Monday, September 24, 2012

One down. Several to go.

If you're wondering what I'm getting you for Christmas, wonder no more.  Those of you on the list are getting these mittens in a wide array of colors.  Let this be the autumn I bust through all of those bits of colorful leftover worsted weight wool that I own.  I knew in my heart that yarn would come in handy and I wasn't wrong to let those tiny balls take up space.  The bits were too small to knit much of anything, but I was loathe to discard them.  And look!  They're perfect for this project.


The first pair is going to my boss who has resigned to move to a city on the west side of the state where she'll reside in a snow belt.  She'll still work for one of our subsidiaries, and still in hospice, so all is not lost.  Now she'll have toasty fingers to look forward to this winter.  She's going to need these where she is going.


The private side of the mitten and a bit of fancy smocking.

Now for the technical details.  This is not fancy color work here--more a sleight of hand.  Only one color at a time is worked.  Several rows are knit in a single color and the 4th row in a separate color.  Every so often, a fancy stitch is done in place of a regular knit stitch and voila!  It's smocked.  No entrelac involved, Knitty.  I can't be more detailed because the pattern is not free, but rest assured, the pattern designer is detailed enough.

I had to use a smaller needle (US 5) for the cuff or it would have been too large.  I used a US 6 for the hand and thumb.  I didn't carry those colors up from the bottom.  It's much easier to use what you need, snip the end and weave it in as you go (bonus is no weaving at the end).  I did carry the black yarn throughout the cuff as it's used every 4th row.

Any worsted weight yarn will work here and I likely used a mix of either Cascade 220, Stonehedge Shepherd's Wool and for sure Berroca Vintage.

The best thing?  I cast on Friday, fiddled a bit, ripped twice and finished them off (a whole pair) today.  I think if I put my mind to it, I could knit a pair in a day, but then I would likely come to hate knitting them if I did that to myself.

Since I'm feeling so good about this little project, leave a comment for a chance to own them yourself.  I'll do a drawing Saturday and one lucky winner will get a pair of these (in her favorite colors) to ward of winter's chill.


25 comments:

Rositta said...

Very nice, I'm making some as well. I have to fiddle with the stitches a bit to accommodate smaller hands though and I've only done gloves. Mittens are next...ciao
ps. I hope a non knitter wins these

Empress Bee (of the high sea) said...

oh they are lovely! makes me almost wish i lived where it is cold enough to wear them! almost!

smiles, bee
xoxoxoxoxo

Cheryl said...

They are absolutely beautiful!! I know your boss will love them. They are not only beautiful, but you can tell they are really warm. I have told you this time and time again, but your talents always amaze me.

Now that I am on Disability Retirement I actually have been looking into knitting classes. You inspired me.

Jane said...

They are lovely. I really like the way the colours work, so clever, but so simple

Rose said...

Lovely! I'm going to try that pattern as soon as I get a minute!

KnittySue said...

Love the mittens...oh and I see you read Jim Abbots book too. Thanks for sharing.

The Bug said...

Ooh ooh pick me pick me! I love those & my hands are always cold. I'll crochet a dish cloth for you in return (that's what all the people on my Christmas list are getting - maybe next year I'll branch out & make something more interesting).

Knitty said...

I like those much more than the entrelac ones some of my friends are making. The color work reminds me of a honeycomb stitch I learned a million years ago and had forgotten about. I see a mitten pattern purchase in my future!

Celia said...

They turned out great! I hate to throw away those little bits of yarn too!

Alice said...

They are beautiful.
I guess I had better get going on finishing MY scarf, that was started 2 1/2 years ago when I first came out to care for my Dad. It was my first project after learning to knit, but I would go off it and knit somebody else a gift, come back to it, knit something else, and so on. Once I got home, I seemed to have NO time for such things.
Now that I'm back and Mom seems to be on a more even keel, time to finish it!

Ruth said...

They are so cute - our winter hardly involves gloves of any sort - you can leave me out of the draw. Hats are my currrent projects they will be given to the Street Doctor next winter - they are small to knit in summer - nothing in your lap and i have ben given a large assortment of bulky yarn in hat size amounts - aim to knit a lot of it this summer.

Ruth said...

They are so cute - our winter hardly involves gloves of any sort - you can leave me out of the draw. Hats are my currrent projects they will be given to the Street Doctor next winter - they are small to knit in summer - nothing in your lap and i have ben given a large assortment of bulky yarn in hat size amounts - aim to knit a lot of it this summer.

SkippyMom said...

These make me want to be related. :D Can I be Leo's honorary Aunt? heehee

I always say it, but it is true - you amaze me with not only how fast you get these done, but how difficult they look to knit and how perfect they are when they come out.

I am positive that all your listees will be thrilled and warm. :) Please keep showing the ones you finish if you can I would love to see the color combos.

Finding Pam said...

Rudee, these gloves are beautiful. I hope my name is chosen. My hands are always cold as well as my feet.

Love the colors.

Brenda said...

Ditto to what everyone else said. I can not believe how fast you crank these things out!!!! They are beautiful Rudee. I cherish the shawl I won from you a few years ago. So does my kitty cat. I have never seen her "knead" on anything other than the shawl. She must really love the real stuff. She never does that on my acrylic yarns.

debra said...

Mittens---good to hold favorite coffee mugs :-)

Darci said...

Ooh, thanks for the reminder, if I won I would love some with blue and orange!

unmitigated me said...

O! Oh! Me! Me! I choose to give you credit for last night's win...and since I stayed up to listen to the Sox/Rays game, I am taking credit for that loss. 2 up, baby!

LynnIL said...

Awesome mittens! Love the colors!

Barbara said...

Gloves and socks look so complicated that I've never tried making them. These are lovely because they are so cheeky.

@stitch_ninja said...

*gasp* it's MAGIC! I love it!

@stitch_ninja said...

*gasp* it's MAGIC! I love it!

@stitch_ninja said...

*gasp* it's MAGIC! I love it!

@stitch_ninja said...

*gasp* it's MAGIC! I love it!

@stitch_ninja said...
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