I have been wanting to make these mittens ever since my daughter told me about them. I had a lot of trouble getting gauge with my swatches! Then my friend Caroline told me that Addi Turbo circulars come in TWO sizes for size one, a 2.25 and a 2.5 mm! You cannot believe what a difference that .25 mm made! I got the gauge I needed, but also switched over to DP’s. Another new knitting friend Lauren gave me some helpful advice as well, not to worry too much about exact gauge. I started yesterday, and they are coming along slowly but surely. If I could master the technique of knitting with both hands they would be a breeze, as the pattern is actually quite easy with that technique. Alas, I am using ye ole’ switch colors back and forth with your right hand technique. It takes at least twice as long, there is a lot of untangling and separating going on all the time. But, the end result will be worth it!

1/28 I am nearly half way through my second mitten. I LOVE them! I cannot wait to finish them so I can WEAR them, as it has been frrrrrrrrrrrrrrrigid around here! I will probably knit these again, so many people have admired them as I have made them. Surely I will want to gift them. Here are the mod’s I would do:

• Make cuff with one size smaller needles, and one inch longer, for a nice snug and toasty fit on the wrist.

• Add at least six rows of background color to the body of the mittens before beginning any colorwork. This would lengthen the hand of the the mittens just a bit, but also give more definition and attention to the pattern. Other than that, I LOVE this pattern! It looks harder than it is. If I can do it, YOU can do it! :-)

2/7 I am DONE! They are so fun, so warm, so fabulous! I am going to wash them and block them, and gift them! Hooray!