warm hands, warm heart

Actually, warm everything right now. Is it fall yet?

Anyway, I have come to the conclusion that I am quite suggestible when it comes to podcasts. They've gotten me to sign up for Ravelry, buy books, even write poetry. Honestly, if a podcast told me to go jump off a bridge, I'd probably do it.

The most recent incident involves Kelly Petkun, of the Knitpicks podcast, a most devious repeat offender if ever there was one. A couple of shows ago, she was talking about mittens. She said they were great for stashbusting, as they don't use much yarn (which I already knew). She mentioned they are fun like socks but simpler and quicker than socks (which I also already knew). She suggested they make very good gifts (again, something I already knew). In short, she told me a whole bunch of things I knew already, and my reaction was OMG, everybody's getting mittens for Christmas this year!!!

I had a pair cast on within a half hour, and finished the next day.

Target Wave Mittens, from Knitting Nature. So cute! The yarn is miscellaneous stash that I had previously used to experiment with overdyeing. I meant for them to be for Baby Sister, but they practically fit me. No problem; they can go to Jess' daughter. It looked like I had enough left afterward for a second pair, so I went down a couple of needle sizes and tried again.

Ran out of the green. Damn near ran out of the pink too, but that's what stashbusting is about, right? Anyway, they fit Baby Sister nicely.

The pair I'm working on now are EZ's Mitered Mittens, from the Knitter's Almanac. I'm using some yarn I spun last fall. The yarn is a bit overplied and a little stiff, but it makes a good sturdy fabric for mittens.

The picture is of a first attempt that I frogged because they were just too tight. Still, I wanted to show you the lovely way the colors blend in the handspun. Mmmm.

I think this mittens-for-Christmas idea will prove to be a good one, however ridiculous the way I came to it is. I've got so many more options: Bird in Hand, thrummed mittens, Norwegian mittens, not to mention the interesting cables or stitch patterns I can put on the backs of a basic mitten pattern.

At least I won't get bored!