New Beginning

I've started on the mittens.... and frogged them, about 5 times now! Argh! I was having some problems with the yarn I chose. Everything has been resolved and I've started again, this time with much better results.

Check out this fuzzy yarniness.


(black and white photo - don't want anyone guessing who they're for!)

Voila! ... the beginning of a cuff!

knitting progress.....

I've heard from my partner I'm sending too....

and have yet to hear from my other partner....

must be busy knitting mitts ;0)

here's a crappy pic of the mitt I made for my partner...

it really looks better than that...lol

I charted the pattern myself off of a picture of mittens I seen online, I saved the pic ( which was tiny) and blew it up as much as I could to make out the sts.

I'm using Hello Yarn's generic mitten chart for the mitt itself...

these are alot of fun to knit and I love the colors so much I'm planning on making some mitts for myself out of them...

I can't wait to see more pics of the mitts everyones making!

till next time...

Just a Teaser

After a couple of e-mails back and forth to my swap pal, I was able to go to my LYS and find some really nice yarn, alpaca, no less! I don't have a picture because I had to give my sister her camera back for the weekend - we have joint custody. But it is a lovely yarn and feels like fuzzy butter, it's so soft.

I can't wait to get started!

mag with mitts

I hope this is ok to share...

The fall 2007 issue (current) of knitsimple magazine has mitten patterns in it - it's got a great and easy to follow chart to not only knit 3 different size mittens (men's, women's, and child sizes) but also accounts for different yarn types (bulky, DK, etc).

It's quite handy and basic, which can be used also for a template for more intricate mitten patterns if you choose to mix it up too. Not just, I think, for this mitten swap but also something to keep for future reference if you're knitting mitts for the family.

Matches have been sent for the swap!

Now all you have to do is remember to follow all of the rules that are listed on the blog. Here a few of the very important ones.

1. No mittens are allowed to be made out of 100% acrylic.

2. Contact your pal at least 3 times during the swap using an anonymous email to say hi. I've developed friendships via my swaps in the past and maybe you'll be able to as well!

3. Post an update to this journal at least once during the swap - you can provide a picture of the yarn you're using, the pattern, whatever you like. Just throw something out there to let us know you exist. :-)

4. Have fun and start knitting!

Swapee Info

Amy

1. Favorite colors? Pinks, purples, teal, black is okay

2. Colors you dislike? Orange or browns

3. Are you a fan of novelty yarns? As trim it is okay

4. What are your measurements?

a. Length of hand - 10" from where I like my mittens to stop
b. Measurement around your palm not including your thumb: 7.5"
c. Thumb length from between thumb and forefinger to the end of your thumb: 3"

Angela

1. Favorite colors? I love greens (lighter) and pinks (all shades) and Jewel tones (deep rich purples, blues, pinks, reds, greens etc).

2. Colors you dislike? I dislike yellows, oranges, browns, and army greens.

3. Are you a fan of novelty yarns? No

4. What are your measurements?

a. Length of hand from tip of middle finger to your wrist: 9", 22cm
b. Measurement around your palm not including your thumb: 8", 20cm
c. Thumb length from between thumb and forefinger to the end of your thumb: 2.25", 5.5cm


Iva

1. Favorite colors? ? My favorite colors for mittens are light browns or muted colors. I have a brown or taupe color coat. I love blues, purples or grey greens. I love surprises though!

2. Colors you dislike? I really like all colors, just not orange.

3. Are you a fan of novelty yarns? I am not crazy about the novelty yarns. I do like the multi-strip yarns or tweeds.

4. What are your measurements?

a. Length of hand from tip of middle finger to your wrist: 7.5"
b. Measurement around your palm not including your thumb: 8"
c. Thumb length from between thumb and forefinger to the end of your thumb: 2 3/8"

Kristy

1. Favorite colors? Blue and Green are my faves.... I also like neutrals (browns & grays).

2. Colors you dislike? I guess Pink.... but I'm not that picky, really.

3. Are you a fan of novelty yarns? No, not usually. I don't like the yarns with "stuff" hanging out of them. :-) (but colourful is good)

4. What are your measurements?

a. Length of hand from tip of middle finger to your wrist: 7.5"
b. Measurement around your palm not including your thumb: 7.5"
c. Thumb length from between thumb and forefinger to the end of your thumb: 2.25

Linda

1. Favorite colors? Purple, blues and greens - deeper tones.

2. Colors you dislike? Yellow, orange, red, though a little would be OK. They just don't look right with my skin tones.

3. Are you a fan of novelty yarns? Not really.

4. What are your measurements?

a. Length of hand from tip of middle finger to your wrist: 7"
b. Measurement around your palm not including your thumb: 8"
c. Thumb length from between thumb and forefinger to the end of your thumb: 2.25

Patty

1. Favorite colors? Blues, greens, purples (deeper shades more than pastels but still love them all). Recently have been captivated by the lime green/turquoise combos. Can't figure out why! I love stripes and solids and handpainted yarns.

2. Colors you dislike? Orange. Everything else is fair game!

3. Are you a fan of novelty yarns? No. With the exception of mohair (see the pattern I created that is a felted mitten with a strand of mohair in it, it just adds something to the felting without being obnoxious).

4. What are your measurements?

a. Length of hand from tip of middle finger to your wrist: 7.5"
b. Measurement around your palm not including your thumb: 7.75"
c. Thumb length from between thumb and forefinger to the end of your thumb: 2.25"

Sabrina

1. Favorite colors? Green, purple, blue and black (but black only if it's combined with another colour). These are my favourite colours, although I like pretty much anything.

2. Colors you dislike? No pastels or white, please.

3. Are you a fan of novelty yarns? Totally!

4. What are your measurements?

a. Length of hand from tip of middle finger to your wrist: 7"
b. Measurement around your palm not including your thumb: 7.6"
c. Thumb length from between thumb and forefinger to the end of your thumb: ?

Suzanne

1. Favorite colors? Blues, reds, turquoise, fuschia, purples, blue-greens, red-orange, happy colors.

2. Colors you dislike? I would prefer NOT to have: browns, yellows, yellow-green, olive - muddy colors.

3. Are you a fan of novelty yarns? I prefer NOT to have novelty yarns that have things poking out or that are too fuzzy. I love yarns with runs of color - the results (even pooling) are always interesting.

4. What are your measurements?

a. Length of hand from tip of middle finger to your wrist: 7" - I like a cuff at least 2" long (note from your hostess - Suzanne lives in a cold state that benefits from a very warm mitten and longer cuffs help that a lot!)
b. Measurement around your palm not including your thumb: 7 5/8"
c. Thumb length from between thumb and forefinger to the end of your thumb: 2"



Vicki

1. Favorite colors? I'd love mitts with natural colors ( chocolatey browns, greys)... maybe trimmed with a little something bright??

2. Colors you dislike? I don't dislike it but I'm not into purple right now.

3. Are you a fan of novelty yarns? No novelty yarns, please.

4. What are your measurements?

a. Length of hand from tip of middle finger to your wrist: 7"
b. Measurement around your palm not including your thumb: 7.5"
c. Thumb length from between thumb and forefinger to the end of your thumb: 2.25"

Mitten Swap 3 Sign Up Info

Welcome to Mitten Swap 3! I am your host, Midwest Knit Girl (aka Patty). As indicated by the name of the post this is the 3rd mitten swap I've hosted. I hope you decide to sign up - I can promise you will have a good time!

For this swap I'm asking that participants be from the U.S.A. and Canada only. If this swap is successful and there's interest from those outside of the U.S.A. and Canada, I will definitely host a 4th mitten swap which will include our International friends.

SIGN UPS BEGIN - August 26, 2007
SIGN UPS END - September 22, 2007
SECRET PAL MATCHES DISTRIBUTED - September 23, 2007
MITTENS SHIPPED NO LATER THAN - November 9, 2007

All the info you need to know is below - there's a lot so grab a cup of coffee and read on!

1. Knit a pair of mittens for a secret pal AND include something else when you ship their mittens. The 'something else' could be stitchmarkers, yarn, a pattern, treats, a notions bag. Whatever you think they'll like. You can find out more about your secret pal by looking at their blog and their Q&A.

2. How much to spend? Not including shipping costs, please plan to spend at least $20.

3. Your Q&A is due at the time of sign up (this is at the end of the post).

4. Please use the required Q&A to determine what color(s) to knit the mittens. The goal is to ensure that people receive a pair they will wear and enjoy.

5. Participants are not allowed to use 100% acrylic yarn for their mittens for one main reason - acrylic is not warm. Trust me, I'm a midwest girl and acrylic mittens never kept my hands warm growing up. So please, be considerate and choose something else to make your mittens out of. That said, there's nothing wrong wth a yarn that has a blend of fibers that includes acrylic, in fact there are some very beautiful yarns out there you could use.

6. Contact your pal at least 3 times during the swap using an anonymous email to say hi. I've developed friendships via my swaps in the past and maybe you'll be able to as well!

7. Post an update to this journal at least once during the swap - you can provide a picture of the yarn you're using, the pattern, whatever you like. Just throw something out there to let us know you exist. :-)

8. You may use any mitten pattern you like, I will post some on the sidebar for you to use but if you have something in your pattern or book collection by all means, go for it!

9. What NOT to knit? I'm not kidding folks, last year we had a participant who shall remain nameless, who knitted the mittens you see below. If you think you're siging up as a joke to knit mittens like these, don't waste your time doing so. It's cruel and this should never happen to anyone.

WHAT NOT TO KNIT:


To entice you a little more...I also have contests during my swaps in which you can win yarny goodness and supplies.

To sign up, please send the following information to

mittenswap AT hotmail DOT com no later than

September 22nd.

1. Your name and address (this will only be for me and your secret pal, I will never sell it, swap it, nothing - in fact I delete the emails containing sign up info once my swaps have ended).

2. Your blog name and URL

3. Main email address and an anonymous one you intend to use (they're free at hotmail, yahoo and many other places).

4. Answers to the Q&A below.

Q&A

1. What are your favorite colors?

2. What color or colors would you prefer NOT to have in your mittens?

3. Do you like novelty yarns such as eyelash or the multiple types of yarn in one skein or other novelty types?

4. What are your measurements -

A - Length of hand from tip of middle finger to your wrist

B - Measurement around your palm not including your thumb

C - Thumb length from beween thumb and forefinger to the end of your thumb

That's it - you made it to the end of the information - I hope you decide to sign up!