These have been a very enjoyable knit. They have taught me that sometimes I just like the process of knitting. I was not in real need of fingerless gloves but I wanted to knit these for knitting sake from the beautiful book Knitting from the North by Hilary Grant.
It started way back in the school Easter Holidays in April with some portable park knitting. Jeez, those dark mint kitkats are moreish.
I transferred the work from DPNs onto an Addi Sockwunder knitting needle. This was a new craft purchase because I did not have any 3mm DPN's. I wanted to see my work more clearly than on four sides to check for errors that might emerge in the pattern. It is a great tool and I will be trying socks on it soon. One end is shorter than the other and the points are supper pointy and smooth. It is only 25cm long.
The stitch markers show the front and back of the glove. I had to follow the chart twice once for the back and once for the front.
At row 37 I learnt a new skill. The pattern asked me to knit 8 stitches with waste yarn and continue to follow the pattern. My fingers are short so I had to reduce the overall number of rows.
Grafting a thumb sounds like a tricky business but it is easy if you do what the book says...
Pick up 8 stitches above the waste yarn and 8 stitches below.
Carefully snip the waste yarn like you would on a steek ( I have never been brave enough to do one so this was a bit heart stopping!)
Spread the stitches over four or three DPN's and knit the thumb. I made a bit of a hash of the first one I made so I unpicked it and tried again - Much better.
'Out of the strain of the Doing,
Into the peace of the Done.'
Julia Louise Woodruff
It is good to learn new techniques. This project has mostly shown me that I just love knitting for what it is.
Thanks for sharing my joy. Have you ever grafted knitting?
Jo xxxx
So brave to do that thumb!!! They look really great though and were well worth learning new things for!
ReplyDeleteThey turned out really well. They look great. Have heard a lot about the sockwunder, but not called that would you recommend it for socks as I like dpns? Not awfully fond of the magic loop when knitting in the round.
ReplyDeleteIt is so small jackie that you don't have to do the magic loop it is just in the tiny round. No ladders or obvious start and finish. I have cast on socks and it is a delight for the ankle part but will report back after I have done the heel turn! Jo x
DeleteThey did turn out well. Nice portable project. That is a different method. I had to read it twice. I usually use a safety pin to hold the stitches, but this way would be less cumbersome.
ReplyDeleteThey have turned out well, I love that book and am currently knitting the tide mittens for the same reason you describe.
ReplyDeleteI love these fingerless mitts! Better still, I have the book and plenty of yarn. I just need the smart sock needles now. I love a good steek. I have been known to knit a cardigan in the round because I really don't like purls, then just cut it open :-) Have a lovely weekend. x
ReplyDeleteLovely work - thanks for the tip about the sockwunder.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful job Jo, and might I add you are adorable.
ReplyDelete