Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Stripes in mittens



First of all, thank you for coming by and reading and for those lovely comments.
Earlier in the fall we got a new LYS in town. I visit regularly and some time in September I was wandering in the shop not knowing what to knit. I know the owners and they know me, and the other one pointed me at the direction of a worsted weight yarn saying: "Look at that and make something nice out of it!"  
I took the yarn, she knew I never knit with worsted weight yarn (I prefer thin yarns.) but because I wanted to be nice, I could not say no, and took the yarn in several colors.
When at home, I held the yarn in my hands and it felt clumsy and far too thick. "Make something nice!" kept echoing in my mind and it started to sound as a challenge and so I took it.
After a few false starts and several hours later, I loved the yarn, the woolly quality of it and how strong and tough it felt. I started to put colors together and then could not stop. I made these fingerless mittens in four colorways in the end and finally had to put lid on the urge to keep knitting them in every single possible color combination.
The yarn is HjerteGarn Lima, it is 100% wool and has 100m in 50g.
Last week I was there again. With the same dilemma, what to knit...? Except that I was there standing in front of the Lima shelf and heard a voice behind me saying "Do you suppose you could make mittens with it?"
Oh, I could, couldn't I! With the bag full of yarn in various colors many, many hours later (couple of days really) I had these. Do you suppose I can settle into just one pair?
No, I have another pair already on the needles. These mittens have lining mittens that are made with baby merino for warmth and softness (HjerteGarn Trunte). It is already so cold here that double layer is a must. (And who can resist pom poms?)
I am so glad I found this new yarn - although I did not go for bigger needles than 3mm, I just could not, not yet anyway.

Those of you who are here close by, you can find the yarn and both patterns in Rovaniemi Lankamaailma.

Wool with you,
Lene

PS. I did not use any particular pattern for my granny square blanket. "I wonder how this will look" is the best approach.  But there must be a basic pattern for the square in the internet that one can follow. I used size 2mm hook and thin fingering weight yarn. And thank you for the links, there was beauty awaiting there.

26 comments:

  1. These are wonderful! I may feel the need to shamelessly "flatter" you (as in "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery) very soon - but I will close the tops and the thumbs.

    I love waiting to see what you will do next.

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  2. I'm laughing as I read your post, because I know how much fun it is to make something and then continue to explore the same design using different colors! What nice fingerless gloves-they are on my to do list and I really like how you did the wrist part with the large button. Nicely done! Could you send some of that cold weather here?
    Enjoy your week,
    Judy

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  3. Anonymous18:49

    Love both styles. You are so clever and have such good color sense. I too plan on copying and it is as sincere flattery!

    annie

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  4. Anonymous19:38

    Lovely, absolutely lovely. Your colorwork never ceases to amaze me.

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  5. I think it would be impossible for you to knit something that wasn't' beautiful, honestly. You make something magic happen when you pick up yarn and needles! I love everything you design. I use worsted weight yarn often but don't mind lighter weights. I don't care for bulky weights, though.

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  6. I have decided to make a New Year resolution...Will knit!!!
    You have inspired many such starts but somehow I slip...
    Keep warm and sending hugs form the Pacific NW coast,

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  7. The new mittens are beautiful, as is everything you make. I envy your ability (and time) to design patterns that suit the yarns so perfectly. :-)

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  8. Maureen02:43

    You went above and beyond in "making something nice"! I love the use of four colors in the mitts - and just added pom poms to mittens I made for my granddaughter! Your knitting is flawless...as is your color work! I hope I can squeeze some time to knit these before Christmas (the small list I committed to just keeps growing...it's all good!).
    Thanks so much for sharing - I'm always inspired by your talents!

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  9. You met the challenge brilliantly; you made something nice many times over, and every single one of them is just lovely!

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  10. Anonymous04:23

    Your knitting is wonderful--love the mitts and the mittens (and the pompom is just the right amount of cute!

    Melody

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  11. Leslie05:04

    You have the best sense of color combinations! I am not a fingerless mitt person myself, but seeing yours, I'm really quite tempted.

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  12. As always, your creations are inspiring, and the knitting itself is just beautiful. I particularly love your color combinations.

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  13. Simple,beautiful and so professional.You are really a designer and a knitter.i'm giving you many gold stars.

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  14. Beautiful knitting, as always! Would love both patterns as it's getting colder here.

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  15. oooooh... these are so lovely.

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  16. Anonymous16:18

    I really like the colours you've chosen! And chosen. And chosen.

    ;-)

    I've often wondered about knitting a lining for mittens. My fingers get so very cold here in the Canadian winters.

    How do you do it?

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  17. I so look forward to each posting you do. There is always something wonderful to look at. The fingerless mitts are great as they cover most of the hand leaving just a bit for grip.

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  18. I do the same thing. When I find a great pattern I want to try it in different colors. Though I tend to do this more with beading than knitting.

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  19. Such beautiful mitts. I also want to knit a pair of lined mittens for extra warmth. For now, I knit thrummed mittens, they are toasty warm too.

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  20. Anonymous05:09

    Love your mittens and the pompoms.

    I make felted mittens to keep my hands warm and on really cold days I double up on the mittens. And I wear double hats too :-)
    mk

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  21. Kimi10:05

    So beautiful! Love both (all!) pairs. :)

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  22. Wonderful, as always. You are always such an inspiration. Wish our local LYS did such great yarn and colours, perhaps I'll have to move!

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  23. They are beautiful, and so warm looking.

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  24. Anonymous01:42

    Terrific! - would love the patterns.

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  25. So many beautiful mitts! Gorgeous knitting.

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  26. Anonymous15:49

    LOVE the striped mittens. So cozy looking.

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