I had planned to post on my friend Love's actual birthday (yesterday) but nothing - and I mean nothing- went my way yesterday. Well, unless you count hubs agreeing to finally watch Chocolat with me last night, and liking it as much as I do. But everything else?
I don't want to talk about it.
Thanks for not bringing it up. Ever.
This is Love's 31st birthday weekend. And I made her these welted fingerless gloves.
It was a new pattern, and one of my most challenging so far. I originally chose a different color and yarn entirely, but after knitting up the first glove it didn't feel right. So I grabbed a pretty blue from my big knitting chest and stayed up until two in the morning the other night to knit a pair.
I loved them, but my tired heart sank; they weren't meant to be Love's.
I went to the knitting shop and found a color I thought she'd like better, and knit them while I waited for my car to finally be repaired at the service center.
When I got home, I still wasn't happy with my work and took it all off the needles and started again.
By now, I know the pattern by heart. And I just finished them, a day late, but they are done. They are handmade, so they have noticeable flaws. But they were made with love, for Love.
[This story is painfully quite the metaphor for many things in my life right now. Can't escape it, even in my art.]
More importantly, Love's only wish for her 31st birthday is to bring water to people that need it. It's $31 to make a big difference, (or even $13, or $1, or your kindest thoughts and prayers to help Love reach her birthday goal.)
Now, about those gloves that weren't Love's. I can't make you give to Charity Water to be entered to win them, but I can certainly encourage you to think about it and consider giving if you can. And if you comment here, no matter if you can give or not, (you don't need to tell me either way) you'll be entered to win the blue gloves with a half-moon button.
water moon shine
I'll choose a winner (I'll ship to anywhere) sometime this week. (I'll let you know here when I do.)
And hopefully I'll have some good news about Love reaching her goal.
Happy Birthday, Love.
*Winner is Zakary (Zdub) ! :)
I gave! Even without the prospect of winning anything because it is an AMAZING idea and wonderful opportunity to do something good in lieu of spending that same amount at a coffee shop or out to eat.
ReplyDeleteI heart those gloves, though. Really much.
And PS. Love you
Ditto on every.single.word Tristina said. Seriously, every.word. :)
ReplyDeleteSteph, what a beautiful job on both sets of gloves. I love that you kept working so hard to make them the perfect match for your friend.
ReplyDeleteThat shows what a dear friend you really are. I don't know many people who would work so hard, spending so much of her precious time, to do that for a friend.
If you didn't know it already, you're quite special.
Nell
(you know where to find me)
I was just talking to John this morning about how we need to choose some charities to give to because we've been horrible about giving at church (or going to church) for quite a while now. And then the sermon today was about giving of ourselves (time, money, love, whatever gifts or resources we have to share), and I felt like maybe there's a message heading my way. And now this post. I will look into the charity - thanks for sharing. This may be just the right fit.
ReplyDelete(just like the gloves, hmmm? nice segue if I do say so myself.) ;)
What amazingly beautiful gloves!
ReplyDeleteI love that you put so much thought into your gift for your special friend. Awesome!
ReplyDeletelovely job! i hope you are proud of yourself for such hard work. your love is evident in the gift.
ReplyDeletei heard this today, and if it strikes you - wear it on your wrist!
"redirect the glory"
makes me think that in everything i do, the little, the mundane, the seemingly insignificant, there is an opportunity to do it to the fullest and redirect the glory to someone who needs it, or to the Lord.
thanks for sharing your craft(s) with us.
abby
Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteYou are so amazing.
I'm going to go donate, now ;-)
No need to enter me for the gloves, although they're beyond darling!
xoxoox
The gloves are gorgeous! Makes me wish I could knit, apparently I can only perl...at least that's what my mother-in-law told me.
ReplyDeletewhat a beautiful birthday wish. and such lovely gloves.
ReplyDeleteI did yesterday after Beth's sweet post! I know that Love is sweet, but I can only imagine HOW much because of the great words her friends say about her. And yes, I'd LOVE to be entered to win your pretty gloves! :)
ReplyDeleteThey're lovely and she will be blessed by them. Handmade, with love, things are the best.
ReplyDeleteOk, seriously, love the gloves you made for Love. I read her blog too, so I think you found the perfect color!
ReplyDeleteI love homemade gifts, they just feel BETTER to give to someone.
And as for those lovely blue gloves, I would love to win them!
They are both so beautiful. My favorite are the blue ones. What an unselfish thing for Love to do one her 31st birthday. And she has a great friend in you to make her such a special, from the heart gift.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you know how to knit like that. Both pairs of gloves are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI just read about Love's birthday wish yesterday somewhere else. Thanks for reminding me. Beautiful gloves. I have been knitting for years sort of. I have never actually made anything. I just knit and take it out. It's therapeutic. One of these days I'll get around to actually making something.
ReplyDeletebeautiful gloves! What an amazing creation.
ReplyDeletejbabbagirl@aol.com
Love the gloves i am a good hand person.
ReplyDeleteI love her idea. Amazing, really - and so inspiring. I may have to snag her idea for my next birthday!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great present you made for Love & what a great present she is giving others on her birthday! I hope she reaches her goal!
ReplyDeleteOhh how amazing are those!
ReplyDeleteDont suppose you would ship to Scotland? I am sure you have heard about the crazily cold winters we get? I mean, even our summers are crazily cold, so you know these fantastic little gloves would get plenty of wear :o)
Judith, Scotland UK
I've been keeping an eye on how much she's raising and we've been praying about how much to give. And how awesome a friend are you making these gloves over and over until they were right? You rock.
ReplyDeleteI love how you guys love Love, such great friends.
ReplyDeleteI would wear those gloves to bed if I won, I love them that much.
P.S. Get an Etsy store. You know, since you have so much free time. :)
Those are so pretty! And with the care you put into perfecting those gloves, I'm sure Love wouldn't mind if they were late or not. Devotion like this beautiful.
ReplyDeleteOh Steph,
ReplyDeleteYou are definitely more committed than I and definitely have {...what's the Bible call it? Long suffering. That's it.} to have done and redone those gloves numerous times.
And I am going to check out that water well thing right after I post this.
The gloves are beautiful. And so are you.
You are one of the best friends. Love is so lucky to have you!!!
ReplyDelete(dont you ever forget that...)
xoxo
They are BEAUTIFUL, Steph. Knitted gifts are truly gifts from the heart, especially knitted gifts that are done over and over again. You are a fantastic friend, my dear!! Happy belated birthday to Love and xoxo to you for a great job done!!
ReplyDeleteI love those gloves, I've been wanting a pair for a few years now.
ReplyDeleteI love what Love is doing she has such a great heart, I wish i could be more like her.
If I don't win you need to let me know how much you'll charge for a pair and then I'll find some money from somewhere.
Love gifts from the heart and hands. And love gifts that not only make you happy, but make hundreds of other people's hearts full and lives better <3
ReplyDeletethose gloves are gorgeous and you are a great friend. thanks for spreading the word about a great cause!
ReplyDeleteThose gloves are perfect for Love and I love the other gloves you made as well.
ReplyDeleteI think tonight calls for knitting and Mad Men watching.
Thanks for the inspiration.
((hugs)) so thankful that hopefully today is better for you!
I was so excited to give in Love's name :)
ReplyDeleteAnd... I was just telling Lucas that I need to learn how to knit. Again. And maybe that will help with anxiety and stress? Who knows!
what a gift: these perfect gloves, your words, spreading the word about my birthday dream....and you. i'm thankful to do life with you. so, so thankful.
ReplyDeleteThe gloves are beautiful, as is Love's birthday wish.
ReplyDeletethose are beautiful
ReplyDeleteYou amaze me, and not because I am desiring your gloves but because of the love you have for others and for your dedication to whatever you are doing. I am impressed with who you are as a person and I am working to let people know the good I see in them lately, and thought I should share that with you! Many blessings to you all.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete*This was my original comment, it just got deleted because the internet is awesome like that*
ReplyDeleteI love them. LOVE. And even more than that, I love that you worked so hard to make her something she would cherish. That's a beautiful thing that far too few people take the time to do.
(I'm having a bad day, with tears still wet on my eyes, and this post made me smile. Just thought you should know. <3 Thanks.)
you are so talented and even more, such an awesome friend! i'm sure Love is swooning over them right now! the color is perfect for her. and those blue ones are just lovely.
ReplyDeletemy birthday is coming up (october 30) and i'm definitely encouraged by what Love is doing to do something for someone else. :)
and i hope this week brings new sunshine your way.
I love these gloves...they are awesome- handmade rocks! And the charity is a fantastic thing as well- while things aren't going our way financially right now, I have a few things earmarked for when we have the funds- a specific list to be sure I follow thru...this one is going on that list (it isn't too long yet!).
ReplyDeleteI love the gloves & I love your heart for your friend! What a blessing you are in so many lives! <3 I love your friend's heart too & I am looking into Charity Water & discussing with my husband & praying about how much we can give.
ReplyDeleteThis pattern is great and I love both colors that made it to the final products! I wish I could knit!!
ReplyDeleteI love Love's gloves.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a beautiful week.
these are GORGEOUS Steph... you need to sell them!!
ReplyDeletesteph, those are perfect for love ... she will pair them with something grey and will look amazing!!! you are such a dear friend.
ReplyDeleteand love is ... well, lovely.
By now it is cliche, but when we feel at our dullest God shines through us brightest. Take heart!!
ReplyDeleteI shouldn't be, knowing you, but I am amazed at how much you put into this gift, starting over from scratch, wait, I lost track how many times. Wow, what a friend.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday, Love!
Steph,
ReplyDeleteThe gloves are beautiful!
You are such a wonderful friend! Handmade gifts always mean so much!
What an awesome idea-we actually have been trying to think of good Christmas presents to give this year that ALSO give to charities or others in need. The water if such an awesome gift!
ReplyDeleteAnd I am SO impressed with your knitting; I can make a scarf and that still takes me a good couple of weeks working for good bits of time!
I lve how inspiring your posts always are. No matter what you say, do, or show, there is something warm and heartfelt and moving in all of it. I often strive to be a better mother/wide/person just from reading your posts.
ReplyDeleteThe gloves are beautiful! When I buy a new winter coat, id love to order a pair from you that would match. Or hey, if I by chance win the gorgeous blue ones, I'll have to buy a coat to match the gloves! :-)
We just did a love offering at our Church to raise money to dig a well (or wells) in a village that we mission to in Guatemala. Even though our love gift was just a small part, we raised over $15,000 in our three worship services on Sunday.
ReplyDeleteYour gloves are so beautiful...i wish i could make some myself! Your friend will treasure them I'm sure...homemade gifts are the best!
ReplyDeleteI love your glove pattern, and that button is ADORABLE! It's hard to find gloves for people with short stubby fingers like me, thanks for showing me another option! :)
ReplyDeleteSorry, that was me, Heidi.
ReplyDeleteHeidi B.
These are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteOf course I gave. How could I not?
ReplyDeleteBut what I really want to say is that I love how YOU love so completely that you know your friends inside and out, well enough to know when something is and isn't them.
They are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI love those gloves. Truly, I admire your skill. And your perseverance.
ReplyDeleteyou are the very best kind of great.
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful. I'm so jealous of your knitting skills. If I don't win these, I would love to purchase a pair with a matching hat. Ballpark on price?
ReplyDeleteyesterday (17th october) was my 21st b-day :D yay!!! still celebrating :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great wish for a thoughtful friend.
ReplyDeleteI love those blue gloves.
ReplyDeleteAnd I support charity water. I donated my birthday this year. My sister does it for her b-day also. And I donate for Christmas gifts also.
love the gloves, love the half moon button especially...now going to dig around on your blog for the perfect babywearing device to buy for my sis-in-law who's due in Nov :-)
ReplyDelete*melissa
I'm sad you seem to be going through so much right now, Steph. Thinking of you and hoping for better days to come soon, soon, soon. The gloves are lovely. I don't know Love very well, but from her blog and the one time I've met her I feel like the ones you made for her are absolutely PERFECT for her - vibrant and bright, yet so sweet and soft at the same time.
ReplyDeleteSending you hugs with gentle, knowing back pats. (Those are my favorite kind of hugs.)
My sister-in-law just did the same thing for her 34th birthday a couple of weeks ago. Such a wonderful idea.
ReplyDeleteSorry you're having such a rough time lately. Hoping things start looking up soon!
what would we do without our dearest friends? i'm donating and spreading the message about charity:water and plan do do the same for my birthday. how can we not!
ReplyDeletewhat would we do without our dearest friends? i'm donating and spreading the message about charity:water and plan do do the same for my birthday. how can we not!
ReplyDeleteI love the gloves!
ReplyDeleteYou are so sweet to be concerned about your friends present being perfect, even when you have so much going on in your life!
ReplyDeleteMuch love from the Pacific Northwest, momma!
PS - The gloves? LOVE THEM. NEED THEM. PICK ME PICK ME!! This prego could use a pick me up like you wouldn't even believe.
I love it that you made MANY pairs of gloves until it was perfect for your special friend! I love it! I love the blue gloves, of course, too! :-)
ReplyDeleteI would love those gloves! I love what Love is doing and her heart and your a great friend for making those beautiful gloves. You are talented...I do not have the patience for knitting :(
ReplyDeleteWow, Love sounds wonderful! I hope we soon hear that target has been reached. Such a precious gift, too - I'm sure she was thrilled.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful idea! I love them!
ReplyDeleteI don't know Love personally, but I had the privilege of holding and loving on her son in Uganda at Sanyu Babies Home. The gloves are BEAUTIFUL! and Happy Birthday to Love!
ReplyDeleteAs a knitter, I can totally relate to frogging a pair of mitts over and over again to get them right. I can also relate to the color not being "right" for that person. You don't need to gift me the mitts, but they are great!! Hope someone enjoys them as much as Love loves hers!
ReplyDeleteI am absolutely in love with those blue gloves! Any chance you might sell the same kind on etsy later?
ReplyDeleteI love Love's idea of trying to get clean water to those who need it for her birthday.
those are beautiful gloves - wish there was a crochet pattern ;)
ReplyDeleteHow beautiful and thoughtful of you.
ReplyDeleteAdore the blue "gloveliness"...the color is so symbolic of the water that Love & friends will bring to so many in need. {Hugs!}
ReplyDeletethat is a lot of love I love it! :-) Ps you did a great job on those glove, love the praying hand picture!!!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful knitting, and a beautiful friendship between beautiful people (inside and out).
ReplyDeleteI donated because I agree with Love, it's an unacceptable thing to not have access to clean water. Thanks for letting me know about this cause. And the gloves are lovely!
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome friend you are. Both sets of gloves are amazing. I have admired Love and all that she does from afar. I think her birthday wish is pretty spectacular. I also was introduced to 31 Bits jewelry )and the women of Uganda who make them) through her blog and will be throwing a huge 31 Bits Open House at a local coffee shop because of it...I'm so excited to introduce my friends to the beautiful jewelry and the women behind it. Women supporting women across the world! Love it :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome friend you are. Both sets of gloves are amazing. I have admired Love and all that she does from afar. I think her birthday wish is pretty spectacular. I also was introduced to 31 Bits jewelry )and the women of Uganda who make them) through her blog and will be throwing a huge 31 Bits Open House at a local coffee shop because of it...I'm so excited to introduce my friends to the beautiful jewelry and the women behind it. Women supporting women across the world! Love it :-)
ReplyDeleteGreat to see this beautiful knitting. Local crafts can be so good.In this time of financial uncertantity spend time looking at your local arts & crafts community. Weekend Craft Fairs can be great fun and produce some excellent, unique gifts - at very reasonable prices. So help build your local community and keep your $ at home.
ReplyDeletehttp://blog.sidestreetstudio.com/wood/10-reasons-why-you-should-buy-local-arts-crafts/
To all that have asked- I do have one of those buttons left and blue yarn left if you'd like the same pair custom made for you. Feel free to email me- stephanie.precourt@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteSteph
I love LOVE. :)
ReplyDeleteAnd I wish her a happy birthday!
Do you two know each other in "real life" or solely through the blogosphere?
stephanie@metropolitanmama.net
Makes me wish I could knit. I love the color of blue you chose. I also have days like this where you have to try,try again. and even then try some more. But I think thats what helps us connect with others.
ReplyDeletePlease enter me into your giveaway, Although I live in AZ, I find myself needing some kind of glove that allows me to kid-wrangle and keep hands warm all at the same time.
we support clean water initiatives as well.
ReplyDeleteand I am learning to knit! how might I find the pattern for these gloves?
the pattern is called "welted fingerless gloves" by churchmouse classics I think!
ReplyDeleteSteph
I am donating today, and will do it again at Christmas in the name of people on my Christmas list, as "their" gift from me.
ReplyDeleteWonderful idea.
found the pattern....thanks steph!
ReplyDelete