My Feather Mittens Class went well yesterday. Well enough that I released the pattern on Etsy and Ravelry this morning! You may have noticed the Video blog I released earlier today!
And I have already started on some new things! Right now I seem to be attracted to all shades of Green. It is Winter here so the predominant colours are shades of Green and Grey. We (I) am always influenced by the colours around me.
Tomorrow I will be releasing by Christmas Pattern so look for the blog post and links in the morning. It will be free for the month of December until Midnight January 1st. It is green too!
I am thinking of working with these two colours. I took this photo yesterday, in a planter in the courtyard outside of the store. Now that is a vivid contrast! Maybe Gloves? On a side note, does anyone know the name of this beauty?
I hope that your day is going well! With lots of knitting and tea!
Now that the class has started there has been a request for a mitten pattern to co-ordinate with the hat! So…
I am knitting a pair. The first mitten is complete and the second it started! There will be two sizes of mittens, small/medium (for me) and a medium/large. I am knitting the small/medium as the sample pair. UPDATE – the second mitten is finished! They practically knit themselves!
I decided to knit the loopy cuff with two colours, grey and white. I knew that there wasn’t enough grey for a solid cuff on both mittens, and I am still not sure that even with mixing the colours that I will have enough grey to finish the mittens. I am loving the colour mix, sometimes need is the best teacher! We will see if I have saved enough of the grey to finish the mitten without purchasing more yarn.
The pattern for both hat and mittens is basically complete – it just needs some pictures and a photo tutorial for the afterthought thumb – my favourite thumb for most colourwork mittens. This thumb is easy to knit and does not interfere with the colourwork pattern.
The inserted sts. The guideline for the thumb placementUsing two dpn’s pick-up 1 arm of each st above and below the inserted waste yarn.Starting at the center arefully cut and remove the waste yarn.Waste yarn is removed and the sts are ready to be knit.First round has been created.Mitten with completed thumb.
Thrumming was born in Newfoundland, off the east coast of Canada. It is a technique for adding a layer of wool roving to create a very warm and almost totally wind and waterproof mitten. Pieces of roving are knit in to individual stitches with the extra length of the roving remaining inside. With wear, these rovings’ felt, creating the barrier needed to protect hands from the icy winds.
It is really important to note that thrumming works best when knit with non-superwash wool and non-superwash sliver. The scale on the surface of both fibers work together to bond and keep the fibres from separating.
Thrumming in action
Thrumming can be used for items other than mittens as well. Hat, slippers or a headband (which I am currently designing). And I am thinking of designing a vest. A double sided, thrummed vest would be perfect for our climate.
I had to swatch one more time for the Kate Davies MKAL. And I think it is a winner. Subject to change without notice off course!
This year I am trying to widen my horizon beyond knitting books and knitting everything in general. It is going to be a year of recovery after my last year of coping with everything life was throwing at me. So I will be knitting someone else’s pattern and reading a new to me author, Margery Allingham! All good things. While checking out a couple of local second hand book stores – no lucking finding any of Margery Allingham books – but I did find a beautiful book on the history of and the making of tassels! So much fun!
Knit a Dress with Me is on hiatus as I catch up with the pattern writing that I need to do! Classes, yarn and pattern samples need to be created and/or written. I am also submitting pattern ideas to a couple of yarn companies/magazines etc., as I get on with the business of paying for my yarn habit!
Tasseled Brioche for class – knit with Brooklyn Tweed Shelter
Allingham Fingerless Mitts – knit with Knitting for Olive Soft Mohair and Merino
Smitten – two versions – grey knit with Juniper Moon Santa Cruz and pink knit with Malabrigo Worsted
Rainbow Chullo – knit with Brooklyn Tweed Tones
Boho Mitts – knit with Estelle Eco Shetland Worsted
All patterns are under construction and will be coming out soon!
Yesterday we got out into the garden. Tom has been tidying up and pulling weeds for the last week or two, so I got out there are we got some planting done. Potatoes, Peas and lettuce went in. When it warms up we will add a couple of tomatoes!
I also planted a new peony and have a couple of new lavender plants and a french tarragon still to put in the ground. Hopefully this weekend.
It has been a stressful few months these last few weeks and I have been knitting up a storm – or at least starting up a multitude of projects and even finishing a few.
I started the Three Skein Project last year and finished it up just last week. What to do with left over yarn when you want to knit just one three colour hat!
What could We make with just 3 skeins of yarn? As a designer and yarn shop employee I am always taking home yarn, a real hardship, right?! Well, sometimes it does leave me with a problem, what to do with the excess yarn. Because, you know, I couldn’t just make a plain hat in just one colour so you could handle the yarn, see how it knits and how good it looks. Oh no, I had to make a hat with striped ribbing and a tri-coloured pompom. So, what to do with the leftovers – I usually label the yarn and pop it in a bin, but I really liked the yarn. So, the Three Skein project was born. And is the Sports Edition because of all of the stipes. I think that it makes the knits look sporty!
The yarn is Haynes Creek Heather Aran by Gathering Yarn, an Aran weight 100% non-superwash wool. You could use any worsted to aran weight yarn in the pattern. These skeins added up to 600 yds in total. I ended up with 6 inches leftover of the marled yarn, and then 10 grs each of the red and white yarns leftover, approx. 20 yds each. There are 5 projects;
The Classic toque – a little slouchy, starting with a striped rib and topped with a great pompom.
The Court beanie – just covers the ears and shaped with classic cables and twisted sts, and I love the striped rib.
The Round mittens – again with the stripped ribbing and simple shaping with an afterthought thumb.
The Slalom cowl – look at those zig-zags and again with the stripes. An easy repetitive lace pattern in the round.
The Drive-in mitts – short, striped, mitts that cover the palm and back of the hand but leave the fingers and thumb free for driving, painting, typing, anything where touch is really useful.
What’s with the Stripes?! Stripes are a great way to monitor your yarn usage. It allows us to gauge what we have left and judge what we can use it for, and just how far we can push our results.
I am quite pleased with mine.
The first two patterns are now up on Ravelry. The rest will follow over the next few weeks.
I have been knitting a lot of full mittens lately (as opposed to the fingerless variety). They seem to be my gift of choice is this year. They are fun and quick and are great vehicles for learning new techniques – they are sort of like hats that way.
Adding the thumb is the only really fiddley bit. The most popular thumb is the fully shaped gusset with thumb. They are the classic thumb for mittens, but my favourite thumb is the afterthought thumb.
Why the afterthought thumb? Well, it is especially great with patterned mittens, colourwork, texture or cable techniques. Why is it better? I am so happy you asked! LOL! The best and strongest reason is that an afterthought thumb (or afterthought heel) will not interrupt your patterning. Or does not require a special pattern separate from the rest of the mitten – though it can be a great vehicle for more patterning. Afterthought thumbs are usually added after the mitten body is finished and then worked in the main colour yarn in stockinette – making them an easy finish.
How about a step-by-step tutorial?
Technique 1
I love this one for almost everything! But especially textural patterns in any weight. See Boldly Tweed Set.
first work in pattern to the thumb insertion point; drop the working yarn and pick-up a length of waste yarn and work the desired number of stitches for the thumb as per the pattern size
slip the waste yarn sts from the RH needle back to the LH needle; now resume working the pattern – knitting over the waste yarn insertion – with the mitten yarn and ignore the waste yarn until the mitten body is complete.
Using a smaller needle size pick-up 1/2 of the stitch above and below the waste yarn insertion.Carefully clip the waste yarn stitches and remove the waste yarnStitches are sitting free on the needles – they can look a little messy until knitted.Knit the first round as follows (dividing the sts onto the dpn’s; working with the correct size dpn’s and starting at either corner pick-up and-knit 1 stitch, knit across the needle to the next divide, pick-up and knit 2 sts across the divide, knit the sts across the next needle, pick-up and knit 1 st – end of round – round count is double the sts of the waste yarn plus 4 – in the sample above 8 sts + 8 sts = 16 sts + 4 sts = 20 sts.
Work next round of thumb as follows; K2tog, knit to 1 st before next divide, SSK, K2tog, knit to 1 st before next divide, SSK – thumb is now ready to complete as pattern requires.
Technique 2
I use this one mostly with heavier yarns. I find it easier to work than the other method.
Knit to thumb insertion point, place required sts onto some waste yarn (cable needle in picture – it was handy and the mittens were fast LOL!.
Backwards loop same amount of sts as are on the waste yarn, continue knitting the mitten.
Mitten is knit and the sts ready to be picked up.Stitches are picked up and waiting to be knit. Work the 1 st and 2nd round as above.My Grandson’s Christmas Mittens – Jester Mittens and the Monster Mittens
There will probably be patterns for these mittens – just not sure when!
My grandson’s favourite knitted items are mittens and hats. He has a large collection of hats as his head doesn’t grow anywhere near as fast as the rest of him! He has a large head size for a seven year old – bigger than his mothers!
So, I have started to knit him mittens, a new pair or two every year. They are fun projects and can be quick as well! I seem to have problem with mittens though – I always start out smaller than they should. This year, just like last year, I have made the first mitten too small. I should have checked my own pattern for the average lengths of the spacing!
These pattern in these mittens is from my Reindeer Vest pattern. I made him the vest and his bear a matching vest a few years ago. I have always like the colourful diamond motif! If I have enough time – I might make him some dragon mittens! You see I have this idea….
The First mitten is of course too small – so on to the next one! Yarn is Patagonia Organic Merino.
