Addled, I Tell You!

Clockwise from left:
Sheepfeet in Lilac, RYC Silk Wool DK in Brownstone, ShibuiKnits Silk Cloud #229 

 

Oh Fiddleheads!  What have you done to me?  I’m addled and rattled!  Smitten and bitten!  I love you and I don’t even know you!

Dammit if these aren’t going to be the.most.expensive. mittens on planet earth.  Would you pay $82 for a pair of mittens?  I thought not.  Unlike me, you are sane.  You are wise with your money, frugal perhaps.  You don’t let the good sense leak out of your noggin faster than you can whip out that gift card burning its way through your wallet.  Oh no.  Because you are not me, you wouldn’t spend $82 on a pair of mittens.  You would shop wisely; pet, yet refrain from temptation.  All I can say is, if you’re going to freak out on yarn fumes it’s a good idea to do it when you have a get out of jail free card (gift card) handy!  Though these are worth $82, they only really cost me about $40 ;)

I surprised myself today.  These are NOT my colors, NOT my price range, NOT well-thought out purchases.  But what the hell.  It’s a bright shiny day, I was amped up on coffee and good company (Hey Troy!) and everyone deserves a little spoilage now and then.

So why the Fiddlehead Fandago?  My bloggy friend over at Knit One Blog Too and I have started a Ravelry KAL to make a pair of these lovelies.  We’ll be starting November 1st and knitting until December 31st.  Adrian at HelloYarn will be knitting with us too so it’s a great opportunity to have some input from an expert.  Come join us!!  We’d love to have some company :)

 

P.S.  Stay away from that RYC Silk Wool DK and Sheepfeet if you know what’s good for you!

 

Fall Is For Firebrick

I’m all kerbobbled today. 

We’ve been gone all weekend for R. Darling’s last marathon in Portland and we didn’t get back until late last night so that means no groceries in the house, tons of laundry to do, dishes in the dishwasher, and it looks as if someone set off a hillbilly bomb in our living room.  I feel all buzzy and out of sorts when things aren’t in their proper order or place.  Makes it hard to think.  Not that I recommend doing that often.  There’s so many things to tell you (for once!) but not enough time in which to do everything else, so I guess all the news that isn’t will have to wait until later this week or weekend.  But I’m alive.  And best of all – I’m knitting :)  Hope you are too!

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And because I can’t just let things be, I am bound and determined to post a (previously) secrety squirrel FO for your knitty pleasure!  Mostly because it’s autumn now and the perfect weather for these little beauties…….

Da-da-duh!!!  Say hello to Firebrick! 

 

 

 

Pattern: Firebrick Mittens by Chris Church at Pursuit of Fiber (on Ravelry here & on her site here)

Yarn: MC- Mountain Colors 4/8′s Wool in Ruby River (approximately 1/2 skein); CC – Lang Yarns Bebe in Black (less than 1/2 skein?)

Needles: Size 2 bamboo dpn’s 

Mods: Zip. Zero. Nada.  This was a test knit so that is a big no-no.

New Techniques: My first pair of mittens ever!  Also my first time using the tubular cast-on and my first time reading such extensive charts.

Time Lapse:  April 26, 2008 – June 16, 2008

Comments: LOVE LOVE LOVE this pattern!!  This is most definitely one of my favoritest ever FO’s.  These mittens only look complicated.  The pattern was extremely well written and I had no trouble figuring out the new cast on or the stitch pattern with her instructions. Amaze and astonish your friends and only you will know how simple they were! I highly recommend this pattern for its ease of use, glorious design, and the fact that you only need a very small amount of yarn to make them.  You could easily use leftovers from any worsted weight project for the MC.  Score!  It was really hard to keep this secret from you guys until the pattern was published in early September (here’s a previous WIP post about it if you missed it) but I am so excited to be able to share now!  If mittens are your thang, you should totally check these out.  I can’t say enough how kick ass these are!

 

 

Looks like a heart, no?

 

And, as always, an outtake!