Sew, sew, knit, knit, sew....

I've been hiding knitting from the blog. There, I said it. Ravelry knows about the knitting but the blog remains unaware, I feel like I'm going behind it's back. Although if you're like me and use Ravelry as your blogroll none of what I have to show you should come as a surprise.

First up, mittens for me! After finishing my sister's Chevalier I looked around for a pattern to knit up for myself but really, really just wanted a pair of the cabley goodness for myself. I cast on with the left-over skein of Berocco ultra alpaca from Kaino, but with math not being my strong point I slowly realised that one skein (particularly one that had been nibbled at during the cast of of the previous project) was just not going to be enough. So I stalled... and about three weeks later picked up another ball of yarn. That ball of yarn went with me to England... and came back with me two weeks later to the States. After dragging my heals for an ungodly amount of time I decided to finish these puppies up at a knitting group session.... only to leave the pattern on my desk at work. If it weren't for the lone of an iphone (thanks Anne-Marie!) they might never have been finished. But now that they are I am so glad. Good call me, knitting mittens in alpaca. They are so warm and soft they have basically been on my hands since the last end was woven in.

Pattern: Chevalier Mittens (rav)
Yarn & Needles: Berocco Ultra Alpaca 6227, more than one ball but less than two on US6/4mm

Not long after these were completed I finished off another pair of socks. These were cast on when I had nothing to take to Sit n Knit and so became my "I've got nothing better to do"/"Junk food knitting" project. There is something to be said about plain vanilla stockinette socks, they fulfill a need and look great to boot.

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Pattern: How about a recipe? Cast on 66st and join in round. K2P1 rib for a bit and stitch to stockinette. Heel flap over 33 st for about 32 rows. Turn the heel, pick up 16 st and decrease down every other row back to 33st. Wedge toe. Got that? Good.
Yarn & Needles: Regia 4-fadig in a wonderfully 80's inspired colourway (1956) on US1 (I think).

And as for the sewing... you didn't think I could stop that soon did you?!