I’m Knitting As Fast As I Can

These mitts were born when I found a skein of decadent angora yarn in my stash and needed a pattern that used only one skein. They are worked in the round from the fingers down to the cuffs with a roomy afterthought thumb. Instructions are given for both a long and a short cuff. The wrist is shaped by changing the size of the needle. The simple, mirrored lace pattern is presented in both chart form and written instructions; you choose the method you prefer. They are quick and easy to make.

• Yarn Used: 1 ball Angora Extra or Louisa Harding Kimono Angora Pure
• Yarn Substitutes: I strongly encourage you to use the suggested yarn. But, Classic Elite Lush, Frog Tree sport-weight alpaca, and Rowan Kid Classic are good substitutes.
• Gauge: Approximately 18 sts/26 rows = 4 inches [10 cm] in stockinette stitch worked in the round on size 4.5mm needles.
• Size: Worked at the suggested gauge and after a firm blocking, the finished mitts are 8—9.5 inches long and measure approx. 7.5 inches in circumference. They will fit a woman’s size small/medium hand. The size can be altered slightly during blocking or you can use a larger or smaller needle to obtain a looser or tighter gauge.
• Techniques: Channel Island cast on; picot bind off; easy lace; afterthought thumb

For the last few weeks, the majority of my knitting has been comprised of working up swatches, blocking said swatches, and then reknitting them. On Friday I decided I needed a project that could not only be finished in a weekend, but would also result in something usable.

Enter, Jackie Erickson-Schweitzer’s Flared Lace Smoke Ring.

Cast on: Friday night

Cast off: Monday morning

Yarn: Knit Picks Gloss in the burgundy colorway

Ravelry: click here for my project page on Ravelry

Notes: This pattern is awesome and the yarn is a perfect match for it. The yarn was left over from a sock project and weighed only 42 grams. So I cast on 28 fewer stitches (2 pattern repeats) and just knit until I almost ran out. Each repeat of Chart D took 4 grams of yarn and I had 3 grams left so I guess I stopped at just the right point. The finished smoke ring is small and it clearly isn’t long enough to pull up over your head. So it’s more of a cowl, but still cute and functional.

Modifications: In addition to casting on fewer stitches, I also worked a purl row after the cast on (I used a double-start cast on) and before the cast off. I cast off in purl, not knit.

Recipient: This cowl is destined for the assistant principal at my daughter’s middle school. Lord knows she deserves it after shepherding my daughter for the last 3 years. In fact, she probably deserves a month-long European vacation, but this is the best I can do.

I have an annoying habit of leaving things to the last minute. Which means that I spent this Mother’s Day knitting a pair of angora fingerless mitts for my MIL:

and working on a top I wanted to take on my trip with me:

I’m finally willing to concede that the top won’t be finished by tomorrow morning so back into the knitting bag it goes to await my return.

Now I’m off to finish packing. See you in a few.