Done: Trellis Mitts

I finished knitting the second (left) Trellis Mitts last night.

Technically I still have to weave in the ends, but it's done enough for me. Especially considering I'll be weaving in the ends when I finish this post.

Not much to say about it since I wrote all those other posts in mid-April about making them bigger or into gloves or into socks.

I will be happy to have another pair of fingerless mitts to wear. You can almost never have enough pairs. You never know what color you will be in the mood for on any given day.

One amusing thing...according to my Ravelry project page I started them on May 16, 2010. So they took me almost a year. haha. Of course they didn't because I wasn't actively knitting them all that time.

Still, it's interesting to see how pauses and stops influence how quickly you finish a project. I'm sure if I'd worked straight through I would have finished in two weeks.

Oh, my finished pair took about half the skein of Ella Rae Lace Merino. I'm looking at the rest of the skein trying to decide what to do.

I wonder if I can figure out a crochet version?

KFI: Trellis Mitts KAL—The Pattern!

Knitters! Start your needles!

I have posted the pattern to Ravelry. You don't have to be a member to access it. Download Now.

It is a 5 page PDF with one picture. The charts are on page 5.

Sizing
I made the mitt to fit my 7" circumference hand, but it will stretch to comfortably fit a 8" circumference hand.

I suggest you make it with zero to negative ease so the lace pattern will open up and be visible.

If you want to make it bigger you can add a few stitches.

The smocking is in multiples of 4 stitches.

The pattern calls for a 48 st cast on. The next size up to make the smocking work would be 52 sts.

You can hide the extra stitches in the ribbing on the palm. Just remember your stitch count on each needle has changed.

If you do add stitches you might want to adjust the thumb hole placement instead of following my directions blindly.

I have you place the thumb holes 3 sts away from the design on the back of the hand. When you are ready to make the thumb, try the mitt on and see if you like where the thumb will end up. Is the pattern straight? Is it centered?

It sounds weird, but it will make sense when you can actually try it on.

If you do move the thumb remember to write down how many stitches in from the pattern it is so you can adjust the second mitt as well.

Connect
I've started a discussion thread for the KAL on the Ella Rae Facebook page for questions and chatter.

I've also started a discussion topic in the KFI group on Raverly. I'm hoping to keep the discussion confined to Facebook so questions and answers are easy for everyone to find, but I realize not everyone is on Facebook.

Enjoy!

KFI: Trellis Mitts KAL—Socks?

The KAL starts tomorrow morning!

How exciting.

In the mean time, here is another set of vague ideas for altering the pattern. This time for socks.

Using the stitch pattern on a pair of socks was another suggestion thrown out by a Facebook fan. It almost derailed me because I do like knitting socks. I'd been so fixated on making a pair of mitts with a leaf motif that socks hadn't occurred to me.

Once the idea was presented I really liked it and might have to make a pair of socks to match my mitts in the future.

Since I haven't actually made the socks, these suggestions are once again untested, but here's what I can tell you so far.

Ribbing. Smocking. Whatever.
I was surprised to discover that the smocking was much more flexibile than I expected.

Why, yes, I did try to mitt on my foot. :-) My stitch count would be the same.

I think the trick will be not to pull the wraps on the smocking too tight so it can expand like ribbing. You might want to do a little swatch to see how it works for you. If you are going to need to make a sock cuff bigger than the as yet unrevealed mitt I can tell you the smocking is a multiple of 4.

Alternatively, you can ditch the smocking and just do normal ribbing, but where is the fun in that?

Stitch Patterns
The mitt fit my leg rather well and it if wasn't for the thumb I could have easily converted it to a sock.

I think part of the easy fit could be attributed to the fact that the palm of the mitt is 1 x 1 rib. That would have ended up the back of the sock leg. It strikes me as a little boring and I would want to do the Triple Leaf Motif on both front and back, with ribbing between, but I don't know what that will do to the sock fit.

The motif has some stretch to it, but I don't know if two motifs will have the cling that the ribbing provides.

The Triple Leaf Motif is over 15 sts (although as you'll see the stitch count does vary). I have it framed by twisted stitches, adding 4 sts to either side.

If you decide to work a motif on both the front and the back of the leg I would say add ribbing to the sides to make your stitch count work.

Heel to Toe
If you're taking the plunge to turn a mitt into a sock I imagine you are an experinced sock knitter who knows how to work a heel, gusset, foot, and toe.

Why not take the motif all the way down to your toe decreases?

In that case you might want to consider working the gusset decreases on the side or bottom of the foot to keep them from interferring with the motif.

The motif seems to have some vertical stretch to it as well, so you'll probably want to try on the sock regularly as you work the foot to get a good fit.

That's about all I can think of. I hope to see you tomorrow!

KFI: Trellis Mitts KAL—Gloves?

Look at this, the pattern isn't even available yet and I'm already suggesting how to modify it.

Please Note: These ideas are theoretical, which is to say un-tested as I have not knit through them.
I'm presenting them as a jumping off point for you. I hope you are either an experienced enough glove knitter to run with them, or can modify an existing glove pattern you own to incorporate them.

You want fingers on those mitts?
When I posted the first in-progress picture of the Trellis Mitts on the KFI Facebook page someone asked if they could be made as gloves instead of fingerless mitts.

That had not occurred to me because I don't knit gloves. Not only do I think the fingers are fiddly and annoying to knit, but my hands get so cold in glove weather that I need the wind break of leather or fabric.

But, of course the question got my wheels turning and I came up with two options. I'm presenting them now before the KAL starts on April 20 as you'll need time to think about and prepare for them.

Provisional Cast On
The mitts are knit from the fingers down to the cuff, which has the potential of making it tricky to add fingers.

My first idea is to start with a provisional cast on. Knit the mitts. Then go back and knit the fingers up.

Keep in mind that when you reverse directions you loose a stitch so you'll have to account for that in your stitch count. It shouldn't be too noticeable visually.

You'll probably want to move the thumb up.

As you can see in the picture, I have the cast on edge starting rather high up on the fingers. This works nicely for mitts but won't be so good for gloves.

It's a simple fix. After you've worked through the smocking directions try the mitt on and decide where you want the transition from hand to fingers to land. Then start your thumb gusset there instead of where I tell you in the pattern.

After you finish knitting the mitt, pick up the stitches from your provisional cast on and work fingers according to a glove pattern that fits your stitch count.

Keep an eye on your yarn consumption if you knit the cuffs much longer that I tell you in the pattern. You don't want to run out of yarn while working your fingers.

Top Down Fingers
A few years ago I stumbled across directions on the nonaKnits blog for knitting gloves by starting with i-cord fingers.

She instructs you how to knit each finger, join them, then knit the hand. This method might be easier since you are traveling in the same direction as the mitts. Also you'll be able to place your thumb more accurately since the fingers will hold it in place when you try it on.

The gauge and stitch count look about the same, which will make this an easy addition. I would say start the smocking either right after you join the fingers or work a few extra rows of ribbing after the join then start the smocking.

Cuff up?
This option has to be addressed although I don't like it very much.

First, I don't like the way the Triple Leaf Pattern looks going the other direction. You can decide this for yourself either by tilting your head so my picture is upside down (haha) or knitting a swatch and twisting and turning it.

Second, this will require a lot more heavy lifting on your part. You'll be on your own for knitting the thumb gusset and placing the thumb hole.

Really, if you want to go cuff up, I'd suggest you find a glove pattern with a similar gauge and try to drop the lace pattern into it. Of course that leaves the fit a real wild card.

Join in!
There is an event for the KAL on the Ella Rae Facebook page.

I started a discussion thread for once the KAL get's going.

If I need to, I'll start a discussion in the KFI group on Ravelry, too, but I'd rather try to contain questions to one location so they are easier for me to find and respond.

KFI: Trellis Mitts KAL

You don't hear from me for ages and then I show up announcing my first Knit-A-Long, which I'm planning to start on April 20.

I have some gall.

I'd also like to ask why KAL doesn't translate into Knit-Along. I mean, that the proper spelling of the word, right?

Anyway.

That picture is of the unfinished right mitt. It is finished now but I haven't had a chance to take a picture. I'm working on the left mitt now and if I spent less time on the computer and more time on my knitting I might actually finish it.

On the other hand (hehe) part of me says not to finish the left mitt so I'll actually be knitting along with the, um, knit-along.

I've never run a KAL and I've actually only participated in one KAL for my Audrey sweater that I knit back in 2004 before I had a blog. And even then I just lurked and read what everyone was talking about.

That all means I'm kind of making this up as I go along.

A Gathering Place
The first thing I did was set up and event for it on the Ella Rae Yarns Facebook Page. I have 40 people attending and 20 maybes. That's pretty exciting, especially considering the only promoting I did was post that picture on the wall of the main KFI FB page. Well, prior to this blog post.

I had it in my head that I'd be able to send updates and such to event attendees, but I don't see that capability. When the time comes I plan to try to channel everyone to the discussion section. Of course I'll also set up the pattern on Ravelry and start a discussion thread in the Ella Rae group there.

Materials and Gauge
Yarn: Ella Rae Lace Merino (Fiber: 100% Superwash Merino Wool
Yardage: 460 Stitches: 6.5 Needle size: 4 Ball weight: 100g)

Needles: Set of 4 size US 2 dpn (or size needed to obtain gauge)

Gauge: In stockinette stitch 7 sts x 10 rows per inch worked in the round.

Sizing: I made the mitt to fit my wee 7" circumference hand. But I also made the palm in ribbing so it would have some stretch. On Friday I took it to the Library Knitting Group and let several people try it and then measured their hands. It comfortably fit up to a size 8" circumference hand. I suggest you aim for zero to negative ease, which will open up the lace pattern. The mitt I made it about 7 inches long, so it comes well down the mitt.

When the KAL starts I'll give suggestions on stitch count to make it a little bigger in circumference. I'll also give suggestions on making the section between the fingertips and the thumb shorter. As with my Top Down Alpaca Mitts the Trellis Mitts are worked from the finger knuckles down to the wrist as I feel this gives more options for length modifications.

The pattern is almost ready. I've written it up and sent it off for proofreading. My friend Danni has already sent it back and Pam said she'd have a look too, but she was having trouble opening the document.

I was going to dole out the pattern a section at a time, but now I've decided to just release it and let people work at their own pace while I'm availalbe to answer questions. Hopefully everyone will chat and share progress pics as well!

I've decided that Facebook can't be trusted not to eat the pattern based on it's tendancy to eat status updates and discussion entries. Therefore I'm going to see about having posted on the KFI website and just link to it.

Other Yarn Suggestions
I attempted to post this information on Facebook, but it disappeared, so you can understand why I'm bitter.

Lace Merino from Ella Rae, the yarn I'm using, is a fingering weight yarn. The "ball band" gauge is 6.5 sts/inch on a US 4 needle. The pattern gauge is 7 sts/inch on a US2.

Here are some other yarns for you to consider based on weight:
Araucania:
Itata or Ranco Sock.

Debbie Bliss:
Casmerino Baby or Rialto 4.

Louisa Harding Kashmir Baby.

Noro:
Taiyo Sock or Silk Garden Sock or Kureyon Sock.

Queensland Collection Sugar Rush.

Sirdar Snuggly 4 Ply.

Sublime Baby Cash Merino Silk 4 Ply.

Phew! Ok, what else would I need to tell you? Well, nothing at this point. Really, the picture is all the persuasion I probably need.

I hope you'll decide to knit along with me!

I Have Been That Busy

That I've barely had time to knit.

And if I didn't have time to knit I definitely didn't have time to blog.

Appalling on both fronts, I know. I have to rebalance that whole work/life thing.

But all was not lost!

Done: Hubby's Rouge Socks
I finally finished Hubby's Rouge Step socks on Saturday. I've been working on them for like two months, which is entirely too much time to be knitting a pair of socks.

He must have forgotten they were for him as he has not been campaigning for them. Also, as I was working the last few rows of the toe decreases I held the sock up in a meaningful way and he said, "Those are for me? They're cool."

He hasn't worn them yet. Probably because after I finished them he put them on the end table and never took them upstairs. Fortunately he doesn't get dressed in the living room in the morning so they missed their chance this weekend.

Recap
Standard Hubby sock pattern.
I did mess up calculating my gauge, started with too few stitches, ripped out, and started over.
Heel stitch with garter edge flap.
Austermann Step in Colorway 08.
US 1 needles.


Green Fingerless Mitts Progress
Have I mentioned it's hard to take a picture of your own hand?

Well, it is.

Anyway. I worked a third repeat of the Triple Leaf Lace pattern. I has really grown on me (no pun intended). And I thought I should just go with it. And I thought if I'd decided to use it from the get-go the mitts would practically be done by now. Well, aside from all that stockinette stuff flapping around at the beginning.

Still, I can't leave well enough alone. I swatched one of the, uh, mini leaf patterns. Drat, I don't have the book with me. I think its in the first Walker Treasury. There are like three different versions listed together.

Anyway. It's very nice and actually more along the lines of what I had in mind.

But I really liked the first pattern. Hubby also preferred the first pattern.

Of course, I had to take it into Westport Yarns on Sunday for even more votes. As you might expect everyone voted for the first pattern, although one customer did give a half hearted plug for the second pattern, but agreed the first was very nice.

So there you are, the first pattern wins. I worked out my stitch count Sunday night and I've already cast on and knit two rows. It's just a matter of knitting them now since I know what I plan to do.

I had better knit fast. Danni, at least , is going to be stalking these gloves. Possibly Pam as well.

Turns out they both have skeins of Ella Rae Lace Merino at home that they haven't assigned to a project.

This surprised me since we don't carry it at WY. However, it confirms your suspicions that even LYS staff shop at other stores on occasion.

Green Fingerless Mitts: Swatch 1

Here is the first pattern I'm considering for the mitts.

I think I have four to test all together.

Actually, there's quite a bit going on in this picture.

At the top you see my plain stockinette stitch portion when I was just getting a feel for the yarn and a baseline gauge.

Then there is some smocking. I do like the smocking stitch. My idea is to have the lace framed by the smocking stitch.

Then finally the lace. It's the Triple Leaf Lace from the second Barbara Walker book.

I only worked two repeats. And I made a mistake in the first one. sigh. I'm thinking I should work a third repeat to get a better idea of how it looks.

I'm also thinking I shouldn't try to take pictures inside on rainy days as they just come out looking icky.

Looks like tonight's knitting will be this pattern again. Must give them a fair shake and all.

Divided Priorities

I only missed yesterday, but I feel like I haven't blogged in forever.

I also feel like I haven't knit in forever, but I'm sure that can't be correct.

Hubby's sock is limping along. (snicker. I crack myself up.) I'm through the gusset shaping. Now it's just 40 odd rows of plain knitting before I start the toe shaping.

Piece of cake.

But still taking longer than anticipated.

In Swatching News
There is a ton of swatching going on still. Which explains the slow down in production on Hubby's sock.

I was given that lovely skein of yarn you see above to review. Very exciting.

It's Lace Merino from Ella Rae. This is a fingering weight, 100 percent merino yarn. The skein is a whopping 460 yards. Plenty for a pair of socks, small shawl, or fingerless mitts.

I have that nice green one (color 16) and a red/blue variegated (color 123). You can see the color card here but I'm pretty sure my samples are so new they aren't listed yet. (See, I told you it was exciting!)

I've been swatching with the green, but haven't made enough progress to bother taking a picture to show you. I think I'll used the red/blue to make an existing shawl pattern, but haven't decided which one.

What I can tell you is it is very soft and springy. It feels normal during the knitting progress, but the resulting fabric is really soft and petable.

For a while now I've wanted to make a pair of green fingerless mitts with a leaf motif. Probably a lace pattern. But didn't have the right yarn and had the project on a back burner so didn't feel the need to buy any.

Of course, now that this yarn has dropped into my lap it's go time!

Stitch Dictionaries are Black Holes of Knitting Time
Let me tell you, it's a good thing I only have the first two Barbara Walker books. The amount of time I spend pouring over them, mooning over the patterns, and adding bookmarks is just ridiculous.

I think I have at least four patterns flagged for the gloves.

Since the pattern will only cover the back of my hand I'm restricted in number of stitches I'll have available. This really helped eliminate a lot of patterns as I needed a low repeat number. I tried to stick to 6 st repeats, or panels of 15 stitches.

Cropped Cardigan
At the same time, I have several cable patterns flagged for a cardigan I'm working on.

Beth got samples of Woodstock Knits Yarn which she is considering stocking at Westport Yarns. The trick is the yarn doesn't have much direct pattern support. She told the staff we could take a skein if we feel inspired.

I don't have a picture of it, but I took a massive hank of a light blue alpaca blend (which I don't see on their website). We were all surprised to see some darker blue varigation when I started knitting it up. It's lovely yarn, but my needles were too big so I had to frog the swatch and start over on a smaller size. Actually, that first swatch was all lace options that weren't working.

Again, I don't have anything to show you yet. Mainly because I've only reworked the St st swatch so far.

It's hard work having all these planning stage projects on the go.

If only life could always be so hard. Right?