Gift knitting

May is a big gift giving month around here. First you have your mothers' day and then you have birthdays. For the past week (of silence) I've been doing a bit of covert knitting. Mom now has her gift and it's unlikely that Karen will see this before her's get to her (but Karen if you see this, happy birthday!).

And what did I choose for gift giving this spring? Well, fingerless mitts of course!


These are the clever Garter Stitch Mitts by Ysolda and I just love the pattern. That Ysolda really has got it all figured out. Clever designs, great final projects.


I used Patons SWS for both pairs of mitts. I purchased one ball to use for myself some time ago and just hadn't gotten around to using it. I pulled the ball out when I decided it was time for gift giving and I'm so glad I did.


The wool-soy blend in this yarn is very soft and I love the subtle stripes in the color.


The gauge with SWS is definitely different than that in the pattern but I got a good fit just by reducing the number of stitches cast on.


Short row shaping is really a pretty amazing tool to have in your toolbox as well. So fun to see how you can get extra coverage into just one small area (this is how the thumb is created) with so little effort!

If you haven't tried this pattern, I'd encourage you to put it into your queue. I know I'm keeping it there for a pair for myself!

Happy Birthday Karen and Happy Mother's Day Mom!

Garter Stitch Mitts by Ysolda
1 ball Pattons SWS (70% wool, 30% soy), Natural Violet (color 70312 lot 179535) for first pair
1 ball Pattons SWS (70% wool, 30% soy), Natural Denim (color 70117 lot 16021) for second pair
US 6 circulars
First pair cast on May 2, 2008
Finished May 4, 2008
Second pair cast on May 5, 2008
Finished May 10, 2008

Modifications: Cast on only 32 stitches given yarn with a different gauge.

Ravelry details here.