Wednesday 1 February 2012

WIP Wednesday {} Yarn Along

This weeks WIP in a bit of a challenge for me.  Those of you who have been reading for a while may remember my post about DPNs.  Have a quick glance at it before reading further, it will enlighten you as to why this project is a challenge.

I hate DPNs.  Well, maybe hate is too harsh a word.  I respect DPNs and their worth in the knitting world - they have been around a long time and wouldn't have survived without being useful!
Despite my not liking DPNs, I have always wanted to be able to knit using them.  Magic loop has always been my preferred method of working small circumferences, and it has done me well the last few years, but I always felt like an unworthy knitter because I couldn't use them with the same ease as seen on other knitters.

I've wanted to knit these mittens for a long time, so I decided it was time to overcome this.  I could have done it with socks, I know, but I also need to work on colour work for the next few projects in preparation for starting my Wild Apple hat!  I am terrified of this hat.  It is so stunning I am very afraid of making a huge mess of it because it's to be knit on 2.25mm needles, and because of how many colours and floats and length of floats there are.
Swedish Fish
Garnstudio Drops Alpaca in white, Crystal Palace Yarns Mini Mochi in a bright rainbow colourway.
2mm, 2.5mm needles.

I'm doing OK with it.  I have no fear of the needles snapping as I have heard they are prone to doing.  My problem right now is carrying the floats between needles; I am making them too long.  That will get better as the mittens progress.

The progress of these mittens has been severely hampered by my starting an amazing book series - Outlander.

I started the first book, Cross Stitch as it was titled in the UK, a few days ago, and was hooked.  I got the recommendation from another blogger who posts of Yarn Along, but I can't remember who.  If it was you, THANK YOU!  I am in love with the characters, and the period setting.  I am on the second book, Dragonfly in Amber, now (second of seven, 8th to be published this summer - already on pre-order!) and I still can't put it down.  I made a deal with myself that for every pattern repeat completed in the evening, I can read a chapter.  Thankfully they are all available on the kindle so I can read at any time of day without disturbing Jitterbug.  I've been reading right up until the point I get tired, generally around 3.30/4am at the moment.  I've been going to bed very early so I can read plenty before the tiredness hits!

If I can tear myself away from my kindle this afternoon, I'll be reading some more Yarn Alongs and WIP Wednesdays.  I may have to make a deal for every 20 blogs read I read a chapter :D

17 comments:

  1. Loving those mittens!! I have that pattern and swatched for it quite awhile ago. You are making me want to get it out again!

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  2. Oh I love the Outlander series!! I hope you enjoy them. I did get tired of her referencing his fiery red hair every other page, but it was worth it to overlook that. I'm loving the colour work you have going on!

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  3. Your mittens are just beautiful! I have been so afraid to try colorways,but this is the month to attempt it myself.
    Happy Yarn Along!

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  4. Those mittens are stunning! I may need to pop in this week just so I can see them in person!!!!!!! :D

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    1. don't worry, I think these mittens will be around for a while ;)

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  5. I just saw Cross Stitch on another blog but didn't realize that it was one I already read, just with a different title. Thanks for clarifying! The mittens look great. I've admired that Wild Apple hat before, I look forward to seeing yours.

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  6. Love your little fish :)
    Maybe it was me, because I'm reading Cross stitch too - and I love it!!

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  7. Those little fish look really cute, and my goodness they pop off that field of white!

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  8. Blehhh, DPNS. I completely understand your dislike. I magic loop everything anymore. XD I'm also mess at stranded knitting. It looks like you're doing awesome, even if your strands are a bit long right now. Better too long than too short like mine end up, though!

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  9. I like th eidea of DPN's but I dislike the laddering and my stitches never look smooth once I get to the last rounds. LOTS of ladders- but since I learned how to magic loop I ML everything! I never look back! That colorwork is beautiful. AH..the outlander series...I have been wanting to read that forever! All those pages overwhelm me every time I pick them up! But I know they would be worth the it!

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  10. I like dpns (except for maybe the ladders as mentioned above), but magic loop is something I'd like to try more of.

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  11. Your mittens look great! I love that pattern. DPNs take practice for sure. I love my metal ones more than anything else I've knit with. The bamboo are a distant second.

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  12. For me it is the small needles that I have a love/hate relationship with. I seem to go on snapping sprees. I just broke the size 1 circular I was using on some socks. It really irks me! I love your mittens. I have that pattern in my queue and am prepping to make them soon.

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  13. Hiya, just found your blog via natural mamas and am loving reading it. This post made me smile the most, 2 of my favorite things, knitting and Outlander/Cross Stitch. Do you know you can get the Outlander series on audiobook? that way you can knit and listen to the story. I have a love/hate relationship with dpn's as well and try to avoid them. Your mittens look great, good job with the colourwork.
    Lesley
    :-)

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  14. I just love that mitten pattern and have had it on my queue for ages. Yours is looking great. The Outlander series is one of my faves, also. I like to knit small toys on DPN's, but am a little scared to try stranded colourwork with them.

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  15. I do crochet, so I don't truly know, but WOW that looks hard to do! Good luck!

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