Busy, Busy, Busy!

Even though it's been really busy at work, I have been doing a fair bit of knitting this week. Mittens and gloves make great lunchtime knitting projects, small and portable. Because of that, it's what I've been knitting.

These are Lilac Mittens (free download on Ravelry), designed by Heather Desserud, who also designed the Rubai'yat Mittens I made last winter. They're fun! I'm really enjoying working with these two yarns, and the design is fun, too. The picture above is the palm side of the hand and the picture below is the back of the hand. This is not your typical fair isle design! There are long floats where the non-working yarn has to be anchored and I'm finding that I have to tell myself to loosen up. The yarns, incidentally, are both Sisu sock yarns and the mittens are being worked on 2.75 mm needles.

It's not readily visible in the pictures, but I've changed the cuff a little bit from the pattern. Heather calls for 4 rows of rib before starting the scroll-y band; I decided I really like the look of the picot edge I did on the Rubai'yat mittens, so I've done that again on this pair. Having said that I've been working on these at lunch time, I'm at the point now where the pattern demands a little more concentration than I can give it in the half hour I have for lunch, so they're now "at home" knitting. Still... they're fun to knit and will be just as much fun to wear, I'm sure!

A few weeks ago, I finished the Knotty gloves. I think I mentioned that, didn't I? I hadn't woven in all the ends, though, so I finally did that this morning. Then I imposed upon John to take some pictures of the gloves. Here they are...

I think these have just become my favourite gloves! I love the length of the cuffs (no chilly wrists!); I love the alpaca yarn; I love the fit. I also came to the realization this morning that all the gloves I've knitted (or am knitting) for myself - all 2 1/2 pairs - are all knitted with alpaca. Yumm! I deserve the best, dontcha think?

Below is another little project I've been working on. I know, I said I wasn't going to post pictures until the intended victim had them in hand, but I just couldn't resist.

This is the first of the Bluebell Wristwarmers. Again, these are being knit out of alpaca, dk weight (Sandnes Alpakka) this time. All that's left to do on this one (the second one is well under way) is to stitch up the bottom picot edge and finish the thumb. As mentioned, the pattern is a freebie, available through Ravelry. I'm hoping to have these, and the rest of the package, out to Kristen very soon.

In other knitting, the Christening Dress is making very slow progress. I've managed, after much frustration, to finish a second repeat of the edging pattern, and I've managed to put in a lifeline. I'll be honest with you, if I keep getting as frustrated as I have been, I'll be very tempted to used the yarn for something else, perhaps another project out of "Knitted Lace of Estonia". John keeps reminding me that there really isn't a good reason for me to be knitting this dress. I keep telling him it's just for the challenge, but sometimes I wonder if it's worth it, really. We'll see.

Now, I just happen to have the apartment all to myself and I've been told to relax and enjoy myself. Does that sound like an invitation to sit and knit, or what?