FO Friday.

It is probably cheating a little if the FO in question is 2010, isn't it? And so I will offer these instead.

First up, the cowl for Alex, Matthew's girlfriend:

Yarn: Knit Picks Andean Silk in Allspice, to match the 16-Cable Hat I made for her last month.
Pattern: Tuesday Night Cowl. No mods, pattern is perfect as written.
Needles: Knit Picks US#7 circ.

The cowl starts from a provisional cast-on, is worked lengthwise, then the ends are Kitchenered together. That's 71 stitches of Kitchenering. Can you tell where I did it?

   
(Color in the photo at top is most accurate. Don't know why these came out so differently.)

I can't tell, either. That Kitchener stitch is magic. As many times as I have done it, I still don't understand exactly how it works. 

Next up on the finishing block were the Dimorphous Mittens. Please note the stunning I-cord bind off on the outer mitts.

Yarn: (outer mitts) Noro Yuzen, about half a skein each of #9 and #14.
(inner mitts) Frog Tree Pediboo (80% merino / 20% bamboo) in the delightfully named '1011', a bit less than one skein; 20 - 30 yards each of Knit Picks Gloss fingering weight (70% merino / 30% silk) in 'Dolphin' and 'Dusk', respectively.
Needles: (outer) Addi Turbo US#5 circ.
Pattern: Dimorphous Mittens. Besides adding the slip-stitch colorwork to the inner mittens, the only mod was a different, more rounded method of decreasing at the fingertips. It takes 12 rows, so figure out when to start based on your row gauge and how long you want the mittens to be:

• *K3, k2tog*. Repeat between *s around.
• Knit 3 rounds even.
• *K2, k2tog*. Repeat between *s around.
• Knit 1 round even.
• *K1, k2tog*. Repeat between *s around.
• Knit 1 round even.
• K2tog around. Repeat this round if necessary to get down to 6 - 8 st.
• Break yarn and thread through remaining stitches. Draw tight and weave in end.

As much as I like how these mittens look, they have two problems:

1. They are so warm that I may never actually need to wear both inner and outer mitts as intended.
2. They are so bulky that I cannot do ANYTHING with my hands except use them as paws.

And so I may end up wearing only the inner mitts. Or maybe I'll break down and buy another pair of leather gloves to replace the ones I lost at the end of last winter.

::sigh::

But at least I learned how to do the I-cord bind off.

* * * * *

Remember the wool dryer balls? They have turned out to be absolutely useless in eliminating -- or even reducing -- static electricity. What a surprise (not). Back to the aluminum foil balls...

::sigh x2::

* * * * *

Wishing you all a most enjoyable and beneficent new year!

 

Comments

[Bullwinkle]

That cowl looks lovely all scrunched up. I'm tempted - I started another 16 Cables Hat last week. There might be enough yarn leftover ...

Mitts are lovely - and an excellent ending to 2010.

[Mary Lou]

Great end to a knitters year. But the real question is did the silk in those mittens help with the slipping on the steering wheel? I'm thinking of making some felted mittens and spraying them with grip n guard. But really, once the heat comes on in the car, the leather gloves work just fine.

[gayle]

Stunning icord bind-off!
Are the mitts too paw-like to clutch a snowbrush or ice scraper? They might be just the thing when it's 40 below and you're chipping ice off the car...

[Julie]

I love how the projects turned out. Gorgeous! Happy New Year!

[Cookie]

Wonderful knitting and that's the best bind off I have EVER seen!

Happy New Year!

[lisa]

I was so wowed by that i-cord bind off I could hardly see anything else on the page!

[Mary]

Love mittens and cowl -- there is no such thing as too-thick mittens! They are great.

Have you tried a clean, empty soda can for the dryer? More durable than the foil and conducts electricity. (A wad of bare copper wire would likely do the trick as well.)

[soxanne]

Love everything. I may have to make myself one of those cowls ... and yes, Kitchner stitch is amazing. The i-cord bind off is pretty cool too. May you have few days that are so cold you'll need the double mitts!

[Angie]

Lovely knitting, Kat. I really do love the mittens--too bad they are so warm. I can't believe I typed that. *shaking head* HNY!

[Chris]

Happy New Year!!

[k]

Have you looked at Quince & co.? I tried to talk them into using that 16 cables lady's stuff. Probably offended the heck out of them. (Pam Allen designs/ owns there. Didn't think about that.)

http://quinceandco.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1

I go to this page when the world is too much with me.

[Cathy-Cate]

Happy New Year!

Save the mittens for those -20 days. When you want to go out for a walk? Or make snowballs, except snowballs will never hold together at -20. They're cool, anyway, and I love the cowl.

[auntiemichal]

What about putting aluminum foil balls inside felted wool balls? Might that work?

Excellent mittens!