Baby Ull

Remember the Baby Ull I picked up back in November for mittens? Well, they are in process. The yarn is soft & the colors are vibrant. Here is the first one (so far anyway).

I am using Knitting Marvelous Mittens: Ethnic Designs from Russia, and have found the patterns/instructions to be a little bit irritating. There is a general section in this book for reading all of the patterns and then each mitten is pretty much a chart to follow. The charts are broken down by size and have a separate chart for the thumb. All of this is not impossible to decipher, but it does take some patience. So, that is what I have been trying to have. I think once I get through this first mitten though, I will be breezing through the next (she says while crossing her fingers).

I have done a couple of mittens in the past, but this is the first one where the thumb gore is worked in this manner. It is created with increases and a mirrored pattern. Here is a close up! Color work has been one of my 2006 initiatives and this project is proving to keep me on my toes. What I really love about working with color is watching the design unfold as rows are completed.

As for Crusoe and 2nd sock syndrome? Well, Knittripps and I are working on socks together so I will be casting on my 2nd sock Thursday at our knitting group. I can't rush through and finish my 2nd sock while she is still on her first (and very first sock ever I might add). Socks will resume shortly!