manly-man man mittens

After the mittens I made for Lauren J, I was on a bit of a post-mitten adrenaline kick. A friend of mine in Vancouver asked that I make him mittens as well, and after not seeing any patterns for fliptops I liked, I adapted Ysolda Teague's Snapdragon pattern for man hands. Obviously, olive green alpaca and dope steampunk buttons were called for.

These pattern notes are not great: I wrote them down haphazardly as I knit. If you're having trouble, feel free to send a note my way!

Man Cubed Mittens

Needs

5 US size 6 dpns

Berrocco Ultra Alpaca Yarn, one skein (or any worsted yarn of your choice)

Tapestry Needle

Waste yarn.

Two buttons.

Stitch Markers (if desired)

Mitt (make 2)

CO 44 sts (I do the one handed cast-on over two needles to make it nice and stretchy!), join in a round.

K2, P2 for 20 rows.

K another 16 rows(ish, for the length of the thumb to the wrist)

Next row, m1, k to end.

Next row, k even.

Next row, m1, k1, m1, k to end.

Next row, k even.

Rep last two rows, making 1 at the beginning and end of the newly made stitches (stitch marker might help with this) and then knitting even, until you have 11 new stitches.

Transfer these stitches to waste yarn, CO 2 sts, and then continue knitting.

K 3 rows, and do a double-decrease of your choice to lose the two extra stitches that you cast on. You should be back to 44 stitches.

K 4 more rows.

K2, P2 for 8 rows, then bind off in rib.

Topper

From the two CO stitches you made after holding the thumb stitches with waste yarn, count 20 sts across.

For right mitten, insert tapestry needle threaded with yarn before the first CO st and pull through to the inside.

For left mitten, insert tapestry needle threaded with yarn after the 20th st and pull through to the inside.

For both mittens, using the point of a dpn, insert from the front to the back in the centre of the rightmost st, catch the yarn around the needle, and pull to the front. (This will take a couple of tries, but makes the topper's join practically invisible when worn over the fingers).

After joining the 20 sts in this manner, CO 24 more sts (you might have to do this purlwise, backwards, but it will turn out the same.)

K2, p2 rib the "hanging" stitches, and k across the "attached" stitches, for 7 rows.

K 11 rows.

Rearrange stitches across four needles so that they all have the same number of sts, if not like this already. You should be starting at the rightmost side of the joined edge of the topper.

SSK, knit to last two stitches of needle 2, K2tog. SSK, knit to last two stitches of needle 4, K2tog.

Knit next row even.

Repeat last two rows until 24 sts remain, then decrease every row.

When 4 sts remain, cut yarn, thread through four live sts, and pull tight.

Pick up three sts near the top, complete a 16 row icord, and kitchener stitch it together on the other side.

Thumb

Put held thumb sts back on needles, and pick up three more (the two cast on sts, plus another.)

Knit around, decreasing twice. 12 sts remain.

Knit 16 rows or until thumb is as long as your own thumb.

K2tog around, 6 sts.

K2tog again, 3 sts.

Cut yarn and thread through three live sts, pull tight.

Sew buttons where your icord loop hits the wrist, and enjoy!

NOTE: I would like to extend my thanks to Sarah Stanfield at Ysolda Teague, who kindly looked over this adaptation and sanctioned its posting on this blog.

LJ's christmas mittens

When I first moved to Vancouver, one of my closest friends, and nameshare, Lauren, followed soon after for a visit. We did a bunch of touristy things together and really had a blast. Here's a picture of us in Whistler-Blackcomb, in an inukshuk.

When I drew her name for Secret Santa, I knew she deserved nothing short of handmade beauty, and sought to make Ysolda Teague's Snapdragon Fliptops. She, like me, loves purple, so I picked up a beautiful plum colour from Berocco's Ultra Alpaca.

My favourite part, though - even more than the gorgeous pattern and colour? The buttons, which I picked up from a button-only store in Gastown; the aptly named Button Button.

It was not easy giving these babies away, but no one deserved them more.*

*I know this sounds like a very roundabout way of saying that I gifted mittens to myself. I assure you, reader, that my friend's name is also Lauren. I also assure you that this has stemmed multiple in-jokes that perhaps only we find funny, especially the notorious, "Hello Lauren J, it's Lauren P calling" answering machine message. It doesn't look so funny written down. I suppose you just have to be there.

Obligatory jumping photo.

fish in a pond

With one brief, glorious reprieve in the form of my Noro chevron mittens, these socks took nearly all of my first semester's knitting time in Vancouver.

Cookie A's Pomatomus pattern is lovely and unique and interesting, but Jesus. Twisted rib all through on teeny tiny needles was like ripping teeth out. Now that they're finished, however, I like 'em! I think I have some form of PTSD, where I can't remember how frustrating it is to knit an inch every hour-twohours of work. The end result, these little waves in the beautiful Misti alpaca, was worth it (I guess).

To ease my post-sock pain, I made this little pinch pouch - the pattern is super-easy, quick, and now I won't lose my earrings!

le calze scale mobile

...AKA escalator socks.

Those socks, those frigging socks that I have been promising photos of forever - they're done. I can't wait to give them to my nonno! I used Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine in this gorgeous navy with hot fuchsia fibres wound in (I hope Nonno doesn't notice - but I think it will make him discreetly super-hip). I also love how squishy and stretchy the pattern is.

Check out that texture!

Also, I thought I'd leave you all with an update on one of my gifted crafts. My "haters gonna hate" pillow, which has become a conversation piece over at my recipients' apartment, has finally served its purpose. Check out their dinner guest, passed out, at 10pm.

Judge him if you must. But, as the pillow says...

creativ-ly yours

Last weekend my friend Nathalie and myself made our second annual trip to the MetroCon to the Creativ Festival, which only pops up in my head as "knitting fair" and thus sounds much lamer to the average person than intended. That said, the place is rife with septigenarians and the general besweatshirted.

We still always have a great time, often to the chagrin of the elderly around us. While they debated the pros and cons of Pfaff (a real brand of sewing machine, though we've reclaimed the word as an obscenity, as in "Let's get some pfaffing lunch"), we took pictures with the taxidermied animals - and one live alpaca, Ollie - that were stationed around the place.

There I am with a Muskox, whose Qiuvit wool is actually ridiculously soft and insulating. The price for one ball, which could maybe make one sock, was $79.50. I sadly passed.

Nathalie with Ollie the alpaca. Last year we couldn't pet him, but he was in a much better mood this time around.

Us with a wolf - you can see the nose.

As usual, I spent way more than I should have on things that I thought I would have around for a long time before usig them. This, however, wasn't as true as I thought. I bought two balls of cheap red wool to knit up a Mario hat for a friend's Hallowe'en costume, and it was gone before I could take a photo of it (imagine yarn, that's red).

The rest I can't wait to get started on!

Last year I bought some fat quarters from a great little fabric vendor, mad about patchwork. I actively sought them out again this year, and was not disappointed. I love the mustard with the trees!!

I've been dying to try sashiko embroidery ever since I saw this post on the purl bee, but haven't been able to find the materials anyplace. A little sewing notions vendor with a huge lineup had a great deal on sashiko floss, and they stocked the needles as well. Still trying to decide what to do with it, but I love the colours they had.

Last but not least, some sock yarn, which I balled without thinking. The brand is "MissBabs Handdyed yarns and fibres" from Tennessee - it's 2-ply 100% merino and I think it'll make up some mighty lovely Christmas socks for my Nonna.