Truly Better than Two in the Bush

While I haven't succumbed to Mitten Mania, I am a little maniacal about this pair of mittens.  I can also truly tell you that one on the hand (thumb, actually) is truly better than two in the bush, especially when one is playing in the snow!

Scooping up snow and trying to make a snowball can be a difficult proposition with the "greatest snow on earth".  Utah snow is soft, fluffy and powdery and doesn't pack well.  Making a snowman can be quite the challenge, but skiing conditions are pretty darn good.  (Just be very careful in the back country, as we are prone to avalanches.)  But, back to my very happy hands clad in warm and beautiful mittens...I couldn't love these mittens more!

Using worsted wool made a big mitten, bigger than most people could wear, but they fit me well (as luck would have it).  They are thick and tightly knit which keeps the wool from absorbing much moisture (not that our snow is comprised of much moisture anyway).

As I said before, my mittens are far from perfectly knit, but the color, fit and warmth make me a very happy knitter. I'm satisfied with my below average ability, because the mittens are so pretty and soft. Blocking helped to even out the texture of the fabric and playing in the snow softened them more. What could be more fun than playing outdoors in such beautiful mittens, on a blue sky day, in the whitest of snow? Nothing!

Patterrn: Bird in the Hand Mittens  by Kate Gilbert
Yarn: Cascade 220  - Blue 9468 White 8010
Needles: Bamboo DPNs #3
Time to Knit: 12-02-07 – 12-16-07
For KAL: Knitting Like a Latvian

Comments

[PumpkinMama]

Your mittens are lovely - great work!

[Sherie]

They are wonderful!!!

[turtlegirl76]

Oooh very pretty! I wish I needed mittens here. But Charlotte doesn't get that cold. Or that much snow. If any. *sigh*

[Carole]

They match your blue sky and snow perfectly. Looks like you and Smith had some fun with this photo shoot!

[Vicki]

Those mittens are perfect, Margene! They look absolutely wonderful playing in the snow.

[Manise]

Very pretty mittens. Carole took the words out of my mouth- they do match your sky!

[gale (she shoots sheep shots)]

Enjoy them, they are marvelous mitts. Actually it looks like you're doing an excellent job of enjoying htem, so keep it up!

[norma]

Just gorgeous, and they brought out the kid in you -- again! :)

[ann]

I might have to succumb. they look great!

[Zarah]

So pretty! Your snow looks fantastic, too.

[deb]

Awesome! I love the color.I think I will drop down to DK weight for mine - the worsted if just HUGE.

[Loribird]

They're so pretty - and you look so happy! Great to see you enjoying a knit so much!

[Chris]

White birds in the sky - lovely!

[susan]

I should make those mittens.
No, wait, I should STOP making mittens!

[Kirsten]

So pretty Margene! I love the photo where you are tossing the snow in the air - so joyous!

[Anne]

Now how cute are those? And they match that beautiful blue sky and white fluffy snow perfectly! Are you gonna knit a pair in grays for days we have inversions? :)

[Stitch-n-Snitch]

Beautiful!! :)

[Judy]

Oh... they are so much fun. Great post!

[Ina]

Love your Birds frolicking in powder! The snow around here has melted and re-frozen into a solid mass as hard and slick as a skating rink. Walking across my yard is very exciting right now.

[Kathleen]

That picture of you throwing snow is awesome! Love that color!!

[Jocelyn]

Great mittens in my favorite color! Well done.

[bellamoden]

These are great! The mitts, the shots, everything. You look so happy!

[Cara]

FANTASTIC! So glad you inspired me! I'm really enjoying my mitten(s) as well!

[Lolly]

I just love them! and that blue! beautiful work, M!

[Laurie]

Beautiful, inspiring. And I LOVE the snow in air picture of you.

[Jennifer]

Beautiful!

[marie in florida]

blue sky white snow join
from my own to my own Hands
Full grace skill beauty

happy playing in the snow; my son moved to Oklahoma city just before the big ice storm there; he says he has a new appreciation for snow because it is NOT ice...LOL..that from a native florida boy...tee hee; he's safe though it was worrysome

[Lauren]

They are great!

[Kim]

They look pretty darn good to me! What a fun time you had!

[Birdsong]

I think this may be one of my favorite things, out of all the many creations from your hands! You look gloriously happy playing in the new snow with your new mittens to keep your fingers warm and dry... there is STILL nothing that beats a good, worested weight wool mitten for the job!

[Wool Winder]

They're gorgeous and the photos are so fun! I'm glad you said what you did about the size. I don't think they would fit my hands and I doubt I could go down to smaller needles with worsted weight. If I ever get around to making a pair, I might try a lighter weight yarn.

[Anne B.]

What a gorgeous day, you look so warm and cosy with your mittens, hat and wrap.

[Cheryl S.]

Fantastic mittens - and it looks like it was another incredibly beautiful day at Silver Lake!

[Teri S.]

Absolutely gorgeous, despite your perception of imperfections. 'Nuff said!

[Teresa C]

I love them! I'd want to play in the snow every day just to wear them. :)

[CindyCindy]

I think I have mitten-love. Yours are absolutely GORGEOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Lori]

That's the best pair I've seen yet!

[Danielle]

Very nice -- the colors in the mitten match your snow and sky!

[Tan]

They work, and they are beautiful. Congratulations on a big success.

[Theresa]

Gorgeous - I am so inspired.

[Ruth]

Very, very pretty, your sky-colored mittens.

[elizabeth]

They look great! I love that huge scarf you're wearing too!

[Cheryl]

I think they're just beautiful! Now I have to cast on for mine, I can't wait another minute.

[Rachel H]

Happy is better than perfect anyday. And cut it out with the 'below average ability' thing, wouldja? Those are beautiful mittens. Nothing below average about them, or you, at all.

[Hillary]

Those look fab! As long as they work for you the imperfections are irrelevant. I really love the colors you chose. They just look like the day after a snowstorm - blue skies and snow covered ground. Perfect!

[Tonia]

They are lovely!!!

[Kara]

Those mittens are perfect. And how cute are you in that picture where you are throwing the snow? So fun!

[Mia]

The blue yarn perfectly matches your beautiful Utah sky!!!

[Teyani]

wonderful photo shoot - and I think the mittens look perfect! Congrats on yet another beautiful completion!

[Margaret]

OK, big leaf piles, throwing snowballs, can jumping in spring mud puddles be far behind? Love (!) the mittens. As for perfection, I like the way the leaves and flowers pop out on the fabric better than if your tension were perfectly even!