I have only been seriously knitting for a few months . Though I find great joy in knitting, there are still many, many knitting techniques I have not learned. I can knit and purl but I am still struggling my way through learning to read a pattern and knitting more complicated patterns. My young son however, does not understand this. Consequently, he frequently asks me to knit things that I do yet have the skills to knit. Case in point, mittens. We were visiting the craft department recently and my little one picked up a lovely skein of yarn and informed me that he wanted mittens. Well, I had absolutely no idea how to knit mittens but, feeling rather adventurous that day, I decided that I would give it a try.
I went through dozens of mitten patterns until I found one that I thought looked simple enough to follow and we purchased a skein of Red Heart Strata yarn in the color Pogo. This is a self-striping yarn so I could make the mittens multi-color without all those pesky ends to weave. It has been a slow process with lots of frogging and re-knitting but I am happy to report that last night about midnight I finished my very, first mitten. Okay, so it isn’t perfect and I didn’t do a very good job of weaving my seam but it actually looks like a mitten and it was the size it was intended to be. (This is a great triumph for me as I tend to knit tightly so my projects are sometimes too small. My first hat ended up fitting my daughter’s doll – and only just barely.)
I am so encouraged by this small success that I will probably even make the other mitten. I will definitely have to lock them away somewhere safe though. The first thing my son mentioned when he tried them on was that he needed to go to the sandbox to play. He actually thinks I am going to let him get them dirty!!! Children are so funny.
This is the first time I have knitted with the Red Heart Strata yarn and I heartily recommend it. The color sections are fairly long so it makes a very pleasant patten in the knitting process. It forms stripes and checks in stockinette stitch. I would suggest a small project like a scarf, a hat, socks, mittens, or gloves as I don’t think the color repeat will produce as pleasing an effect in a wider project like a sweater or afghan. However, I haven’t tested this theory so you may want to give it a try.
I got the mitten off my son long enough to get a pic! The color didn’t come out right – could be because I am using a scanner since the camera is on the fritz. The colors are much brighter in the real version – the pink is hot pink, the green is bright lime and the blue is bright turquoise. When I get the pair made I will get a photo with a camera.
Happy Knitting!!
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Project Details
Pattern from Beginners Guide to Knit Stitches from Leisure Arts. Yarn Red Heart Strata – color Pogo. Size 6 and Size 8 needles.
Beautiful yarn; cute mitten; lovely story.
Perhaps if you find a pattern knitted in the round and then try using circulars [magic loop] or dpns. You’ll be on a steep learning curve but that’s part of the fun, right?
After yesterday’s blocking tutorial, I was very surprised to read you were a new knitter! You block like you’ve been doing it for years!
And your knitting will loosen off as you become more confident – my DD used to knit so tightly I couldn’t more the stitches on the needle but now her tension/gauge is average!
Hi Mimi
Thanks for the encouragement. I can’t wait to get started on the socks but I have a few final Christmas gifts to finish knitting before I can try them out. The sock knitting group sounds interesting. When I get confident in making socks I will check it out.
I love the story of Tabitha (Dorcas) in Acts 9. I especially like verse 39 where everyone is showing the apostles the things that Tabitha made for them. This is how I would like to be remembered.
Thanks for the comments
Hi Mimi
Thanks for the encouragement. I can’t wait to get started on the socks but I have a few final Christmas gifts to finish knitting before I can try them out. The sock knitting group sounds interesting. When I get confident in making socks I will check it out.
I love the story of Tabitha (Dorcas) in Acts 9. I especially like verse 39 where everyone is showing the apostles the things that Tabitha made for them. This is how I would like to be remembered.
Thanks for the comments
Hi Tabitha. I love the scripture in your signature!!! As far as socks go, they really are easy. Once you get comfortable I belong to a group called Sock for Soldiers. We knit socks and send them to the soldiers in Iraq, etc. One lady heads it up. Hope you will join us.
Hi Tabitha. I love the scripture in your signature!!! As far as socks go, they really are easy. Once you get comfortable I belong to a group called Sock for Soldiers. We knit socks and send them to the soldiers in Iraq, etc. One lady heads it up. Hope you will join us.
Thanks for the kind comments. I have really decided that I like knitting mittens, though I may try a different pattern for the next pair. I don’t really like the seam weaving in this one. Any recommendations??
I am also really liking the Strata yarn too. I will have to try it on a different project. Bet it would make a cute hat – maybe one to match my sons mittens 🙂 Thanks for visiting.
I have only made mittens once, and didn’t really get into them. Maybe I’ll try them again someday.
I love the Red Heart Strata. I made a scarf out of it, but I forgot what color I used. You can see pictures on my blog. Just scroll down a few days worth.
Hi, Tabitha! Good for you for tackling mittens. They were one of my first projects too, and a I found them to be a great way to practice my knitting skills while making something useful. I still love to knit mittens. My nieces and nephews are all getting handknit mittens for Christmas.