Sunday, September 10, 2006

Actual knitting!

Yesterday was the day! I took out some yarn and needles and actually knit something for the first time in over 2 months...and it felt great!


I made it easy on myself though and picked an interesting but small project and was amazed at how quickly it came together. Here are my Target Wave Mittens from Norah Gaughan's Knitting Nature.


The pattern is sized for children but I was able to make toddler mitts by simply using thinner yarn and smaller needles. I used stash Peruvian Alpaca from elann and knit them up using size 3 needles (3.25mm) instead of the recommended size 8 (5mm) needles. I also altered the number of 'rings' around the thumb so that they would fit Julian better (that's two fewer colour changes for the thumb). Other than that, I didn't have to modify the pattern at all to resize these for toddlers!

Here they are being modelld by my sleepy Jubilee (isn't napping in a sunbeam the best?). They still need a serious blocking but I'm really happy with how they turned out - never mind that I was able to finish them in the time it took to watch Transamerica and Kinky Boots! If you want to give the pattern a go, but don't want to spend the big bucks for the book, pick up a copy of the current Interweave Knits magazine. This pattern is included as a 'preview' ;0)

Have a good week everybody!

PS - thanks for all your kind wishes about my big baby news last week. I had a Doctor's appointment on Friday and all is well. We even got to hear the little one's heat beat. Oh, how I love that sound ;0)

12 comments:

  1. Those mittens are awesome! The pattern for them is also in the Interweave Knits Fall 2006 mag. I plan to knit them for my two.

    I love the sound of a baby's heart beat too. Oh, it's soooo lovely. I am so happy for you ... Do you have any names picked out? Will you find out the gender? I *heart* babies.

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  2. Anonymous10:16 p.m.

    Don't you just love "Knitting Nature"? I haven't knit anything yet, but am happy to see your finished mitts and read your review of the pattern. :)

    Oh, and Kinky Boots and Transamerica? I loved both movies and have a copy of each now. LOVE LOVE LOVE.

    Baby Jubilee is getting so big!

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  3. Anonymous6:43 a.m.

    i am mildly obsessed with those mittens. i have both the copy of IK with the pattern and i was given the actual book for my birthday. yours look fantastic!

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  4. Anonymous9:40 a.m.

    Those are indeed very cute! (Julian looks sweet as ever)

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  5. Mittens are the best! Good job figuring out how to make them fit Julian. And congratulations on the new one on the way! How exciting!

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  6. The mittens are great!

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  7. The mittens are so cute and so is baby Julian sleeping in the sunshine. I cant wait to see all the new babies you knitbloggers are having. I just read about Alison from The Blue Blog yesterday. How exciting for you all.

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  8. I have been debating on whether or not to make a pair of these mittens (because they look difficult...since you said it was pretty easy, then I might have a go). I could use them to count for my October mittens for my Knittin' Mittens KAL! (If you'd like to join, the link is http://knittinmittens.blogspot.com and just send me an email to let me know if you'd like to join. We've even got prizes. All knitters are welcome to join.

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  9. Oh happyhappy news!!!! Congratulations!!! And hearing that heartbeat-has to be on my list of top favourite sounds. All the best-

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  10. Anny ... are you there? How am I supposed to live vicariously through you if you don't post!?!!? Eeeeeep! Seriously though, I hope all is well. :)

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  11. I love your tiny version of the mittens. Guess I'm going to have to make a fourth pair...

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  12. lovely mittens. did you have any trouble with the pattern? I am up to 'shape fingertip target' and think that it should say RS, not WS.

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