It's 80 degrees....

Which means the conditions are perfect to show off the adorableness that is this pair of toddler mittens. A little while back, I was stalled on a couple of projects that were meant to be using up odds and ends of yarn I had lying around. On both projects, I ran out of yarn within inches of finishing and both on the second of the pair. Rather than deal with the situation (it wasn't the end of the world, but it would have involved ripping all of both projects back, making the wrist/leg shorter on the first, and reknitting the whole dang thing) I cast on for these with some more odds and ends.

Pattern: Annemor#5 from Selbuvotter by Terri Shea
Yarn: Baby Ull, leftover from this pair
Needles: Um... US1? I can't rightly remember
Size: Toddler

These little mittens, like the other Selbuvotter I have made, just make me so darn happy. They are a pleasure to knit, and the finished project makes me look so much more clever than I actually am. The only problem is that I have no little one to give these to. In fact, the only explanation I can give for making them in the first place is that of frugality. I mean, I had the yarn, I had the book, and the yarn wasn't much good for anything else. I do have quite a quantity of ends of sock weight yarn, and no good idea of what to do with them. It seems that I need an army of toddlers or babies to knit for.....

It's that time of year

Yeah, the time of year to curl up with a book full of handwritten notes (only partially decipherable) a study guide and a pile of blank paper (with which to rewrite said notes in a decipherable manner) and ignore all the holiday cheer in favor of passing exams.

Well, at least there are leftover gum drops from the gingerbread decorating party I had on Friday. And leftover gingerbread, come to that. Not to mention another little pair of instant gratification cuties. Want to see them up close? Ok.
Pattern: Jacob's Ladder Miniature Mittens from Folk Mittens by Marcia Lewandowski
Yarn: Knit Picks Gloss in...um....Red (burgundy?) and blue/green (woodland sage?)
Needles: US 1
Mods: Just as before. Tied together cast on strings instead of the finger knitted cord.

They make me ridiculous happy. I love the pattern a lot more than I thought I would. It's just so smooth and even and the bit of silk in the yarn gives it a nice sheen. Check out brainylady's Manly Mittens for a quasi full-scale version. I love those mittens too. Now if only I knew a guy who would actually wear them...

Speaking of mittens, guess what my finals week treat to myself is? I'm swatching and casting on for Bird in Hand tonight with the yarn from Taos. That's after I block Aran Accent, because, dudes, the front and back are done!