Match. Set. Love.

Every now and then, we all need to take a break from larger projects and work on something compact, quick and easy. From socks and hats to cowls and cloths, we have our personal favorites.

For me, mitts are my go-to project of choice, particularly this time of year. The reasons are obvious: They're a great way to experiment with stitches, play with color, put singletons, scraps and partials to good use, and make something fast, fun and functional.

 Kintra Mitts (Plum)

In my case, when I say from early fall well into spring I wear mitts daily, I'm not kidding: Every pair in the rotation gets worn. Often. (I'm wearing the burgundy pair above as I write.) Now that cool weather has arrived, it's evident I'll soon be experiencing a mitt shortage.

Hard to believe, right? But it's true.

Late last spring, I pitched several ancient pairs that were so limp and lifeless, they were well past their expiration date. Several others were relegated to home use only, because they're battered and pilled but functional. Now, it's time to restock the supply.

The simple mitts I made at the start of the year are so soft, comfortable and versatile, that seemed like a good place to start. By keeping things simple, I hope to steadily produce a fresh crop of mitts suitable for public wear.

The (unblocked) gradient mitts below were the first off the needles, for two reasons: They allowed me to use up a mix of remnants from past projects, and the neutral colors go with everything.

 Kintra Mitts (Greyridge)

Unfortunately, there's nothing like a speedy, satisfying knit to get the fiber-oriented neurons firing.

My Wineberry wrap, Blackberry shawl and Plumberry scarf (below) see plenty of wear, but they'd see even more if I had a nice pair of mitts to accompany them. (You can see where this is heading, can't you?!)

In some instances, there's enough yarn left to accomplish that, but in others, I'll have to get creative. 

For instance, every inch of the lovely Quince Tern went into the Dojeling Oyster Bay shawl, so I'm contemplating the combination below. The colors aren't the same, but the variegated yarn might tone down the solids just enough to make it work. (After much swatching, here's how the Kintra Oyster Bay mitts turned out.) 

Holiday knits are the top priority plus there are several non-holiday projects on the needles, so mitt-making will be sporadic at best. Nonetheless, I'm looking forward with anticipation to one day soon having mitts that both warm my hands and coordinate with my favorite scarves, shawls and wraps. (Just finished another quick pair here.)

Match + Set = Love. As simplistic as it sounds, it feels like a winning approach.