A few posts back, I asked what was different about this picture:

Most of you noticed it was my use of DPNS.  While I have always been a big follower of the magic loop, these dainty lace mitts were not knitting up slowly on my long circs.  The 2-ply lace Still River [...]]]>

A few posts back, I asked what was different about this picture:

Most of you noticed it was my use of DPNS.  While I have always been a big follower of the magic loop, these dainty lace mitts were not knitting up slowly on my long circs.  The 2-ply lace Still River Mill Yakaboo yarn was just too thin for the magic loop method so I pulled out ye ol’ dpns.  The project just FLEW off the needles.

The Yakaboo, purchased at Rhinebeck from the same folks that I got Bison yarn from last year, is a blend of 40% yak, 40% merino and 20% bamboo.  These lacey mitts are amazingly warm and soooo soft and comfy.

My fave part of this mitt is the finishing along the top of the hand and thumb edges.  At first, I’d veered off the pattern and finished it using my own method of basically sewing down the folded over hem and binding off at the same time.  That was on the first mitt.  When I finished the second mitt, I tried it the way the pattern says (bind off, and THEN sew down the edging) and actually liked that method better.  The top doesn’t need to be too stretchy since you don’t want it to be gaping, so the amount of give there is perfect.  The edging is the neatest one I’ve knit on a pair of fingerless mitts.  Most mitts have ribbed edgings that curl under at the palm with wear.

When this picture was taken, the mitts had already been worn for over a week and the edging looks just like it did when I first finished the mitts.  Nice and neat.

I would definitely knit these mitts again as gifts or for myself.  The project was quick enough, especially once I’d switched to dpns, and easy train knitting. And, even with the all-over lace pattern, the mitts have kept my hands nice and warm in these cold November temps.

Wine and Roses Mitts

• Source: Interweave Knits, Winter 2006
• Size: One-size, fits my fairly large hand
• Yarn: Still River Mill Yakaboo (1 skein, used 160 yds)
• Needles: US 2
• Cost: $24
• Started: November 12, 2008
• Finished: November 18, 2008
• Mods: Picked up 2 extra sts for the thumb and I knit two extra repeats of the lace pattern on the hand to add length.

This here is the 3-cornered [...]]]> Ya’ll see this? This here signifies the END OF THE DIET! I have reached my goal. Yup. I half-cheated this weekend when I bought the yarn for this hat but I was only a hat or a scarf away from finishing so it was just a small advance payment! HA!

This here is the 3-cornered hat from Elizabeth Zimmerman’s book Knitter’s Almanac. Same book that has the Ganomy hat. It was a super fast knit. I used Catalina Chunky yarn from the Yarn Tree DOUBLE stranded on size 13 needles. The only mod I did was to cast on an additional 6 sts because apparently my head is too big! Actually, it was because EZ has a gauge of 5.25 sts per 2″. Mine is 5 sts….now that I measure it!! Geeze! I made a booboo! LOL When I had cast on the required 36 sts the hat wasn’t fitting me. Go figure. Oh well. I love how big and bulky it is.

Whaddya think?

Pattern: 3-Cornered Hat
Source: Elizabeth Zimmerman’s Knitter’s Almanac
Yarn: Catalina Chunky 100% Baby Alpaca
Needles: Size 13 Knit Picks Options
Cost: $11.60 per skein, took 2 skeins plus a tad bit of another
Started: November 26, 2006
Ended: November 28, 2006

Now for my treat for reaching my goal, I’m shopping at the following two etsy shops: Yarnahoy and Adam Knits. I know what I’m getting from Adam already. It’s this DELISH colorway he has!!! Still browsing Yarnahoy.

But I think that’s it for now. Too much holiday shopping to do! So..back on the yarn diet again until the next 5 projects are complete!