Fingerless Mittens.

Remember that I told you I was testing out a friends pattern for knitting fingerless mittens?  Well I have finally managed to complete them.  I am pleased to say that Spinning's pattern is just fine and that now I have learnt a little more I could knit another pair probably quicker and more easily.  This is a grand pattern for beginners as it is fairly quick to do once you get the hang of the stitches.

My knitted squares stood me in good sted for casting on.  No probs there. The pattern begins with the rib stitch which is done by alternating knit stitches with purl stitches.  Hmm, OK.  I had to Google the purl stitch and watched a couple of You Tube vids to get the hang of it.

It seems to be like a backwards knit stitch.... I think!  The needle goes in the back instead of the front and the wool stays at the front instead of the back!  I think!  At least that is what I have been doing. It's a bit of a pain this rib lark because alternating the knit and purl means the wool goes from front to back all the time.

Anyway, I made a start.  I got to 5 rows and it looked OK, but it didn't look ribby to me.  I feared I had done it wrong.  I checked the pattern.  Nope I had done as instructed.  Still didn't look ribby though!  It was at this point that I confused myself further by Googling the rib stitch.  Seems to be a lot of conflicting advice. One website said you had to have an odd number of stitches which was odd because my pattern has an even number. Another website said that you start each new row with the same stitch that you finished on...... so you end with a purl stitch the new row will start with a purl stitch.  My pattern seemed  to my novices mind to be saying do every row the same!

Oh dear, my knickers were twisting further and further with every passing minute.  I did ask advice from my wonderful teamie friends at Craft Britannia as I couldn't get hold of Spinning. They told me I had it right as far as they could tell so I thought I would try a few more rows.  I did and it began to look sort of ribby.  Got to 8 rows and there was a hole on row 7.  WTH?   How did that happen? It was at that point that I opened the red stuff!  After a glass or 2 I concluded it was probably best to go to bed and leave it.

The following day after speaking to Spinning and confirming that I was doing it right I unpicked it and started over.  Long story short, I unpicked it 4 more times before I had that little piece of rib correct with no holes.

Then it was time to start the flat bit.  That was a bit easier as it is alternating rows of knit and purl which form stocking stitch.  Got half way through that though and must have lost track as I had knitted where I should have purled.  Unpicking time again!!

Finally after many hours I completed it.  I was so chuffed.  The second one I am pleased to say was much easier.  I was very careful and counted everything and I did it in one go without any unpicking!  Go Me!  All that was left to do was to sew them up.  Rights sides together and away we go.

This is the finished article. The ones that Spinning sells in her shop are decorated with crochet flowers but as I have yet to learn that skill I had to choose something different for mine.  (These photos look a different colour because I had to use flash).

If you would like to see Spinning's work you can check out her shop where the pattern that I tested will be available shortly.  CLICK HERE.