Timeless Tuesday

Tuesday already!
But first, I forgot to include this photo last week:
Knitting Osmosis strikes me every time I look at this photo, also from Sally Melville's "The Knitting Experience: Book 1". Rationally, I know I cannot wear anything braless (even a bathing suit, but really, I also cannot go out in public wearing a bra under my bathing suit--I think that would be a greater faux pas than the site of me braless in the suit). I know wearing leopard print pants, a black partially sheer top, and pinning my hair up while I schlep the kids to school will cause some strange looks. They already think I'm odd because of the babywearing habit. My legs will not suddenly grow 6", my belly flatten, and my neck lengthen.
Why do they use models that are so unrealistic to the average knitter....who is probably not that much different from the average woman?
There are two books of knitting for larger sizes. The older one is at our public library, but really, I felt it had nothing to offer. No unusual shapings to account for bulges and boobs, no magical techniques to make me look like the models. The newer book, by www.knitty.com creator is apparently a good read, but unless you're in the 'fluffy all over' category, it's not particularly helpful. I'm shaped like a D, not like an O or a 0 like most patterns write for--my front is quite a bit bigger than my back or shoulders indicate that it should be. :( for me, :) for Rob, LOL.
I loved Z's term "Bellylicious". I don't have that type of belly, I'm still not feeling the belly love, but I love the empowering feel of that word.
Onwards and Backwards:

At some point, while knitting, or after knitting the grey and white sweater, I decided my (ex) boyfriend needed a scarf, and maybe mittens. I don't remember. I bought some cheap black chunky yarn, it might have been Shetland Chunky, I don't know. I added the swirl pattern in purple to match his coat. There might have been a garter st. border, I don't know. It was a narrow scarf, and it totally rolled up. I tried ironing it flat. It became shiny. I gave it to him anyway and he wore it. I don't know where it is now, LOL. Probably trying desperately to rot in a landfill somewhere.

I also decided I needed some mittens for my new coat. I did not know:

1) The best cast on for ribbing

2) That increasing for the thumb gusset would screw up the swirl pattern

3) What a pattern repeat was and why the number of sts in the repeat is important

4) How to seam the side

5) How to seam the top

6) To leave long ends, and use them for seaming

7) How to hide the ends

8) Wool is best for mittens

Further along in my knitting experience, when I taught knitting, I used mittens as the first project. That might seem ambitious, but look at everything you should know. It's pretty amazing that I completed this first pair. It's even more amazing that I ever made mittens again. And it's pretty darn phenomenal that I kept this first pair. But then again...being acrylic blend, they're not going to rot in my basement, or in the landfill, so what's it matter where they're kept, LOL!