so close

I didn't finish the second mitten this weekend, but I got pretty close. Only a few more rounds to go on the hand, and then the thumb.



This is my first photo with flash in a while. It was an accident, as I didn't realize the camera was set to use a flash. I took a bunch more without flash, but this one turned out to be the best. Not the greatest photo, but one of two that were in focus, and of those the best that showed off the pattern the best. Also, bonus toes! Kind of a shame that I used the flash photo, though, as there was an actual patch of sunlight for the mitten to sit in today. It's been so long, I almost believed the sun was gone forever.

I've been using spit splicing since ending the cuff, until the last color change. I decided that the rounds were getting small enough that spit splicing was no longer a wonderful idea, and I left ends. Actually, I tied a knot, and then left ends. Yeah, my colorwork technique is still very much in the experimental phase. If Wendy Johnson can tie knots, and if Kaffe Fassett can tie knots, so can I! Right?

If I can finish up the knitting and weaving of ends today, I'll try to also block the mittens before bed. Even so, unless we decide to have a fire tonight (which means the house will be super dry), there's very little chance that I'll have a real finished photo tomorrow morning, as the mittens will still be drying.

So what's up next?

• I still have the Retro Rib socks on the needles. I'm in no hurry to work on them, and am in fact reluctant to work on them just to finish them. I like having them there, for no-brainer knitting, 'cause you never know when you'll need some.
• Yeah, the fair isle vest. The thing is, none of my begging requests to trade for or buy scraps of the color(s) I need have been successful. I think I'm going to just buy extras the next time I make a J&S purchase. Part of me is tempted to contact Schoolhouse Press, as I bought the yarn from them in kit form, and shouldn't have run out. Seeing as I did manage to keep my gauge pretty on, what they sent should have lasted for the entire sweater. But I'm not sure if it's okay to ask them to send me more, or to expect it of them. Plus, there's the issue of not knowing whether I'll actually run out of one of the two colors I'm worried about. The other color, I'm fairly certain won't last. So the answer to when I'll work on the vest again is when I get the yarn. For all I know, it may have to wait until I eventually buy yarn for the Autumn Color Cardigan. I just can't stomach paying shipping for just one or two 25 gram balls of yarn, ya know? (But boy, would I die and go to heaven if I could get the stuff locally...)
• Samus. I've got the yarn and have done the swatch. I predict that I'll cast on for it as soon as I finish the mittens. If I can figure out how to print out the chart on one page. When I tried to print the pattern as a whole, the chart was broken up between two pages. Suck! If I can't figure out how to do it, I may just throw my hands up in the air and buy the pattern for Eris instead. I'm not a very patient person right now. :-)
• I have leftover Cascade Eco Wool that will become a hat for A. In fact, I think I have enough for several hats. This won't be a huge project, but at some point I should sit down and design it, so I can cast on. I'll probably go with something really simple.
• Ingeborg. Not until Samus (or Eris) is done.