Puff Stitch Fingerless Gloves

Happy New Year!

In our family, New Year's Day means good food all day.  Traditional Japanese cuisine is the reason this holiday might be my family's favorite. Mom is a rock star. I hope to learn some recipes from her, but alas, she is busily making dishes while we labor at work. Plus, she has no written recipes. A handful of this. A pinch of that. This is the reason my kids don't have most of my recipes. I am an apple that didn't fall far from my Mother's tree.

Still, she brought over everything but her kitchen sink and we were able to help with some of the prep. She made the Nishime before she came over. Nishime is a lovely vegetable dish, and a New Year's staple. I love this dish. It is one of the reasons that I look forward to New Year's. The only thing I don't love is yama-imo which translated verbatim means "mountain potato". IMHO it is mushy and slimy and icky. Speaking of IMHO, please check out blogger and author Jen. Here is a link to her year in review:  http://www.peopleiwanttopunchinthethroat.com/2013/12/2013-year-in-review.html#more. One of my favorites was her 8 Ways to Say FU - I laughed my butt off because I've used quite a few of them. Those that I don't use (IMHO is one I don't use until I read her blog), many of my friends have. I will warn you that she has a potty mouth, but I'm okay with that because so do I. And she makes me laugh. And let's face it, everyone can use a little more laughter in their lives. Let us all make that one of our New Year's Resolutions - to laugh more. It cleanses your soul. But I digress... again. Inari Sushi is a great starter for the sushi-squimish. It has no rawness in it. It is sushi rice stuffed in a deep fried tofu shell, which has been seasoned with a sweet sauce. Even kids like this one.  I stuffed these with my lovely sister from another mister. Although we were careful not to overstuff, so not to burst the pouch at the seams, we still did, laughing and hiding them from Mom. My lovely sister rolled the assorted sushi and did a magnificent job. More food was had, not pictured. The best of which (IMHO) is Omochi, another ONLY-ON-NEW-YEAR'S-DAY-DISH that makes you look forward to the day. Omochi is rice that has been pounded down into a patty - looking somewhat akin to a flat river rock. Grilled on a fish fryer then served a multitude of ways. Good food. Family. Food. Love. We are blessed. Thank you God. <3 <3 <3

Nishime

Assorted Sushi

Inari Sushi

And I finally managed to get my daughter's gloves and scarf done! Too late for Christmas, but she didn't mind, even though she's been waiting since her birthday. That's when she got her puff slouch beanie. She didn't want to be in the picture, but I think this is a great one, so pffffft. Anyway, YEEHA I'm done! So here goes with the gloves. Scarf to follow.

My beautiful daughter

The gloves are inspired by the Lovely Olivia at Hopeful Honey. Please visit her blog at http://www.hopefulhoney.com/2012/04/perfect-solutions.html. Her gloves included a pretty button embellishment. Alas, I didn't have enough cute buttons, and in an effort to only use what I have in stock (with the exception of yarn) I skipped that part. So again, a modification was in order. Here is the pattern.

Puff Stitch Fingerless Gloves

Rows	Double Crochet Rows
1	CH 25, slip stitch (SL) into first CH to form a ring. 26 SC
2-3	CH 2, DC into next ST around, SL join into top of 1st CH; 26 DC; finish off leaving tail to weave in ends.
Rows	Puff Stitch Rows
1	Puff 7 into same ST, CH 1, SKIP ST (SK ST) around. Join w/SL to top of 1st Puff; 13 Puffs
2-4	SL into 1st SKIPPED HOLE (SH). Puff 7 into same, CH1 repeat around. SL join into 1st puff. 13 Puffs in alternating spaces
6	SL into 1st SH, Puff 7, CH 4, SK ST, Puff 7 pull through then in last 2 SC - this is your thumb. SK ST, Puff 7, CH 1 around. Join w/SL to top of 1st Puff; 13 Puffs.
7-10	SL into thumb hole. Puff 7, CH1, SK around; 13 Puffs
11-12	CH 1, SC around; finish off leaving tail to weave in ends.

I love that Olivia is a free-sharer. I love that she came up with such a beautiful creation. I hope you will visit her page and bookmark her like I have. My daughter gets complimented all the time, and not just from people she knows. These beautiful gloves are incredibly warm. Takes a lot of yarn to make those Puffies, but so worth it. The end result is quite stunning.

Hope you are able to follow the instructions. If not, write me a comment and I will try to help you work it out! Happy crocheting! And HAPPY NEW YEAR! Blessing to you all!

<3 XO <3
~Rolly