Retreat Weekend!

For Arnhild's Knitting Studio's 15th annual retreat!

The cars are all packed. The new models are done (or almost done). The yarn and needles and buttons are waiting patiently. Tomorrow we unload it all at the hotel and transform one of the rooms into a full yarn shop!

Let the fun begin!

Rose Mittens are finished!

I finished them last night. This is a picture against the snow bank, though you can't really tell it is snow. Yesterday was day 56 according to the weather man. We have had 4 inches of snow or more on the ground for the past 56 days! Several days ago, (about 2 snows ago) I heard there had been more than 40 inches of snow since winter started. That gives some indication of just how cold and snowy this winter has been. These mittens are very welcome indeed.


They are made of Istra, which is a DK weight yarn. They feel thicker than some that I made with light worsted weight yarns from other manufacturers. I tested them out this morning while driving my daughter to school. The temperature was still in the single digits but my hands were still reasonably warm! Holding a cold steering wheel makes my hands painfully cold if I don't have warm enough mittens.

I had to get creative with these mittens. I started a pattern that had a hem but found that after decreasing, the hand part of the pattern wasn't going to fit with the yarn and gauge I was getting. So, instead I picked out some graphs that would match the number of stitches I wanted to use. The cuff is #13-1 from LVS 5, Selbustrikk and the hand is #8 from the same book. They came out beautifully with a nice long cuff to cover my wrists up to my sleeves.

The week flew by....

We had a busy week with our daughter home from Nevada for the first time in a year. It was such fun to have her here. Now it is back to our regularly scheduled programming... school, work, making meals, washing laundry, and hopefully knitting!

I have found some time most evenings to knit. I finished up some slipper socks for the girls. Now they all have a pair of nice warm, thick, wool slippers. Carl is asking for a pair of slippers too so his will be next. These are made in Rauma Polar on size 10 needles. Big needles and fat yarn knits up fast!

Lisa's green slippers got away already but here are Amy's blue ones,

and Jessica's purple ones.
and Rosie's multi-colored slipppers.

I stalled out on my mittens when I ran out of the light pink Istra on the thumb of the first one. I have more yarn now so I am hoping to get back to them soon.

So I decided to finish up these pink mittens but I don't know what pattern I used for the first one. I started counting rows and knitting away one night. When I went to put them away for the night they looked like this.
Somehow they just didn't look quite right. I think that second thumb gusset needs to be a bit longer.

I did finish a pair of plain mittens. They are Lamb's Pride Bulky wool/mohair and will probably go to the church's international student program.
I have been modifying some socks that I had knit extra long. I found that they just don't stay up! They were both knit from toes to top so I was able to easily rip back and knit a shorter cuff on them. They will be more comfortable that way. The first pair is done and the second pair just needs a few more rows. I don't have any pictures of those yet but here is a picture of the progress on the Margrethe Norwegian sweater. The pieces are blocked and ready to be sewn and cut. Then I just need to knit a little bit around the neckline and sew the sleeves and hems.

Almost finished!