You may remember this project from last winter...
I won the pattern and yarn in a mitten group on Ravelry last year. Adele and I knit them for our two make a pair project.With most of our projects our guages have turned out to be the same. With these mittens, one came out tall and thin and the other shorter and wide. Hmmmm.
Not sure what happened there but we decided to go ahead and each make mates for the first that we knit. So, this time two make TWO pair.The pattern is Ladybug Picnic Mittens by Elinor Brown. The yarn is Brown Sheep Nature Spun Sport.I love the little braid around the cuff.
After knitting so many mittens in 2011 I have learned a bit more about what I like and don't like in a mitten.I like thumbs with a gusset and long cuffs that are snug to the wrist like these two. But these are probably not as warm as needed in our cold winters. (even if they weren't fingerless)I like fun colorwork designs like the ladybugs, and these two pair. The stranded work mittens are a little warmer with the extra yarn carried on the back.The warmest mittens I have made are these double layer felted mittens.The knitting continues. If I find the perfect balance of thumb and cuff design, fun pattern, and warmth I'll let you know.Here's one last photo of the ladybugs. My little photo assistant said I needed a butterfly hand shot. So here ya go.
Spinning out of Control
One morning last week a friend who raises llamas came over for a spinning lesson. She had a GINORMOUS bag of llama fluff to play with and said she had several more at home. She even has baby llama fluff! She offered to give me some but I declined until I have spun the rovings that I have already.I pulled out one of my big balls of roving and gave her a demonstration. We played for a while but I just couldn't stop when she left.
I spun all of this Border Leceister, kid mohair blend and ended up with five hanks of yarn. Here are two. I don't know how many yards this is.
I'm working on another ball of fluff now.
In doing this recent spinning, I have learned several things:1. I want a wheel that allows for larger bobbins.2. I should spin roving when I get it. Letting it sit around for 5-10 years allows for them to it mushed and start to felt. This roving has required more preparation before spinning that it would have if I had spun it right away.3. I am easily diverted from one project to another.4. Spinning in a room with a running ceiling fan gets little, tiny bits of fluff EVERYWHERE.
Quick Knit Boot Socks
Last weekend we went walking in the woods. It was warmish and sunny but there was still a lot of snow on the ground. Miss P kept getting snow down in her boots. She was wearing thin nylon socks that did not keep her feet warm after they got wet.I decided that she needed some wool socks that would keep her feet warm even when wet. She requested socks with cables.
I modified Cable Rib Sock pattern by Erica Alexander found in Favorite Socks 25 Timeless Designs from Interweave. The yarn is a hand painted yarn from Briar Rose Fibers that was left over from a baby dress/jumper that I knit for P before she was born.
Miss P enjoyed standing on the table for the photo shoot.
