Mittens and 5 things...

I finished the mittens for my sister. They were a huge pain in the ass (well, hands actually). I had ordered yarn in appropriate shades of pink/purple of Knit Picks Wool of the Andes, worsted, and wanted to knit her Norwegian style mitts (originally from the mitten shaped mitten book... title escapes me, book burried somewhere, but ultimately from the Generic Mitten Pattern). The problem was the only pattern I had was for adults, so I sized it - way down- based on some measurements, and they were WAY too small, so I frogged, changed needles sizes, and did it again, also WAY too small. So I gave up and worked an adult sized pattern on teeny-tiny needles (2.5mm). The restul is a pair of decent looking, well fitting, bullet proof mittens on which I intend to blame any future arthiritis in my hands.

I've started a pair for my youngest brother, these with Telemark, I'm planning to make them the same (but not inverted) and am hoping the difference in yarn weight will make up any sizing difference... (yeah, right...).

Said youngest brother with yarn for mittens.

Today my Cro-hook came! I am soo excited, I want to run right out and order me a fair isle project. But I will wait... must finish Christmas knitting and knit at least one of the tops I have the yarn for first...

As per the Hand-dyed Yarn Swap...

(5 favourite things - in no particular order)

1. naps

2. late 1960s American muscle cars

3. hanging out with friends, esp. when my bar is invovled

4. North American Football

5. good Tiramisu

(honourable mention to: bubble baths, fire, snow, rum, milk chocolate, action movies, and red lipstick)

Socks, fingerless gloves, and shopping

Today I (finally) finished mom's Hedera socks and also finished a pair of Fetching for my cousin. The Hedera are in Louet Gems Sage, they are sized for ladies 9 narrow and they should fit her fine. I could have made them longer and between the left over of the two skeins I used and the extra one I bought I should be able to make another complete pair of socks. I did a short row heel, because I like them better.

For the Fetching I used SWS in Natural Violet. I love the way the pinks work in it but I'm not sure about the greenish sections. They are much bigger than the other pairs I've made, which makes me think I'd used smaller needles for the others and that the yarn is definately smaller guage. But I like the extra length and will be making myself a pair, probably in Natural Garden. It is a bit scratchy so I'm thinking maybe I should wash them...

When I picked up the SWS (in Violet, Garden, Plum, and Navy) I also picked up a skein of Mini-Maiden in a beautiful green-brown colourway, I will be making something shawl-scarf-ish out of it eventually. I also got the new IK, and will be doing the Ivy League Vest as soon as my Christmas knitting is out of the way (and KP gets more of the Tidepool Heather...). I ordered a Cro-hook too, which I hope to get in the next week or so. I heard about it on David Reidy's Podcast Sticks & String, it is a circular needle where one of the points is a crochet hook, great for picking up stitches along arm-holes and neck edges. I like toys, this is an exciting one.

Just keep knitting...

Question:

Do I want Emerald, Plum, or Ruby zephyr or similar colours of the Elann peruvian baby lace merino for knitting the Mediterannean Shawl? (Now if I can manage to get some Wollmeise lace weight all bets are off... and if it rains blue cheese ...)

I've finished another dish cloth (of which I will spare you yet another picture), and the Baby Bobbi Bear and I've nearly finished one Phineas sock - I'm keeping it on the needles until I knit the other one (the first one is to the ribbing) so that I make sure I have enough yarn for both of them.

The bear will be a Christmas present and was knit with about 4 skeins of fingering weight Katia alpaca (double stranded) on 5.5mm. It is super soft. The pattern was fairly easy to follow though the head does end up a little oddly shaped, mostly in the back -my mom suggested it needed a hat...

In other news, the Crazy Knitting Lady brought me a present from Rhinebeck - the most beautiful lilac bamboo roving!! I am soo excited. Spinning has always fascinated me, but since I've really started to look at it, it has been the thought of spinning bamboo, silk, and flax that have excited me most. Ergo, much squee! I am saving it for the moment until I get a bit better, and trying to decide whether I might not try spinning it with some silk...

Also, I have my new swap partner for the next round of the Hand-dyed yarn swap. This time all the way from Australia - which is very exciting to me. I think given the icky wet cool weather we've started to have, I'll have to do the dying this week to give it time to dry properly, now I just have to figure out what my dad did with all my dying stuff when he cleaned the garage...