04/15/13
Edited to add photos. All photos by origamisparrow. Thanks Amy! Except the last photo which is by me.

04/09/13
These took way too long to finish! When I was done with one mitten, I dawdled on getting the second started. When I finished the hand part of the second, I dragged my feet to get the fingers cast on. Finally they are done, ends woven in and everything. Only lacking a good soak in some soapy water because my are they dirty!

Then a photo shoot and the big “reveal” ooh! aah!…

The Pattern
These are based of basic glove patterns. I made the cuff and wrist area a bit longer since I find my wrists sometimes get a little chilled from regular mittens. I decided to keep them fingerless or cut-off’s I guess because I thought it was a cute look with the stripes and the contrasting cuff in the cream colored yarn. I knew as I was halfway through the first mitt that they were a bit too wide even for my large-ish hands. But I was too lazy to rip them up (again) and start over. So the fit is a bit like a baggy sweatshirt, but that’s okay. Also I think the drapey-ness of the alpaca lends to extra “bag.” If you know what I mean.

I got these finished just as the warm weather is making itself known ‘round these parts. Doesn’t it just figure? I suppose that’s my insurance for warm weather.

The Yarn
Juniper Moon Farm Herriot is beautiful yarn! I love the range of natural colors they offer. So warm and pretty! The yarn is so soft and knits up beautifully. I didn’t have any problems with splittyness or over-twistyness or any of that nonsense that usually plagues me when I knit with new-to-me yarn. It’s not a discount priced yarn, but it is alpaca, after all. So I probably can’t afford to knit up a whole sweater for me out of it, so accessories will have to do for now. I’ll definitely be buying and knitting with this yarn again!

11/21/12
I walked into the yarn store intending to pick out a cream and black skein of cascade 220 superwash for a pair of no-nonsense mittens for me. I stumbled over to the area where they keep the Juniper Moon stuff and it was all over. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of this stuff before. Have you felt it?? Insanity!!

Stripey mitts (convertibles?) here I come…