Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Bitchin' Mittens

I was getting a bit worried of not getting these mittens done in time. Remember how I was all set up to knit socks for the Bennett sisters from the book Pride and Prejudice (for Knit the Classics KAL)but if the girls won't like any of the stockings I'm knitting now, I'm afraid they'll have to go barefoot all winter... At least the mittens for the are done.

These are twined knit (yarn from Firma Krokmaskan Sweden), the pattern is my own and embroidery (wool from Renaissance Dyeing, silk/wool from the Threadgatherer) is done with chain stitches.



I want to thank you all for the comments on the knee highs. Almost 200 grams of Trekking XXL was used to knit them and they are for my daughter Nadja. She dances ballet and her legs and feet are under a great stress daily, so she really appreciates wool and warmth.

60 comments:

  1. Kauniit lapaset! Täytyy sanoa, että kyllä sie oot taitava!

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  2. Wow, those are lovely! And they look so nice for the cold weather.

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  3. Anonymous14:02

    Lene, I haven't been able to see your pictures for the last couple of days. From the comments I can tell that other people can, and I can see pictures on other blogs, so I don't know where the problem is. I'm certainly not asking you to fix it (!) but just telling you that I hope it clears up soon and that for now it makes me sad.

    I love to see your socks (my Dad calls all knitted legwear "stockings" no matter the length; my Mom calls thigh-high nylons "stockings"; I call everything "socks". I prefer knee'highs, but the ones I have knit for myself seem to be itchy above mid-calf, or at least my leg feels the itchiness at that spot, so I am sticking with 50-gm-skein toe-ups and they end wherever they end but never high enough to itch. Maybe I need a snazzier brand of yarn - Gems or Koigu?

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  4. Anonymous14:09

    Those mittens are soooo lovely ;-)

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  5. Anonymous14:11

    I know we should wear our knitted items and not just save them, but I really think those mittens are too beautiful to wear. But you've inspired me to start thinking about knitting for winter. I really need a new hat for winter recess duty.

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  6. The mittens are beautiful and I love the subtle color changes in the embroidered flowers. Your work is so fine and delicate, it looks like a lot of care and love went into your work. I'm sure they will be much appreciated. I would be so nervous to wear such a piece of art.

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  7. Anonymous14:28

    These are very nice mittens, now I know what to do with my natural-dyed mittens!

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  8. Those are beautiful! I love the color combination of the cuff and mitten!

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  9. You're so talented with a needle... any needle. :-) The embroidery is gorgeous. And I love the shagged cuffs! (Is that what you call it?)

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  10. Anonymous15:14

    You're so creative! Those mittens are beautiful, fun, and unusual. It's always a delight to see what you're up to.

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  11. Anonymous15:20

    The mittens are beautiful. I love the colors you've chosen and the embroidery is so nice. What lovely work. Thanks for the close-up pictures so we can see the embroidery up close.

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  12. Anonymous15:33

    Absolutely stunning!I love your embroidery, I'm not capable myself to do such beautiful small stitches.

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  13. Those are such beautiful mittens! I do love your embroidery work!
    They look very warm.
    It sure does feel time to start knitting mittens for winter again. :)

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  14. Anonymous16:04

    oh lene! you have outdone yourself on these mittens. they are indeed bitchin'—just had to say it!

    love love love!

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  15. Those are wonderful mittens. I dare say you are going to give me a run for my money in the competition. I thought my fish mittens had it all sewn up!

    Ewwhh.. bad pun.

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  16. Anonymous16:41

    Lene, those mittens are exquisite! I think I need to learn embroidery now. . . will these go to one of your lucky daughters, or do you get to keep them for yourself?

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  17. Anonymous16:41

    Lene, they're gorgeous! Incredible! Looks like I'm not going to get my Bitchin Mittens finished, now that I've got myself into this shawl knitting thing!

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  18. Anonymous16:45

    Truly those are the most beautiful mittens I have ever seen.
    Gorgeous ! You are so talented.

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  19. Anonymous17:03

    Voi miten kauniit! I never know which language to use when commenting your blog...

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  20. These mittens are wonderful. Very pretty.

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  21. Anonymous18:00

    Absolutely beautiful mittens, gorgeous colours, and so very well done.
    Ellen in Conn...I hope whatever glitch you're having clears up soon, Lene's photos are divine...Good luck!

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  22. Really lovely mittens! You do beautiful work :0)

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  23. Anonymous18:31

    Everything you do is so beautiful. :)

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  24. Such beautiful mittens! Great color combination
    I've been reading your blog for a while now, and I really enjoy it. I visited friends in Jyvaskyla (no idea if I can still spell that) about 15 years ago and they took me to Lapland for May Day. I have wonderful memories of my time "above the Arctic Circle." I just wish I had been a knitter back then!

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  25. Beautiful mittens. Even make my hands wish for cold weather. Explain to us how you did the cuffs, if you would, Please!
    Your colour sense is second to none, Lene!

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  26. Anonymous19:36

    Oikein kaunis! I like the mittens a lot. I'm really into mittens and gloves these days. More, more!

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  27. Anonymous19:42

    Those are SO beautiful!
    Please post them over at the Bitchin' Mittens site. They are really great!

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  28. Anonymous19:42

    ps I figured out part of the problem - it's between firefox and blogspot. But I looked at the stockings with IE and they are, indeed, lovely. Thanks for the inspirations! Fringed mittens are on my agenda now.

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  29. Gorgeous mitts, lovely embroidery. I like chain stitch too. So Nadja is a ballet dancer? As someone who devoted many early years to that demanding profession, I wish her every luck - and take care of those leg muscles!

    Do tell about Bitchin' Mittens. I love that name.
    Jo
    celticmemoryyarns.blogspot.com

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  30. Those are wonderful!

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  31. Anonymous20:12

    Beautiful mittens:)

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  32. Anonymous21:23

    Just lovely - these remind me of your grey embroidered gloves, which was one of the first entries that I saw on your blog. I haven't done projects with embroidery or twined knitting, so I have something to aspire to!

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  33. So cute! Now I wish I lived somewhere cold... (it's about 27C today)

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  34. Anonymous23:37

    Wow! I am stunned. These are marvelous!
    Sheila
    P.S. I recently bought two embroidery books after seeing your beautfiul work!

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  35. Lene - these mittens are the most beautiful thing I've seen in a really long time. So perfectly simple and pretty. You did a wonderful job (as always) on the embroidery. Please do tell how to make the fringing on the cuffs like that. I guess it's like half a pompom?

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  36. Anonymous01:21

    Fabulous! I love the flowers!!

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  37. Anonymous04:08

    The mittens are stunning. Just beautiful

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  38. Anonymous05:49

    Lene,
    These are just beautiful! Your craftsmanship is incredible, and these mittens truly are a thing of beauty! The embroidery is a wonderful compliment to your exquisite knitting! Thank you!

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  39. Anonymous06:09

    Those gloves are just amazing-you do fabulous work!!

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  40. I want to be your daughter, please adopt me.

    :-)

    You lovely work always inspires me.

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  41. Anonymous09:54

    Ellen ..I had a blog site that went balck-out nothing cured it so I had to set up another. Anyhow Lene those Mitts are exquisite.

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  42. Anonymous15:33

    Oh! Oh!! Those mittens are beautiful!!

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  43. Fabulous mittens ... you have such a wonderful eye for color and design.

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  44. Wow, these are the most fantastic mittens I have seen yet! I love the embroidery and fluffy fringe cuffs.

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  45. Your mittens are works of art -- really beautiful!

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  46. Anonymous20:11

    If you have time, would you describe how you make the cuffs? They are so gorgeous. I am not experienced enough (YET) to figure out how to do that.

    -Canadian Knitter

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  47. Lene, I love everything you do! The knee socks are so pretty - I like sock knitting and now am inspired to do some of my own (knee socks, that is!) And the mittens are lovely.

    Can you recommend any nice Finnish (or any non-English) shawl patterns? I am participating in a lace swap and my partner has successfully knitted patterns in German, Italian, and Icelandic (I think - is that a language?) even though she doesn't speak those languages! I think she needs a challenge. :)

    Thank you! Keep making beautiful things. :)

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  48. Those are the most exquisite mittens I've ever seen. I'd be afraid to wear them outside.

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  49. Anonymous02:54

    I'm in agreement with everyone else - absolutely beautiful mittens, and the embroidery makes them very special. Fabulous, Lene.

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  50. Anonymous11:32

    Oh, these are so absolutely gorgeous, what a fantastic job you did with them! Great!

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  51. Oh my, those might just be the most beautiful mittens alive! :) The embroidery makes all the difference!

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  52. Anonymous03:26

    This is a first for me, in terms of responding to a blog. However I read yours faithfully. Your work (and way of seeing life) are an inspiration.
    Monte in Taos, NM

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  53. Nice use of two complementary color schemes, beautiful knitting, exquisite embroidery, and the most even fringe I think I have ever seen.

    Are you the kind soul from Finland who has viewed my blog recently?

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  54. Anonymous01:59

    Oh Lene, those are lovely. I've got a soft spot for mittens (must be all that Canadian snow) and those would keep hands warm and happy all winter. They're inspiring me to knit.

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  55. Those are the most adorable mittens I've ever seen!

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  56. Anonymous07:14

    Love your mittens. The cuffs are great and the embroidery is so beautiful and neat. Thanks for your kind comment on my Adam and Eve mitts too.

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  57. Those mittens are fabulous--the hands inside them will be warm with beauth and love.

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  58. beautiful mittens. Your daughter is very lucky to have such a talented mother

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  59. Anonymous03:02

    Your knitting is absolutely beautiful. the Blue C is fantastic, is it your design? Although I live in Florida, USA, I love sweaters. Keep knitting and keep posting.

    Marilyn

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  60. Anonymous14:02

    You should seriously sell the pattern to those mittens... beautiful!

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