Friday, November 30, 2007
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Monday, April 23, 2007
Frankein-Peekaboo-Mittens
I finally finished my Peekaboo mittens!
Unfortunately, the first mitten I made had some flaws with regards to shortness in length and my starting the cuff too early, so I had to--STAT! CODE BLUE!--perform emergency surgery to remedy the mistake.
Step 1--Utilize a quick suture to prevent further complications:
Step 2--Pass the Scapel, Nurse. Time to make the incision:
Step 3--Post-Surgery Recuperative Time:
Step 4--Take Post-Operative Photos of Yummilicious Peekaboo Mittens (Finished just in time for late -night, oddly-cold bike riding excursions):
Step 5--Peek the fingers out of said Peekaboo Mittens (I even painted my nails for you, dear reader! But just this one hand! ; >) --
Step 6--Squeal like a little piggy with joy: "Squee! I've got me some pretty Peekaboos!"
Step 7--Come visit me at my blog, HollYarns, and help out some shelter doggies and kitties via Cyrano's Creature Comforts Drive!
Friday, April 6, 2007
Finished Peekaboos
Saturday, March 17, 2007
~and yet another pair.....~
I used hand dyed (not by me) wool for these and although I love the colors and the way the yarn knit up, I was truly annoyed that the dye came off on my hands and wooden dpn's. The colors are so dark, that it was truly difficult to clean my hands up after knitting on these. Anyone have suggestions for the needles, or are they destined to look like "crap" forever now? I really don't want to sand the finish off of them and I am very apprehensive about using a damp cloth on them (not that I think it would work anyway). Suggestion are welcome from any of you who have run into the same problem.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Malabrigo Peekaboo Mitten
I decided I best figure out how the pattern worked before I went and attempted any major changes (i.e. moving down to Koigu KPPPM gauge yarn), so I made a mitten out of Malabrigo Worsted Yarn in the colorway Forest:
- Cuff: Casted on 40 stitches with size 5 needles( which I thought were size 4 needles since they were labeled as such...and where are my size 3 needles? Who knows? Probably Mamoko cat!), joined in the round, switched to size 2 needles and worked k2, P2 for 1 3/4 inches.
- Hand: Knit on size 5 needles, still using only 40 stitches.
- Cuff, again: After finishing up the mitten, I decided that the cuff was not small enough on the wrist so I picked up the cuff stitches and decreased it by 6 stitches on the palm side (less visible, hopefully, for real-world wear). Knit those 36 stitches in pattern for another quarter of an inch. For the next mitten, I shall just cast on 36 stitches and knit in pattern for 2 inches and then increase on the stockinette. The left mitten won't be a perfect match for the right, but I am not all about perfection when it comes to my knitting. If I wanted perfection I would buy machine-made mittens. It's all about process, folks, process and enjoyment for me. Plus, I'd like to get some use out of these mittens before this winter ends and in California, that could be tomorrow or sometime in April the way our weird weather has been acting! Oh, and perhaps I'll make a matching Malabrigo hat of some sort to match! (Holly of HollYarns)
Hubby's Mittens
I just love seeing how everyone's Peekaboo mittens have come out!
This was my first pair, done in some hand spun wool I bought at a fiber fair.
I finished my second pair yesterday. I didn't even get a chance to have a photoshoot with them first before Hubby wore them out to play in the snow with the kids.
I made them from an angora/wool blend yarn recycled from a thrift store sweater. Hubby says they're incredibly warm and were even good for sledding (although Megan was right about making snowballs).
I think I'll go through my yarn stash and whip up another pair. I've got a couple of March birthdays I need gifts for!
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Mitten progress
This has been a great learning process for me.....Started out on dpn's, but the cuff didn't look tidy enough, so started over on two circs, which is working out great! That casting on stitches in the middle of rows led to a few frogging incidents, but I think I 've finally got it. Now, the only thing I'm still a little puzzled about is how exactly to get that thumb gusset back and arranged on the needles......hmmmm. Maybe I'll use a tiny little lifeline in the thumb stitches on the stitch holder before I go ahead. I'd hate to get this far and get into a mess.....I'm not very good at frogging to get back to the original stitches without losing my way somehow. Wish me luck on the thumb!
deb
I'm in!
Time for some ME-knitting! Finally finished the third multi-directional scarf last night. Started to knit a kid's sweater for Afghans for Afghans, but decided I needed a break from knitting for others.
I've cast on for the Peekaboo Mittens and am using Koigu KPPPM from my Sockret Pal in the colorway P137.
I originally cast on 48 stitches using a size #3 needle and did the cuff in k2,p2 ribbing for 1.5 inches and then switched to stockinette. I found that that many stitches on a size #3 needle in Koigu KPPPM was way too loose so I had to frog it back and reconsider. I have now used size #3 needles to do the cast on of 40 stitches. After joining in the round on size #3 needles, I have switched to size #2 needles for the k2, p2 ribbing pattern. I am planning to switch back up to size #3 for the rest of the mitten when I am finished with the K2, P2 ribbing; that is, for the stockinette part of the pattern.
Although, the pattern calls for size #4 needles, I have switched down to size #2 & #3 needles to accommodate for using a different yarn and for my smaller hands. In swatching (by gods, I actually swatched!) I found that on size #3 needles I get a 3 inch by 3 inch gauge swatch instead of the pattern's 4 inch by 4 inch swatch. My hand's circumference at their biggest point around the fingers (not counting the thumb) is 6 inches, while my wrist circumference is a little less than 5 inches. The pattern lists the finished circumference as 8 inches (but I am not sure whether that includes the thumb?)--so, here's to (hopefully) good luck accompanied by great hope that they'll work. {Note to self: I'll have to gradually add in 8 stitches--in sets of twos--before I reach the stockinette}
I am thinking that this colorway of KPPPM--that I am using for my Peekaboo mittens--will go great with a scarf made out of this yarn (that B. gave to me):
Holly of HollYarns
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Needle Question
One mitten, minus a thumb.
The only snag I have hit was something that has already been discussed here - the unsightly hole left in the corner of the finger opening where the stitches were cast back on for the top of the opening. Not sure how to keep this snug enough not to create that hole while keeping it loose enough to knit easily. For mitten number 1 I simply sewed the hole with waste yarn. Maybe I'll sprout a better method when I get to #2. It might help to know which CO method others are using to put those stitches back on. Anyone? Bueller?
Here they are!
This orange pair is for my friend. I should be finished with my own pair soon. And my DH has requested a pair for himself! He thinks they are so cool.
Yarn: Lamb's Pride Worsted (1 skein) Color: Autumn Harvest M-22
Monday, February 19, 2007
Completed mittens
They were a bit large on me, so i felted them a little since i figured that would only make them warmer, and it did the trick. That's what i get for not measuring my hand. the gauge was right on. It's a great pattern, i am sure i will be making more as gifts.
Hello to everyone!
deb
Friday, February 16, 2007
thick peekaboos
It's so cold in Michigan right now (yeah, I know Canada is colder -- Canadians seriously rock) that I wanted super-thick mittens. I used a strand of thick, prickly Jamieson's shetland in blue and a strand of baby alpaca in green to soften it a tad. I did some gauge swatching and realized I'd have to change the pattern to accommodate the hefty fabric I was working with. I cast on 28 stitches and worked from there.
I wanted the mittens really thick so I stuck to a size 7 needle (6 on the cuffs). This produced an almost pre-felted fabric, but it's not really stiff -- just right for me. I did have to knit more slowly than usual with the thick yarnage on smaller needles, but it wasn't difficult.
I did single ribbing around the slit, as the fabric was too thick in double ribbing to contract much. I changed the top of the mitten by mistake (misplaced the directions), so it's a bit pointier than in the original pattern.
I adore these mittens. They're perfect for keeping my hands warm while I'm driving, while allowing me to manipulate the keys and grip the wheel. In fact, I never blocked them -- just put them on as soon as I was done.
My next pair will be in the yarn called for and knit as directed. Then I plan a pair in alpaca . . . .
Thursday, February 15, 2007
By and By I come...
So I still have the first mitten on the needles since I'm working on three other projects...but what knitter isn't?
The first one I put a flower pattern into the back of the right mitten though it is a bit vague, I mean subtle. *ahem*
For the next pair of mittens I already got excited and bought some yarn. What do you think of the colors?
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
~LOVE this pattern!~
I used Lamb's Pride in Medieval Red which is more of a burgandy color than shown here and the only change I made to the pattern was to add a few extra rows after the wrist band to make that part a bit longer. I also used size 6 dpn's for the ribbing on the wrist as I like it a bit more snug!
I see a LOT more of these in the very near future - a great way to get a jump on Christmas Knitting for next year! wooooooooo hooooooooo!
Cathy
http://tightlywoundlooselyknit.blogspot.com
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
The Next Pair
Monday, February 12, 2007
Members Blogs
Happy Knitting!
Saturday, February 10, 2007
One Down....
I am excited to join this KAL. I have plenty of fingerless mitts, but no mittens. This is my first time knitting mittens. I got my yarn this weekend and couldn't wait to cast on. I am using Lamb's Pride and just finished the right hand side one. It was a lot of fun.
Question:
After putting the 9 stitches back on the needles from the waste yarn on the gusset and then picking up 4 stitches, I noticed it left a hole on each side. It's where the gusset stitches meet up with the 4 picked up stitches. Am I doing something wrong? I just took the yarn left over from the thumb part and stitched it up. It looks fine, but I am wondering if I could have avoided the holes.