After much hilarity and camaraderie at the weekly Aloha Knitter’s meeting, I came home too wired to sleep. I tried to work on my second Shifting Sands scarf and I even tried to work on my Here Be Dragons socks that I haven’t even blogged about yet, but neither really captured my attention.
Since the yarn came on Wednesday, the only thing on my brain have been the Pirate hat and mittens. I’ve tried to reason with myself and I do love the Dragon socks. I finally gave in because if I wasn’t going to get any sleep and if I was going to be too stoned from Novocaine from the dentist appointment I have this afternoon then I might as well get some intelligent knitting done now rather then later. Besides, knitting is supposed to be a joy. Not a chore and knitting anything else at this point was becoming a chore.
So I give you my first attempt at Fair Isle with the beginnings of the Pirate Mittens.
It is lovingly placed atop a new bag that has been dubbed the Pirate Bag of Knit that I just purchased thanks to the KnittyBird. I’m using size 3US Inox needles and Knit Picks Telemark wool. This wool is really crisp and seems to hold the stitch definition extremely well, which seems to be what is most desirable in a Fair Isle yarn.
I’m not sure how well this piece is knit as I haven’t really seen any Fair Isle in person, but I’m happy with it. I mean there’s not much there but the floats aren’t dangling overly much in the back. I’m sorry I don’t have a picture of the guts yet. It shall be forthcoming.
I would have gladly gone without sleep last night just to see how the next row would turn out, that’s how much fun I’m having with this and that’s what counts. At the end of it all I also hope to make one young boy in Oregon happy with a pair of his own pirate mitts.
I am worried about the thumbs though. The directions just skim the whole thumb experience. Can anyone direct me to more explicit directions as I have never knitted up a pair of mittens before in my entire knitting career. I would be so grateful! I think all I do is put some scrap yarn to mark the thumb placement then leave them alone to be picked up later. I’m still quite confused though. Help!
wendi on 29 Dec 2006 at 1:59 pm #
Ooooooo! I love the pictures of the other Aloha Knitters! Now I get to see the fortunate few who gather for knitting every thursday. Maybe since my kid is on xmas break i can slip away during the week to go to town to knit…
wendi on 29 Dec 2006 at 2:00 pm #
I forgot to mention that with you guys wearing and knitting sweaters, it looks COLD! Pearl City has been getting jeans and sweatshirty, but not sweatery yet. How’s town? Wondering when I ‘ll get around to making self sweater…
lobstah on 29 Dec 2006 at 6:45 pm #
You are a woman obsessed! Your fair isle looks perfect to me! Sorry I have no suggestions for better thumb directions. The mittens I’ve made have either been from Robin Hansen’s book or the Broadstreet pattern from Knitty, and neither was very good. I have faith that you will figure these out though :)
Sue Johnson on 30 Dec 2006 at 12:19 am #
Opal, it seems everything you attempt to knit just comes out perfect. You are so gifted! I think the mittens look great, and I agree you’ll figure out the thumbs. I just started my first Bea Ellis hat yesterday, doing the lining. My first stranded, too. I agree that it is so much fun!
Sue
Jeanne on 30 Dec 2006 at 4:02 am #
The mittens look great! I love fair isle too - and I always want to knit just one more row to see how the pattern develops. Sorry - can’t help you on the thumbs - I’ve only made one pair of mittens and can’t remember how I did them.
Roseann on 30 Dec 2006 at 2:10 pm #
I think that is called an afterthought thumb. You knit the 9 stitches with scrap yarn and then slide them back onto the left needle and knit them again with your original yarn. Then, when it is time to knit the thumb, you carefully pick out that scrap yarn and put the stitches on 3 needles and maybe pick up an extra one or two to tighten things up as it might be a little loose. You are knitting Fair Isle quite beautifully! Hope the dentist went swimmingly.
Veronica on 30 Dec 2006 at 3:47 pm #
I have a pattern for felted mittens that I’ve made about 4 times. I’ll bring it to the next SNB and we can see if the overall idea is the same, even if the stitch count is different.
kristen on 30 Dec 2006 at 7:45 pm #
Thanks for stopping by my blog! You’re right on the mark about the thumbs; you just increase a couple of times before putting the thumb sts on waste yarn, then rejoin the two sides and continue knitting the rest of the mitten. When you finish, go back and pick up the thumb sts from the waste yarn to do the thumb.