Progress

Well, I haven't completely fallen off the planet. I have been subjected to the earth's spinning of late. (Another week of off-and-on-again dizziness, nausea, etc.)

I have, however, managed to make a bit of progress on the knitting front. Here's the first of the Heart Mitts I designed myself completed.






I must say I've learned a bit about shaping and patterns in the decrease area at the top. This pattern cuts it precariously close. I'm working on another pattern based on Frank Lloyd Wright's designs which I will have to rethink the top area in the decrease section. In the mean time I have cast on Heart Mitt #2 so that I'll have a feasible pair to give at Christmas.

I've also cast on a lovely little piece of lace work which will be a gift as well. This is only my second piece of actual lace work. (The first was the shawl I made which resides with my grandmother.)(Why do I keep giving these pieces away?!?) Here's a sneak peak of the work in progress (obviously not blocked yet...)



I'm using fingering weight yarn with the colorway "Tidepool Heather" and US #9 needles. Guage isn't critical for this project. I think I'm going to like the end result.

It's been a busy week for me with work projects and the magazine deadline looming large. Also another big advertising project is coming in, so I need to schedule lots of interviews for next week. All in all, it's good to stay busy.

Here's hoping everyone has a good weekend!

Happy Knitting!

From Chart to Mittens

I started in on the mittens I made the chart for. This is what they look like in red and white:



This is the first pair I've done working a different palm pattern than what is on the back of the hand. I really like it!



The blue line in there is where I will put in the thumb once the hand is finished.

We'll see how frustrated I get trying to find the pattern which will make the decreases at the top look ok.

On a completely different note, my recognizance team at the state fair over the weekend reported in Saturday afternoon. Two of my four projects sent in had ribbons attached to them!!! Yeah!! The mittens had a 3rd place ribbon and the entrelac tote which is felted had a 4th place. I'm so happy to have won two ribbons!! I'm the teeniest tad bit disappointed that I didn't do as well, place-wise, as my 2nd Place ribbon of last year......but that minute shadow of dissapointment is quickly overcome by the sheer happiness of receiving two ribbons! (I really only had hopes that the mittens would get a ribbon of some kind....so the other is icing on the cake!!)

My First Chart

I printed off some knitter's graph paper and have been playing around with some charting for a mitten pattern of my own design.

This will be the back of the hand:



I plan to do the palm in alternating vertical rows of color. Right now I can't decide if I want to do black mittens with the pattern in red . . .

OR

red mittens with the pattern in white......

What do you think??

Here's the pattern for the wrist area:



I will likely use the Latvian 2-color cast on and do a fringed edge with a braided band above it before beginning the wrist pattern. If I don't think the wrist is long enough, I can add another braid before starting the main heart pattern.

Not sure who the receipient will be. It will be fun to see how it looks knit up. I may find I have to adjust the chart. We'll see. It's kind of cool though!