It is getting cold :: Knitting ::

Happy Wednesday everyone! So I received a few complaints about the weather from a little someone whose hands are getting really cold. Some desperate knitting later, one mitten was done. Another one on its way. Hopefully tomorrow there will be no more complaints, and there will be toasty hands.

The original pattern is from this book (I used it for this jumper as well) - but it is not the right size, and I like knitting my mittens in the round (the pattern suggests that they are knitted flat), so basically it is only an inspiration for knitting these mittens.

I wanted a tweedy effect, but did not have any tweed yarn in my stash, so I decided to knit together strands from 2 different colours of Drops Alpaca (so, so soft) - destashing in the process. I really like the effect, and it sort of goes with his acorn beanie hat (I did say 'sort of').

Better get on with the second mitten, because I know that Baby MiH will be asking for his mittens tomorrow morning. Nothing like pressure from a nearly 3 yo to keep you going!

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. 

Purl Ridges Mittens | A Finish {Knitting}

I think I am a small-knitting-project-kind-of-girl. I love the process of knitting of course - but I get bored so quickly with repeats, no matter how beautiful I know the end result will be. Whereas with small projects you have a chance to finish quickly - which is really rewarding. Using naturally dyed yarn - dyed by myself - make the result even more special of course. 

So these mittens ... well they got knitted up quite quickly considering I am knitting a baby blanket as well as getting on with Christmas projects at the same time. 

I had been wondering for a while whether it was worth buying the pattern - it is quite expensive (well, I think) for a basic mittens pattern. I bought it because I did not have the brain power to work it out by myself - but I think you can - but really wanted this pattern. 

However I think it is worth it in the end - because you do get a basic pattern that would work for any mittens (there are a few stripey versions made with this pattern). The knitting of the thumbs is really interesting compared to other mittens patterns I tried in the past - and really neat actually. Also they fit my hands perfectly -  I have small hands and I usually have issues with size, so that's pretty good. 

I may have to add that I only wear mittens so having a basic pattern in my pattern library is quite essential. 

Pattern: Cozy Purl Ridges Mittens by Jenny Gordy (available here)

Yarn: Hand dyed worsted weight yarn (naturally dyed) - by me. 
I talked about the kit I used here and here.

Needles: as recommended by the pattern
Size: The pattern is in one size

Modifications: None

Result: I love how it shows this pattern, and the yarn of course. 
I do think I need a grey version of those as well. 

If you are looking for handmade presents ideas - I would recommend this pattern. It is easy to adapt to anyone's taste and the technique is simple but makes a neat result. And of course now, my little hands will finally be warm!

I will be linking up this project to KCCO and Ginny. 

Serious about Naturally Dyeing | WIP {Knitting}

This is the second skein that I dyed naturally (and using another kit from SpinCityUK). The result is totally unexpected - in a very pleasant way, of course. I thought it was going to be dark (very dark) - and well no, there are shades of darker green of course, but the overall effect is quite soft and light green. 

In fact I left the dyeing process much longer this time than the last (I posted about the result here), but once I saw the actual colour, I knew exactly what I wanted to make out of it, and I started as soon as the yarn was dry - mittens using this pattern, it is simple but has a bit of texture to it - also it is quite a versatile pattern. And it should be a quick project. 

Compared to the previous kit I bought, the yarn is much thicker - you don't get to choose the yarn in the kit, so that is already a bit of a surprise of course. 

I will naturally dye more yarn (on a one skein scale still), and not use a kit anymore and have a bit more control over the process and elements. The kits were a great start though - and I cannot recommend them enough. 

So just you can see by what I mean by the unexpected, here is a picture of the dyeing jar. You may notice that instead of mixing the dyeing stuff with the yarn, I made some muslin bags filled with the dye stuffs. I am not sure whether this is why the colour is less saturated, but again looking at the jar the outcome was unexpected. 

Where is the green?? Where has the dark colour gone? A bit more work needs to be done - in the meantime I shall get on with some knitting and look forward to new mittens. 

Linking up to Ginny's today. 

Thrilling Mittens ... And the winner is {Giveaway}

...Emily who blogs at Strawberry Patch Ramblings! Congratulations!

Thrilling Mittens + a Giveaway | Le Challenge {Knitting}

I know I say this every time it comes round, but every time it is a last minute finish, and I am surprised I have an entry for le challenge. To be honest for a while I thought I would only make one mitten - at the end of the day Michael Jackson (Thriller - easy link right) only had one glove - but I always thought that was a bit weird, and not really useful if you intend to wear them. 

Unfortunately this is not a crystal-encrusted glove and it is unlikely to fetch $200,000. I did try to replicate the sparkling effect though thanks to the Anchor Metallic thread. The mittens are a bit fancier with a lace pattern - adding a thrilling element, don't you think? 

Pattern: Cafe au Lait mittens (free pattern on Ravelry)

Yarn: 3-ply white yarn that I had in my stash without labelling but probably Sidar (half a ball) and 1 and a bit Anchor Artiste Metallic ball (shade 301)

Needle Size: DPNs 4 mm

Modifications: Made less repeats of the pattern but added some ribbing rounds at the top - similar changes for the thumbs. Ribbing is ktbl1, p1. 

Difficulty Rating: It is an easy pattern although you need to pay attention. It is a quick knit (I finished a mitten in one afternoon). 

Result: I love the lace pattern, I will be using it again - I am not sure where but the result is amazing. My biggest issue is the size. I have small hands, and I know that (I usually take child size glove) and I should have adapted the pattern accordingly. After a lot of Umming and Arring I followed the pattern, and I should not have. So the downside is that I have to make a new pair for my freakishly small hands, on the upside you get a chance to own this pair!

You have 3 chances to enter the giveaway:

1. This giveaway is open to my followers only - old and new. 
Let me know how you follow my blog in the comment box.

2.  Like the MiH Facebook page - and leave me a second comment. 
3.Follow me on twitter, tweet about the giveaway, 

and/or follow me on Instagram (natmadeinhome) – 

and come back to leave me a third comment

The giveaway ends Monday 21 at 10am (UK time). Please, please, please leave me a way to contact you if you are a no-reply blogger. I will send internationally. Good luck!

You have until Wednesday 16, 11 am to enter a thriller-inspired project (big or small) for a chance to win a $25 fabric voucher, so get involved!