For the gauge averse

This week's pattern from the stitch 'n bitch pageaday calender is for a pair of striped tweedy mittens, though they don't look very tweedy to me. But I've been thinking about making some mittens, so I read through the pattern. For the gauge averse, note that the pattern says to use a size 7us needle or size needed to get gauge. But what gauge?? There is no gauge specified in the pattern, so this is one where you can skip the swatch without guilt.



However with a bit of research on the kpixie site (Misso for kpixie is credited with the design) and kpixie hides their free patterns pretty well, but I found the tweedy mitt pattern and they say your gauge should be 5 stitches per inch. Here is a link to the pattern available free from kpixie One more caution, the cast-on is 30 and at 5 stitches per inch your mitt will be 6 inches around and that seems a bit skimpy for the women's medium that this pattern says it makes. Just sayin'. If you make them, and they're too small, find a kid that fits them or send them to Dulaan project.

In knitting news, the koigu socks are coming along nicely. Sock number 1 has a heel and is ready to knit on up the leg until I decide to do some ribbing. Sock number 2 has it's scrap yarn for the afterthought heel (over 28 stitches) plus about one inch of stockinette.



There is an issue with the heel of sock number 1 which I am a bit embarrassed to admit. And not quite ready to talk about. But look at sock number 1:



Remember that this one is being knit from a ball of yarn that had an inch or two of toe knit. And then frogged a week or two ago. Look closely at the picture above. The left half (toe end) of the picture is knit with the froggy yarn. The right half is virgin never-been-knit yarn. The tension and evenness of the knitting looks and feels markedly different to me. What this shows is that frogged yarn that is "kinky" and wiggly should be washed and dried to re-condition it somewhat before reknitting. I've heard of this. I didn't do it ( and I never have ) and I can't guarantee that it would completely fix the tension and evenness (or lack thereof). But I'll be testing this theory at some time in the future.

Now I think this sock will even out when washed and worn and washed.

And my mother used to say "you'll never know it by the time you're married twice", which may apply here, so, more later,

j