Woolies by Request

 When Christmas lists were being created, Lucy asked for some custom Tricolour mittens. I wrote about that HERE, and choosing the Topsy Farm yarn. I finally got started on the mittens just after New Year's. I used the schematic and math from Ann Budd's "The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns".  This is a great book! It's even better if you actually do a gauge swatch LOL. The cuff went fine, but as often happens, I had gotten almost all my thumb gusset stitches increased, but still needed more height to the gusset.  Instead of 3 plain rows, I did 4 or 5 and then the next increase. 

I almost always knit my mittens two at a time on one circular needle, for the very reason that if I need to alter the pattern, I don't have to try to remember what I did for the second, or look for something to scribble on and then try to interpret my scribbles for the second mitten. 

At the thumb gusset, to continue the body, I cast on about 3 or 4 stitches. Then I decrease these out over the next few rows. This just gives a bit more ease to the gusset. 

I ended up knitting the top decreases a couple times before I got the length right. Maybe I should have just done some math LOL. 

I also knit the thumb maybe....three times? I just couldn't get it to look good. I had increased a lot of stitches in the gusset but the thumb didn't need that many. Decreasing them out make the thumb look wonky. When I start the thumbs, I pick up extra stitches from where I had cast on for the main part of the hand. Those also needed to get eliminated.

I soaked them in the sink with some Soak. I think I might have put them in the dryer for just a little bit to get out some moisture. The Topsy Yarn does soften up with washing, but these are definitely not merino. They're hardwearing, rugged, see you through a Kingston winter, mittens. This also happened this past week:

Would have been cool if she was a '23 but we've got a '22 there now (in another program...who seems to be on a 5 year plan...).

My kitchen scale seems to be malfunctioning, so 80gr is the best answer I have for the weight. Which means I have enough left for two more pairs of mittens if I do other colours as the dominate colours.  That means $9 for a pair of handknit wool mittens. Pretty awesome. I think if I do another pair (I wish her birthday wasn't in November, but actually, that gives me some time), I'll make them double layered, and use a softer wool on the inside. Such a spoiled girl, she is. But at the same time, it warms my heart to know that she values wool mittens, and that she wanted ME to make them.

Yarn In:  0gr

Yarn Out: 83gr + 517gr =600gr 

Balance:  600gr more OUT than in

Cost:  $0, $0/day

I rounded up to 83gr because I had some small bits left after reknitting the cuffs because the stripes were too thick. And, it's my blog, so I can do that. And 600gr out looks better than 597gr.