Ribbon Mittens are out!

As hinted at in yeserday's post, the Ribbon mitten pattern is now available!Simple mittens made very fancy by using the Estonian Roositud inlay technique -– a quick method that is the simplest colourwork technique that you’ll ever learn. If you can knit Stockinette in the round and wrap stitches, you can make these mittens!

Copies are available right over here on Ravelry. They'll also be turning up in my Etsy shop later on today. You say you're not familiar with this Estonian Roositud inlay thing? Not a problem! Check out the tutorial that I've prepared right over here.Now for the usual suspects:

Size: Women’s medium (or any hand that is 7.5” in circumference.)

Gauge: 6 stitches/8 rows = 1 inch (2.5 cm) in Stockinette st.

Yarn: 1 skein of Patons Classic Wool (223 yd/100 g) in Leaf Green (MC) and partial skeins (15 yds of each,) of three different contrasting yarns of a similar weight. The contrasting yarns used here are Patons Classic Wool (223 yd/100 g) in Aran (CC1) and Knit Picks Merino Style (123 yd/50 g) in Strawberry (CC2) and Rhubarb (CC3.)
**NOTE: Knit Picks Merino Style is no longer available in the Strawberry and Rhubarb colourways. The following substitutions can be made: partial skeins (15 yds of each) of Patons Classic Wool (223 yd/100 g) in Bright Red (CC2) and That’s Pink (CC3.)

Needles: One set of five (5) double pointed needles in US 3 (3.25 mm) or size necessary to obtain gauge.

Notions: A 10” length of yarn in a comparable weight (but contrasting colour) to hold thumb stitches, a stitch marker to mark beginning of round (optional) and a sewing needle to weave in ends.

Skills Needed: Knitting in the round, decreasing, Roositud inlay, twisted stitches, and chart reading.

I should also mention that these mittens work up fairly quickly, too. They might be the solution to your holiday knitting problems!

Roositud Inlay Tutorial

So you’ve been eyeing the Ribbon mittens and thinking you might like to make a pair but you have no idea about this whole Roositud inlay thing? Maybe you’d just like to add a new technique to your knitters’ skill set? Perhaps you just like reading tutorials? Whatever the reason, have I got a treat for you. In preparation for the release of the Ribbon mittens, here’s a tutorial detailing how to work the Roositud inlay technique.

A quick note on the technique: Roositud is an Estonian inlay technique where stitches are wrapped (not knit) with contrasting yarn to create a patterned effect. The result looks like embroidery, but it done as the object (usually a mitten or a sock) is being worked. In this respect it’s preferable to embroidery since one doesn’t have to worry about sewing in tight places (say, a mitten tip or the end of a thumb.) It’s also one of the best instant-gratification techniques I’ve come across, since one can watch the pattern grow as the object does.

Another great thing about this technique is that it might be the easiest kind of colourwork ever. In Roositud, the knitter will only ever be required to knit in plain Stockinette stitch, and the stitches will be wrapped (inlaid) in pattern to create the colourwork motif. Easy, and quicker than one would think! Regular Fair Isle (and other colourwork techniques where the contrast colour(s) are actually knit in) require the knitter to carry the colours that are not currently in use behind the work until they’re needed again. This results in what is called floats – those stretches of unused yarn. There are no floats in Roositud! With it, the knitter is able to work small, isolated and get this – vertical! – bits of colourwork wherever it’s needed. The other good thing about it is that one can use as many different colours as one wants per row, stripe, whatever. In other colourwork techniques, knitting with more than three colours per row can be a real trick.

Sure, it may be a little fiddly at first (and what new technique isn’t?) but it didn’t take me long to pick up at all. A little practice is all you’ll need to get going.

Download the .pdf here: Roositud Inlay Tutorial

Mittens, rain or shine

It's cold and rainy outside and all I can think about is mittens. The more astute reader will note that this is not unusual. If you catch me at the right time I'm most likely thinking about mittens whatever the weather.

And here's the first Ribbon mitten from the yesterday, complete, as promised:Expect to see the pattern released soon as I wrangle the inlay instructions.

I think it's safe to say that I've got my Mitten Mojo back. A mitten from random concept to finished product in less than 72 hours? This bodes well for the approaching High Knitting Season!

I can't tell you how pleased I am with this one -- now to make the mate!

No Owlmittens...yet.

Thanks again to everyone who took advantage of my Heart of December sock pattern giveaway. I still can not get over the response it received -- it was truly staggering! I can't wait to see all of the gorgeous socks that you all produce.

As for me, I'm not currently knitting an Owlmitten (though I'm supposed to be.) No, I'm doing this instead:Yes, it's another brand new mitten. It's currently bearing the working title of the Ribbon mittens, but that might very well change. The observant among you will note that that's not your average colourwork being sported by Our Fair Mitten, nor is it embroidery. It's an Estonian inlay technique called Roositud where contrast colours are wrapped around the stitches rather than knit in. This means that the contrast colours don't need be carried around the entire round of knitting -- you can just add them wherever you want them. Believe me when I say that it's the easiest, prettiest, most-satisfying colour technique that you'll ever try -- ever.

With any luck, the first of these mittens will be finished today! And then onto the second one, and then...Owlmittens??