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Nov 15, 2015

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.


15 comments:

  1. I agree, the matched sets get so much more wear! I hope you can squeeze in some more projects for yourself before being overtaken by the holiday crafting. Thanks for sharing on the Knitting Love Link Party!

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    1. Good to see you here! Same to you, hope you get some solid crafting in before holiday projects take over.

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  2. From one avid mitt-maker to another: Sounds like a plan!

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  3. I am working on dishcloths right now! I love the mitts. Do you use a button hole for the thumb? That is what I do, I'm not so good at knitting thumbs...

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    1. I'm a big fan of dishcloths too.

      For mitts in the round, I use a simple BO/CO method. Generally I prefer to knit mitts flat, so I can wait until seaming to decide where to position the thumb opening.

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  4. I love those mitts and of course the shawl, wrap and scarf need matching mitts. I like mitts except for the fact that I can't stand cold fingers. I didn't realize that would bother me so much.

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    1. Totally agree. I hate cold fingers, too, which is why I wear mitts indoors from Sept to June. Wear them while I knit, work on the computer, clean, etc. Pop them off only for "wet work" (dishes, etc.). When I head outdoors, I simply push them down, put on gloves, and wear the mitts as wristers or cuffs ; )

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    2. PS: That's why all my fingerless mitts are thumbless, too. Much more versatile.

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  5. "there's nothing like a speedy, satisfying knit to get the fiber-oriented neurons firing." Ain't that the truth!! I'm on a mitt kick too!

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  6. I've been wondering about casting some mitts on soon, tis the season I guess lol

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  7. Oooh so many pretty colours - I love the ombre pair!

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-b