The cuff I showed you in the last post is, as you no doubt figured out, a mitten cuff. The mitten is being knit from Madelinetosh Tosh Sock in the “Tart” and “Composition Book Grey” colorways on a U.S. size 2 (2.75mm) needle.
Here’s the first mitten, completed:
As you can see (if you click on the photo to enlarge it), I am knitting a quotation from an Emily Dickinson poem into the mittens. The other mitten will have the rest of the line.
While I realize that this quote is a bit morbid, I have always loved the poem. I charted these mittens out quite a while ago and never got around to knitting them.
I am, of course, calling the design “Morbid Mittens.” They will certainly not appeal to everyone, but I’m not knitting them for mass appeal. Still, I will write up the pattern and make it available once I’ve completed them.
I spent a long time picking out the colors. I knew I wanted red for the lettering, and the Tart colorway (a red that has some black in it) is perfect — exactly what I envisioned. The background color was a tougher choice. I didn’t want black — too dark. But I wanted something gloomy. I was a little concerned that Composition Book Grey would be too dark for a good contrast with the red, but I am very pleased with how it looks now that I’ve got one mitten done. I think the color combo is nicely gloomy, but still has enough contrast so that the words are legible to anyone who looks closely enough.
Also, I love the way these two colors look together on the palm!
Speaking of Mittens
Thanks for all your nice comments on my Camp Loopy mittens! A pattern is forthcoming.
Tubular!
Because knitting 2-color mittens is a bit of a pain on the commute, I started another project, this one with a tubular cast-on:
Lucy sez:
“It’s tubular, dude.”
Very cool! Great colors, and I’ve always loved Emily Dickinson. Are you doing anything special with the contrasting color when you have several main color stitches in a row, or are you just letting it float along the inside?
Is the other glove going to say He kindly stopped for me?
And by glove I mean mitten.
Love the Morbid Mittens!
So I clicked on the mitten photo to see if I could make out the line. Then I clicked again, and again, and LOL, again. I should have seen it (her) coming. Thanks for the giggle/snicker!
Cowabunga, Lucy
I love the Morbid Mittens — not all things morbid are painful to behold. These are lovely, and there will be quite a number of people who will love to knit them and many more who will love to receive them! Cool, Wendy.
Hey Lucy, I agree … totally tubular, dudette.
~firefly
Scarlet and gray–a totally awesome color combination, especially for Ohio State alumni (which I am!) It’s excellent for everything .
I have to make these for my mother. She used to quote this randomly when I was growing up.
I am totally intrigued by this mitten. Can’t wait to see it’s partner.
He kindly stopped for me. Love it
Can’t wait for the pattern. That is one of my favorite poems! It was one of the first poems I memorized. Great job on charting it out and the color selection is fantastic.
Wow! You are a mitten machine;O)) Jealous of how quickly you crank out these beautiful mittens!
Sorry Wendy I can`t read the qutotation but I do the the colorways
Just look both ways before crossing the street in those mittens! Beautiful!
Did you know that you can sing that poem to the tune of the Gilligan’s Island theme? Hee hee!
I love the idea of a quotation on the mitts (or any other garment). It’s so original and personal.
hmmm. tubular cast on.. I need to learn that. I don’t know what it is, but I definately need to learn it.
I have always loved that poem. Thank you for sharing your work. I’ll be watching for the pattern.
Am I the only one that finds it rather amusing that you are knitting mittens in the midst of a nasty heatwave?!? Wish we could have some of that heat here in the pacific northwest…..
Wendy, I have a question about something on your lace tunic. Why did you pick up stitches and use a 3-needle bind off to attache the sleeves rather than picking up stitches on the tunic and knitting the sleeves from top to bottom? Just curious….
Morbid Mittens, very interesting…but not my cuppa, sorry. I do love the tubular cast on! Probably the niftiest trick one can perform with two pointy sticks & some string. Had to frog my first attempt at my Camp Loopy mittens, but the second is coming along nicely, thanks.