FO: Gauntlets for Jess

FO: Gauntlets for Jess
Pattern: Symmetrical Braided Gauntlets by Rachel Calado
Yarn: Plymouth Yarn Baby Alpaca D.K.
Needles: US 4 Bamboo DPNs


I modified the pattern ever so slightly, to account for my choice of DK yarn vs. the suggested worsted weight. I cast on an extra 8 stitches, and distributed them according to the patterns proportion across the needles just containing stockinette stitches. I added two extra repeats of the braided cable to make the mitts a bit longer.

I love braided cables! They look so gorgeous and clever (unlike that nice line of laddering, seen in the above picture.) I am a bit of a cable nut in general, and I find something extra satisfying about braided cables. Despite my love of cables, and thus frequent use, I have not learned to knit them sans cable needles. I like cable needles. I like the way my cables look. I am perhaps a bit stubborn on this point, and have refused to even look up how to do it without the cable needle.
This pattern is great, and easy to boot. I had never made a thumb gusset until I dove into this pattern, and what was once an obscurely difficult sounding concept is now a basic skill. Yay! I love acquiring new knitting skills.
Fingerless gloves take the cake as the hardest item to photograph while wearing them yourself. Somehow, wrists were just not made to twist for dynamic photos and interesting angles. The ends are not yet woven in, and are peeking out in some of the pictures. Wiggly little devils. They will be all woven in and gifted in two weeks when Jess comes over again for craft night.

Last night I cast on Cookie A's gorgeous Pomatomus Socks, from Knitty.com, using yarn hand painted by Kristina and me last year. I have enough sock yarn to keep myself occupied with knitting an army of socks for about 4 years. My stash is extremely sock yarn heavy. Time to make a dent in all that languishing sock yarn, starting with one of the three skeins I dyed with Kristina. I just finished the ribbed cuff of orange sock #1, and love the colors already!