Knit-picky

I have to re-revise that thing I said about finishing four things before starting a pair of Vinterblomster mitts -- I've already started. Twice.


Wait, I'm going to back up a bit. I got excited about these mittens not only because they're just really sweet-looking, but also because I could use the red and grey Scheepjes Invicta Extra that was too thin for the Double Thick Mittens. For the third colour, I'm using yet more of the neverending blue Sisu previously seen in my Blue Herrings and Charades. There's not a huge amount of contrast between the red and grey, but I like the combo.

OK, so first I cast on with grey and started knitting away; I'd printed out the instructions but not the photos, so I hadn't thought to make the cuff in red. Oops. I got through Chart 1 and Chart 2, and was starting on Chart 3, when I really looked at what I'd knit so far, and I had to admit I wasn't happy. Not only was the cuff the wrong colour, but it was too big and loose -- the cuff and the stranded areas were knit on the same (2.50mm) needles, but gauge is automatically tighter in stranded areas, so the cuff flared. Also, several rows have only one colour, and I'd gone ahead and knit those rows as a single thickness; in these areas, the gauge was larger and the fabric was half as thick, and that was bugging me. Even though I'd already knit so much, I knew that the real waste of time was not going to be in ripping back and restarting, but in carrying on and knitting a pair of mittens I wasn't happy with. So rip I did.

I decided to change the garter cuff to a stockinette hem on smaller needles. Less flare and more flair, in my opinion. Also, for the rows that have only one colour, I carried the other colour along behind the work in order to keep the double thickness throughout. Much better! I don't consider myself to be a knitting perfectionist, but sometimes I'd rather rip than settle.


In other knitting news, have you looked at the new Knitty? I've already queued Lace Ribbon, Laminaria, and Salto. Oh, and in case you're wondering how I'm getting so much knitting done, I'm getting my reading done, too. Whether because of stress or something else, I hardly ever sleep anymore. And whaddya know -- when you don't sleep, you can read and knit. Funny, that.