Oh, mitten

Dear Mitten,

Why do I get the feeling that our relationship was doomed from the start? You had to know that you were only a diversion -- a plaything, if you will -- to tide me over until I settle into a Serious Relationship with The Sweater. I even told you as much at the outset of our affair. You were right next to me that night as I sighed over the pattern and groped its yarn. All things considered, I suppose I should be thankful that you're taking this as well as you are.

But coming out huge like this? I wasn't expecting that at all. I'm half a stitch off gauge for these needles and suddenly you're the biggest mitten ever. I even considered frogging you entirely and then trying this relationship on a smaller scale, but then I decided that I didn't want to throw away all the effort that we've put into it so far.

Why the sudden embiggenment? Is this because you've been hanging around that Swatch? Clearly you want me to abuse you the same way I did him. You may be pleased to learn that there is a scalding-hot Dr. Bronner's bath in your future. Maybe that's all it will take to get us to suit one another better. I'm more than willing to give it a shot -- after these past few days we've spent together I'm starting to get attached.

Sincerely,

Spilly

Can it be? WIP Wednesday!

Check it on out -- I'm actually doing one of those "blog things" -- in this case, WIP Wednesday. This is total coincidence, I promise you, but I'm going with it anyway.

You haven't seen The Swatch in a while! This is what he looked like the last time we saw him:Well, last night I decided that it would be more fun to waste my Dr. Bronner's soap and scald my hands than to knit another row of boring, BORING Swatch. Here he is after his first bath:He shrunk a bit, which is to be expected in the fulling process. I'm still debating on whether to give him another bath or to start turning him into something else now.

And now for a true WIP (this being WIP Wednesday and all,) the Komi mitten from the other day has grown a bit:Ohhh, Mitten. You just might not get abandoned after all.

For reals this time

Allow me to begin by saying "thanks!" for all the lovely birthday wishes. It's a good feeling to know that there are nice people out there who care enough to write...so, thanks!

Now look at this mitten:I'm about 2" in to the 3 1/2" inches of ribbing prescribed by the pattern. Somehow, it is going impossibly slow. I'm almost out of the woods, though, and that's about the only thing that's keeping me from giving up on the whole thing. I have bad news for you, mitten: unless you happen to have the good fortune of being finished within the next little while (which, luckily for you, is a distinct possibility.) Yes, you will be abandoned and the production of your mate might not occur for some time. No, it's not your fault. Things are happening around here mitten. Big knitterly things.

Wonderfully big and social knitterly things! This is because in the next little while I'll be making the trip north to join Heather and Adriana, at which point I will cast on for my first sweater, the ever-popular Central Park Hoodie.

Now, this is an Event in and of itself -- those of you who know me (or at least know my knitting habits) are probably aware that my introduction to sweater-knitting is long overdue. So overdue, in fact, that last June Heather actually shoved a bag of wool at me in a valiant attempt to get me going. Strangely enough, it didn't take then, but now...O! now...

Now I'm lining up sweaters that I want to make. I want the Wanderlust Hoodie (scroll down) sans bobbles and Hooded Pullover from the Fall 2008 issue of Vogue Knitting. I have even been thinking of finally attempting Sweet Mary Jane with that laceweight that I bought so long ago (years ago, now!) for that very purpose.

It's as if a whole new corner of the knitting world has just opened before me (which I suppose it has, really, and it's one of the biggest "corners" out there, too.) I can't wait to dive in.

Mittenry.

There's something like 39 knitting days left until Christmas now, so until then, I'm spoken for. Nevermind that I'm trying to sneak in the odd three or four pairs of mittens for myself or that the skein of STR Mediumweight is calling my name. I'm supposed to be making presents!

Even so, sometimes that doesn't work out. Take this mitten for example:



This is a Komi mitten from Marvelous Mittens by Charlene Schurch knit using Knit Picks Palette in Rainforest Heather and Tidepool Heather. It was originally intended to be half of a pair that would be given to some lucky recipient (who still remains a mystery, even to me.) Should the mitten and I hit it off, though, well...there's always room in my wardrobe for another pair of mittens. Especially fancy teal ones with gorgeous diagonal patterning.

I polished this baby off in four short days and...I don't know if it was the colour or the pattern but...I found myself getting attached. I wasn't that surprised, really.

Here's the funny thing, though -- part of the reason why this mitt went up so quickly was because it was knit on US 2's -- 2.75mm needles. The pattern called for a gauge of 8 sts to the inch and I got (wait for it) TEN. Ten freakin' stiches to the inch on US 2's! This is the gauge i get in the same yarn on US 0's! Needless to say, while the mitten fit me without a ridiculous amount of stretching I couldn't help but think that it might be happier keeping someone else's hands warm.

Luckily, I struck a deal with Heather (whose hands are just the right size for these mittens,) mittens for her and two skeins of lovely Koigu for me, which suits me just fine.

As for that Christmas knitting, it remains (mostly) on track. These are the Gingerbread Latvian Mittens I'm making for my Nana:



That's my progress after two days of mittening. I hope to hit the finger decreases this evening.