Sleepy! Ringing! New Yarn!

Work on Willistead's mate (Ravelry link) continues, albeit slowly. I cast on for him yesterday and started the cuff, but I had a show to attend, so I had to put him down for the evening. Said show was just about the loudest one I've ever seen and I did not leave unscathed. My poor ears are still ringing slightly now -- I should also mention that I was at the back of the venue. So between being sleepy and ringing, today was a particularly unproductive knitting day, as is evidenced here: I barely made it into the colourwork portion of the cuff. Rest assured, though, when this mitten starts going up it'll go up fast and be over before I know it. Round about that time (if not sooner) the pattern will be released and then anyone and everyone can make their very own pair of Willisteads (fingers crossed that this day is not too far off.)

Oh, and look what came in the mail today, courtesy of the effervescent Bertha:Right to left, that's Yarntini sock yarn in Gimlet and precious, precious Sock Hop in Magic Carpet Ride. The latter might be the only yarn I have ever encountered that I honestly do not want to knit. I mean, I will, eventually, I'm sure of it. But for now I'm leaving it be. Thanks so much, Bertha!

Bertha and I recently we did a swap where I traded her one completely knit Dream Twister sock and the rest of the yarn required to knit the mate in exchange for sock yarn. You've already met my new yarn, so Here's her new sock: This is one intense sock, and I was happy to only have to knit one of them. I think Bertha will be pleased to only have to knit one of them, too! Enjoy your sock, lady!

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.