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!
