I’ve been a member for many many years and have loved attending class at this one day event.
This year I’m taking a full day class on Saami Mittens. I love knitting mittens and I’m looking forward to adding a new style to my collection. Every year for I try to knit myself a new pair of mittens – this year I’ll be starting them in April!
I just finished these beauties and even though we haven’t had 70 degree weather for 9 months I want it to be cold again right now so I can wear these mittens. These are knit in Harrisville Highland Light Shetland, which I found to be the perfect weight for Twined Knitting.
Twined mitts made for me
I can’t remember how I was introduced to twined knitting but I think it is gorgeous. The technique requires knitting with two strands of yarn and wrapping every stitch. The band around the cuff is done in knit and purl stitches with the yarn being carried across the outside of the knitting. These mitts are super warm, flexible and fit like a glove:)
I love to knit mittens and hats from the top down! Starting at the top provides me the opportunity to keep trying it on as I go. . . and my projects always turn out the right length.
Here is a video of a really nice cast on that I have started using to get a sweet flower at the top of my hats and mittens.
I used this method for this hat –
I’m a big fan of fulling and felting too. These mitts are knit using two strands of Galway wool and US 17 circular needles, then fulled to fit.
I’m working on a pattern that explains how I knit mittens from the top down. . it will include directions for this fulled mitten, which by the way is super warm and great to wear in MN winters while waiting for the bus! This could also be used as an oven mitt.
I have been having fun with a new knitting pattern I’m developing. I’m not going to say that I’m the only one who has thought of it, but I haven’t seen it before. The concept is very simple:
using two different colors of yarn, knit one row on a circular needle. Then slide the stitches back to the other side/end of the needle, and purl with the other color. Repeat these two rows. The result is a very fun ribbon like fabric.
One of the projects I knit with this technique is a pair of fingerless mitts:
fingerless mitts
And the good news is!!! I will be teaching a class at Shepherd’s Harvest and we will be knitting these mitts.
I love Shepherd’s Harvest! It is such a good way to start the summer. . . lots of vendors selling yarn, roving, and finished items are available too. Lots of animals to pet and food to eat. I’ sharing a booth with Gale Woods and will be selling my original patterns. I’ll have lots of samples there too. I’m hoping to have a shawl pattern in this style of knitting too. My mom is test knitting the pattern for me. Hope to see you there! Look for me in the middle of Barn C.
WooHoo!
You can now purchase my patterns on line at Patternfish.com. I have my Noteworthy Fingerless mitts pattern up and ready to buy. I’m adding all my available patterns as I have time to do so.
Patternfish is a really cool site. It has over 4000 patterns for sale and more are added every day. You can find your favorite knitting designers there.
I look at their home page everyday because the new patterns show up and I like to see what folks are doing.
A lovely guitar playing friend of mine ordered a pair of my mitts. . . I’ve made quite a few pair of these and always in wool. However, my friend is allergic to wool. So I just jumped in and decided to knit them in cotton. I knit these fingerless mitts in Comfy Sport from Knit Picks – colors are Cypress and October.
I wasn’t sure how they would work up in cotton and I must say they are really soft and worked up quickly. Cotton sure doesn’t have the memory of cotton though. . . I’m afraid the ribbed cuffs might splay out on her. I did wash and dry these once and the blocked out nicely.
Well, I must say I LOVE how this knittin looks. I even got used to spinning the ball of yarn to untwist it.
For my recent birthday my family gave me the book “twined Knitting, a Swedish Folkcrafrt Technique”. It was too expensive for my blood but I love this book. Now I have to return the copy I was using to the Textile Center Library.
A friend commissioned these mittens to match a new coat.
The mitts were knit in black, Gems Merino DK weight yarn. For some reason my camera didn’t work very well. I’ll need to get better photos!!
Twined knitt mittens
The beads on the cuff were knit in as I went. Notice how I did the thumb gusset. I wanted these to be a one of a kind!
Black twine knit mittens
Here they are after I crocheted beads onto the back of the mitts. The coat these were made to match is red with half circle designs in black. I think the mitts match very well. Now I just need to figure out what is wrong with my cameral!
The yarn is from Dream In Color in color Strange Harvest. I purchased the yarn a few weeks ago at Needleworks Unlimited in South Minneapolis. I might add it was a harrowing experience. . . not in the yarn store, that was heavenly, walking around looking at, feeling, and smelling yarn. . . but when I left.
I drive a big old van that has absolutely traction. Also, I’ve taken the seats out to give me room for hauling stuff, which makes the van weight lighter than normal. Can you tell where this is going? I got stuck. It was a warmer day. . . about 10 degress F. . . and there were “lovely” ruts on the parking side of the road. I could not move. I tried rocking back and forth and still I had no forward momentum. The tires spun and spun. They finally hit pavement, but that only meant the tires were buried in 6 inches of muck and ice. I was late for a lunch date and not sure what to do. Luckily, two painters came out of a near by restaurant, (I could tell they were painters by their clothes). Aha, strong men.
They were kind enough to give me a push, but they got a snowy, mushy, shower. Many many thanks to them for their good deed for the day!
Anyway, here is a picture of Ellen in her mitts. . . and an appropriate pose for these mitts!
