Attempt #3,685.....

ok, maybe I exaggerate a tad, but that's what it feels like. BUT, I think I finally have it down and am actually knitting on 3 needles (using the 4th obviously to do the knitting). Good thing I'm stubborn or I'd have given up a long time ago. As my friend said "you must really like those mittens", yes, as a matter of fact I do. I'm hoping to make a scarf & hat to match. I'll use the same pattern for the scarf but not sure about the hat-might just do it in fun blocks or something. I'll see if I actually get the mittens finished FIRST, then I'll think about the scarf and hat.....

Do any of my Halifax or Maritime readers know where I can purchase bamboo needles? I hear they are a dream to knit with and I'd like to try them....if you know, drop me a line!!!

Well THAT was a disaster...

Yeah so I managed to mess the mittens up again....its hard being a lefty....we do everything backwards and all of the instruction books are for right handers-pooooo. Maybe I should come up with a book that is for left handed knitting and crochet? I know I'm not the only lefty out there trying to knit & crochet. If anyone knows of an already existing book please let me know.

Nfld. Mittens

I am sooooo excited!!!! I tried to start my mittens yesterday but had a terrible time. I twisted everything every which way possible and ended up with several knots. So I said 'frig this' and I brought it to work with me today and asked Ea for help. She's such a sweetie, she showed me how to cast on and how to join it all together, so now I'm off and running!!! Here's hoping it turns out well.....

Yes I've changed the look AGAIN....

Well Halloween is over now so I can go back to a semi-normal looking blog. I wish when we're allowed to create different blogs on here, we could also create different signatures like YarnFreak for this blog and Gothic Bettie for my blog full of Angst, ect....maybe they will come up with that in the future....that would be cool!

So, my friend Ea inspired me by making these:





They're called "Newfoundland" Mittens, but I grew up knowing them as Waffle Mittens, At least that's what my Nana called them. Anyways....she did a beautiful job on them (as I've said many times before, she's incredible!) So I decided to try my hand at knitting on 4 needles again. So yes MeegieMoo, I'm at it again!! LOL..
I went and bought yarn for them last night.....see? Aren't they pretty?



(click this Link)
*Red Heart Soft Touch Yarn*

Top:
4608-Wine (think deep red, not maroon)
(L-R)
4420-Guacamole
4422-Tangerine
9518-Teal

So now my problem is deciding what colours to put together, as they can all go with each other!!!
I was going to use a wool to make them, but honestly, I find wool itchy and so I'd be making something I wouldn't wear.

Man, I have so many things I want to make and not enough time to make them. Would you believe I'm still working on that friggin bat dishcloth and its almost DECEMBER!!! Yeah I know, I know....now you know why I changed the title of this blog to "The Wanna-Be Knitter".

*sigh*

Anyway, here is the Pattern

Newfoundland Mittens
Warm Adult sized mittens. A Traditional Design rewritten by CreativeWhimsy

Worsted weight yarn. set of 4 double pointed needles 3mm.

Please note: The needle size is a general guideline for these mitts. The Briggs and Little Heritage was a tight knit with the 3mm needles (almost too tight for knitting but I used the 3mm needles because that is what the original pattern said! 4 or 4.5mm would probably been better!). No matter what yarn you use, use what ever needle is suggested. Just do a swatch and see how many repeats of the 6 stitch pattern is needed to go around the intended wearers’ hand. By the way, the tightly knit mitts relaxed and were a perfect fit and the wind does not blow through them!

Gauge for the sample: 6 stitch repeat came out at 1 inch after relaxing and just, oh so slightly, smaller before.

A - Main Colour - (Briggs and Little Heritage - Black)
B - Second Colour - (Noro Kureyon #154)

With A cast on 42 sts.
Wrist: K1, P1 for 7-10 cms (2 1/2 - 3 1/2 inches)Next Row: Purl
Following Row: Purl, increasing 2 sts on each needle for a total of 48 sts.

Pattern:
Section 1: *K4 with B, Sl 2 purlwise with A*, rep. to end of row.
Rep. this row 4 times, 5 in total.
Purl 2 rows with A.
Section 2: K1 with B, * Sl 2 purlwise with A, K4 with B* rep. to end of row.
Important: Ensure that yarn A is left hanging in the back for this row.
Rep. this row 4 times, 5 in total.
Purl 2 rows with A.

Alternate these two sections to achieve pattern.
Knit the pattern 2 times.**

Thumb: On the last of these sections where you Purl 2 rows: P2, put 7 sts on a stitch holder for thumb. Cast on 7 sts, purl to end. Purl one row.

Knit the pattern 5 or 6 times (or until long enough).

Decrease: With A
Row 1: Knit 1 row.
Row 2: *K4, K2tog.*, rep to end.
Knit 2 rows.
Row 3: *K3, K2tog.*, rep to end.
Knit 2 rows.
Row 4: *K2, K2tog*, rep to end.
Knit 2 rows.
Row 5: *K2tog*, rep to end.

Thread yarn through remaining loops and pull tight. Weave in end inside.

Thumb: With A pick up the 7 sts from holder. Pick up sts to make a total of 12-14 **sts. Knit to fit length of thumb. Decrease: K2tog all around and finish as the hand of mitt.

Sl - Slip stitch, in this pattern slip them as if to purl.
K2tog - knit 2 stitches together.

** For my largish womans’ hands I actually repeated 2.5 of the pattern (5 sections) before the thumb, and had to pick up to a total of 16 sts for the thumb.

Rewritten by CreativeWhimsy http://creativewhimsy.wordpress.com/

© All Rights Reserved 2006 - 2007

I don't have a title...

okay, so I don't have an actual title for this post. Big whoop. If you want a title, tell me what it should be and I'll change it otherwise-deal.


So I've been super lazy lately and haven't done any knitting (I know, the horror of it all) but its not like I've been lollygagging about doing nothing, I do actually do stuff, just not knitting...lately. But on the upside I got my camera fixed!!! YAY!!! So I can start taking pic's of stuff I've made/am making/want to make I'll never have oodles of stuff made like Ea, but hey, I try! She does some wicked stuff, I know coz I watch her do it at work (gimme them damn mittens!!!). I have so many projects on the go I don't know if I'm coming or going. I have the bat dishcloth (yes, I'm still working on it), the teddy bear dress (that I'm making for a cabbage patch doll named Sara) and I want to make this lovely celtic knot scarf for my mum for Christmas. Its official-I can now play Christmas music as we're having our first snow of the year, and when I say snow, I mean snow:


Yep-snow. Its a knitters paradise really.