I had a go at a really pretty mitts pattern recently – Zimtstern Mitts (Ravelry link) by Sybil R from Knitting and So On (designer’s blog).
Sybil has lots of really beautiful designs – in fact, didn’t one of you lovely lot make her Pieces of Eight mitts recently? They’re also on my favourites list.
Anyway, these particular mitts (the pattern is free, btw) are designed to be made with a gradient yarn. I tried them out in a stripe instead and I just… didn’t like how it was going.
I had just finished my Musselburgh and really liked how the grey and russet looked together. I still do, actually, but this pattern needs a yarn that isn’t going to give a ton of contrast. Otherwise you see one colour peeking out where it shouldn’t be and it takes away from the beauty of the star shapes.
Those shapes are achieved by crocheting into the stitches that you’ve knitted – it’s something like you knit three rows, then on the fourth row you use the live yarn to crochet the pattern. It’s so cute and very effective, if a bit fiddly.
I also really liked how the thumb was made and looked – kind of an offset rib (except not). Anyway, on this occasion they got unravelled and the yarn went back into stash. But I may well be back for these, when the time (and yarn) is right.
I’ve added this post to the Unraveled Wednesday linkup, with thanks to Kat for hosting.
The Crafty Yarnster 