First Person
Atlas Insider: Winnowing
Breaking news: this summer has been hot. It’s been so hot here that we rarely sit on my mom’s back porch when I visit her now; we just sit inside and move as little as possible and try to figure out why her (insert one or more electronic devices here) isn’t working.
The last time we sat on her back porch, though, we noticed a pair of bluebirds working furiously to empty their bluebird house of, um, well, bird poop. A beakful of poop at a time, they’d jump up through the birdhouse hole and fly off and deposit it, oh, who knows where birds take things? Probably some random Starbucks bathroom. Very methodically and very patiently, they got it all done, and after a half hour or so had cleaned their house out and made it neat for their soon-to-hatch babies.
Which made me think of A PARALLEL STORY, though one devoid of bird poop: Mom and I have just about finished cleaning up and emptying her basement, which was formerly my Dad’s workshop. He died in the spring of 2021 and after a five or six month pause (it took quite a bit of advance courage working-up), we tackled that basement which—while not exactly Collyer brothers-level jam-packed—was nevertheless plum full of things both interesting and, uh, packratty.
Dad was a woodworker and a model railroader—emphasis on the model, not on the railroad. He’d build cars from scratch and paint them and make his own decals and use fifty sets of tweezers and magnifying lenses and create logs out of twigs to mimic logging hoppers, but he never really had a functioning train layout—just hundreds of meticulously modeled HO-scale cars and engines.
When it came time to deal with it all, I knew that the micro-tweezers and googly-lenses and oddly large plethora of dowel rods would come to my basement—who knows what crazy hobby I might take up? Taxidermy! Eh, maybe. The possibilities are endless. But we had to call in an expert to help us deal with the train stuff. A close family friend who is also a model railroader came in and winnowed the wheat from the chaff and told us what was probably covet-able by other crazy model railroaders (hot tip: they’re all crazy). Frankly, it all seemed like chaff to me at first, but we did gradually learn that dad was very good at what he did. We kept a few things for sentimental reasons and then hit eBay like a tornado hits a trailer park.
It was quite the busy fall auction-wise. And it paid off. Mom got a brand new front porch—the porch Dad always promised!—with her model railroad money and now she’s always trying to stuff a twenty in my shirt pocket when I’m over there. “It’s for gas money for driving over here!” I live three blocks away, so unless gas is now $300 a gallon (which, maybe), I’m making out like a bandit. Sssssshhh, don’t tell her. I like the walking-around money.
ALL THIS IS TO SAY: you start cleaning one space in your life and you suddenly want to clean and organize all the other spaces too. Not in a Marie Kondo way—that’s just flat-out irritating, plus she says you should “ideally keep fewer than 30 books” and Hi, Crazy, I don’t think so.
I have been quite the terror around MDK World HQ ever since the basement cleanout. There are still a few boxes that remain packed from the move two years ago! I’ve been digging out old damaged relics and dusty deadend dyelots that we can’t list online and stuffing them into employees’ purses when they’re not looking so that they’ll just go away … and oh, it’s all just thrilling to feel so streamlined and organized heading into the second, busier half of the year. I do like being decisive about what to do with all those little messy piles of things, all that bluebird poop. The birdhouse is nice and neat now and it better stay that way.
A Giveaway!
The prize? No such thing as too many books—especially knitting books. This week’s prize is a copy of Warm Hands curated by Jeanette Sloan and Kate Davies and one skein each of two colors of Tvinni (winner’s choice, see below) to make Jeanette’s Toasty Cosy mitts (the mittens variation is on the cover below)!
How to enter?
Two steps:
Step 1: Sign up for our weekly newsletter, Snippets, right here. If you’re already subscribed, you’re set.
Step 2: Which two colors of Tvinni do you like best together for Toasty Cosy mitts? Let us know in the comments.
Deadline for entries: Sunday, August 14, 11:59 PM Central time. We’ll draw a random winner from the entries. Winner will be notified by email.
Come Shop With Us
I Love colors 44 and 375.
I love colors 25 and 12S
I like the fall colors. So I have to go with 1s, which looks like orange on my phone, and 52s.
17S and 1S for me.
Tough choices. I think 16 and 22S would be right to my liking.
Color 225 is a gold that’s lit from within. This will jazz up the black and gray of my winter outerwear, indeed. Our cold winter calls for a toasty Tvinni bright pair of mittens. And maybe a pair for a friend….
175 and 44. You have inspired me to finish unpacking after my recent move. Thanks DG!
225 and 16 for me. You have inspired me to continue cleaning out the garage, a never ending project!! Love the story and picture of your dad’s log train!
I LOVE purples so going to be 25 and 125 for me
225 and 15. Warm colors like the spices in Indian food!
I knit a pair of socks with Tvenni. Wonderful yarn. 17S and 22S are the colors stealing my heart.
16 and 465….. beautiful combo. Loved the article…so true about cleaning…
12S and 25. DG, well written existential reminder of how we must learn to let go. More than one person in my family tree never accepted parting with anything. My grandmother bought the house next door to store her overflow of possessions. The elements, e.g. heat, ruined most of them.
I like 23S & 25, not surprising since I have plenty of skeins in both colors in my stash.
12S and 25
DG, I come from a long line of persons who couldn’t part with anything. I think it is an existential question for such people. They can’t accept letting go.
I like 100 and 16 together. I enjoyed your story. And I’m sorry to hear about your father. Your mother is lucky to have you to support and help her.
16 and 225
Inspirational article!
125 and 175. I just moved June 12th. I moved a lot of STUFF. Been getting rid of it ever since.
Hi DG, thanks for another funny and insightful article. I always look forward to your posts. Please accept my sympathy on the loss of your father. We are going through a similar clean out of my parents home. My Mom was the one who kept stuff more so than my Dad. We are finding some interesting things.
When I opened up the color palette for Tvinni, the first colors to grab me were 25 and 17s. The blue violet and red violet zingz!
For something softer I’d go with 19s and 52s, or 37s and 46s.
16 and 46S
17s and 23s.
Great article. My sympathy on the loss of your Dad, but I am glad that your hard work and cleaning spree yielded a new porch for your Mom, and gas money for you! I will try to use the birds and your essay for inspiration. It’s been tough to self-motivate in the unrelenting heat. Thanks for the post.
I would like either two different purples, blues, greens or golds. Thank you very muchnesses
If I am to follow instructions, 44 and 465 remind me of beach glass.
Argh, 44 and 46S.
I like 12S and 25S
Funny, funny article! Such an enjoyable way to start my Sunday! And I’ll never clean my basement again without visualizing a birdhouse being wiped clean of bird poop! I love the Tvinni colors 23s and 28s, although it was hard to choose from such vibrant colors.
Always love reading your stories. Cleaned out my parents’ house of 40+ years so can relate. The model train wagon looks so cute. I like #16 and the oatmeal colour but I don’t see it in the numbers below so my other choice would be #23s.
I like Tvinni’s 12S and 25S colors.
My siblings and I cleaned out my parents house after my dad passed. My sister and I were still working but my brother was retired and the executor so after a week long blitz thru the house, dividing what would go where, my sis and I headed home. Little did we know that my brother (ie, walking clone of my father) would a month later, pack most of the remains into a U-Haul trailer and drive it across the country from NV to FL and stash it all in his garage, which use to have room for three cars but now can barely hold one. “Pack rat” doesn’t come close to describing his home.
I think the mitts would be lovely in 16 and 235.
I’m all in for 25 and 19S !!
Si hard to choose- 100 & 16 to go with my puffy coat
15 and 225. Love bluebirds, but never made the association between all the poop that needs to go from our home and their housecleaning. Thanks for that visual image.
17s and 23s. I loved the bluebird story.
16 and 45. Not together maybe, but they are lovely colors! Totally enjoyed your post, I can just see you sneaking the yarn into co- workers bags, and that train car was incredible! Being a bit of a bluebird here, hopefully this will inspire me to get over my dread of our basement!
Definitely found treasures in our basement when we moved!!!
I love 16 and 22S.
25 and 52S.
Nice story about your family. Take care.
22S and 8S.
225 and 175
16 + 465 – stepping out into new territory, since we’re dreaming
I love colors 225 and 44
465 and225. But any two would work one way or another. Varying size stripes will blend practically any two colors, however unlikely!
I’m sorry for your loss. My dad was also a packrat type, and it was a lot of work to clean out his spaces when he died. (We had a family work weekend to clean out the barn of his old junk, and then we put up a fence and adopted some sheep.)
For the mittens, 16 and 125 would make a lovely set with my purple peacoat and blue hat and scarf.
16 and 28s hit my mark but honestly any colour combo work work in this pallet
8S and 52S. Lovely!
Oooo, 17S and 25, such yummy colors!
There are do many lovely colors! I think 23S and 16 would look great together. Beautiful yarn, fun story!
Lesa
15 and 16 -although any of the colors are beautiful.
16 and 46S for me
22S & 37S.
I was on a cleaning kick earlier this year and need to get back to it.
16 and 465 look like a good combo to me. I wonder if my husband bought any of your dad’s train set parts or cars on eBay.
I choose 44 and 465.
100 and 16
22s and 8s- basics
Ooooh! 335 and 195, please.
28S, 37S
Wouldn’t 1S and 33S look fabu together? Why, yes! I do believe they would! (Thank you!)
DG,
So sorry for all you lost but glad for what you found and understood/appreciated about your Dad during the big clean out.
I would go with 37S and 52S after spending too much time quickly tapping between photo to test out the color combos!
Be well…take a rest. Love to Mom.
100 and 44 ❤️
Please come to my house next while you’re still in that bluebird mood.
We are getting ready to move after 30 years in the same house. We are downsizing and moving from farm to town. I am excited, but dread the weeks of going through all we have collected and deciding what goes with us and what finds a new home. For colors I choose 37S and 46S.
Condolences on the loss of your father.
I like the purplish ones — 17s. Great story.
16 & 12S
I love this story! My husband passed away in April and my sons and I are slowly cleaning out the basement for a waterproofing project. Your description fits (though sadly, there will be no trains). Purging feels good, mostly.
I like 25 and 465!
I love your stories, well told and thank you! I like 44 and 17S
25 and 1S for fall. DG is a good son.
I would choose 37S and 46S.
The very idea of having less than 30 books is flat-out laughable. Last we estimated, our stash was somewhere in the neighborhood of 5000, and that was after having truckloads of my late father’s books donated to very worthy charity and specialty shops. You do you, Marie Kondo, but I am never happier than when I am surrounded by my wacky book collection and crazy yarn stash, with cats by my side. And yes, I do sound like a caricature, thank you very much. :). DG – I always look forward to your stunning posts and similarly look forward to the day when MDK will ship overseas. England is lovely, but I do miss getting my packages from y’all.
We do ship to the UK!
Wait, what? This is the best and worst news you could have told me! (Warming up the credit card now…)
I like 125 (lavender) with 375 (dark pine green).
16 and 22s for me! I’m really feeling teal and gold for fall.
Winnowing…..would that I could accomplish that in my lifetime so my kids won’t have to deal with it!!!
I choose the dark and light greens, but all the colors are so rich. A joy to work with!
8S and 22S
I’d choose 17S & 100.
Sorry for your loss, DG. Your column was very therapeutic I have been procrastinating over a similar project. So far, I haven’t had the courage to open those doors. Your words are just the inspiration that I need!
As for colors……I especially like 25 and 46S together!
So sorry for the loss of your Dad. The car with the logs is beautiful.
I would choose 28S and 52S.
Totally down with 25 and 125.
16 and 23S for me!
19S and 23S
175 and 225!
17s (hot pink) and 25 (purple). Although I am intrigued by 19s with something else. Surprise me!
So sorry for your loss. I’m on the color 25 and 125 band wagon. Congrats on the clean out and ebay success.
225 and 35. Your approach to culling things out works for me, especially using EBay , after I recover from mid summer covid…..
195 and 375, please.
DG – Your articles always entertain and amuse, but this is one of the best. You have my sympathy on the loss of your father. Cleaning out a parent’s home is certainly a mix of good memories, hard decisions, amazement and eye-rolling. I have been trying to avoid inflicting the same on my children by curating our possessions, but I draw the line at books, yarn, and fabric! All the colors of Tvinni are beautiful but I like 85 and 335 best.
I like 17S and 1 S marled together. So toasty! The fuchsia and the orange.
Fewer than 30 books??!! Next she’ll be saying one crate of yarn is enough!! That is crazy talk. I come from a family of hoarders though, so perhaps I’m not the best person to have an opinion on reasonable amounts of stuff to keep.
Cleaning family basements are definitely therapeutic and nostalgic. Great article
I love 16 and 17S
I have no idea which colors I would pick but I’m all about greens lately
Lot of good color combos! I think 52S and 33S would be interesting marled together.
The orange and royal blue, my favorite combo!
15 and 335
I love the vibrant blue of 44 and the calmer color of 8S.
I loved your story! It was so evocative and funny. Thank you! I would love to knit the mitts in 16 and 19s.
8S and 46S, love the earthy colors.
16 and 25. I also attacked my craft closet and it is so much happier. I did find several unfinished projects
OMG the trains! Dad passed 20 years ago and I think we still have some trains. We knew enough to keep the brass locomotives, but beyond that- sheesh! (Knitting is a much saner hobby.)
I could have a lot of fun with 1S and 22S. Thanks so much for this fun giveaway. Good luck, Everyone!
16 & 19S So many lovely colors – hard to choose!
19s & 4s.
125 and 175 for me. Lots of contrast, and my two favorite colors.
16 and 46S would be together.
And thank you for sharing the story of your father’s death and the big clean out. My sympathies to you and your mom – your experience is very relatable.
An enjoyable piece to read this morning! I would say 22s and 100 for the colorways
Wonderful story! 16 and 46S I think. Hard to choose,
16 and 128 definitely
would love 23S & 46S
btw, my dad also was a Model Train enthusiasts. He made it a family affair when we were kids. He & my brother worked on the trains on a large plywood platform, with a hole in the middle so you could scoot under & stand up. My mom & I did the landscaping & scenery. LOVED it!!!
44 and 15
Grellow! 225 and 235.
I’d pick 100 and 44.
I like the colors of 375 and 16. My reasoning is for 375- take a deep breath and you can almost smell the pine trees in the cold of winter! 16 reminds me of an icicle forming and looking through one! Natures beautiful wonders.
1s and 28s, because you just have to love red mittens!
Sorry for your loss, a Dad is life’s anchor. I love the purple 25 /grey 235 combination.
I like 16 and 23s. They’re all gorgeous, though!
Oh I love that cream and mustard color together!
Beautiful story about your dad. We have all been there or will be there some day. I chose 22s and 33s but that was a hard decision!
I’m so sorry to hear of your loss. I love the logs carriage as a memento of your father’s meticulous attention to detail too.
My colour choices are16 & 17S
17S and 19S and I love the story of the bird poop (who knew?) and your mom and dad. My dad passed in June and I have been sleeping in his bedroom since, I can’t seem to go home. I wish I lived three blocks away, I live 15 minutes by car. I’ve always wanted to sell all of my stuff on eBay, but haven’t yet. And you’re right, Marie Kondo is fun to read (and watch) but books need their own room, or at least a bookshelf in every room of the house! Write more about mom and dad (and your sister.) 😉
25 naturally, we enjoy seeing the bluebirds in the yard. My husband has boxes, can’t count that high, of
HO trains, track, scenery, mini tools, plus a former wood worker.
44 would be lovely with my winter coat. What a nice giveaway. Thank you.
The 11s and 16 together – those azure blues are lovely!
Great article! I’ve been winnowing all summer too!
Tvinni 16 and 465 – though SO hard to choose!
Although it’s difficult to be thinking about warm hands, so warm right now, I’d be excited to be knitting with the colors 375 and 525. So warm and rich!
Great story, and I had a fun deep dive into the Collyer brothers Wiki page. I think colors 175 and 225 would make a beautiful pair of mittens 🙂
17S and 22s
My favorites are fuschia and lite gray
195 and 235 do itfoer me.So many to choose though,……
Thinking fall-8s & 1s
Ooo- #25 & 44! I know they’re the same… value?… but I don’t care, I love bright, intense colors
Love colors 285 and 45.
Oh, the iron oxide richness! Nos. 15 and 33s. What a lovely pairing!
DG, I so enjoy your writing. Thanks for sharing snippets of your life with us!
And I’m sorry about your dad. Hugs (with consent, of course) to you and mom and sis and whoever else needs one.
I always love DG’s essays.
100 and 44
I know I have some closets that need some clearing out. Thanks for the inspiration. 1S and 22S just in time for an autumn project.
12S and 25 are so beautiful (but so are all the rest of the colors).
Ooh, I love a good raspberry, so 17s, it tops. But frankly, any of them will go perfectly with my winter coat!
19s and 22S. Sometimes I just go for the adjacent colors on the screen.
12S and 46S please, if I’m the lucky one!
Wonderful article. It’s so difficult to clear up the treasures of a dear one. Been there and done that. Great to have the porch as a delightful memoir!
100 and 125. My basement needs winnowing but oooh to get started!
Rusty orange ( 1S ?) and gold (22S?) Hard to tell the colors on my screen. Thx
Your article entertained and inspired me. I will try to clean up my act so my children do not have so much work when I’m gone. I love winter colors for mitts or mittens so I choose 25 and 12S – the blues of snow with shadows.
They’re all gorgeous but 33s and 23s look to be my favorites
Of the colors available, I would choose 125 and 15
the mittens are very striking
15 and 85. I have really been liking browns recently. And always love a good rust. These would be good for taking the dogs out this winter. We now have three, with the addition of a puppy this week, so there will be a lot of supervised walks.
Loved the article. The logging hopper your Dad made is amazing! Colors 16 and 465 for me.
1S and 17S! What a great project and yarn pairing. Perfect.
12 & 46
Two favorites are 2s and22s and the train car with the logs is a real keeper for sure
Ah, those railroaders! Quite the group! I understand on many levels Thanks for the story….. I love 22 and 23
That gold with whatever. Just shut your eyes and pick something!
sorry for the loss of your dad. although the task was daunting, there were a lot of good memories there! I would choose 16 and 465
25 and 44
44 and 465.
And now I’m inspired to tidy. And see if my bluebird house is poop free…..
16 and 465 for me.
I love colors 100 and 17s for the mittens. Thank you for the entry.
A very difficult choice to make so early in the morning I’m also feeling purples today so 25 and 125 please
I think 4S and 17S. It’s really hard to decide but I have just the parka to wear with those.
16 and 465 are my faves. And our basement purge starts Tuesday.
33s and 22s. I am bringing on shades of yellow and red, began with placemats
How nice to discover that your dad was so skilled, but I’m sorry you lost him. I’ve always loved pink and green together so it has to be 195 and 465 for me.
As my sister and I say to each other: “You funny!” I am going to forward this to her.
Only 30 books!. Your mother is pretty smart, you better save that money for gas!
When my MIL died in 2005, we flew up to NJ for the funeral. We cleaned out the basement, rented a car and filled it up with old tools and outdoor pots, pizza pans of varying sizes and drove home.
Tvinni 195 and 16 each caught my eye. In truth, all of the colors look wonderful.
I am sorry for the loss of your father.
Bluebird poop story on Sunday morning:
Thanks!
I like 25 and 52s.
I like 12s and 25s
Thank you for sharing this beautifully inspiring story! So hard to choose from all of the lovely colors, but I’m an ocean gal so I’ll go with 46S
It’s almost Fall after all. 1s and 23s would make a wonderfully cozy Fall stripe.
So many nice colors but I am partial to 17s and 19s
175 & 25.
Gorgeous!
1s and 22s
We are about to clean out my Dad’s house. 2 floors, basement, and attic…60 years of accumulation. Oh my!
I really like 16 and 37S.
I love 465 and 195.
16 & 465
Whoops! 16 & 46S is what I want should I be lucky enough to win.
So sorry for the loss of your father. Just went through emptying my mother’s house. It takes so much longer than one thinks it will. Now trying to purge my house, but not of books or yarn. Colors 15 and 225!
28s and 37s – I love a good dark green and the pop of tomato orange with it makes me happy.
Your story came at just the right time. My daughter is visiting here for a week. Yesterday she took a look around my kitchen and said “How about if you just sit there and I’ll point to items and you tell me to keep, give away or toss?!” We got quite a lot cleared out!
23S and 4S. Just love those grays.
335 & 44 would be my choice! Congrats on Mom getting her new porch.
19s and 28s. I dont have enough reds in my life.
Sorry for your loss last year, DG. Losing parents is rough.
Your dads legacy was spread all over and made some happy hands, out here.
I love colors 125 & 25
125 and 44 would be my colour choices.
I would choose 125 and 25. I recently had cataract surgery ad discovered my eye color is now green! I believe these colors, either knitted into a cowl, or hat, would make my eye color pop! Good luck everyone.
125 and 25. Been knitting for grand girls and I’m ready to knit for myself. Those are my favorite colors
I always appreciate the humour you stir into your stories – even when the underlying sentiments are sadness and grief. Thanks you sharing thoughts of parents that are here and gone. I love the colours 16 and 46S. Beautiful yarn.
I would love colors 100 & 16! My dad was an O gauge man! He built several cars over the years. He passed in 2019 and my step-mother just gifted one of his handmade box cars to each of ours 4 children. It is a treasure!
17S and 44 for me, please. The magenta and royal blue each sing.
The description and photo of the train car remind me of my childhood best friend’s father, who had and elaborate model train set-up in their basement. What fond memories you evoked. Thank you!
I love 44 and 225. Blue and gold.
I like 100 and 16 together.
33s and 22s please
Good advice about tackling one space at a time. Recently I have attempted cleaning out under the bathroom sink. On a different note — what beautiful colorways! I would like 25 and 23S.
I’ve yet to conquer “the mitten”. Maybe this will be the book!
Right now Colors 225 and 44 – which is probably because Kay’s Rhinebeck sweater colors are still on my mind!
There are many beautiful colors, but my favorites are 46s and 17s.
So many great colors to choose from! Have to go with 335 and 125.
It would be colors #44 and #100 for me!
What I really want is 17s and the light grey but looks like you don’t have that so I’ll go with 17s and 25? I think that’s what it was. Thanks
It would be 1s and 17s, orange and fuchsia for me
12S and17S speak to me! Enjoyed your comments about model railroading! My husband is into model railroads and has taken over the basement with his hobby-I forbade him from putting tracks in the bathroom!
195 and 25…. Love the colors and so hard to choose. Love MDK and read every day. Thx
Love the colors! 25 and 17S
I like purples and reds, so 25 and 33s. Thank you for The Insider. I get excited when I see your name on the post and always read ever word, usually out load to my husband. Please write a book.
Still laughing! Great article. I love 1S & 8s.
Numbers 16 and 46S are speaking to me.
Loving 16 and 22s. Happy fall colors
How about 17S & 8S?
I love purple.
I love 16 and 465
Such a light touch in your writing about such wrenching experiences. My sympathies to you and your mother on your father’s death.
I like colors 4S and 23S together.
23S with either 44 or 46S, for the bright pop of color. I am about to start my cleaning out, but hard to get motivated.
8 on the outside and 44 on the inside. I have a pattern for double layer mittens and this pairing would give me a sensible side-8 and a dramatic side -44, when I feel like showing off.
Perfect story, as we are moving soon. We have roughly 2500 linear feet of books, but always room for 1 more! Not experienced at marling, but would love to try 8s and 1s!
Having just cleaned out our mother’s house I connected with the weird blend of nostalgia and “what in the world?” Your essay reflects, DG. I don’t know why, but I’m drawn to 16 and 19 as opposed to my usual “anything rust or avocado”
I like 15 and 52S…makes me think of cozy autumn fireplaces and hot chocolate. Though I have downsized three times, I still have such a stash of yarn and fabric and books I feel badly for my two sons when I’m gone ( my husband is already overwhelmed ).
I’m very into red and orange or pink, thus my favs are 195 and 175.
Staying neutral here #45 and the one to the left of it – can’t find the number. I may need to caffeinate more. PS – I could write an entire essay on the bluebird behavior – one of the nest boxes in my yard has a camera installed. Will keep you posted!
16 and 46S
25 and 46s
I would love another knitting book! My color choices would be 25 and 125. Thanks and keep up the great work!
I’m a green girl through and through so 46S and 16 for me. And my sympathies on the loss of your dad – It’s been 26 years since I lost mine, and its still a difficult thing.
Ohh, 33s and 28s!
I love colors 375 and 16.
19S and 33S.
22s and 23s! Gorgeous!
Colors, 125 and 24 please
So many lovely choices, but I’d go with #15 and #195.
DG, my condolences on the loss of your Dad last year. It’s hard to sort through a parent’s items—so many memories. Your Dad was an amazing craftsman and I’m sure many will treasure his creations for years to come!
Oh, your story was so poignant. The thought, effort and planning your Dad must have taken for those precious train cars is so much like the same thinking that goes into creating and finishing a sweater. I can identify, even though the end projects are a bit different. I remember after my Dad died going down into the basement where his workshop was – his hobby was building model airplanes. Lot of soldering-iron stuff, paints, woods, little coffee cans and small jars full of bits and pieces. Unfortunately, his planes hardly ever stayed aloft after take- off. Repairing them after multiple nose-dives must have been part of the fun, because he always told a great story afterwards that had us all laughing along with him.
Oh all the little fiddly things were – in a way – the most fun to figure out. There was a whole plastic container filled with what turned out to be something called “pin vises.” And I mean FILLED, like fifty of them. I have no idea what I’ll use them for but I kept them because who knows….I might one day figure out what they’re for and NEED fifty of them ALL AT ONCE.
I like 17S and 25. Loved your story today, too!
I’m with the purples, 25 and 125
I love diving into other folks basements (and yard sales, etc). So many unexpected finds. And I would certainly love me some yarn for others to find in a future dive into my closet (hehehe). 17S and 37S just make me smile to look at them. Fingers crossed that you pick me!
100 and 525 for me. After my husband passed I realized that he had saved all the paperwork from every tax returns he had filed. I think that I burned out 2 shredders cleaning our those file drawers.
15 and 225 look like a warm combination.
22 and 125. Obv.
I loke 25 and 125….love purple!
I love colors 225 and 25 gold and purple are great colors alone and together.
22S and 16….but I love seeing what others put together!
I think 16 and 10 would work beautifully together!!
Number 25 & 125 make a great combo. I’m so sorry for your families loss. A few years ago my husband and I redid our wills and made our oldest son executor his comment was “you know I’m just going to throw it all out when you’re gone” at least he’s honest. I’ve made it my mission to winnow things down for him but your right not the books or the yarn.
Having cleaned out my mom and dad’s house (with the impossible request to not get rid of anything until everyone in the family has chosen from everything), i hesitate to add more beautiful yarn to my stash. But I love the combo of 16 and 46.
Color 25 and 44 are beautiful!
I love 1S and 22S.
I love 1S and 46 S! I can never decide between two colors!
This book looks amazing! I’m a big fan of Kate Davies. The two Tvinni colors that speak to me in a big way are #15 and #16.
45 and 25. To make some beautiful mitts for my friend who, at the tender age of 55, had a stroke which required her to retire from her career as a compassionate public defender and which left her with neuropathy in her hands so she has to wear gloves constantly as the pain of being touched is too great.
I like 44 and 23s.
Thank you for the reminder to keep cleaning out stored items. Condolences on the loss of your father. In the past I’ve shared the task of cleaning and purging of loved-ones items and treasures, too. It’s difficult and rewarding. Today the colors 25 and 12S look inviting. Hugs to all.
Hi,
Love 44 and 465.
OOOH, I do not have that book yet! xoxo Fingers crossed! My fave colors are 25 and 375
My sincere sympathies on the loss of your father.
Your mention of Kondo’s advice to limit one’s books to 30, immediately prompted a flashback to about 20 years ago. I was living in NJ, outside of NYC and had a subscription to the NYT. Every Thursday, the supplement was titled “Home” or something similar. I read an article on how to clean out and organize one’s micro-sized NYC apartment. The author (some professional NY organizer with fees in the stratosphere) wrote that no one should need more than one spatula. Pick one and get rid of all the others. I was aghast. I have a whole drawer of spatulas, even though I have one spatula that I probably use 80-90% of the time – and only because I make myself choose an alternate spatula,
One spatula! GOOD GOD. I mean, I have one specifically for BURGERS and one for FISH and never use one in place of the other. And those are just the first two I thought of…
Dear DG — I am so sorry for your loss. Your Dad sounds like a maker. I’m glad his work resulted in your Mom’s new front porch.
A combo of #s 225 & 285 sing of fall & coziness to me, so that gets my vote.
I like the 335 with 45 combo — my sister and I are still going through my mother’s “collection” (and she seemed to collect lots of things!) seriously, it’s been a lot of packrattery
Honestly, ANY colors would be delightful!
Sorry about your dad, DG!
Glad your mom got her porch!
Mittens in 25 and 17S would be lovely!
17S & 44.
16 and 46S for me!
I really enjoy your articles. You’re very funny. #465 is my choice of color.
Though they won’t have much contrast, 44 & 17S get my vote – two of my personal top 5 colors. So sorry for the loss of your dad, DG! It sounds like he was also a very creative guy when it came to his trains.
Such beautiful yarn. I love colors 12S and 17S.
I enjoyed your story and I too have been inspired by the the busy bluebirds in our backyard!
Thank you for this wonderful giveaway. Such treasures yarn!!
Colors 16 and 175.
Thank you for another ever delightful Sunday morning letter. I had not heard of the Collyer brothers until I clicked the link and went down the rabbit hole. Now breakfast is going to be late because I had check out all the Tvinni colors in the shop too. I like 4s and 22s
100 and 125 for me.
Hello DG: My condolences to you for the loss of your father. I can totally relate to your clean out experience. We had to clean out our mother’s home and flooded basement after she passed. Thank you for sharing your story. I would love #465- green was her favorite color & #25- purple for the Alzheimer’s Association
225 and 16 appeal to me. They’re all so pretty!
465 and195, the colours of my wedding togs. Love the snippets too xx.
Hmmm…it would be 23s and 16 for me
Tvinni colors- #44 & #225, blue and gold. Great mix for University of Michigan fans!
16 and 46s. Your story of cleaning out your dad’s shop is very timely. I have just put my house on the market and have been working on my husband’s office in the garage. Multi boxes of HO gauge model railroad cars and other bits and pieces have gone to our son. He, too, has been a railroad buff for years.
Lots of memories as I declutter for my move. Helpful to do small jobs at a time so not to be overwhelmed.
Thank you for the lovely thoughts about the process!
My condolences on the loss of your father. My mom recently passed and after cleaning out her house I too came home and began my own process. If I had to pick I would choose 23s and 52s. Thank you for sharing.
I’m loving 17S with 23S
15 and the sky blue. One is perfect for fall. The other for spring.
19S and 17S.
Good for you for tackling that difficult project and seeing it through. Condolences regarding your dad’s death, welcome to the club that no one wants to join, Mr Strong. I do hope you kept the logging car, so sweet and full of detail.
Tvinni, not a bad color choice there, though I love the depth of the S colors. 4S and 28S would be my choice.
Love reading your letters/articles at MDK. I think you must have a dream job 🙂
I love 16s and 19s.
I like 225 and 235, living in MN this book would be put to good use!
225 and 195! Love today’s article.
12S and 17S
Fuscia and light grey, and I love your dad’s care in stacking those little logs. Thanks for another great article.
Loving 19s and 33s-
Oh, child of model railroader, you have no idea what it is like to be the spouse of one! Every spouse (including your lovely Mom) experiences this differently, and I’m happy to hear that you did keep a few of your Dad’s most beautiful finished railroad cars.
My husband has the same affliction, and I well know how overwhelming the clean-out must have been; big hugs to both you and your Mom.
Looking at that lovely yarn, I fell for 45 and 235, as here in upstate NY, these would serve heavy duty and would look great with any parka that we own!
25 and 44
I think I like he 22s and 23s but who knows….if I’m picked can I change my mind? LOL
I like 44 and 12S. Thank you for the giveaways!
37S and 33S
465 and 16. I’m on a green kick this summer!
I would use 100 and 28S, to go with my winter coats.
Who can pick just one?…ok, 44, no 175, no…
25 and 125
Would 22S go with 46S? I’m terrible at picking colors. I love all the colors.
16 and 46s
465 and 25 would be beautiful together!
Colors 25 and 125. Lovely lady lavender mitts.
17s with either 22s or 46s
25 and 225. Lovely story of dad, hobby, and the cleaning!
I love 19S and 23S
12S and 46S
I’d go with the teal and ecru but if not in stock 19s and 23s
I really enjoy your writing!
15 and 225 Rust and gold. Feels like autumn
Definitely the orange (1s) ! Love all the colors but especially the burnt oranges of autumn!!
23s and 19s… My comfort zone. But now I’m going to read the comments to see what folks would pair with 25 – I love it but couldn’t decide.
4S/45; thanks!
44 and 125 would go together fabulously. I love reading/watching clean-out stories. It helps me with my space!
19s and 25
Wow DG, this article really spoke to me! (And yeah, 30 books? All the nopes, Marie.) For fall, the colors 16 and 52S speak to me. Thanks as always for the musings.
25 and 235!
33S and 25 for me
A very tough decision. 100 and 19s
What a palette to choose from — I’m partial to purples and pinks, but that robins egg blue …
And yes – in my garage are the tools and parts from my father’s workbench – the radios and TVs he repaired in my childhood. Screws sorted into baby food jars. Wires, fuses … and I’ve my mothers knitting needles.
175, 44
Ok so we know we need a juicy and a blah (thanks Ann and Kay!)— so I’d choose 17S ( what a great juicy shade of raspberry) and pair it with that minty green 46S. Or I’d take two of those odd dyelot skeins off your hands, DG 🙂
1s and 100. I also need to do some killing. Have stuff that has been in boxes in the attic for years!
The color names are so evocative! How can I choose? (wink) No, but seriously, I my two favorites are the teal and the sea glass (I’m naming them myself), numbers 10 and 11, I think. They both appear to be sold out. People clearly have good taste!
1s and 23s could be fun together and may go with my Tvinni sweater. I applaud your organizing while maintaining valued items.
17S and 28S. Hoping to get to some much-needed winnowing myself today. Attacking a closet!
Colours 25 and 12S
375 and 225 are fun together. Can’t go wrong with that beautiful green.
Such fun starting my Sunday’s reading your musings. Thank you for sharing your talent!
195 & 16!
All 195. That pinky red is fabulous. My latest clean up has been stash. Washcloths, hats & other projects. So exciting to see the yarn bloom into something useful and the shelf empty.
Right at this moment I love 8S and 28S but ask me again in a few minutes and it will be something else. All so beautiful
375 and 225. I like the deep colors. Thank you for the story. How wonderful that your father did what made him happy and that he was so good at it! And his efforts will be enjoyed by others.
I love 16 and 46S! Actually, I love all the colors. This was really hard.
17s and 8s, A little bit of slutty, with a little bit of earth. Yep, those are the ones, and thank you for a really lovely post.
I love many of the Tvinni colors, but I’ll vote for 22S and 33S. Thanks for your post. As others have also said, it is inspiring. We all need to hear this message frequently…
44 and 225 please, and thank you.
8 and 22
23s and 17s would look great together!
Most definitely color 15. It screams autumn!
I love so many of the colors, but I would like 85 and 225. Thanks for the fun article!
Exciting! 1S and 37S – bliss.
I am all over 15 and 16. Reading this post is taking me a long time as I need to check out the selections others have made!
33s and 25. My real favorite is the ice blue in the thumbnail images, but I did not see it in the stocklist. Thanks, DJ for another great start to my Sunday. Love your columns
Colors 175 and 44. Thank you for such a relatable event in your life.
22S and 33S would be lovely! I love Isager, especially because I’m Danish!
Love 16 & 225
Another story to bring joyous laughter
44 & 125
I like 16 and 8s. That rich teal and brown will work well together.
Colors 25 and 12S!
44 & 15 or any of the colors!!
33S and 22S are my choices…..
Did we have the same father? Very similar experience when my Dad passed. His extraordinary set up in the basement was of his own making and he synthesized the local town onto the plywood setting for his train set. I wish we’d all taken more photos of it.
I think 16 and 465, though if you still had them, I’d be choosing those two blues, whose numbers I can’t quite figure out – the sky blue and the slightly aqua’y one beside it.
I absolutely love that train car with the “logs!” (Also bluebirds!) Clearing out is hard and never-ending work. 465 and 16
My favorite colors are 25 and 465. It is hard to winnow out my own accumulation of supplies, never mind trying to go through someone else’s. Huge admiration for getting that done.
I adore 16 and 25
I love the green of 16 and the 525 would go with most of my sweaters. Need to go clean out my mom’s home. Thanks for the inspiration
Love 175 and 375.
I think 16 and 22S would be beautiful together
ooooo … definitely #175 and #44
Correction, Love 17S and 37S.
I really enjoy reading your posts. Thanks for the article DG.
Because of that Collyers Mansion, as it was historically named, (the actual razed brownstone, now pocket park as you wrote, not the website) its lesson is still used today by the NYC Fire Department in training. In the event of a fire in a home, filled with walls of debris and materials, there is an added degree of difficulty in fighting the fire because of the increased potential of combustible materials and blocked entrances. So that the most important perspective for firefighters, upon entering a “cluttered” residence is to remember the layout to ensure a swift exit should a hasty escape be called! Of which there are many still in this big city.
Although, today it’s no longer called a Collyer’s Mansion in training, but instead, a cluttered residence, as a sensitivity for those with compulsive hoarding disorders or tendencies.
Oh yes…also the color palette for Tvinni I liked the most are #’s 22s and 11s, or 46s. Golds, blues & greens.
16 and 465
46s and 16. Pick me, pick me!
I have procrastinated to the point of now feeling inspired to clean my basement full of old cookbooks, closthes, catchalls, curtains etc. I love the two purples 2 and 125
Hi! I love purples so any shade in purple
I am in the middle of unpacking still after a week! Lots of boxes to get rid of
16 and 25. Love the blog and love the story. I miss my mom and dad, and all the mad sense that went along with them.
colours 22 and 16 would go very well together.
but i have to say that my house is well provided with yarn…
#16 & #195 for me, thanks!
22S and 33S. Loved the post. I’ve been through cleaning out my dad’s workshop(s) too. It’s a cathartic experience.
I like Tvinni colors 16 and 175
I’m thinking maybe 225 and 45 would look nice together. But you know other options are in the group. Maybe something else will appeal tomorrow.
I love 12S and 17S. Totally agree with your take on Marie Kondo. I like her, but the “less than 30 books” is where I draw the line. I have a large knitting book collection and even more cookbooks. Nothing like putting a hotdish in the oven and sitting down to knit while it is baking! The best of both worlds.
Gold and fuschia!
Just tackling our garage! Any treasures there? Not sure… Love 85 and 225!
I like 25 and 225. My father -in-law had some toy cars he collected and when he died and no one wanted the cars, a nephew photographed them and sold them on Ebay. We are lucky to have such a talented nephew.
I would use 1S and 22S.
If I could get down to 300 books I’d be happy. Glad I’m not alone.
Your Dad’s talents show out in that model train. I love brights to 17S and 25 grabbed me first but I also loved 100 and 2, or 28s and 44
I’m getting ready to begin a big clear out, and appreciate your words of encouragement. I love color #25 and the fuchsia/magenta color, underneath #12S.
100 and 22S, navy and mustard.
Colors 235 and 195!
Your articles are so interesting to read and always give me a laugh or two so thanks for that.. How about 25 and 46s for a combo..works for Wimbledon.
17S and 28S for me!
Hello DG, this beautiful and funny story touched me so much as I lost my mom a year and a half ago and I still have boxes that I haven’t gone through, I’m inspired to do it, thank you. 100 and 225
16 and 465! Beautiful book!
16 and 46s
And I’m reorganizing my kitchen cupboards today!
12s and 25 and I would make them for my sister-in-law. She loves purple and lives in a climate where you use mittens. Me not so much.
Loved your column.
i like the cobalt blue and the dark purple
15 + 285. Something comforting about the warm rusty orange combined with the warmer red reminds me of long walks through the woods, autumn leaves, and pumpkin patches. Although I’ve walked through many woods, I’m not sure I’ve ever chosen a pumpkin from a patch, but, Hey, I might.
I’m torn! 15 and 25 – completely different but both speak to me for very different reasons and projects!
Sorry for your loss – lost my mother recently but thankfully we had cleaned out her house much earlier when she went into a nursing home so didn’t have to deal with dual emotions of loss and and cleaning out her “stuff” (although getting rid of her 28 pairs of black pants in all sizes wasn’t difficult).
Sifting through a loved one’s possessions will hopefully bring back happy memories for most. It is an act of love to carefully consider where these valued things move on to next. Thanks for sharing this experience. My colors would be 16 and 46S.
enchanted with colors 25 and 22s. Have longed to encounter this yarn
I would use 285 and 235 for mittens.
22S & 1S, gold & orange
16 and 1s are beautiful!
44 and 25. Love blues!
I would love to pair up mustard yellow and natural in mittens.
23s and 46s
It’s hard to part with things that once belonged to someone I loved. I imagine my daughter, who didn’t know my grandmother, will part with them. But I hope she’ll keep a few of MY things when the time comes! I like colors 16 and 46s.
Good for you and your mum! That kind of cleaning is often exploring the loved one’s inner life when they can’t show you; seeing their planning for the next and next, next project, what they abandoned, seeing their stock ups on goodies and gifts, learning what they read, what they valued. It’s hard work, emotionally and physically, and cathartic too. In my family there was a one month deadline on emptying a rented house of thirty years’ accumulations. A sewist, a painter, stained glass artist, woodworker and eclectic hobbyist. Everything had to be done flat out. That’s not always a bad thing. I’ve wanted to try Tvinni because of the MDK recommendations! 16 sea foam and 17S screaming magenta are my faves.
195 & 465
I think my whole family needs to clean out the bluebird house! Thanks for the laughs, the inspiration, and the giveaway.
So sorry for your loss, DG. We’re currently winnowing at my mom’s place. She died in April. My dad is gone too so it’s up to us kids to decide what to do with everything. The hardest are the photographs and artifacts such as my great grandfather’s driver’s license. We don’t have the heart to part with them, but what interest do they hold for the next generation? There might be a porch’s worth of other odds and ends, but sentiment is causing us to lovingly incorporate those items into our lives, even knowing full well that they’ll turn into someone else’s chore when our time on earth is up. (195 and 465 for me; as always, thanks for the opportunity.)
225 and 285 would be perfect.
I choose 12 and 17. I, too, love reading your columns!
DG, this was a great essay. One of my favorites to date. Tvinni is a lovely yarn. I’ll choose 16 and 12.
1S and 22S. the color should look warm and also be so bright that they cam be spotted in a snow drift.
I have to say that 25 the purple and 46S a beautiful green are my choices – I kind of agree with Franklin Habit that you can dress neutral if you have a punch of color somewhere. Either of these would be a great punch.
love the 125 adnd 465 combination. Lavender and green…perfect!
I knit for charity on Thursdays: Mittens and Hats for the locals who need them. I don’t care what color you send . . .whatever you have the most or the least of. Whatever you think goes together well. I’ll be delighted to win, no matter what!
Hard to choose but one combination I love is 16 and 46s
It’s 44 and 28S for me.
I love 17s and 19s
I also look forward to reading your purls of wisdom! It would be very hard to choose only 2 of the Tvinni colors! Plus, I’ve never marled before. (Although I have been involved in cleaning out houses and apartments of dearly departed ones). If I had to choose, I’d go for, 100 and 22s. Thanks for the opportunity!!
i meant 1s and 22s not 100, although that is a gorgeous color also
Colors 235 and 285, I’ve always liked a gray and red combination. Interesting article about the Collyer Brothers. I come from a long line of “collectors” and I’ve always had too much stuff! Time for an end of summer clean out of my own.
I also look forward to reading your purls of wisdom! It would be very hard to choose only 2 of the Tvinni colors! Plus, I’ve never marled before. (Although I have been involved in cleaning out houses and apartments of dearly departed ones). If I had to choose, I’d go for, 1s and 22s. Thanks for the opportunity!!
I love 17S and 23S.
It just has to be 15 and 45!
335 and 375
Definitely the dark forest green
I’m resisting the urge to go with two shades of blued green and choosing 125 and 175 in Tvinni.
DG, thank you so much for writing about your journey of cleaning out the basement after witnessing the bluebirds preparing for the summer season to raise their chicks. The discovery in the sorting out of valued things, the shared experience with your mother, your mother’s profit, lessons learned and the general result of making things better for everyone are exactly what we all need everyday in our lives. My Tvinni colors are 175 & 45
Colors 10 (the light blue) and 23S (charcoal) are my choices. Would great mittens. I see that the color choices in the left block are different from the ones that can be added to one’s cart. My choices are from the left block.
My first choice would be the deep, murky navy 100 with the silvery grey/natural that appears to be out of stock so my second choice is the mustardy gold 22 and the pewtery grey 23. (Yes, I love grey in all of its beautiful permutations. The perfect neutral!)
Oooh, 16 and 22S. I have a major weakness for mustard and teal as a color combo.
And – fewer than 30 books? Is that possible? I think I already had 30 books when I was born. (Forget “think.” My mom is a lifelong voracious reader; I’m sure I was installed into a nursery with a bookshelf.)
22S and 23S 🙂
125 and 17S
16 and 235.
46 and 53
I am sorry for the loss of your father . Going through his things you may learn things about him you did not know. I have a passion for light and dark purple so my choices are 125 and 441. The much younger me would live in blues of every shade. A more mature me longs for purples and deep reds.
15 and 375 are my fav’s
44 and 175!
46 and 33
100 Navy and that light grey/beige– classic, neutral. Or any grey really. Are there colors other than grey and black??
Number 44 is my favorite. it’s my school color!
15 and 85!
Hi! I love the colors 12S and 17S
WHAT COLOR?! Are you serious??
I love them all, though I think if I were to chooser it would be 225. That golden color is looking very neutral for some reason.
12S & 25 would be so pretty together
I used to feel that about Mari Kondo until I actually listen to her and tried it out. She is not a minimalist. She gives you a way to emotionally detach yourself from things that you really don’t like or want anymore. The goal is to keep space for the things that you really do want. So if you want to keep 50 books of stamp collections do so. There are probably other things that you can get rid of that someone else would enjoy but you are no longer getting any kind of enjoyment or use out of. That’s all. I think the hard part is when she says bring every single kind of clothing or book or whatever you are sorting through all into one place. That’s a little hard for me to accomplish with some things but I can still make it work by gathering a set of things in one room and then another.
16 and 465 would be perfect with the new winter anorak that’s hanging out in the back of my closet, waiting for November in Portland (OR)!
Loving the Scarletty 17S paired with the musky 12S, to go with my trusty purple parka.
335 and 375. Christmas is coming – more stuff to stash and treasure for years to come!!
15 and 285
225 and 15 – a play on Alice Waters’ maroon and chartreuse!
It’s gotta be the yellow gold 225. I’m on a personal mission to start using colors that I have been shying away using. Now’s the time.
16, 465
I’m enthralled with the rich colors of 525 and 375. Absolutely gorgeous. Beautiful yarn indeed.
125 and 175, please!
So many wonderful choices! I’ll choose 19S and 33S, a rosy shade and a deep red wine.
25 and 12s
225/375!!!
235 & 195 – there! Numbers listed so I don’t forget! Lol. In the process of emptying boxes myself so I can totally relate
23S and 33S Love these 2 together!!
I pick 1 and 28. All beautiful.
I’d pick 25 & 100 if I had the chance. I have a whole bunch of clearing out in my future so it was a nice kick to read your story. How lovely that you & your Mom were able to work on it together. My condolences on the loss of your father.
i love your father’s NR&S log car! Almost as much as I love Tvinni 17S and 25!
Love 4S charcoal and 19S rose pink!
22S and 285
25 and 46s for me! I love purple and green together! My yard is home to butterfly bush and pansies and petunias in those colors!
16 & 44. Thank you, DG, for sharing this. I need to winnow also, but 33 books! No thanks, Marie K, that’s about the number on my night stand. 🙂
It’s so great to have company when sorting out, especially when it’s a loved-one’s treasures.
For me, 44 and 8S.
They all gorgeous. 46S 37S. Your mother is fortunate to have you near for support.
My gloves and mittens are usually either black, grey, or brown to go with my jackets. But the greens would be a nice change – 23s and 37s. I agree with DG about keeping all the books you love!
25 and 125
37s and 46s
I love them all 🙂 but lean towards 10 and 11s
Thank you, DG, for another great post! My condolences to you and your family on the loss of your father. When my dad passed, I never could bring myself to go to his closet, and finally had help when it was time to move.
My colors are 12s and 25.
Oddly, we tackled the closet on Day 2 after he died! Not sure why that was so easy, but we knocked it out.
16 and 195. A pink/blue combo.
The rich rust (15) and mid grey (23S) and crying to be knit up for me.
DG, your evocative writing never ceases to amaze me. An absolutely wonderful way to start the day. My colors would be 15 and 235.
#15 and #225; Looks like fall
I like 16 and 25
I am a big believer in if you have worn it in the past season, get rid of it. If you haven’t used it in the past year, get rid of it. I knit one thing at a time and I don’t have much of a yarn stash. So help me start one, please!! 1S and 22S would be a great start. Although they are so pretty they wouldn’t stay stashed for long.
12s and 28s
I really love them all, but I need colors 195 and 225 for mittens for my daughter/in-law!
44 and 125
Very fine column. Rust and chocolate brown, please, which may be 1S and 52S.
I like 44 and 28S the best, although they are all lovely.
12 and 4 could be a hit!
25 and 125. We are thinking of downsizing…so far not one thing has been disposed of.
It’s a tough choice, so many gorgeous colors, but 17s and 22s.
Tvinni 19s and 33s would be my colors but with the numbers of entrants I have little hope of being picked! Oh well, I love cleaning out and getting rid of unused objects just taking up space. Unfortunately I have a giant workshop that is packed with tools and equipment from when my husband was working and I am not knowledgeable enough to winnow the useful from the chaff. I need to find a someone to help! Good luck all!
44 and 175, two of my favorites.
Mitts in Tvinni in Fuchsia 17.5 and lavender or purple 12 and 25 are what I have my eye on!
465 and 175, please!
Blues: 25 and 44
I love colors 16 and 22s
Love the color 15 and the off-white (NO #?) combo. Such an emotional activity, cleaning out a loved one’s stuff, but also very freeing!
Ideally I’d like 2S and 16, or 10 and 16, but both 2S and 10 don’t seem available! If I had to pick colors that were available I’d go with 22S and 23S.
22s and 16, I think!
Nos. 16 and 225 would be a lovely combination, I believe. These mitts would be lovely to have this winter.
#16 looks exquisite. And mittens in that color would up my wardrobe game. Today’s essay hit right when I was rolling boxes out for the Rehab Shop truck. The story of your Dad’s basement was a reminder of my Dad’s garage. Completely in the zone with you on those clean-outs.
If I am lucky enough to win, I’d pick 23s and 17s
Loved your story!
I think the two colors that would look nice together are 22S (golden yellow) and 23S (brown/grey).
1S and 25. Which I had to look at verrrrry carefully to determine was it a 5? Is it an S? Can’t I magnify this thing? Eh, old aged eyesight is a thing.
Great blog! DG I am sorry for your loss. I am sure your dad is looking on saying “see, I told you I would fix the porch!” And as a fellow maker he is probably happy to see his creations living on in other’s collections. And if the cleaning/organizing bug still has you enthralled email me. 😉
Winnowing is a never-ending project for me-I am always shocked at how much stuff I’ve accumulated through my life. But in a bid for more yarn I’d love a skein each of 4s and 46s.
I can see 12s and 52s together. I have just the jacket to go with.
Hard to choose, but 15 & 225,
I love colour 44, but I never find it QUITE wearable on me. I think I’d combine 44 and 4S to make a colour I love but would wear
16 and 23S
44 and 46s are my favorites. Today. Tomorrow that may change. Aways love your articles and I am a new fan of Tami Neilson due to your last article! Thank you.
My choices for Tvinni are 4s Dark Grey’s & 28s Coral Reds for the Toasty Cosy Mitts. Add a pop of color to liven things up.
22S and 1S; gorgeous fall colors! I’m not familiar with Marie Kondo,but 30 books! That’s crazy. I just went and counted all my knitting and crochet books and I have at least 200-all organized (mostly). I won’t go into all my non-fiber related books.
The book would be great to help rebuild my knitting library and mittens are always useful in northern Minnesota! 4s and 16.
I see that someone else has already mentioned the combo of 125 and 25 so it’s not original. However, it is still my favourite and I think that they are nice winter colours. (BTW: they aren’t spelling mistakes I’m English).
I love how 225 and 16 look together!
45 and 235
15S and 17S. Love those two. So much-that’s why I have them in my stash.
16 and 46S.
I would use 16 and 8s.
I think 525 and 465 would be nice together. Until I started knitting I did not know that green is one of my favorite colors.
I am particularly fond of 16 & 17S, or teal/aqua color and brown
I like 17s & 23s
Great idea ! I’m going to try 25 and 12S.
Those bluebirds actually were removing poop as soon as it was produced – that was fresh poop! Baby bluebirds already were growing in that box, and should fledge about 3 weeks after they hatched. They’ll hang around to get fed by their parents for another couple weeks after that, so you will have baby bluebirds to watch very soon if they aren’t entertaining you already! And I’d pick 16 & 375, because I’ve never tried stripes in two colors so close in value before and wonder if they will shimmy like op art!
I like brown 85 and the blue on the right top row. Can’t find the number.
25 & 125 would look great together!
It would be 10 and 11s for me.
1S and 225 would be very fun together.
Hands down – 1S & 46S
45 and 175, I think, because green, well, GREEN, of course, and the magenta might match my winter (!) coat.
I think 175+15 would look HOT!
Oops! 17S+1S!
I do need glasses…
16 & 85
And, why, oh why, would you drive 3 blocks?!?!
22 and any gray scale neutral! Probably the lightest to match my first fair isle project-a checkered cowl. Thanks!!!
175 and 44. I’m loving deep vibrant colors together right now.
Ooohh! So many beautiful colors, but I think if would have to be teal (16) and gold (225)!
If something happens to me, instructions are to call my spinning friends and let them help themselves to the studio, a joyful fiber garden party and upcycle everything. 33S and 23S
Purple(25) and Royal Blue(44). Lake colors for the end of summer.
I like the 1S and the light blue- might have been my phone, couldn’t find a code for it.
i too, am going through my stuff, but under no circumstances does the yarn or kitting books go away! Bravo to your mom – it is a HARD job.
It would be 44 and 25 for me!
Color 125! I am moving from Florida to NH and plan on making myself some mittens! My sister and I cleaned out my Dad’s cellar, he was a wood worker and a very capable handyman. All his tools lined up in perfect order on the peg board. Wonderful memories of the smell of sawdust and shavings on the floor. Thanks for bringing back some wonderful memories.
Numbers 25 and 125 are my two favorite shades
So many beautiful colors! I like 1S and 23S, the rust and gray, to match my coat and the color of autumn leaves.
25 and 175, please!
37s and 44. Love your letter!
I would choose 8S and 46S although there are so many wonderful combos.
22S and 23S would make a lovely pair. I’m a firm believer in warm hands. I just watched The Eiger Sanction in slow motion to check out the mitten action near the end.
I’m rethinking my approach to some “odious tasks” and they shall henceforth be bird poop projects. Laugh till I finish. Thanks.
19 and 52
Gotta go with 25 and 125 for the win!
16 and 465 please
#225 and 15. A kind of mustard and rust. They are both wonderful for fall and winter.
Ooh, 195 & 125 of course!
Oops I meant 195 & 525!
I’d pick 12S and 23S.
I like 175 and 44. They are in the color range that seems to be popular for donated goods. The yarn group I belong to is planning our Fall working for this year’s donating and I think they’d fit in nicely.
How about 15 and 375 for a fall-ish vibe? Loved your post….my dad was also a woodworker and also a hoarder, I mean, collector of anything and everything. Amidst the chore of cleaning up his years of “collecting” my mom and I also found some real treasures. Sounds very much like your experience.
125 and 235
22S and 28S look like they might want to be together!
I’m in the process of cleaning out my mother’s home of 50 years. She kept everything. If it was broken she put it up in the barn. Have already filled…FILLED!…two dumpsters. I am exhausted.
Hi DG!
Your father was very talented and yes, model railroaders are insane! My Dad would meticulously mark every brick and roof tile on his models but never went so far as to make his own cars ! Your mother must have been very patient and, I hope, amused.
Would definitely be woodland colors for mitts! 37S and 8S for me.
I’m really enjoying this new connection. I can relate to the cleaning out process of a parent. My mom kept EVERYTHING!!! It took a year to really clean out and reduce the treasures. My favorites are 1 and 17. They reflect a quirky sense of color I got from her.
17S & 25, please!
I am far from being a packrat…. except with yarn and books. I’ve got fiber friends and book friends who are in line to take it all if I go first.
22S and 44 are my favorites! I’m a sucker for blue and gold! And I collect things! Dolls, yarn, fabric-my poor kids are going to have it rough when I go if I can’t get into a cleaning binge soon!
4S and 22S please. Appears to be navy and gold.
I inherited Mom’s fabric, my brother got Dad’s tools. I understand.
I would choose Tvinni colors 11 (blue) and 23 (grey) for some Toasty Cozy Mitts. This would be a departure from my usual hot color palette, but i like the calm color combination for winter.
colors 33s and 16, please oh please hope I win!!!
44 and your choice.
Colors 16 and 28 are singing to me.
225 and 125 all the way!
17s and 25s. Why are we picking 2 colors? Are these mittens made with 2 colors? I haven’t made a pair of mittens in a long time..I am due!!
Ooooohh! A fabulous prize! Thank you so much! I love all of the colours but if I must pick two, it is: #44 (dk. blue) and #525 (dk. brown). Crossing my fingers!!
I’m sorry you lost your Father. I lost my dear Dad in 2008. Good luck with the ‘bird house’ cleaning. There are many railroad enthusiasts out there. Perhaps you’ll be one of them!
12s & 44
16 and 465 are lovely.
Thank you for the inspiring story. I love 44 and 45.
19S and 22S for me! Can’t say why, just an unusual and appealing (at least to me) combination.
22S all the way! And 44 maybe?
Growing up I seldom had any green my wardrobe or household. I’m not sure why, except an ugly shade of avocado green was prominent. As I became an adult working in a needlepoint shop as a sideline, I learned to experiment with color so gradually green of various hues has become a part of my wardrobe. For that reason, I would like Tvinni #16 and #375 for the mittens should I be selected.
Thanks, Nancy
12 and 25s are my favorites
I like 175 and 225 together. Lovely rapsberry with a wheaty gold.
I love the combo of 16 and 46S!
I like 1S and 33S. It’s so hot that I can’t wait for those fall temps and the chance to wear my hand knit warmies.
25 and 225 would be great together
375 and 225. Color work with the lighter color for design
Red and gray for me. 28s and 23s
Currently loving yellow and gray, so 22s and 23s.
4S and 28S
100 and 23S
Thank you for the article. It is a little extra push for me to get started on my garage! The colors of Tivinni that jumped out at me first were 1s & 17s or 19s & 22s, 16 & the sea glass. However, they are all such beautiful colors it’s hard to choose!
I think colors 4s and 28s would make wonderful mittens!
22s & 23s
One of your best articles yet! I totally agree – 30 books, maximum?! I have shelves with more than 30 books each & use/will use every single one.
What path did you travel to discover the Collyer brothers? Wikipedia is filled with the strange, wonderful, useful . . .
Colors? 285 & 335! or 44 & 44 – I’d knit some textured sort of something.
Thanks, D.J.
Thanks for the chance!
225 and 44. Lovely yarn
I would love to make the “Toasty Cosy mitts”! I would chose Tvinni in #175 and #525. Thank You!!!
Hi! Gorgeous yarn! I would hold together 225 and 235!
19s and 28s!
Ooh! 16 and 225 are my dream colors, swoon
I don’t need more yarn at this moment, I’m winnowing my stash of 40 years, after moving out of the big house to a small apartment. You did great things cleaning out that basement!
44 & 125 mitts (to wear with my brioche cushiest cowl in Atlas lapis & whisper)!
Loved your story about your dad’s basement. My dear Pops was also a very talented model railroader, so your story brought back great memories. Thank you. I think 16 & 225 or 125 & 175 would look stellar.
I would love 125 and 25 – Purples rule!
12S and 46S
Beautiful yarns! 4S and 1S.
22S and 85, but there is so many good choices!
17S and 100! I think I got that right. Thanks.
I think colors 465 and 125 are fantastic.
25 and 16. Would look lovely with my silver parka!
Thank you for saying to start cleaning one space in your life and it will lead to cleaning more spaces. I needed that.
I love the railroad car with the logs. I’m going for colors 25 and 17S, although all the colors are gorgeous.
45 and 125 would be lovely! especially since I’ve been on a MAJOR Decluttering adventure – don’t ask!
I have a red wool winter coat, so I’m going with 1S and 4S. Thanks!
Hard choices, for myself 225 and 15.
Loved the article DG. I follow Marie condo for my clothes but never my books, especially knitting books. My favorite 2 colors are 17S magenta and 16 the dark teal
Love the story about your dad’s train hobby. Good luck with whatever you decide to make with all those tweezers and magnifiers, may using his tools bring you joy and good memories. I’m thinking colors #225 & #45 that gold color is an obsession.
Hard choice, so many beautiful colors! Right now I say 22s and 23s.
Oh, 16 and 225 – although there are so many luscious colours in there!
52S & 25. I‘m in the mood for something different 🙂
Dark red or orange & natural
225 & 235!
Love! Colors 375 and 465!
I, too, live with a model railroader without a working layout. Bur no judgments since I have many skeins of yarn that are not yet a part of a “working layout”! I love many colors of the Tvinni yarn, but heading into Fall, 1S has won my heart!
17S & 28S: yes, two juices, no blahs! Pink & orange for the win!
28S & 17S: two juicies & no blahs
Love 285 & 525! That should warm things up!
the light green (46S) and the beigey neutral if available – or the brown (23S)
16 and 37s. Actually, I am into charcoal grey with any color.
#16 and # 225
You are inspiring me to start “cleaning out”. I cringe to think of what my children would go through if I “dropped dead” tomorrow. Not a good idea to leave it for your children to figure out. At least leave a list (don’t put it in your will) of who gets what. Colors. colors. They are all awesome, but my choice would be 47S and 37S.
I love 100 and 22S.
I think colors 195 (dark pink) and 225 (yellow) would be great for mittens.
1S and 4S please.
4S and 17S. I’ve done some winnowing in my day (aunt’s house and my mom’s), but I don’t know if I could let go of that train car with the mini-logs.
17s & 23s…. All of the colors are beautiful!!!!
195 and 465 I think I have the numbers right. They would make fancy mittens. I am cleaning my garage as I write. No trains but other fun stuff.
465 & 16, unless you tell me that won’t work well.
I love 19S and 16!
I want to make mitts out of 16, with accents of 22s to match my fall jacket
175 & 45 because: one beautiful basic and one strong beautiful color.
25 and 125. Purples to the max!
So many choices!!!! 85 please!
15 and 16! My favorite colors!!
225 and 235
Love Tvinni – colors 44 & 465 would marl wonderfully! Thanks for the chance to win this lovely book!!
1s& 22s please. Love your writing- today’s favorite is “hit eBay like a tornado hits a trailer park”. I can see it now! Thanks, DG!❤️
I’m very much into pinks so my choice would be 19s and 17s.
25 and 175 are my favorite pair
44 and 17s , mostly the lovely 17s! No names for these lovelies?
I love #225 and #44. It’s good to dive into the purge. I don’t want me kids to have to deal with it. Haha
I like 1 s a rust color and 16 the turquoise color. But they are all gorgeous
Ooh, they are all lovely. 175 and 44 I suppose if I have to choose 🙁
16 and 225
10 and 16!
I love knitting with purples and golds so I pick 22S and 52S.
I’d love 16 and 52s! One for me and one for Him!
25 and 46 though hard to decide
For the mittens? 16 and 46s, please!
22s and 44 look like they would be great together.
#100 and #85
16 and 1S . Oh also need to get busy on some purging
25 and 285!
22S and 23S – yellow and gray
I love colors 17 and 22! Two of my favorite bold tones for fall and winter.
Colors 17S and 16 are my favorites
22s and 33s
I like 22s and 16.
I liked 17s and 650.
I like colors 19S and 52S
Colors 85 and 195
44 and 385!!
I’ve chosen colors 1S and 12S, a nice cream and pumpkin spice!
colors 145 and 25
17s and 22s
25 and 4S for me!
175 and 125, I think it’s a little hard to tell with this monitor
I love number 465!
Hi, I like 125 & 225 together.
Gotta be 655 and 44, which somehow feels very Scandinavian and thus mitten-y.
12S and25, I am a purple person. Such beautiful colors!
I Love 22s with 1s!
I like colours 25 and 44
12s & 25 for my picks.
Thanks for the reminder to keep useful advice and not feel compelled to be an exact copy.
19 and 22
I love 19S & 33S!
Too many great choices! I think today I’d choose 1S and 33S.
8S and 17S
12s and 17s
25
I love colors 37s and 465
17s and 100 would make a nice combo for those mittens, but all of the colors look yummy!
I like 375 (forest green?) and the pale aqua/turquoise (lighter version of 16). Great story. We had a small railroad collection to find a home for after my Dad passed away … and loads of tools. He was a machinist. And, yes, we still have some that we should never have kept.
8s and 2s for a nice contrast in a pair of mittens
Toasty, warm, colours for toasty, warm mittens: # 285 and 225 .Awesome.
Love, love 15 and 44. Beautiful blue and rust.
175 and 23s. Wonderful article
44and465
45 and 85!
I’m a green person, so 16 and 46S!
Thanks DG for a great column. Love reading everything you write: the great balance of snark and kindness is fun and thoughtful at the same time.
Me, didn’t know about Tvinni, and now that I know I’m coveting 465.
17s and 23s. Wonderful article!
37 and 22 would be lovely together!
I think Tvinni in 19S and 22S look really fab together!!
225 and 235
Classy!
15 and 225 for me!
I like 23S and 12D, I think. Hard to tell for sure on a screen!
How about 44 and 22S. I love blue and gold together.
tvinni 25 and 12s –purple & lavender.
and i really like the fact that the logs on the rail car are different sizes 🙂 .
Hard to choose, but I like 12s and 17s
These colors are all stunningly beautiful. If I had to choose just two, I’d choose 17s and 25. Thanks! I Love Snippets!
What a tough decision! I love 100 and 44 together, but 225 and 45 would also look great!
285 and 385 –
I love 1S and 22S together.
44 & 46s
Lovely story. Your dad’s legacy of craftsmanship, and joy in creating something beautiful lives through you. Wonderful that your mom got a front porch, too!
46s & 52s would be great.
I like 16 and 10
Colors 2s 650-2 and 37s 650-5…Beautiful green and oatmeal. This yarn is gorgeous!
33s & 28s for tone on tone warmth
16 and 23s. I enjoyed your story! I love that your mom got a new porch out of the clean-out!
33s and 37s, the holidays are around the corner and everyone needs a Christmas hat!
16 & 8s
Orange and light blue for me, please!
They’re all so pretty it’s hard to choose but if I have to, 16 and 465.
16 and 235, please.
Tough choice! 525 & 45 feel good together to me!
I too come from a long line of ‘collectors’ of things. I inherited a dog when my mom passed away in 2020. She took the dog after my sister passed away in 2015. I’m hoping to outlive the dog. I like 22 and 23s in the Tvinni colors. 23 is my birthday number.
We just sold our lake cottage, and talk about cleaning out! Good for the soul. I would chose gold 22s and 44, together would be a wonderful stripped piece.
Purple for me: numbers 25 and 125!
Red and gray! Lovely!
16 and 46s would look lovely together
Love 16 and 17S!
My choice would be 44 and 25.
What a fabulous contest! My favorites: 22s and 1s
Good luck everyone 🙂
I like 25 and 125.
Pink 195 and mustardy 225. Thank you!
All are so pretty but 225 and 16 clock in as favorites at the moment. Thanks for the chance.
8S and 17S – because everyone needs a neutral and a pop of color!!
I love 25 and 44 the colours are perfect for cold snowy dark winters here in Ontario, Canada and the bright colours distract you from endless cold
My two favorite Tvinni colors are #’s 15 and 16
Tvinni, how do i love thee, let me count the ways. so many pairings, so many good choices, i am almost certain the mint green and dark green would be fabulous, but living in wv, i must choose 44(royal blue) and 22S(gold) to pair for the fall football games. thank you. i hope i win!
25 + 22S
Such beautiful colors
I like 22s and 23s
Still trying to figure out “the thumb”. Maybe this book has the answer!
I’d have to go with 195 and 225. Could really get “rat packy” (new favorite word!) with this yarn!
Good morning,
Having moved recently from the house where my husband and I lived for 38 years to our “downsized” home, I relate and enjoyed reading DG’s article, and vote to publish him, frequently. Perhaps I was influenced by seeing the Christmas stockings kits, or by this season of late summer-coming into fall;
my vote goes to 33s and 16.
Have a wonderful weekend and make it wonderful for someone else.
125 and 465 – lavender and spring green.
Hard to choose, but I’ll go with 17S and 23S.
I love navy blue and lime green together.
So many beautiful colours.
I would choose 16 and 4S
I love the colors 1S and 22S!! Perfect for these mittens 🙂
I love 22s and 23s together… but they’re all so rich and gorgeous!
So many great colour combination I love… my favorite…. The really pale ice turquoise one (not numbered/shown in the lower section) & number 16
I chose 25 and 285 for my colors. Thanks for the opportunity to enter.
So many colors I would use; today I am most drawn to 4s and 22s.
My husband and I have been clearing out my MIL’s place this week. She was a pack rat. Getting ready to go over in a few minutes for another day. I believe I’d rather get a root canal! I think cobalt blue and rust would look beautiful together. (44 & 1S)
Thanks for the comic relief!
All colors of Tvinni are gorgeous but since I think mittens should be knit out of bright, happy colors I think I’d go with 22S and 28S. The brighter, the better!!
What a perfect and timely article. My father passed two months ago, we haven’t worked up the will to venture out to his Woodworking Shop yet, but we remember that it is stacked high with all manner of tools and supplies. There are workbenches somewhere under all of that bounty that brought him such joy. Your words give me hope that we will be able to tackle it when we are ready.
I think have always been a fan of grays and deep reds together, my choice would be 23 and 33.
I think the problem I have in letting go is that every single thing has memories attached to it, so it’s like letting go of bits of your life – but we’ll have more to take their place as we continue forward in our lives.
With fall approaching, I am in love with 33s and 37s. Although they’re all beautiful
Ooo, I love choosing color combinations! 44 and 25 would be zippy!
#15 and #25
They are all great colors, but I think 22S and 100 would look great together in those mittens.
I like 365 & 475
Bright fucshia #175 and #235 grey will be spectacular together!
I like the 22s and 23s combo. I think the yellowy 22s with the grayish 23s would match my tweedy coat just perfectly. Happy knitting.
Colors 16 and 42s are my favorite.
We downsized last year and still have a basement full of boxes-old love letters, baby pictures of unknown people-you get the picture. I love colors 525 and 235.
Tobin I #16 and 45
44 and 175!
100 and 17S. Look like a beautiful combination to me
22S and 33S would look lovely paired in mitts
They are all beautiful, but I would choose 16 and 12S
Beautiful colors… I’m loving 19S and 22S!
25 and that natural color or 4s pls!
22S and 44 !
Colors 225 &25 to get ready for football season!
1 and 10!
I am drawn to 22s and 23s. Although I really like them all!
I love the colors 25 and 44. I have a sewing/craft/yarn room that is going to be a bear for somebody to clean out, if I don’t get to it first. I’m trying. But just this morning I was being glad that I have such good sewing tools, and wondering if anybody would be glad to claim them when I don’t need them anymore.
235 and 195 please. Though all are beautiful..
225 – mustardy yellows are calling me these days.
so many beautiful colors of woolz, #25 and #45
Colors 15 and 85 for a fall vibe!
I absolutely love 1S and 37S. The colors are so rich; especially together!
23S and 16. Dark enough to handle potential stains (it is mittens after all) but with a pop of my favorite blue-green.
I love colors 17s and 22s. thanks for the opportunity to win some of your beautiful yarn.
Colors 16 and 23s .❤️
4S and 28S. Difficult to choose. Many nice colors.
I’m a weirdo! I really like 15 and 525? Go figure! I blame my mother
Ooohhh, 22s and 28s!
16 and 125 for me
I always appreciate your writing about the daily doings of our lives. 25 and 175. Thank you!
125 and 85 would be beautiful together. I’d love light blue with 85 (nature colors) but apparently so would a lot of people. It appears to be sold out so no number is available. Loved the memory sharing. I visited my mom this summer and she kept trying to give me money also. Lots of love in that act. Mom has been getting rid of things for a few years now so it won’t be so hard on us when she is gone. I wonder if the act of sorting and packing is part of the grieving process that I will regret not having or if I will feel gratitude. Either way there will be a giant hole left behind.
I would love to marl the #16 (blue) with the soft white. Cosy, cushy mittens are my winter favourite and I often wear them over a light pair of fingerless mitts so even when I have to remove a mitten my palm stays toasty!
45 and 195. Deep charcoal gray with a rosy interesting red.
15 and 45! Hard decision…
I’m going for 1S and 46S
I would love to see 19s and 28s together in mitts.
So many options! Right now I like 11s & 23s.
The contrast between 12s and 4s would be beautiful. My family hoards books, and I will both inherit my father’s when he dies, and also leave quite a lot for my own children someday. All in good time, and I hope no time soon!
Colors 46s and 8s.
I like 16 and the off white from the photo array at the top. Makes me think of snow and ice.
16 & 1S – love these colors together. So Pick Me!!!
My colors would be 16 and 12 S. I already receive and devour Snippets!
22S and 16 would look great with the Harris Tweed vest I just bought in Scotland. I am currently vacationing in Kate Davies territory:)
The 25 and 125 are so lovely! I would choose this!
Fall colors! 15 and 225…
Oooo! I’m feeling 25 and 23S!
1s & 46s are my picks 🙂
100,45
I love 16 and 52s! But, all the colors are lovely.
16 and 1s. I think they would look beautiful together. I lived in Denmark many years ago and I can’t think of anything more enjoyable than bringing back those wonderful memories as I knit a pair of mittens with yarn from Denmark.
Still in a grellow phase so 225 and 235.
15 and 235 without a doubt
Ohhhh. I’ve been eyeing that book. How lovely. All of the colors of Tvinni are nice, but I would pick 225 and 285.
16 & 11s
I’m reminded that I need to do some cleanout/downsizing too, but too often have a need for “my stuff” … mostly because it’s “my stuff”.
Hard to chose just two! But I think 16 and 1S.
85 and 225. I’m all about the Fall colors. This will be the year I finally make myself a much needed pair of mitts to walk the dog.
I think a pair of Toasty Cosy mitts in Tvinni colorway 16 would do me nicely!
Love 25 and 17S. Purples and pinks are my favorites.
37S and 46S would make a green pair one of my best friends would love!
195 and 465!
I would love 16 and 22s!
195 and 225 would be beautiful!
Colors I love: 46s and 22s
I’m leaning toward colors #525 & #195 for some nice contrast in the same color family. Thank you for this opportunity.
Having spent the entire winter emptying my mother’s house of 60+ years of collected but uncurated stuff, I recognize a kindred spirit! The mitts, a necessity in Saskatchewan, would be stunning in a combo of 1s and 33s.
I usually use purple
Hi, I like 37Sand 46S
85 and 175
Love 46 and 16.
14 and 22s PLEASE.
Coastal Grandmother but make it Autumn. Teal 16 and Gold 22S together feel really rich and warm.
175 and 44
Favorite colors….always in the green family. 375 and 16. Beautiful!
Oooooh! I love 100 and 16.
My husband is a model railroader and my father-in-law was a woodcarver and woodworker, so I can relate to this wonderful post! Colors 44 and 465 would be wonderful together!
It would have to be 17s and 23S. The raspberry and gray. Hmmmmmmm!
I keep telling my peers to clean out now so their kids won’t have to do it. My color choices are 175 and 235.
Love al the colors but I must settle on 195 and 225 because they would look great with my favorite winter coat!
Beautiful colors, so hard to choose just two! I narrowed it down to 19S and 33S.
23S and 16
I love the colors 22S and 44……of course I would be happy with any two:))))
125 and 235…..masculine with feminine…ying and yang….that.s my choice, (lavender and charcoal)
Navy and Gold (100 and 225) please for some big contrast
19 & 16s, please.
I love the petrol colour, so it has to be no. 16 and the darker blue (100) for me. Kate Davies is one of my favorite knit designers. Have many of her books but not warm hands, so I cross my fingers!
And being Danish, Isager’s yarn are great. So happy you carry it now.
37S and 46S
Love 17S and 44
44 and125 would look great together
Marie Kondo never said have only 30 books or less.
Sorry for the loss of your father. Every time I visit my mother, we try to winnow through my father’s things, but dealing with a lifetime of things collected together is a slow process.
I’m glad your mother got that porch and you can enjoy it together.
22s and 4s
Oohh… 44 – that brilliant blue caught my eye right away!
As for the dusty deadend stock, make up some grab bags of yarn and sell it! Sort by color or weight and toss in 4 or so skeins and call them mystery boxes or something brilliant. People can buy with the understanding that it’s all DK weight (or whatever) and can have fun with it from there. Have someone who’s not color blind make the skeins at least compliment each other, if not in the same color way.
15 and 16. Beautiful colors
I love 44 and 15!
16 and 19S remind me of my Swedish host mother who patiently taught me to knit these many years ago.
I like 125 and 465 colorways. Beautiful book!
44 & 17S — Wow!
I am a child of the 80s, so of course it’s 175 and 44. <3 Also, I feel you on the estate cleaning. What a job!
19s and 20s (is that right? The fuscia and pink…)
T I no sounds like the perfect yarn. Love to work with fingering. My favorites are the light aqua blue and the teal. I couldn’t find the numbers to correspond. All the colors are lovely
I’d have to pick 465 & 525,
ooooh that teal and that lilac. 12s & 46s. do they look good in person? might need to find out!
525 and 195!
Love the orange (#15) and the red (#285) — rich fall colors.
I like all the Tvinni. Is that a bad thing to admit? I would be happy with any of it, I think, but like the darker shades as mittens get seriously worn and dirty where I live. (Like, we wear mittens from October til April.)
22S (gold) and 4S (charcoal) please
I would love too try 8S and 46S for the Toasty Cosy mitts. Although I do see many good options with such a lovely range of colors.
I love greens, so I would choose 375 and 465. Beautiful colors all around. Made it hard to choose!
12s and 46s. Great article, so glad it worked out.
My picks are 255 and 44.
46S and 16
I love them all!!
DG: I am with you. Did a three-story house with fam objects going back to the 40s … 8 and 16 pretty please.
44 & 22S seem like the ones that KD herself would endorse! JS might pick 1S & 17S? I’m also open to 25. If this is the week I win, you can surprise me!
The beautiful gold 22s and purple 25 will brighten the long winter months for a favorite cousin.
Love #33s + 22s
8s and 1s!
I like purple and gold, 175 and 225.
So sorry about your dad, DG.
I love jewel tone, and a red that pops in a gray upstate NY winter! #s 175 and 285 are my fave colors of Tvinni for the Toasty Cosy mittens 🙂
Oh. So many beautiful colors. But I choose vibrant blue 44:and number 175. I hope I win or I’ll just have to purchase them
Thanks for good read! I love the fuschia 17s and the gray 23s
So many great things in here! Thanks for the Snippet! Tvinni favorites are # 100 and #225
225 and 175!
Lavender and orchid!
I’ve GOT to have this book and yarn! Winters are frigid here in Northeastern Washington state and my hands get cold. Send colors 1S & 22S when I win this.
Tvinni #44 & #175 !!!!!
8s and 33s I have this week been helping my mil get things thinned and ready for her move. Funnily a month ago I did the same for my youngest. I am sorry for your loss. It’s a wonderful thing to find out our loved one was an amazing person from others. I find it interesting to see how others see ones I love.
I like the looks of 23s and 46s for those cool mittens!
44 and 225
16S and 33
Thank you!
37S and 46S would be lovely.
28 and 46! Good on you for cleaning/organizing/pitching! 30 books, Pfaahhh! Your dad’s flat-bed log carrier is a work of art! My condolences on your loss.
I love colors 25 and 225!
I like 16 and 2S – it’s my go to color combination
375 and 45 (dark,rich green and charcoal gray) to match a sweater I already have.
I like 16 & 24. The blue reminds me of the Tardis!! “Who?? The Doctor, that’s who!”
Toasty Cosy mittens? why, 15 and 225 of course!
I like the dark blue 125 together with the red-purple 175.
I would have liked the red-purple 175 paired up with a dark blue-puple, so choose the classic dark blue.
Ups I meant dark blue 100 with red-purple 175. Can’t look strait today. .
25 and 235 that’s the mood I feel right now.
Great article, and great food for thought.
It’s the cusp of late summer and early fall so I’m thinking of reddish browns and deep yellows and a touch of yellow greenery.
16 & 235 to match my winter coat!
I love the magenta 175 and the vibrant cobalt 44
I love the steel blue and the grey. Seems like a crisp, winter day!
I like 1S and 22S
Tvinni! #175 and #195 Fun!!
DG, loved your article. You are always inspiring!!
175 & 465 please! They’re ALL yummy colors!
#44 & #225?
It was hard to see the colors on my phoneI was going for blue & gold-my alma mater colors…
I hate getting rid of. As soon as I do I feel virtuous but then decide I needed it..
The railcar of logs is exquisite. I come from a family that has worked full size railroads for generations. The wonder for the engineering feat of one historic mode of transportation traversing the country is evident. (HOW those rail lines came to be was always a somber discussion at our house with space for remembrance and gratitude)
Thank you for sharing this bit of your father with us. I’m sorry he isn’t here but glad he left these memory markers for you.
I didn’t know about bluebird household cleaning methods and will be much more appreciative of human cleaning methods.
“And it had better stay that way!”….omigosh! Parental flashback! Lol.
Sorry for your loss, and glad to know that you’ve been dealing well with stuff that a loved one has left behind. I am currently reading “The Hoarder in You” by Dr. Robin Zasio and it is a more compassionate, evidence-based, universally applicable book about dealing with hoarding and clutter than Marie Kondo’s. I highly recommend it for everyone even if they feel relatively organized.
Hi, DG,
Boy do I identify with you cleaning out your father’s workshop. My Dad was a model railroader who also built live steam locomotives and had been a watch repairman in his early life. Fortunately for us the members of his live steam locomotive club helped us unload his cache. But your article brought back some fond memories. They weren’t fond at first but time has a way of bringing a softer edge.
Blessings,
Nancy D.