Friday, January 08, 2010

Extended Christmas Knitting

I mentioned the Fliptop/Flipthumb mittens I'm (still) knitting for my brother for Christmas. I'm using these rather loose guidelines for the fliptop portion, but am winging it for the 'flipthumb' (needed for iphone use, of course!) I also wanted to make the body of the mittens stranded colorwork, because that makes them so much warmer.

Fliptop/flipthumb mitten

By the time I started knitting the inner half-fingers on this, I knew it was a prototype and that I would have to knit two more. I'll be going up a needle size for the hand portion of the mitten and down a needle size for the half-fingers. I'll also be using a sock-weight yarn forthe half-fingers rather than the Cascade 220 that's used for the rest. I'm still not sure the flipthumb is going to work!

Fliptop/flipthumb mitten
This would be my hand modeling the mitten, not my brother's. No red nail polish for him!

However, I couldn't start work immediately on these, since the size 6 dpn's I need for the mitten portion are just about the only dpn's I didn't already own! I didn't get to Crazy Girl to pick up a set until Tuesday evening, by which time I had already been distracted by the fact that one of my co-workers was in desperate need of a hat. I waited at the bus stop with him one evening and watched the snow pile up on his head!

So I spent a couple nights cranking out a Marsan Watch Cap, also in Cascade 220. If you're looking for a simple, quick, warm hat, I'd really recommend this one. I may even make one for myself!

Marsan watch cap

The recipient promises to wear it, and seemed really excited to get it. I think this means I have to make hats for the rest of the staff now, though!

So tonight I came home, ready to work on the mittens - but was distracted by the Rowan Kidsilk Haze in Candy Girl that has been sitting on my coffee table for months. It's been in may stash for years; when I saw the Feather Duster pattern last summer, I knew they were meant for each other! And I just couldn't help myself...

very pink Feather Duster shawl

6 comments:

Bezzie said...

I love the color combo on those fliptops! And what's with size 6s! Those were like the last set of DPNs I didn't have either--until I had a project going and realized I didn't have any. Huh!

Chris said...

The mittens are such fun! Maybe this blog should be "Knitting Distracts Me". ;)

Rebekah said...

Love the mittens, perfect for this terribly cold winter we seem to be having.

Yarn can be very distracting, maybe there should be warning labels on it.

linda-the-sister said...

I love the Feather Duster - sooo pretty!

Felix says that if you want to go into business making custom-colored Jayne hats he can give you a few orders. :)

Steven said...

I had to laugh at all your distractions. Been there. How nice of you to make a hat for your coworker -- although I think you're right -- you kind of obligated now with the rest of the office. LOVE the mittens. A friend of mine calls these "glittens."

Mary Lou said...

I made a pile of convertible mitts for christmas, just winging it. There was definitely a non usable prototype. Well, usable by someone other than the intended recipient. I like all the colors, but weaving all those ends in....