Finding patterns for variegated yarns is hard. If you have a variegated sport/fingering/sock yarn and you don't want to make socks, it's sometimes difficult to figure out what to make. Lacy patterns don't work well because the lace tends to get lost amongst the varying shades of colour, especially among a yarn that is highly contrasting.
Back in June my BFF visited San Francisco and happened to go to a yarn store specifically for me. Needless to say I was pretty thrilled when she came back with these skeins.
They are both part of the SF Cycle from Sincere Sheep. Every colourway in the SF cycle was based on a specific neighbourhood in San Francisco and attempted to capture the spirit and personality of that neighbourhood. The one on the left is based on The Sunset, and the one on the left is based on Castro. I knew I had to make something special with these, and I still haven't found the right pattern for the Sunset skein... but after perusing endless patterns on ravelry I finally found the pattern for Quilted Lattice Mitts. I knew I had found the perfect match of yarn and pattern, and I wasn't disappointed.
These were super fun to make, because there is something different happening every row. It requires concentration but not so much that you can't watch TV or carry on (or at least listen to) a conversation. Plus the finished project is lots of fun. I used to laugh at the idea of wearing fingerless mitts in a city like Winnipeg, but I made them anyway, and found that they were all I really needed for the majority of the fall weather. Plus I didn't have to take them off when answering my phone or responding to a text message (which happens ALL THE TIME because I am VERY popular. Ahem.)
My mom liked them so much that she ended up asking if I would make her a pair. Being the good daughter that I am, I said of course and set to work. I decided to try making the two-colour version for her instead of the variegated kind. Knitting the two-colour version of these is a good way to get used to having two balls of yarn attached to your work at the same time, kind of like doing stripes. The best part is that you only carry one colour at a time so the likelihood of brain hurting and yarn tangling is lower than with fair isle knitting.
I had almost finished them when she texted me asking if I had an extra pair of fingerless mitts lying around because my Grandma's hands were always cold. I said that I was almost finished the ones I was planning on giving to her but if she was willing to sacrifice them I could give them to Grandma instead. Being the good daughter that my mom is, she said of course and sacrificed the mitts so her mom could have warmer hands.
I haven't started making my mom a new pair yet though. The good daughter part of me is on hiatus while the selfish knitter in me comes out and I make myself a bunch of stuff. Sorry Mom, you'll just have to wait. And anyway, us daughters can't be good ALL the time. :)
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