide whether I wanted the darker color on the wrist or the hand. At first I thought it was a no-brainer to have the darker color on the wrist, but after looking around at various projects, the reverse is pretty cool looking, so I decided to go that way. These mitts are unusual because they start at the hand and move to the wrist. I was a little concerned that the purled edge would be a little too bulky but liked the eyelets, so just knit those rows instead of purling.

Knitted rows on either side of eyelets

Eyelets with purl ridges

The problem that came up was curling, which I didn’t think would be a problem because of the eyelets. I’m not sure if this would happen if I was knitting in the other direction or if it will block out. I’ll keep going for a little while and see how it looks. A curling edge on mitts would be pretty annoying and the gauge is so fine that maybe the purl ridges wouldn’t be that bad. The other problem I seem to be having is fit. I got stitch gauge perfectly (there was no row gauge) at 8st/in. Trying it on though, it feels very roomy, and I have huge hands. This might be another thing that I have to work more to see for sure. I’m knitting these on a US 1, but did a long-tail cast on with a 2 to give a little more stretch. It seems like getting going with a project is never easy because of all the decisions you have to make. The more I learn, the more perfectionist I get about all the little details.

     

     Today my son got his music in the mail from LA Opera for their Community Opera Program, which brings together student and adult performers from the community with professionals from the opera for free performances at Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Downtown LA. Performances will be March 6 and 7. The production is Noah’s Flood and he plays violin. It will be conducted by their music director James Conlon, so I’m sure it will be an inspiring experience. We’ll also get to check an LA landmark off our list. The cathedral has only been open since 2002 and has a striking, post-modernist design. Look at this interior

I’m usually pretty old-school when it comes to churches, but this is amazing. It reminds me of the Scandinavian design you sometimes find in Lutheran churches. I especially love the lighting. Speaking of the LA Opera, this is a world class experience in the gorgeous Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. We went there a few years ago and saw Tosca, conducted by Placido Domingo. The productions have supertitles in English which brings your appreciation to a whole new level. One of the great joys of living in LA is being able to enjoy a rather laid-back lifestyle and enjoy culture that rivals almost any city in the world. 

     I received an email yesterday from a place called Unplug Meditation in West LA, which was offering a 3 week series for children led by a UCLA Mindfulness facilitator. I had never heard of them before but the concept sounds intriguing. It’s a drop-in meditation studio, much like a yoga studio, and they have several different classes which they’ve developed which run either 30 or 45 minutes. I know there are many benefits to meditation, but as I’ve mentioned before have struggled with being able to clear my mind. These classes are guided, which is a big help when meditation feels like facing an empty page. There is an introductory offer of $40 for your first class/one month unlimited.