RRRRRiiiipppppp!

Before I get on to today’s topic, there are a couple of loops I need to close.  You see, I recently went back and re-read all my previous posts!

First, last time I talked about my new slippers.  I also mentioned slippers back in March 2010 – should I darn the hole or make new ones?  Well, to clarify, yes, I darned the green ones back then and they made it another nine months.  Last month the time had finally come to make the new ones which I am happily wearing right now.

Next, I’ve shared several photos of gorgeous yarns I’ve bought and I realized I’ve not followed up with things I’ve made.  There’s a reason – most are still safely sitting on the shelf waiting for me to do something with them!  I have gone back to the photo of the yarns I purchased over the holidays and promise I will post updates on everything made from those!

So what about ripping?  Well, coming out of this week’s ice storm, I thought it was finally time to make myself a pair of Bella’s Mittens.  This pattern is based on the mittens the character Bella wore in the Twilight movies (at least that’s what the description says).  I made a pair last fall for the fundraising project at the Geocaching Fall Picnic and I’ve wanted a pair ever since.

I chose the green Saphira yarn I got at the after Christmas sale and dove right in.  After a few rows I decided that a single strand wasn’t going to make a thick enough fabric and ripped it out to begin again.  Much better!  These are really thick and should be very wind-proof.

Breezed through the first mitten.  The only change I made was to go up one needle size for the hand.  When I tried on the other pair I made I thought the hand was just a tad short, my middle finger was right up against the tip of the mitten.  By going up a needle size the stitches became just a pinch bigger and it provided enough wiggle room without having to change the pattern.  In most patterns, I’d just have added a row or two but due to the cabling it would have thrown the pattern off.

Started the second mitten and was rolling right along when I noticed something. Because this is a variegated yarn, the two strands I held together for the first mitten were rarely the same color giving an overall tweedy appearance.  On this mitt the colors were running concurrently so the bottom was very dark and shading lighter as I went up.  I kept going but it was just bugging me.  Well, I finally made the call.  I wasn’t going to be happy with the finished product so 3/4 of the way through, I tore the whole thing out!

Rewound some of the yarn and was much more strategic on how the two strands were held together and begin again.  It’s not that I want the two to be in any way identical but there was just too much difference in shading for my taste.  Just finished them and the look much better!

On the keeping warm front, I’ve made two Gaptastic Cowls.  I mentioned earlier that cowls are hot right now and this pattern was quite easy.  The first one was out of the Saphira in grey I got at the after Christmas sale.  I was originally going to use it for the soles of the new slippers but I missed the word superwash on the label – it won’t felt!  So, I thought I’d substitute it in for this pattern.  Now that I’ve done my mittens in this yarn, I think I had the same problem with the cowl – the yarn’s just a bit too fine, I should have doubled it here, too.  So while I like it, I knew I could do better.  Went out and bought the Wool-Ease Thick & Quick it called for and made another in cream.

The Grey Cowl
And the White one!

Finally, I had one ball of Cashmerino I got on clearance down in Asheville at Yarn Paradise and had no idea what to do with it.  The book Cowl Girls (which was ironically purchased at the same shop) came to the rescue!  The ‘Need for Tweed’ pattern is a three tiered cowl and the top part was made out of just this yarn!  Four repeats of the pattern and I had a super-cute neck warmer that will look great with my office coat.  I find it interesting that I really wouldn’t have looked twice at the complete pattern but this one section suited my needs perfectly!

A Cashmerino Neck Warmer

What’s next?  Bruce wants a pair of fingerless mittens and I found a perfect pattern from the 1940s!  But, that story is for next time . . .