Posted under Fair Isle & Gifts and Charity
The very same day I was finished with the pink and black gloves (I really need a better name for them,) I cast on for a new pair of gloves. Of course they’re from Selbuvotter. I’m not sure who these gloves will end up going to, but I do have a quite a long list of family and friends that are in need of warm hands on the mainland.
What makes the current gloves different is that I decided to use three colors instead of the two used in the book. Why did I decide to do that? Well, it’s all Lisa’s fault.
She asked me if there were any patterns in the book that called for three colors. When I said no, she and I noticed that it would be fun (ha!) to add in a third color to the patterns. The idea wouldn’t leave me alone, so I decided to give it a try.
Once that decision was made, I consulted Shelly, my co-conspirator in all things bordering on the insane, on whether or not I had the technique right in my head. Turns out I did have it right, so it was time to knit akamai!
(Basically you just weave in the third color when ever you’re not using it. See this site for a good how-to. It might not work for Firefox users. Break out the evil IE.)
So I plunged right in with the two contrasting colors in my right hand or my non-dominant hand and the main color in my left hand or my dominant hand.
I cannot tell you how tedious it was to maneuver three different strands of yarn while trying to keep an even tension. Since I’m left-handed, my right-hand rarely gets a work-out, so I pretty much killed it while working on this glove.
There was much cursing involved, but I knit through the pain despite the warnings given dictated by common sense. All the while, I worried that this third color would look completely incongruous and that it would break up the symmetry of the pattern or some such notice. In other words, I was afraid that it would turn out ass ugly.
I’m still undecided as to how it looks, but I think that might be because of the pastel colors. I’m just not a fan of the pastel and it generally biases my opinion. So I’m withholding judgment until the fingers are done.
I’ve heard that Latvian knitters sometimes use four or five colors on one row? If that’s true, I would bow down to their supreme knitty talents and I would also like them to teach me how to do it without breaking my hand.
Lisa on 14 Dec 2007 at 2:14 pm #
Who me? I didn’t do anything.
I love them! You picked the best colors! Totally cute!
Jon on 14 Dec 2007 at 2:54 pm #
very pretty
Debi on 14 Dec 2007 at 3:09 pm #
I love the “added” color…it makes the gloves extra cute!
Hattie on 14 Dec 2007 at 3:28 pm #
OMG I LOVE IT! Those are going to be SO gorgeous!!! Seriously, that is genius. You are evil though…now I want that book. Stop showing me patterns from it! Haha, j/k.
Agnes on 14 Dec 2007 at 3:47 pm #
It’s interesting … I tried knitting gloves but am not really interested. This may be because I am basically a very practical person and things I don’t find useful, I lose interest. I seldom have the real need to wear gloves here. But I am going to make a pair of fingerless mitts.
Dee on 14 Dec 2007 at 3:53 pm #
The glove is certainly NOT ass-ugly! It’s gorgeous! I love the colors.
Robin in VA on 14 Dec 2007 at 4:28 pm #
BEAUTIFUL!! I love the color combo!
Peggy on 14 Dec 2007 at 4:42 pm #
They are absolutely lovely! I think the next ones should be 5 colors!! You can do it!
debbie on 14 Dec 2007 at 5:09 pm #
i love the colors you chose and i can hardly wait to see one completed with fingers! thanks for helping me understand the instructions last night for my fetching mitts - i just completely drew a blank…..
Shelly on 14 Dec 2007 at 6:37 pm #
Humm am I a bad enabler??? I think they are turning out very nice - Can’t wait to see the next color combo you come up with!
Jane on 14 Dec 2007 at 8:53 pm #
You color knitting on the gloves looks terrific! I could easily see you using 5 colors at one time. I like the pastels. It makes for a nice change of pace :-)
Ebony on 14 Dec 2007 at 10:00 pm #
They’re gorgeous. You’re doing a great job and make me consider adding a third color, when I’m brave enough.
I just got Latvian Mittens in the mail yesterday, and I’m still trying to figure out if I’m willing to give them a shot yet. I’ll work on my Endpaper Mitts and think about it.
Roseann on 14 Dec 2007 at 11:58 pm #
It’s beautiful!!! I love the third color and will now look at mittens differently now. I’m amazed at how much you completed so quickly. Knitting a few cotton dishcloths might help get your right hand adjusted to knitting. When I switched to continental knitting, everyone got a dishcloth as it helped me to get used to knitting differently. I can’t wait to see more of your glove!
fleegle on 15 Dec 2007 at 12:12 am #
It’s beautiful! I have made several sweaters with 3 colors, and it is beyond tedious…but the results are worth it.
Yarnlot on 15 Dec 2007 at 1:15 am #
Lovely colour combination, the third colour often adds life to it when well chosen…
Patricia on 15 Dec 2007 at 1:58 am #
lovely hand apparel for such a warm climate. i have a few fair isle sock patterns to try. they’ve been on the back burner far too long. thanks for the inspiration.
hetty on 15 Dec 2007 at 3:04 am #
OMG! Those are going to be gorgeous! Love the three colours. They just sort of ‘pop’!
margene on 15 Dec 2007 at 3:33 am #
I think they’re beautiful!!!
Jeanne (the other one) on 15 Dec 2007 at 3:44 am #
Very pretty! I love how the green just pops!
Robbyn on 15 Dec 2007 at 4:33 am #
It really is pretty. Pastels or no, the colors go together well and the design looks bright and sophisticated - your poor hands not withstanding :)
I think two colors at a time is going to be my absolute limit. I have neither your skill nor your dedication.
Jenny on 15 Dec 2007 at 5:07 am #
I think they are really pretty.
Cookie on 15 Dec 2007 at 7:21 am #
I think you’re doing a great job.
Jeanne on 15 Dec 2007 at 8:13 am #
I think they are turning out beautifully! We have a large Latvian community here that has shared the secret with some of my friends. They do produce some amazing stuff. There is a rather nice book on the subject if you don’t want to hunt down any actual Latvians. It’s called Latvian Mittens by Lizabeth Upitis.
chris on 15 Dec 2007 at 8:59 am #
Gosh, they are just beautiful!
Carrie K on 15 Dec 2007 at 10:02 am #
They look fabulous! That 3rd color really makes them pop. I’m not a huge fan of pastels either, but I do love how the glove looks. The colors work really well with one another.
Bethany on 15 Dec 2007 at 7:42 pm #
Oooh, that’s so pretty. I like the color combination — three is a good number.
Aim on 15 Dec 2007 at 9:12 pm #
Oh, Opal, those mittens are L.O.V.E.L.Y. I am completely and totally in love with them! How gorgeous those colors are together. Wow.
You are inspiring me again to knit something different. I just got my copy of selbustrikk and am having trouble concentrating on my remaining Christmas knitting! I am fair to bursting with ideas and WISTs, and you’re making it worse!!! Well, that’s why I love to visit you :o)
P.S. I tag you for the music meme! ;0)
Silver Ilix on 15 Dec 2007 at 11:15 pm #
Looks like alot of people have chimed in about your colour choices! I wanted to put up my two cents, they look great together. They have the same tone, on is not brighter than the other and that is why I think it works so well! Whomever you give these to is very lucky!
Ühltje on 16 Dec 2007 at 1:06 am #
I totally lurve your colours.
Kelley on 16 Dec 2007 at 9:34 am #
Wow! You’re brave! I like the way it turned out, and I’m not usually a pastel person, either! The green gives it a nice kick, I think, and really makes the pattern stand out.
Thanks for stopping by my blog earlier!
Kim on 16 Dec 2007 at 11:13 am #
That is so beautiful! I LOVE pink, and mixed with the cream and the bits o’ green, well…it’s worth the pain, just to watch it unfold, maybe? Oh, so gorgeous. I hope to see it in person on Thursday night.
Meredith on 16 Dec 2007 at 11:34 am #
It’s beautiful, Opal. Just lovely!
mer
limedragon :-: Harriet on 17 Dec 2007 at 3:11 am #
Heh, I saw this on Ravelry before coming here and loved it! I think it will look great when done, and the green accents are just enough to contrast the pastels and also add some visual interest.
Now, don’t overdo it!! Pain is no good.
textillian on 17 Dec 2007 at 8:01 am #
As you know, I am not one for pastels either; but I do think this color combination looks great.
You are a better person than I for trying this. (I was initially thinking of putting “better woman than I’ but thought better of it for obvious reasons….)
tiennie on 17 Dec 2007 at 7:42 pm #
What pretty pretty colors and mitts! But if you don’t like it, I’m sure someone else might.
Dipsy on 18 Dec 2007 at 11:03 pm #
I’m totally impressed here, really! The added color makes it all the more special, and the colors themselves go along so beautifully together! You never fail to impress me, that’s for sure - this is some stunningly gorgeous work!