Part of the Making Winter series started by Silverpebble and Thriftyhousehold.
In my opinion one of the best things about winter is the woolies. I do like to be snuggly when it's cold and have a particular weakness for gloves and scarves so anytime I make anything for myself it usually ends up being either of these. Since winter is now well and truly here, it's inevitable that I'd have several such snuggly projects on the go…
The first is a pair of mittens from a beautiful fairisle pattern called Peerie Flooers by Kate Davies.
I'm knitting these flat because I find it much quicker and I really, really hate knitting in the round. I've made another few tweaks to suit what I like (all notes over on ravelry) but Kate's colour choices are so perfect so I'm working in those…
… Arncliffe, Bainbridge, Hubberholme, Leyburn, Muker, Nappa, Richmond in Rowan fine tweed.
I've also got 2 other pairs of fingerless mittens on the go, one that I started last year and never finished and another that I started a few weeks back. Both are worked in Madeline Tosh sock yarn. The yellow ones are from a free pattern called hedgerow by Amy Ripton and are worked in 'winter wheat'. The stripey ones are worked in 'thyme' and 'wash' and are based on my favourite ever mitten pattern Endpapers by Eunny Jang (which is also free) with lots of personal tweaks.
According to H, I have enough mittens to sink a battleship already but I reckon there's always room for a few more pairs (my ravelry queue is testament to this and has links to some great patterns).
And then there's my scarf collection, but we'll leave those for another day – I'll be back later in the week with a simple scarf tutorial.
little cotton rabbits 
Congratulations Julie on your now very public personnae. Your work is absolutely beautiful. Loving your new project.
Hoping that you and all of yours have a really wonderful Christmas/New Year.
Well done lady. You are inspiring.
All good wishes. Sheridan
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Love the colours in the fairisle mittens. I hate knitting in the round too. Can one have too many mittens/scarves/ gloves?
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I am in love with your fair isle mittens, way beyond my capabilities I’m afraid but they are lovely lovely lovely : )
Emma x
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Gorgeous, I have some fine tweed on its way to my house, I am going to practise fairisle so I can make myself some of these!
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Oooh, like you don’t like knitting in the round, but two pins? Can I? Certainly in the queue!
Briliant Julie, as always.
x
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Is it really possible to have too many mittens? (I don’t think it is!)
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Dear Julie,
As part of the Making Winter Hall of Fame I would like to congratulate you on your BEAUTIFUL post! You are right; those colours are perfect and I too have succumbed to the charms of Rowan Tweed but I am far, far from your knitting league…. maybe one day. One thing is for certain your inspiration may well help me on my way to knitting fairisle too. Slowly does it 😉
Warm greetings for Advent to you and your family from France.
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Love that fair isle pattern … saw a new post from you today and was all excited thing it was new bunnies! LOL. Are you sure there are ONLY 24 hours in YOUR day? LOL
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You really can’t have too many mittens, scarves and cowls can you? Love the look of all of these. And the winter wheat colour is gorgeous 😀
I’ve just been working on a fingerless mitt pattern that is worked sideways with a three needle bind off seam, but I’m much happier knitting mitts in the round since I embraced magic loop. Might be worth a try if it’s DPNs that are putting you off.
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They’re all absolutely gorgeous, I hate knitting in the round too so I’m inspired! That fairisle is so detailed though. 🙂
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Beautiful work Julie. I still make so many mistakes in my knitting (and I have no patience or skill to correct them!)
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Your fairisle mittens are so beautiful Julie! 🙂 That’s my aim for 2012, get better at fairisle, I have a book on my Santa list!
Your other mittens are of course gorgeous too.
Oh and have too many mittens?? Absolutely not! 😉
Vivienne x
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Goodness Julie, those colours are beautiful. I saw these images on flickr and felt immediately rather envious of the mittens to come. I have a small obsession with fair isle at the moment. I’m in awe of those who can make their own. Thanks so much for joining in – I really am enjoying winter a little this year.
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I am always amazed at the speed in which you produce such complicated beauties! What an absolutely lovely fairisle design! Utterly lovely. xx
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It is so funny to see you mittens knitted flat, because I really like knitting in the round and I am really quick at it. Since I own some short (13cm) dpns made of bamboo I find it very comfortable to work in the round since the needles don’t get tangled up or poke into my palms any more.
But I really adore your fairisle work. That is something that I am really slow at because my threads keep tangling up and I find it hard to separate the colours. I have got one of those knitting thimbles but that doesn’t help. Is there a special technique you could recommend? Maybe obe day I will also manage such beautiful fair isle work.
All the best, Claudia
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ooh, lots of gorgeous knitting! I actually love knitting mittens flat, too- I don’t know why so many knitters seem (ha, pun!) adverse to seams.
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I also hate working in the round and if I can change a pattern and work it flat I do every time….I’m glad I’m not the only one doing this, and glad to see many other comments about like minded people, and those gloves are sensational, I wish I had the patience….maybe next year.
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OMG, those fairisle are just BEAUTIFUL!!
Having just knitted my first ever thing in two colours I am in awe of your talent!!
S x
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Those are gorgeous!!! I need to learn to do fair isle work. There’s got to be a trick to keeping the yarn from being a mess on the back. Strings of yarn stretching here and there….
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Completely gorgeous
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You always choose the best colors for your knits. Loving the mittens!
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These are so, so lovely – all of them!!
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I am obsessed with colourwork mittens, I love the peerie pattern you are working! And you’re right, she did choose excellent colours. I bet you will have a lot of yarn leftover, you might have to make more just so you aren’t wasting it 😉
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Oh my word, these are divine! I’ve been eyeing (sp?) up this yarn for a little while myself, the colours are lovely aren’t they? I think you’ve found the perfect project for them, they are looking truly beautiful. Your fair isle looks flawless too, I wish I could saw the same of mine!!
S x
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I too am currently wristwarmer-obsessed, but those fair isle mitts are divine and on a different level to any project of mine. I have just bought some flexible pins to knit tea cosies in the round. Thanks for the link to the pattern, have printed it out and will def. have a go x Happy Christmas Julie
Sally x
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One of the most gorgeous scarfs I have knitted this year (all thanks to many wins at Posh Yarns this year)was a straightforward garter stitch one. It was knitted w chunky cashmere in subtle silvery pinklish grey. I do like a good scarf. And a hat.
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Your fairisle mittens are gorgeous. I know I would get in such a muddle trying something like that, although I don’t mind knitting in the round (I hate sewing up seams)
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ooooh look at this:
http://knitandseek.blogspot.com/2011/11/fo-friday-peerie-posies-edition.html
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I’m knitting those Peerie mittens now, too — though I’m not yet brave enough to try fair isle knitting flat. Very cool. I just finished socks in that Hedgerow pattern. And now I’m off to have a poke around your blog since our tastes are so similar. Cheers!
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Oh, NO NO NO. Now I want to knit this fairisle pattern. BUT I CAN’T. I’m not YOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUU. It would look AWFUL if I did it. I want this. Just that square in the first photo. I want it. For my birthday, will you just knit me only that square? I’ll be good. I promise. How can you DOOOO this? It’s perfect, like it’s just the yarn changing colors – not like you are changing yarns. Mine would be puckery and awful and hideous and awful. And yours – may I just say that your knitting is actually poetry? And no one here will argue that with me. And if anyone from any other place wants to launch an argument otherwise–well, they just don’t know who they’re dealing with, do they?
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Oh how I wish I could knit like that …..
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Love the pattern and colors! Very cute. Amazes me what you can do!:) seems so easy when I see your work, but I know it isn’t.;)
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I was oggling some Rowan Fine Tweed in John Lewis the other day, wondering what it would be good for – now I know! But Fairisle seems terrifying to me – I might have to make a New Years resolution to tackle learning it.
And there is no such thing in life as too many mittens.
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How beautiful, all 3 pairs of them but especially the first one. I’ve never trying making mittens but you made me want to and this means buying some wool 🙂
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Oh I wish my knitting would improve faster. The fairisle mitts are so pretty, they will be wonderful to wear. juliex
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Julie, I bought the wool and the pattern for the Peerie Flooers hat this year but have struggled with circulars with my thumb problem. Kate’s patterns are so well written. I am inspired by your mittens to have a go a knitting it flat. I love the Rowan Fine Tweed and bought mine from a lovely wool shop in Bath.
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I thougth I could knit until I see your fabulous work!! Oh Goodness, those mittens are just out of this world, if I did not see them in progress,I would never believe you made them. Wonderful design,colors just go perfecty together. You have a talent most of us only dream of…not to mention your wonderful little rabbits!!!
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your knitting skills are so perfect, i wish i had your talent! i never tried knitting mittens with 2 needles, i have seen Euny Jang’s endpaper mitts pattern before and they are gorgeous. now i am really intrigued to try making mitts with 2 needles.
tell your hubby we never have enough mittens! ^_^
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