I did it!

I totally knit those mittens.  In fact, I finished the second one on Monday and wore them (triumphantly) to work.

I even managed to put the thumb on the right side.  My mind is blown.

Bazzy seems pleased as well.  Warm paws are a requisite chez nous.

Inner City Pressure

I adore Flight of the Conchords deeply, so I figured I’d share this video.  I’m also feeling some inner sinus pressure.  Who could resist a pun like that?

I started sewing buttons onto my sweater yesterday.  I placed two correctly.  And then?  And then.  I messed up, and sewed one button about one stitch too far up and then I based another button from that button, and now I have to take them off and re-do them.  It feels insurmountable until I look at those shiny new buttons.

Aren’t they lovely?  I love metal buttons in general, but gosh, I love these buttons.  This colourway of Lamb’s Pride Superwash Worsted has a silver tone to it, and the silver buttons pick it up.  Here’s a more detailed shot.

Does anyone know what those crests symbolize?  I’m working under the assumption that they don’t really mean anything, but I don’t want to be like the one girl I knew in High School who wore a Le Tigre shirt because she liked tigers.

My Manos del Uruguay mittens are making me sad.  I took them into Ariadne and weighed them; the completed mitten weighs 32 grams and the ball weighs 19 grams.  Tragic!  I think I’m going to end up ripping out the cuff to see if I can re-knit the cuff in another yarn, and hopefully, that increase the yardage enough to make two gorgeous mittens.

I also cast on for Elizabeth Zimmerman’s baby sweater on two needles from her Knitter’s Almanac (Schoolhouse Press) last night.  I’m using Mission Falls 136 Merino Superwash in Raspberry.  Knitting this sweater is a bit strange; the pattern isn’t as, well, blocked out as more modern patterns, but the writing flows nicely.  I like how the knitter is invited to change the pattern at will.  I’ve also decided to do yarn overs instead of invisible increases so that there will be space to pull some pretty ribbons through the sweater.

I chose the colour because it’s feminine but bright.  Babies are born basically blind, so bright colours are more easily visible to them.  Pale, pastel colours for babies don’t make a lot of sense to me.  The mother of the baby looks great in vibrant colours so I hope she’ll like it.

How’s the inner city pressure treating my kitties?

Sigh-nus

I was so sad yesterday when I was nearly done my sweater that I dove headfirst into a pair of mittens.  Bella’s mittens, to be specific.  I’m not one for following patterns – so this was unusual for me – but I figured I’d try.  After all, it’s an incredibly popular pattern, and I had some delicious Manos Clasica in a rich colourway that I wanted to use.

Four hours later, I had this:

 

That said, I made a bunch of changes for my peculiar and particular hands.  I cast on 30 stitches (not 43) and used a 8 stitch cable (not 12).  I made the cuff 2 inches long and only started the cable pattern on the hand of the mitten.  I increased the gusset on every round for 5 rounds and then kept knitting with the gusset stitches on my needle for another 5 rounds.  I did that so that the gusset would jut out more – I have funny thumbs.

I really like how they look and feel.  I don’t love knitting with the thick and thin yarn, but I absolutely adore how it knits up.  It really shows off the colour way, Olivewood.  And it stretches so beautifully into the 1×1 rib!

I’m scared I won’t have enough yarn for the second mitten, but I weighed them today (the ball and the mitten) and it seems like it may work.

Is anyone else sick?  I feel so gross.  You know you’re sick when your nose transforms itself into a faucet and your friends tell you that you ‘look like crap’ – although I do appreciate the candor.

Hasta mañana everyone!  I hope my body fights this off soon.

Separation Anxiety

Tomorrow, I’m getting some buttons from Ariadne.  I’ve finished one button band and am picking up stitches for the other.  I am so sad!  I cast on for this sweater on November 25th, and I don’t know how I’ll survive without it.  39 days of pure sweater knitting bliss… I think I’m going to end up casting on for a new sweater pretty much as soon as possible.

But, for now, I’m mollifying myself with some mittens.  I’m knitting Bella’s Mittens in Manos del Uruguay’s Clasica, colourway Olivewood.  This is a beautiful single ply handspun kettle dyed 100% wool yarn.  I’m pretty excited to be working with it.  My tiny hands are foiling me again, though;  I knit the cuff and it was way too big.  So I’ve cast on 10 stitches fewer to see if this will still work.  If not… well, let’s not think about that now, okay?

And I’m including this because I think it’s basically the best picture ever despite the lack of artistry.  Look!  They think they’re people!