"Arched Gusset Mittens" from Purl Soho FO

Pattern: Arched Gusset Mittens by Purl Soho

Yarn: Galway Heather,  Galway Worsted, Rowan Cocoon, Muskoka Aran Farm Yarn, Stoddart Farm Mohair/Wool, Berroco Vintage

Needles:3.75mm, 4mm

Start: October 10 Finish: December 23

Modifications: Various Minor - see below

Occasionally its fun to take a pattern and play around with it a bit.

This one's like eating peanuts - you just want one more, then one more after that -  I didn't lose interest after the first mitten, or in this case, even after the 14th - 'just got more and more interested in the thing.

Either side of  that lovely arching gusset echoing the thumb it accommodates - are three "chunks" just ready to be modified...

• The cast on/lower edge - I did use the straight knitting version for a rolled edge but I favour the 2-row 1x1 ribbing pictured here.
• The length of the cuff between cast on and start of the gusset - I made one pair super short to work with a specific jacket - these I worked a bit longer and others exactly as written.
• The distance between the setting of thumb stitches on holders and beginning of shaping for the fingers is also ripe for mods depending on the hand you are trying to fit/the use of the mitten. (I made one pair particularly long and thin so they would work as liners for other mitts.

I've posted pics of all the various treatments in my previous Year End Tally post as well as my Ravelry page so for clarity - here today just these, my favourite version in Rowan Cocoon on super small-for-the-yarn needles - 3.75mm (instead of 7mm)

The yarn is gorgeous - silky, bulky, soft with a wee halo. Knit tightly in this pattern it created something at once utilitarian (warm and pretty wind resistant for a single-layer stockinette mitt) but also lux.

 In the creamy colourway, I think its a go-with-anything classic...

And speaking of Classics, one I'm less than keen to revisit but I'm doing so anyway...

The tubular cast was too loose on the first go-around.  I decided on the second to use a long tail cast on instead and it leaves the 2x2 ribbing crisp looking - better with the cables flowing "out" of the waist band I think so I'll redo the first one.

Not going to redo the uncrossed cable I just noticed - at least not by dropping down through the knitting. I haven't got the time.  I may make a quicker "snip-snip re-cross reattach" attempt later but for now its staying the way it is.

Off  to cast on another waist band/contemplate how far to go before I do the arm hole shaping. Thanks for dropping by!

Silver Dream Mittens by DROPS Designs FO

Pattern: Silver Dream Mittens by Drops Designs

Source: Free pattern on Drops Design Web Site

Yarn: Orkney Angora St.Magnus Dk and Rowan Baby Merino Silk Dk

Colours: Natural and "Dawn"

Source: Loop in London and Romni Wools Toronto

Needles: 3.75 mm dpn's

Start: February 13 Finish: March 23, 2015

  Modifications: Switched Light for Dark on Chart to reverse main and contrast colours

The impossible creaminess of these three fibres together; the hairy halo of the Angora, the soft substance of the Baby Merino but also a hint of the sheen and drape of the Silk really takes these over the top as soon as you slip one on. 

The natural St Magnus and the slightly greyed, cool violet Rowan melt together in contrast to the sharp, geometric shapes of the colour work pattern - especially the big X's up the back of the hand. (The photos artificially enhance the appearance of the colours' contrast with each other In fact, in reality it was often hard to tell the colours apart when knitting them.) 

Soft while sharp.

Meltingly supple while graphically strong.

They slip on and the feeling is of warmth without any constriction of the mitten around the hand...

Love, love, love this combination!

It intrigues me to try to create another, different one. 'Think I'd better  return the extra ball of Rowan to Romni before I'm tempted to just do more of this one!

Thanks for dropping by!

Silver Dream Mittens (Heavy on the "Dreaming")

DK stranded mittens are, at best, a few easy evenings worth of knitting. Instead I've been lingering over a pair, mind-fully knitting so ploddingly I got to a point where I all but lost interest entirely.

I was quietly pursuing project monogamy but that meant if I didn't feel like doing two handed colour work in the round then I didn't knit at all and so a pair of dk mittens - even ones that I love, have taken over a month to be completed.

Its the yarn and the way the colours work so softly together that's kept me engaged.

I loved the slightly greyed lavender colourway as soon as I picked it up at Romni. I loved it more when I saw it was called "Dawn" and I've kept my eye out for that colour in the early morning sky ever since...

As engaging as the colour may be the tactile aspects of these combined yarns almost defies knitting because all you want to do is pat them!

Often I found myself slipping whatever I'd completed over my hand, marvelling at the warmth and intrinsic coziness of the fabric. (Possibly asking My Beloved to consider the wonder of them a bit more than necessary - it isn't always easy living with an knitter is it?)

Starting the second mitten I worked slowly away at the long wrist section happily mindful of how embarrassingly often I fail to move the thumb gusset to the opposite side of the palm on the first "pass" and so managed to remember this time.

Then, still painfully slow but semi-blissful I approached the end of that second thumb gusset but like a car sputtering on the last of the fuel in its tank, only haltingly finished it, lurching to the side of the "road". 'Out of "gas", wanting to get to be knitting on something, anything else.

Still I held firm, didn't start anything else - but then didn't knit either - until over the weekend I finally dragged them across the finish line. Now I'm eagerly awaiting to see how a deep soak pulls the stranded design to order.

They were a satisfying project on many levels with a good result I'll finally be able to post but meanwhile I'm thrilled to clear them out of my basket and move on to something else! Only question is, what will it be?

Regularly scheduled programming has been interrupted.

Last week Hudson committed what the vet calls a "Dietary Indiscretion". Don't worry I will not put too fine a point on it, nor would I likely raise it here at all except that it has gotten in the way of knitting activities.

In particular the ensuing mayhem distracted me to the point I missed the application deadline for the Work of our Hands Fashion Show.

And the persistence of the "condition"  now means I can't even attend tonight to watch the show as a spectator as the dog cannot be left alone and everyone else will be out or away on what we like to think of here as their "paying gigs".

All hands were on deck over the long weekend though which meant I was able to make good progress on winding the re purposed Jo Sharp Silk Road Aran.

In its recently freed-from-another-sweater state it's less lofty than the fresh remnant ball with which I swatched so I'm going to make another with the used yarn and check out the difference.

And the winner of the "what shall I cast on this weekend" lottery was the Orkney Angora Mitten project...

It has not disappointed one bit. Colours, yarns, pattern - all fantastic on their own and together!

Except for the headache of moving between dpn's, two-handed, stranded geometric colour work is blissful knitting indeed.

Blissful too is now having a medicated pooch resting comfortably, hopefully back to normal by next weekend and the ability to put a post together without a nasty interruption. To "celebrate"  I might even treat myself to taking a lunch hour and dedicating it to knitting! I'll let you know how that goes. In the meantime, thanks for dropping by!

Fingerless Gloves for my Boy in London FO

Pattern: Improvised based on "Maize" by tincanknits

Source: Free Ravelry Download

Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca Worsted

Colour: Charcoal Lot:2K0620

Source: Eweknit Toronto

Needles: 4mm dpn's

Start: December 17 Finish :December 21, 2014

Modifications: Used pattern as basis for plain, unadorned finger less mitts

Once again using Ultra Alpaca, this time for Number One son and a pair of finger less mitts. In this aptly named Charcoal colourway and without any embellishment save ribbing, a very different kind of project from the mittens I posted yesterday but again this yarn doesn't disappoint. Cozy and warm without being too soft or fuzzy to suit a young guy or the Oliver Twist aesthetic I was shooting for.

I've been privately fretting about Number One Son's reluctance to take bona fide winter clothing with him to London. I appreciate that today's forecast here features bone numbing cold whereas London will just be drizzly cool but still I want to imagine him "cozy" not "chilly".

So I took a slight risk at Christmas and knit him something there was a good chance he wouldn't actually want - a wee small project so a wee small risk but it paid off. He really liked them!

They have a 3x1 ribbed cuff, a thumb gore, are topped with 2x1 ribbing around finger and thumb holes and both mitts work for either hand.

They'll keep the pulse points at the wrists warm while still allowing those thumbs to fly across a touch screen keyboard. I think he just might wear them! He did while he was still here in our mild weather last week which bodes well and makes this knitting mother feel better too!

Tomorrow I'll post about the cowl I knit to accompany these ('Aiming for those pulse points at the neck too I was!)

'Hope to "see" you then! 

"Maplewood" Mittens FO by Rebecca Blair

Pattern: "Maplewood Mittens" by Rebecca Blair

Source: Doilies are Stylish

Yarn: Remnant Brown Sheep Nature Spun Worsted

Colour: Regal Purple

Source: Romni Wools Toronto

Needles: 4mm dpn

Start: January 22 Finish: June 28, 2014

Modifications: None

In my flurry of mitten making early in the new year I finished one of these mitts and had the second worked past the cuff when I set the project aside to work on my Olympic Knitting Project. In so doing I forgot about this project entirely.

Months later, seeing the pattern in my favourites as if for the first time, I went digging around for the yarn, eager to cast on. Naturally the yarn was no where to be found - among the yarn.! Eventually, while getting current projects ready to go to the cottage, I found the project bag containing these and was shocked to discover a completed cuff on the dpn's. Digging deeper in the bag I became incredulous at finding the first finished mitten rolled up at the bottom.

So I guess its fair to characterize these as an easy, quick (but not very memorable) knit!

I like purple as a pop of colour in winter with black, grey, and surprisingly (to me) I like it very much with brown to which it gives a bit of richness in the dark, cold, colourless months.

The cast on for these was fun - reminiscent of a picot edge with the dark purple toning down the sweetness factor for a more modern, less fussy look better suited to my taste.

On 4mm needles and given the way the chevron detail on the back is structured these will need a second layer underneath for winter wear outside but they'll be okay on their own in the car and be fine in early fall and spring.

A nice little pattern which the 20 something crowd around here unanimously found to be "weird" given the points at the fingertips. On the hand though, they seem much less extreme to me and the gusset thumb of course makes for very comfortable fit.

Another miraculously free pattern generously donated to the knitting community. Aren't knitters fabulous?! Thanks so much Ms. Blair!

Tomorrow, another FO from yesterday's pile!

Faux Thrummed Mitts FO (A Melange of Patterns)

Pattern: Classic Mittens by Purl Soho

Inspiration: These

Source: Purl Bee Blog

Yarn: Kertzer Worsted (Green), Remnant Worsted (Turquoise), Garnstudio Super Bulky (Stranded Blue)

Needles: Hand: 4.5mm, Cuff: 4mm

Start: January 20 Finish: January 26th, 2014

I "favourited" these some time ago.

• 'Loved the cuff.  Provisional crochet cast on facilitating a tidy join to double the cuff over on itself before moving on to knit the hand.
• 'Loved the k2,s1 pattern of the cuff itself.
• 'Loved a version of it knit flat in worsted with super bulky yarn stranded to infer thrums.

And after knitting two sets of pointy finger tips with EZ I was up for something fully round.

So I hit the stash, grabbed the remnant turquoise, a single green ball of worsted I got as a freebie somewhere and some remnant Super Bulky from my 2 big blue sweaters (knit, worn, ripped, washed, re knit - man have I got my money's worth out of that yarn purchase!).

As you can imagine they flew off the needles and onto my hands where I quickly realized...

Faux thrums 

provide... 

Faux warmth!

They were better than a single layer of stockinette but not much. The doubled cuffs were toasty, my fingers quickly numb. They were big and round enough to easily add a layer underneath but I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed.

I am also not thrilled about the seam. The influence of the stranding worked close enough to the seams so as to make at least the pattern seamless made the mittens scream out "Seam's right here everybody!"

They look sloppy and awkward but with the pink mitred mitts underneath they saw a lot of wear and did their job of keeping my fingers from falling off in the -20ish wind chills I often endured as Hudson frolicked. They'll be off to the bath soon for summer storage but I'll be glad to dig them out again (hopefully) late next autumn.

At last night's DKC presentation Sally Melville gave a most entertaining talk on why knitting makes us happy. She cited many of the reasons with which we, as avid knitters, are familiar but beyond that asserted when we knit useful, wearable garments that fit well and look good on us we find the confluence of all the best things that knitting can provide for us, our families and even society as a whole.

It made me think of these mitts among all my pure wool sweaters, socks, cowls, scarves, hats etc. etc. - the pieces that literally made it possible for me to ensure Hudson never missed a single day of being out for at least a couple of hours of the brisk walking we both need.

I know people with big, young, athletic dogs who need and deserve at least an hour and a half of daily exercise who rarely got out for weeks on end because their owners felt it was "too cold".

It was COLD, it wasn't comfortable and we had to be careful but properly dressed and always moving - you can't just stand around in weather like that,  it wasn't so cold as to keep us inside and the poor dog from getting his proper exercise. (Or the dog's owner for that matter!). Without a doubt, the products of my knitting made dog ownership, Hudson's life and my own overall fitness all that much better this winter. I'm with 'ya Sally! 

Mitered Mittens by Elizabeth Zimmerman FO

Pattern: Mitred Mittens by Elizabeth Zimmerman

Source: Knitter's Almanac (May)

Yarn: Biscotte and Cie (Yellow) Remnant Wool Worsted (Pink)

Source: Lettuce Knit (Yellow) Romni Wools (Pink)

Needles: 4mm dpn's

Start: September 12, 2013 Finish: January 21, 2014

Modifications: Omitted Pointed Fingertip for Squared Off Shape

This sunny morning with the yard covered in Spring snow it seems topical to post some springtime mittens.

"Spring"in Canada doesn't automatically mean high temperatures or an absence of snow. It is warm-er than the depth of winter and as today's sunshine demonstrates its our brightest time of year with powerful sun and no leaves on the trees to give any shade.

With bright sun yet still cool temperatures I'm inclined to want knits in my wardrobe that are warm but bright and maybe a bit whimsical after trying to stay seriously warm during the previous winter months. I've knit a few pieces to these specs in recent years and I enjoy having them in my "Spring" wardrobe but there was nothing along these lines among my mitts/gloves.

So I dedicated this gorgeous skein of Biscotte&Cie yarn in the aptly named colourway "Vitamine C" to a pair  of EZ's mitred mitts.

Their single layer of stockinette, while insufficient to fight a blast of winter is just the thing for this time of year.

A second pink pair followed quickly thereafter in remnant worsted before knitting any afterthought thumbs. (I really prefer a gusset thumb don't you? Not as easy to knit but they function so much better!)

The pink ones got snipped, "thumbed", finished and I think, within hours, worn way ahead of their "Spring time" purpose paired with the garter stitch dk weight ones as pictured below. The pink giving a nice added length at the wrist and of course warmth to the hands!

The narrow shape and squared off finger tips I substituted for EZ's pointed ones also make them perfect to layer together too. I love their strong equal tones visually holding each other at bay!
Although thumbs for the yellow pair followed shortly after the pink ones their sunny colour seemed a bit much. Now, though, their "moment" has arrived. They'll be perfect to wear downtown tonight to the DKC!

Happy Spring!

Decisive

When last we "chatted" my mind was crazily racing around considering knitting options and next steps. Sometimes knitting decisions elude me as chase and consider the options to an extreme degree. (aka "dithering") This habit is something I learned at my mother's knee.

Contrast that with my Aunt - Mom's sister - 'talking with her late last week I mentioned the Yarn Harlot's washcloth project (August 9th, 2013 post from her Archives )in worsted cotton. My Aunt asked for the link to that post. I sent it to her before I hung up the phone. This morning I learned she saw the post, called Eweknit, asked that they put some Blue Sky Alpaca Worsted Cotton in the mail to her and she started working on it yesterday while on standby for Jury Duty.

Decisiveness is right there in my gene pool. I've just got to channel it!

In my defence I did work these up to almost completion on the weekend and was happy with how they showcase the yarn but the elvin-esque point at the top doesn't make me happy.

So I left it for a couple of days then last night decided on mitten two to work the finger tip shaping a bit later and a lot squarer grafting 10 stitches each side rather than drawing the yarn through 4 from each of front and back.

('Given myself the finger tip shaping I wanted in Pinion but lost to adding needed length on that pair.)

Tonight is the September DKC meeting. I'm going to get to wear something(s) from the current Twist Collective Trunk show Fiona Ellis is organizing and of course, like everyone else at the meeting, ogle the whole collection. Maybe I'll also get a chance to fly my alternate yarn ideas for Celtic Icon past her! Maybe I should just resolve to do whatever she says and not fret about it any further.

(I recognize that wouldn't make me any more decisive, just more compliant but it would get a decision made. Baby Steps!)

Also on my list for today is to organize my travel knitting for DC. 'Just pack up whatever it's going to be and stick in in the suitcase.

Yes. Decisive. That's me! (kind of , hopefully, in a short burst today! ;)

Thanks for dropping by!

Twined `Zen Mittens` FO

Pattern: Based on Twined Mitten #1 by Beth Brown-Reinsel

Yarn: 1 Skein Cascade 220 Heathers

Colour: 9489

Source: Romni Wools Toronto

Start:June 21 Finish: August 11, 2013

'Just in time for a mini September heat wave here in Toronto I've got another pair of finished mittens to post.`Seems`s to be a year of mittens for me - 6 pairs in the past 12 months, 5 of them "Twined".

As I've said before I don`t enjoy this technique but none of the other twined mitts I've made were for me and the finished product is so superior I had to make another set if I wanted to some to wear myself.

(For the record, I did ask My Beloved if he would like a pair of his own too and I was prepared to work some up for him but he says he doesn't need any at the moment. Phew!)

These "go" with the hat Zen Garden hat made with gifted yarn from Number One Son.

However, the mitts are knit with a skein of Cascade 220 Heathers - more practical for mittens intended for wear during two hours of daily dog walking holding onto a leather leash all winter long - Zen does not make me feel "Zen" when I think of the price of that stuff - 'better to keep it safely on my head!

A braid at the wrist incorporates a hit of the remnant oatmeal coloured worsted used in the hat. 'Love It - especially with the traditional twisted bit that manages the ends remaining after CO 'looking like little barber shop poles.

The cuff above the braid is plain, defined at the top with a hook stitch border.

Then up the back of the mitt - hook stitched diamond shapes of varying design - again nodding to the hat.

Oooo a hat and mitten set. `Hope I don`t look too matchy matchy out there with Hudson in the snow next winter. Even if I do I know he won't mind!

Thanks for dropping by today!

My Pinions FO

Pattern: My Pinions

Inspiration: Pinion Mitts by Veronik Avery

Source: Brooklyn Tweed Look Book Winter 13

Yarn: Viking of Norway Sportsgarn

Source: Passionknit Toronto

Colours: 102, 113, 115, 117

Needles: 3mm straights and dpn`s

Start: February 9 Finish: August 18, 2013

Modifcations: Used DK instead of Fingering Weight Yarn - necessary for gauge change outlined below

Garter stitch worked flat and seamed down the palm with a three needle bind off worked wrong side out. Graphic. Modern. Love em! I had dk yarn on hand for a while waiting for the right mitten ìdea to come along. But the pattern called for fingering. Oh heck, I`d just use the schematic from the website, the visual from the Brooklyn Tweed Look Book, my swatch and hand measurements and dive right in. Who needs a pattern?

Apparently I do. After quickly whipping up a couple of flat "hands" I stitched one up into a tube to find my tallest finger protruded ever so slightly above the top.

So I did what any mature knitter would do - shoved the whole works in a bag, shoved the bag into a cupboard and moved on to something less irritating more entertaining to knit.

Up north at the cottage a couple of months later, however, that bag emerged from the load of knitting miscellany I took up to work on over the summer. In fresh surroundings the project seemed less "why did I bother" and more "how can I fix this?".

So... I added cuffs to both sewn sections to get an accurate idea of length at the wrist using the darker grey of the stripes that run "cuff-ward".

Then I worked out the thumb details with a rapidly dwindling amount of black yarn. To be safe I conserved yarn on the first thumb, knit the second to best advantage and then, assured I had enough to re make that first thumb to match, re-knit Thumb #1.

With cuffs and thumbs finalized I rechecked the overall length and it remained just a tad short. So I seamed the existing sides of the finger tip sections before picking up and knitting in the round at the tip using the lighter grey from the stripes running towards the top of the mitts. I lost the nice squared off top profile getting the needed additional length - especially after decreasing for a rounded top but form follows function right?

I could consider this to have been a collection unnecessary steps but with hindsight I see if I'd knit to the full nine inch length from the beginning I would have run out of black yarn before finishing the second mitt and honestly that would have been more time consuming to fix than this was.

As for the mitts themselves they will be great  for the fall - not heavy enough for the depth of winter but good enough for the days between warm and cold.

The afterthought thumb is not my favourite...

Its unfortunate the way moving the thumb pulls the handsome mid-palm seam out of alignment. I also prefer the function and comfort of a thumb gusset but its fun to try different approaches.

They still have a modern look and graphic quality - the features that originally drew my attention. I just have to look past the fact the finger tip looks like a contrasting toe cap on a sock.

There were, of course, ends to deal with. I left them hang on the first mitt  - bad idea but wove them in as I went on the second - much better.

I'm happy with them and Darling Daughter proclaimed them "really nice!" High praise indeed!

So that's my o-pinion on my-pinions (groan!) Thanks for dropping by!