Tuesday, October 30, 2007

She's a Brick.....HOUSE!

These have been done, but I have just been too busy to type up the info on them and I finally got someone to take pics for me.

~Wanna hear about it?!? ~Here's how it goes! :o)

Haha! Some of you will remember where I got that from! LOL Will see who got it! ;op

~Project Details~

Pattern: Fetching Fingerless Gloves. Which I like to refer to them as my Red Brickhouse Mitts :oD

They count as one of my Fingerless Mitts Fall KAL and Fall Cable KAL 2007 submission, check both sites out!

Size: One size

Time: A very quick knit!

Needles: Denise US 5

I went down a needle size, and I really wish I had used Addis on these instead for the magic looping.

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran in #610, 1.25 balls

I was looking at how much yarn I had leftover after the first mitt
and was glad I bought the 2nd ball and did not knit these up two at a time (just manageability would have not been ideal for me on this particular project). I still have a lot of yarn leftover and will probably use it for baby booties.

I do not like this yarn. I have worn these gloves all of 3 times (once outside) and they are already looking worn out and fuzzy. As y'all know - where there is fuzz there will soon be nasty little balls! Ugh!

It is like an "ashy" fuzz. I don't like that. I won't be knitting up in this yarn again. And I am now a little concerned about my caplet, since it was in the DB superchunky, how that will hold up.

Cost: Since I purchased two balls as a precaution (which I am glad I did) and got it at a 24% discount on both balls together only costed me $14. This definitely could be done cheaper with a different yarn selection, which I would recommend since I am not liking the 'wearability' of this yarn.

What I learned:
How to make a thumb hole for a mitt! :oD The whole waste yarn trick and picking up stitches was an interesting adventure! Haha! As you may remember the little surgery I did :o) It was a good challenge!

And I know I still didn't pick up those stitches correctly. The pattern calls for you to pick up two extra stitches on both sides for the thumb in addition to the live ones.

I picked up way more than that to try and avoid the "holes". I even knitted in the back of those stitches on the 1st round.

How in the heck do you make the thumb/digits look so smooth without the holes??

I did the whole string yarn "patchwork" thing but I want to know how to do these puppies without having to resort to that.

I would eventually like to graduate and make some real gloves without this pesky little problem coming back up.

Because I had picked up extra stitches, I forgot to decrease back down to the correct number I needed to be at on the 1st mitt (but I remembered on the 2nd one). So I have some extra thumb room there!

I also learned how to do a picot edge (and the cable cast-on during that process).

Even though the directions were written plain as day! I was making it waaay harder than it needed to be for this bind off edge!

Robin helped me by breaking it down like H-2-0 over e-mail :op And Adrienne sent me a great link to a video on how to do it (do y'all know how hard it is to find this demonstrated on video!). Thank you ladies for always being my "go to e-help" and being so on it! :o)

I know I didn't do it right on the 1st mitt, but like the results better than how I did it correctly for the 2nd mitt. The picot edge really has a lot of "roll" to it.

Now looking back on it, I would have definitely liked the regular bind-off better, but thought originally it would have been too plain. And why not go with the cute picot edge that I seem to just luv on sock cuffs. I am glad I tried it out though.

Modifications: I actually did one extra round of the cables which lengthened the mitts by 6 roundsAnd I also lengthened the thumbs by 2 rounds since I didn't want tiny nubs.

So this project really could have been done with only 1 ball of yarn if I had not added the extra rounds.

I think they are a little loose around my hand, and I even went down a needle size! I probably would not do as many CO stitches (if there is a next time).

Verdict: This was not a favorite knit for me, but the time it took to make them made it for an easy execution.

I had even bought more balls of yarn thinking I would crank out a few of these as gifts. But once I finally got motivated enough to start knitting on them, I realized I was not sure if I would want to do them again.

I can't put my finger on it exactly. Because the pattern was fine and they are super cute I just really wasn't all that "into them" like I thought I would be since I have been wanting to knit them up for awhile now.

I would really like to try out the Dashing mitts now! So those are next on my list for fingerless gloves. And I already have yarns swirling around in my knitting fantasies to use on them!

I have the perfect use for these gloves! I so plan to wear them while I am knitting! :o)

They will be my "in-house" gloves. I am actually typing up this post while wearing them to keep my hands toasty around the house. They are like my very own slippers for my hands!! :oD

27 Comments:

  1. Anonymous said...
    They're so cute! Sorry you're not 100% happy with them...can you get one of those pill-removers & see if that helps? Though I'd be annoyed if they're already pilling! You seem to have learned a lot, at the very least.
    Anonymous said...
    Your Fetchings are so absolutely cute - I love the way you knit them up, and in such a beautiful color too! I'm so sorry to hear that you weren't happy with the yarn - it's a shame to see how sometimes yarn that's quite expensive doesn't stand the test of time! But - you've learned a lot indeed, and that's the great thing with knitting, isn't it? Always something new to learn and experience - yep, that's what makes it worthwhile (among other aspects of course ;))
    Connie said...
    They turned out great and I agree the picot edge rolls a bit, but I still liked it as the edge for these.

    Now that it has finally turned cold, I need to pull mine out to use here at the pc and for knitting to keep my hands warm.

    Great post, lots of info.
    Adrienne said...
    VERY CUTE GIRL!!!!!!! Even though you don't like them as much as you would WANT lol. Glad you learned a lot!
    alisonmade said...
    They really do look great. And they might end up wearing ok--I've never used that particular yarn, but I've heard that cashmere sheds a lot at first but stops after the shortest fibers are gone.
    Anonymous said...
    I had a great time with the Dashing pattern, and the results are very nice looking. I predict you'll have a better time with them than you did with Fetching. I used Wick from Knit 1 Crochet Too, and it's not a warm glove but a very nice stretchy one with excellent stitch definition for the cables. Great post!
    SissySees said...
    I *SO* appreciate your thorough, candid project reviews. I do have some DB cotton, sent highly recommended from a swap pal, but I don't think I'll be investing in more of the line any time soon.

    They do look... fetching though!
    Anonymous said...
    I think they look great, but the reason I prefer the Dashing to the Fetching is because the Fetching tends to curl at the top. I think you will really enjoy the Dashing mitt. They are fun to make. I modified mine a bit to make them a little shorter...
    Jeanine said...
    Fetchings indeed look cute. That sux about the yarn. I need to bust a move and get some kind of fingerless glove started.
    WandaWoman said...
    I've heard that yarn does fuzz up quickly. Really, any yarn that's super soft, I've find will tend to pill/fuzz. It's the nature of the yarn.

    i know where you quote comes from too, In Living Color. Even though it wasn't your favorite knit, it did turn out nicely.
    Janet Richards said...
    I think I saw a nod to a reoccuring sketch on In Living Color - "wanna hear about it....." :)

    The gloves are cute - and thanks for the link to the Dashings. I love them!!! I wasn't a fan of the picot edging and almost didn't do it, b/c I'm not really a frilly kind of girl. Thanks for all of the great notes, all good info.
    Still Patrice said...
    look at you throwing up signs! LOL

    They came out cute!
    Adrienne said...
    HAHAHAHA!! you was SUPPOSED to say....

    "wanna here about it....here it goes....aaaaahhhhhh hhaaaa aaahhhhh "

    ROFLOL!!!
    KelInCal said...
    They look great!

    I'm surprised about the yarn, though. (I've never used it.) You would think the pattern would use one that doesn't pill so easily, seeing as how these mitts are probably going to have very active hands in them! Something for me to think about before I make them, I guess.

    Thanks for all the details! We'll see if I can avoid the same issues...ya, right!
    Robin said...
    I think they look great, although I'm sorry they aren't everything you hoped they would be. No problem on the help...and I think you should never ask me which yarns I like, b/c now we're 2 for 2 on opposite yarn taste (DB Cashmerino Aran AND Cascade Pima Tencel.) I haven't noticed any pilling on mine either! Maybe you should try a yarn without any microfiber/rayon; I think that is the common element in both.
    Cas... said...
    I think they look wonderful. I am glad you tried them. You live and learn of course. I love the color since red is my favorite color. I can't wait to see your next project.
    diddlinaknits said...
    they look great! maybe they aren't your faves but they made for great learning. and i totally understand that feeling about just not feeling the pattern 100% and probably not making again-i have done that with a few patterns also.
    I haven't made gloves so-can't help with thumbholes, they are still a future to try knit.
    I saw Dashings on another blog too-they look great! can't wait to see yours.
    turtlegirl76 said...
    The holes will happen with the thumbs. You're SUPPOSED to get rid of them when you weave in your ends. No worries there girl! I agree about the wear of the yarn for this particular project. However, don't worry about your capelet. It won't see as much friction wear as these will. Being on your hands, it's a given.
    Deborah said...
    purdy, purdy, purdy!! The RYC also pills. maybe it has something to do with wear you know the hands touches a whole lot more than the arms to a sweater... just a theory
    Anonymous said...
    Thanks for checking out my baby sweater. Hey! Your Fetchings are beautiful! The color is great. I need to make some of these.....
    Jada said...
    They are cute to me!!But I know how it is when you are not very happy with a project been there!
    Anonymous said...
    ahh, they came out so nice! i love your new mittens. great job. :-D
    Monique said...
    Those came out great! Yours nails look great too, so you are all set now. :)
    Stacey said...
    They look lovely!

    Funny, I just finished a pair of RED Fetchings as well - though with Lion Cashmere Blend. Heh.
    Liz said...
    I love that first pose!!! They look amazing. Everyone should have some house gloves, so practical, too.
    Anonymous said...
    Hey! Glad you finished them!
    Mizrepresent said...
    Wow! You are so very talented lady! Thanks for visiting my blog and i will be back! Are you selling these gloves, i love them!

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