knitting school dropout: last minute posting

in my last entry, i mentioned that i've been casting on like crazy for new projects. i'll spare you the teeny-tiny beginnings of sweaters. i've started 2 new ones, but 2 of the other projects were suitable for carrying around and knitting in meetings, so they've seen more progress.

i started and finished a pair of mitered mittens from elizabeth zimmermann's knitter's almanac

this is a great, and very simple, pattern. i made mine extra long to keep my wrists warm when the winter winds blow up my sleeves. i used 1.5 balls of noro silk garden, but probably would have only needed 1 for standard length mittens. i knit these using magic loop, on size us5 addi turbos. they took only a few days to make.

i also started the mate to my my first ever sock, which i made in april. i forgot how much i loved this pattern! i cannot wait to wear them.

one thing i'm finding out, is that my figure 8 cast on, which i use for most socks, is pretty inconsistent. they're tight, they're loose, the have a lump in the corner. i guess i don't care all that much, because they'll be hidden in a shoe, but i guess i'm just finding it tricky to get just right. practice will make perfect, i suppose.

Comments

cool mittens! i love the concept :) i've never done a figure-eight cast on so i'm no help there.

Posted by: gleek | October 19, 2007 10:43 AM

I love them! the colors are super and Noro is always a treat :) and yea for the socks! that color is beautiful.

Posted by: Lolly | October 19, 2007 11:09 AM

I'll be on the lookout for those boots!
The figure 8 cast-on is so simple and yet, a little fiddly, isn't it? You can always tug the stitches back into place though. Show those suckers who's boss!
Oh, and I love the longer mittens: my wrists always get cold.

Posted by: Veronique | October 19, 2007 12:31 PM

those are some kick ass mittens.

Posted by: maryse | October 19, 2007 01:24 PM

I have only worked a couple of those figure-8 cast-ons. For me, it works to go back and tighten up the stitches manually (same way I would with kitchener stitch) but yesterday I tried this other cast-on for toe-up socks... Judy's Magic Cast On http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring06/FEATmagiccaston.html
I admit I was skeptical (especially since the figure-8 was working fine and on first perusal this one didn't look much different) but it really did work! My stitches came out neat and even on the first try!
Hope that helps.
-Alli

Posted by: Alli | October 19, 2007 05:01 PM

Lovely mittens!

I'm super partial to the Turkish cast-on. Here are my favorite tutorials:
http://fluffyknitterdeb.blogspot.com/2005/10/knitting-made-easier-turkish-cast-on.html
and
http://misocrafty.squarespace.com/journal/2006/1/30/turkish-cast-on-tutorial.html

I wish I knew how to make those URLs smaller...

Posted by: a.bumblingbee | October 19, 2007 05:28 PM

Have fun at rhinebeck!! Those gloves are so cool. I love the pointy tips!

Posted by: casey | October 19, 2007 10:13 PM

Those mittens are wonderful, and you've totally inspired me to make a pair.

What sock yarn is that? It's such a wonderful green and it works well with the pattern!

Posted by: femiknitter | October 20, 2007 10:01 AM

Those mittens are way cute, very elfin looking.

Enjoy Rhinebeck!