Mittens!

I wish I had a better picture, but you get the general idea. They're my first mittens, so I'm quite pleased. I completely winged it converting to child size, and it pretty much worked out. I haven't figured out how to avoid the hole in the gusset; for reasons I didn't understand I seemed to create a hole even when I followed the directions exactly right. Then the second time, when I picked up extra stitches to compensate, I ended up with the slightly bulbous thumb you see on the right.
Oh well. They're very cute. I wish I'd made them out of softer yarn for her, maybe even acrylic, because I think the wool does itch. But she's being very sweet and wearing them and showing them off, making her mother proud.

Question of the day: Everyone tells me it's not worth darning socks, but what if your husband makes a hole in his the first time he wears them? Right in the middle of the sole? Martha Stewart was teaching Bette Midler to darn on her show today; maybe I'll try.

I'm in Love!

I really love this hat. It's so cute! And it was so easy, yet looks complicated, at least to people like me. I started it Sunday night and finished it last night, except for the tassel.


It was good practice knitting two-handed, which I apparently haven't completely forgotten how to do. And yet easy two-handedness. I just love the way it looks! And Auden likes it too. She wore it for a long time before telling me her head was getting itchy. So I think she'll at least wear it to school and back. I want to make one of these for every child I know!

I'm going to try the matching mittens next, but I've never made mittens, so that might be more complicated.

Here's a picture that shows the whole thing a little better:







Pattern: Mushroom Cap from Homespun, Handknit
Yarn: Mission Falls 1824 Wool (100% merino superwash) colors 2 and 536. Slightly more than one skein of blue, less than one skein of the white.
Needles: Addi US6 circular, 16".
Modifications: The pattern called for size 4 needles, which I don't think I even realized. I was tighter than gauge even on the 6s, so if I did it again I'd probably go up a needle size. I made the ribbing slightly longer than the pattern called for.

Socks for my Dad

Done! Never again, size 1 needles AND plain yarn AND miles of stockinette. However, I think they look pretty good. They are a little big on me – hence the lumpy toes in the picture – but I'm hoping my dad's feet are enough bigger (but not TOO much bigger) to make that work out.
I love the fabric size 1 needles make. And I even did the ribbing and heel in 0's. But damn! it takes forever ...

Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock, color: Pewter (9ns). 2 skeins
Pattern: Thuja, from knitty.com
Needles: US 0s and 1s dpn.
Modification: This pattern is written for heavier yarn, so I followed the directions in Sensational Socks for a 5-stitch pattern. Cast on 80 stitches. Went down a needle size for the ribbing and heel.
In Sensational Socks, Charlene Schurch recommends picking up extra stitches after knitting the heel flap to avoid holes. I believe she recommends one extra stitch, but I think I picked up like a bazillion. No holes! but it did make for some interesting math.