Tag: mitten

Arachne Mittens – Finished at Last!

I designed these mittens last winter, in February. I finally completed the pattern – it’s nice to have some time off to finish things! Also, I admit, sitting in front of the computer to learn photography software is quite a drag, and very frustrating . . . so I pulled out the needles, and have begun to knit again.

I wanted to have solid-colored thumbs on these mittens, and practice carrying long floats at the same time.  It took a bit, and I learned, too, the need to randomize the stranding on the thumbs.  When I didn’t, the yarn got stacked up in rows, and affected the final design.  If you look closely at the picture, I did a boo-boo when I took the picture – you can see the thumb is rather puckered.  The second mitten is much nicer.

Camouflaged!

The pattern is not too hard to follow, and but for beginners, the stranding may be a bit of a challenge.  The carried yarn makes for warm mittens, and if you start now, you could have a pair for yourself – or a loved one!  – in time for the December holidays.  (Shameless plug, huh . . . )

If you are interested in buying the pattern, you can find them under “My Patterns” page, or find them here on Ravelry.  Cost is $4.00.

Spring . . .

Nothing like cold weather to make you want to be warm, but nothing beats that first hint of spring in the air.  The wind changes, the buds swell, leaves from crocus, tulip, and hyacinth emerge through the crusty snow.  In a drab winter world, that brilliant green is a visual excitement.

Soon, a new pattern will emerge here.  It is being written up over the next few days.

Spring Cleaning in the Land of UFOs

Last weekend’s enumeration of the many UFOs has been quite a bit of an eye-opener. It’s nice to hear that I am not the only one going to knitter’s hell for an overabundance of unfinished objects. CaffeineGirl has the same thing going on, and other people are ‘fessing to the same crime.

Certainly this has been a satisfying weekend. The plum tree was transplanted, madder seeds from 1802 found and planted (now let’s see if they sprout, and if I remember to water them), the very, very woolly dog shaved and bathed, several loads of laundry done – dishes, too! – and egg bread made and being eaten. And, in between, I really did accomplish a few things . . .

Victorian Shawl

All done! I didn’t have enough yarn to comfortably embark on the lace edgings, so decided that the simplest thing to do would be to crochet along the edges, and create a short fringe of 20-25 crocheted stitches before rejoining the chains to the shawl body. I like the way it turned out. All the edges are woven in, and it is light as a cloud, and comfortably warm for a cool evening. I cannot believe it has taken me two years to finish this.

Cardigan

I finished the last sleeve, threw it into the washer and dryer, and now can see that I need to tighten up the back neck a bit with some crocheted edging.  other than that, all I will need to do is sew on the buttons.  Once that is done, then some pictures.

Mittens

I knitted up the mittens I’ve designed using up some Cascade 220.  The initial pattern was pretty accurate.  A few changes need be made, but they will be easy enough.  These are for a friend of mine up in Oregon, and I hope to get them to her in time for her birthday.  What I like is that the pattern is the same on the palm, and on the back of the hand – and so they can be worn on either hand.

Somethin’ from the oven . . .

And finally, the other half heard my plea for another batch of the egg bread from a few weeks ago. This time, instead of rolls, two beautifully braided loaves to enjoy.

Now that I’ve become so annoyingly virtuous, I better finish up the rest of my stuff!