Really Late or Really Early

I had one mitten left to make in order to have a pair. It doesn't matter if you think getting them finished in June is really late or really early; either way, I have no need to wear these now, but I'm ready for winter!

I'm also ready for the fair. I wasn't feeling well the other day and stayed home from work. With a day on the couch looming in front of me, I started to think what I could work on.

My skirt was done (another thing I won't have need for until winter!) and I didn't have much going on.

But I remembered the lonely purple braided mitten that I finished and then abandoned at the beginning of 2014. I remember delaying the start of the second one because the band was so uncomfortable to knit. Doubled wool on very small needles.

But I pushed through it and got the band done. Then I had to convert the pattern for the other hand and ran into some difficulties. Somehow I couldn't get the detail of the band to lie in the opposing position--it landed in the same place as the other mitten, making them identical instead of symmetric. And there they sat for more than a year.

Well, I picked up the mitten, tracked down the patterns (I was merging two patterns together so I had to find them both and my notes), ripped out what was there and started at the band again. And this time, it worked out so well I don't know what the problem was before.

I knit most of the day. The cat, fortunately, slept for a good part of it, but there were many times she pounced unexpectedly right on my lap. She loves the string. (And the needles. And the ball. And the knitted fabric.) When she wasn't sleeping, I persistently put her on the floor and eventually she got the idea.

And I got the mitten done in one day!! It was amazing. And very gratifying.

The mittens fit a little tight across the top of my fingers so when I blocked them, I used my blocking wires to stretch them slightly side to side. Now that they're dry, they fit very well.

I'm afraid there are no modeled pics because I thought they would look silly with a tshirt. And I was too warm to put on the matching hat. Yes, I made these to match my hat. Do you remember it?

Now I have a set to enter in the fair this year. I make quite a few hats and scarves (fewer mittens) but I don't always have a set to enter. I have one ball of this yarn left and I thought about making a scarf or cowl to match, but 1. the yarn is too scratchy to wear around the neck and 2. it would be quite a lot of purple all in one outfit.

When I finished this mitt, I thought I had no projects on my needles (and thought it must be a sign of the end times) but then I remembered that I still have my Trimmings in "time out". It needs some readjusting and raveling. In the meantime I will enjoy that I have this once-languishing project done!

Project Stats
Started: 13 Dec '13 / Finished: 22 Jun '15
Pattern: Mash up of Bella's Mittens and Nine Dwindling Cables hat
Materials: Dawn Sock & Sweater Yarn (discontinued), doubled for band/tripled for body, 100g ($1.50)

Second Mitten Syndrome Just Doesn't Sound as Good

You've heard about Second Sock Syndrome, the affliction that drives people to make socks for amputees. I've never had much trouble with completing a second sock. I am beginning to realize that it may be because I like doing the toe and that's where my socks start.

This mitten, on the other hand?

It has been trying to answer the question of one hand clapping for quite some time.

I just can't seem to get the second one started. I'm starting to think it's because of this band:

where it all starts.

I'm making the mittens to match my Dwindling Cables Hat

and basing the pattern on the hugely popular Bellas mitts. I made two pair like this

a couple of years ago. (Ok, more like four years ago now that I see the original post.)

But for this pair, I made some changes. For one thing, I shortened the arm part by about half. I don't have any coats that would suit long mittens. And I decided to start with a band like the hat does. It worked out pretty well (it'll look better after blocking; trust me), but it was a pain to do. And so my lonely mitten waits for a mate.

Several evenings recently I've thought, "This is the night. Just start it. Once it's started, it will get easy. Go." But then I turn away. Leave the Harmony sock dpns on the table and pick up something else.

Once the band's done, however, the rest is more fun. The gauge is a lot looser so it is physically easier on my hands and the cables make it more interesting.

I've adapted the cable pattern from the hat to replace the one from the original pattern.

Besides being a little pointy at the top (and I think that may block out too), I think it worked out pretty well. Although that's one more thing that makes me reluctant to pick up this project again. I have to refer to two different directions as I go (the original pattern and my mods) and it's not convenient. On the good side, I think I made complete enough notes that it shouldn't be difficult to make the second one match. (Let's hope.)