My Very First Mittens

So I finally finished my very first mittens ... just in time for the weather to warm up! Okay, actually I finished them up ten days ago, but the weather has been very up-and-down to the point where I can wear them one day and then walk around without a coat the next!

It was a fun process, and I'd definitely make them again, but probably with some changes. Even going down a needle size on the ribbing, it's very loose, so I'd probably decrease the number to cast on with and just increase to the right number when I got to the hand. Hopefully it's partially just a characteristic of the yarn being thick-and-thin, otherwise I'd go down another needle size! (The body was knitted on 10s and the ribbing on 9s.) The thumbs are a little tight right around the thumb base, but still wearable. Not bad, considering I made the 6-year-old size!



You'll notice that they are pretty much fraternal. I have 33 grams left, which means each mitten is about 33 grams -- so about a third of the skein. If I hadn't made them, I wouldn't have believed that they'd come from the same skein! Though you can't see it in the photo, I just started to repeat the green at the tip of the blue mitten's thumb. The gray one was made first, and I think the blue one is better for it. All in all, a really good pattern that I will make again. The Iro is also quite warm! Too bad that by the time I finished them, I didn't really need them anymore! Oh well, there's always next winter.

I ended up buying a ball of Cascade Fixation because my co-worker found the cutest hacky sack pattern and had made a couple of her own. I wanted to try! Though I'd done short rows before while making Anna Hrachovec's Hearts, I wanted to practice them for the hat I was making (yes, I also started a hat) and the yarnball was a great way to do it. The pattern is by Judy Gibson and several versions can be found here. I made the small yarnball.



How cute! And great for spring. I don't know how to "do" hacky sacking, but I figure it's a stress ball if nothing else. :) I still have plenty of the yarn and should be able to get at least a few more out of it. Next time I think I'll go up a needle size though (I worked this on 4s); this one was quite tiny!

Finally ... my earflap hat. Started in the Schaefer Miss Priss I bought ages ago but never showed a picture of. A lovely lady who comes into the store had made one and let us keep it as a sample, and as soon as I put it on my head (yes, I sometimes do that with samples ... don't you?) I knew I was going to make one too. Bought Priss in the awesome color "Bugs". Okay, so it may be defined as a "kid" color, but I don't care! It's been knitting up beautifully, even if I'm having some difficulty with the pattern.



You'll notice I was smart enough to put in a lifeline before starting the short rows for the earflap. I was not, however, smart enough to put in another lifeline before I got to the part that confused me. The hat is in the naughty pile right now, despite being gorgeous. I have not had the will or brainpower to try to tink it back. But seriously, it's based on this awesome earflap hat pattern generator by Lucia of The Knitting Fiend, and it certainly isn't her fault I decided to tackle something awesome but challenging.

I have some new stash photos too, but if I share them now I won't have another update for a while! Expect them soon, though. They're too pretty not to show off!