Friday, January 29, 2010

EZ'z Mitered Mittens: going around

I admit to being a bit shocked when I discovered that SouleMama has also just completed the very mittens I finished this week. I felt a little like my story had been scooped! That's silly, I know, I guess it's a case of great crafty mama minds thinking alike. Won't it be fun to know that two Maine blogger Mamas are sporting such stylish mittens!

So I did make these mittens, in this gorgeous strawberry-lime colorway by Crystal Palace yarns. The photos make the hot pink/red parts get a little crazy bright, they are not quite so eye-popping in person.

The pattern is Elizabeth Zimmerman's Mitered Mittens from The Knitter's Almanac, and I made some modifications, including a thumb gusset (unlike SouleMama, who went for the afterthought thumb). Also had to modify because I never ever can manage to make a pattern in exactly the same yarn weight, or gauge, as the intended. This seems quite in the knitting spirit of EZ, use those proportions and love math! These are nice and dense, so no whistling wind will get me, and speaking of wind---I am also NOT A FAN of mittens/gloves with short cuffs. So these cuffs are long, just how I like 'em. (I tell my children: If I can see your neck/wrists/ankles so can The Wind!) My modifications are on Ravelry.
They were pretty easy. And really colorful additions to the bleak midwinter landscape.

Since I have been down with strep throat this week (oh. the worst pain. up there with natural childbirth, I kid you not!) I have been working on a new sweater for myself, and funnily enough perhaps as a bookend to the start of this post, I first saw it on SouleMama's blog! I will have some pics soon, it's in a dark indigo/French Navy sort of color. I will knit it with sleeves, as Amanda did, and I am modifying the size (the original pattern is for a 34" bust, 6' tall woman...huh). So far, so good. Knitting has been something I can do to keep my mind off the pain (which is now finally subsiding).

3 comments:

  1. Oh, this post reminds me I bought some wool up in Greenville back in the fall that I meant to knit up and felt for winter. Rather plain color and pattern...a muted mustard tone with a plain stripe of cocoa at the cuff. But now I'm craving color like yours are! -Lili

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  2. Hey Iris:

    I will tell you the same thing I told Amanda: don't you want to knit one of those shalom sweaters for me???

    I'm sorry to hear about the strep.

    That is the last thing anybody needs.

    Have a cup of tea and some toast on me!

    XO,

    Rhea

    PS Thanks for making me feel better about forgetting your buttons!

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  3. Oh, strep throat is so painful! I hope you are on your way to feeling better. I wish I could bring over some of our homemade soup to you. You have been so busy making things and going to school! The mittens are lovely as can be. I love the way the stripes look when you do them mitered like that. The yarn is gorgeous. I am the same way, have to have long cuffs too. That is one of the beautiful things about making your own gear, you get it just how you want.

    Thank you so much for your wonderful family letter full of news, pictures and things to make me smile and think.
    ~Hugs from Emily

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