Too many cables to handle? :: Knitting ::

There are designers out there who think of patterns involving cables on BOTH sides of mittens, unbelievable (and more importantly when is this ever a good idea). And then there are knitters out there that think it is a good idea to knit those patterns (and I ask myself, why oh why)!

I am a sucker for lovely pictures of mittens, and it is only after the cuff ribbing (and turning the page of the pattern) that I realised what I let myself into. 

You know when the instructions say that you should read everything before you start - well I am the type of person who will never follow that particular instruction. And you end up with a knitting headache, and just one mitten. 

Those pictures are all from the one mitten. It could easily be too separate ones, but no, I followed the pattern to the letter and made the two sides. Although it is beautiful - really it is the most beautiful mitten I have ever knitted - I am not sure mittens need intricate cable work on both sides. 

Pattern: Palomino Mittens by Elli Stubenrauch (published in November Knits)

Yarn: Possum fur yarn (a present) in grey and a blue laceweight yarn (from my stash)

Needles: 4.0 mm

Modifications: None, except there is a major errata in the written pattern for the thumb - check Ravelry there is a really good review of what to do. 

Will I ever knit the second mitten? You bet I will - I am halfway to own the most beautiful mittens ever - but just not right now. I need cold, wet weather, a whiff of Autumn/Winter in the air to give me the necessary energy to start again. Spring/Summer does not cut it - at all. 

So hopefully I will not lose my lonely mitten - because that would really suck, right. And there will be a post later on in the year featuring both mittens featuring me wearing them! 

For anyone who needs/wants a knitting challenge, look no further, you have it with this pattern!

November knits | WIP {Knitting}

Many thanks for all your lovely comments here, on IG and on Facebook following the birth of Little Baby MiH. We are now back home and enjoying family bonding time - and some knitting too in between naptimes. 

I have had a few frustrating projects lately - my first sock (ever) has turned too big and not really what I hoped for _ so that's frogged, I also started a Christmas present with what seems to be the wrong yarn. Again, frogged. So when this happens, I just take a step back with a pattern all written out  for me - and just cast on. 

The Palomino mittens is published in November knits (fairly appropriate) and I am quite in love with the pattern. And it means that I will have a second pair of mittens, they do predict a cold winter. 

I also knew that I had the perfect yarn for it, courtesy of my parents-in-law who have just returned from New Zealand. They came back with yarn that has some possum fur in it. It is a bit fuzzy, so I added a lace yarn that will highlight the cable work. 

I have managed to knit the cuffs, and struggled a bit with the set up round but now the exciting cable work is starting and I cannot wait to see it happen as I carry on with the knitting. And I do have some biscuits to keep me going. 

So what do you do when you have had some frustrating projects?

Joining others at Ginny's and KCCO today.