Mittens before snow

I must apologize to the northeast US. I think my knitting may have caused snowpocalypse, because I have been knitting up a storm. (It is OK you can tell me, I already know my knitting does not cause weather fronts to converge.)

So that is the really long way to tell you I have finished my driving mittens.  I remembered to catch a quick photo of each of them, but quick photos never seem to capture the magic. 

 

 They're nice and light, made of fingering weight yarn. I can hold my keys and feel the steering wheel. I don't feel like I am overwhelmed like some mittens can feel.

But the down side is that they are not super warm. I would not want to go on a long hike with these alone. But again they were never intended for that use.

I used Ann Budd's The Knitter's handy book of patterns to make them. The yarn is Ball and Skein Sophia, a lovely soft yarn with a touch of cashmere. I enjoyed knitting with it immensely. I made a long  four inch cuff intending to tuck it under my coat cuff, but I like them turned down into a double cuff too.

So now what about that sweater I was going to make. Hmm this is prime sweater knitting weather going on. Oh and look the yarn is green too.

Don't mind me I just be swatching a bit. Oh wait can I count my Rhinebeck sweater as a working swatch? Ann Budd and I will be off in a corner running the numbers from her Top Down Sweaters book. Well she is here in spirit anyways.

Don't worry my train travel thoughts are still chugging along too. I've run some numbers on flying vs railing and it has dispelled some guilt that I want to tell you about but that is all another post or two.

Contrast

Let's talk about contrast in yarns shall we? As you know I usually have several projects on the needles at the same times. (It is also how I read so I guess it is normal for me.) I like socks so it tends to be a lot of socks in various stages. Turning a heel on this one, cuff ribbing on that one, and somewhere on the foot of that one. I know where I am on the sock I don't get confused, trust me I've made a few!

The yarns may be different colors but they tend to be similar weight and texture. I mean wool feels like wool, right? Not always. 

I have learned to appreciate crunchy, bold wool. A lifetime spent running around outside barefoot allows you to tolerate what your pampered chin and neck will not. I am all for keeping my little ice blocks (feet) toasty. That yarn sometimes comes from the sheep that know cold, Icelandic and Scottish (Cheviot) sheep. 

This sock is from Cheviot sheep. It is crunchy, rustic and I expect great things from these socks. Toasty toes with a implied durability. Softer yarn can be more delicate. 

These have been fun because you know you're knitting with Wool, insert manly grunt here. This is wool I can trust on a hike or camping trip. This is farm girl wool! (I did buy it from a farm girl too!)

In contrast I am knitting myself some mittens. An arctic blast of cold sweeping the country will do that to you. While these will see quite a bit of use, I will not trudge through the woods directly on them. These babies will protect my hands from the ohh so cold steering wheel. Arctic blast remember? And for that task I chose a wool, cashmere nylon blend. It is not much cashmere but it is enough to make me know what heaven will feel like. 

So what I am saying is, what a difference between these two wools, yet I find utter contentment in both of them. I can appreciate them both for different reasons. It has been especially interesting switching between the two also. My own texture game.

Now I'm thinking a new sweater would be nice too. I have some nice rustic crunchy wool in need of some knitting.