Hand warmers

For the UK Swap:

I’ve not made a huge number of adult-sized mittens. When I first started knitting after a 20(ish) year hiatus, I made a job lot of children’s mittens as Christmas presents, complete with animal faces etc. They were pre-blog days so I don’t have any photos. (They were also rather nasty cheap acrylic, so we should probably move on without saying much more… )

A couple of years later, I’d learnt a little more about the warmth of real wool, and knocked these off for Adam just in time for Christmas:

Pattern: Ann Budd’s basic mitten pattern (Ravlink)
Yarn: Freedom Spirit by Twilleys of Stamford
(and I made a very similar pair in pink handspun for the little princess in my life.)

On to adult handwarmers. They’ve all been for me. (I think.) The first, and most successful pair are the Urban Rustic Gloves from Knitty.

Yarn: Noro Silk Garden.
I’ve worn and worn and worn at these. Despite being rather too short at the wrist, and having fairly large holes in them due to the thickness of the yarn, they are WARM! Or at least, they were… I’ve worn them so much that I’ve made several holes in them. I’m now contemplating whether to darn them or simply make another pair (with slightly longer wrists).

Secondly we have my Miss Potters (ravlink) from Yarn Forward Magazine.

Yarn: Trend Setter Yarns Tonalita
I enjoyed knitting these, and the yarn is very pretty, but I find them annoying to wear. I’ve always had the sneaking suspicion that fingerless mitts weren’t for me – I spend too much time cycling, and these really don’t work well enough. Still, they’re fine for the trip to and from school every day! (And they’re getting a good workout in the current weather.)

Thirdly we have my own-designed handspun BFL mittens, which are sleeping peacefully in my WIPs basket:

Shhhhhh…. don’t wake them up…

Swap questionnaire

I’ve joined the UK Swap again.

Handmade Item Swap
What kind of items are you interested in receiving?
I’d love anything, but I’m particularly after a hat which will really keep my ears warm. (I’m a bit odd about hats – if they don’t cover my ears completely I feel colder with them on.)
Do you knit, crochet, or both?
Both
What is your favourite colour?
My official favourite colour is red but, if it’s a colour I’m going to wear, it needs to be a dark red. I love autumn colours and purples too.
What is your least favourite colour?
I’m not mad keen on pastelly, girly girly colours (don’t let my four-year-old hear me say that!), and I look ill in pale blue or yellow.
What’s your style? (elegant, traditional, glamourous, girly, natural, sporty, outgoing, etc.)
I suppose I aspire to elegant/natural. I don’t wear make-up unless I’m going out, and my hair is usually scraped back into a pony-tail, but I think I look presentable.
Do you have a favourite type of fiber or brand of yarn?
Not really.
Do you have a least favourite type of yarn?
Pure acrylic yarns (although I do like some of the blends), and I’m ‘off’ self-patterning yarn at the moment. Oooh, and I’m really not keen on novelty yarns.
Do you do any other crafts?
I spin.
Are there any knitting accessories you are interested in receiving?
Blocking pins or wires (way too expensive, but if you had any spares lying around… )
What do you like to eat?
Anything gluten-free and wheat-free. To drink I love tea and hot chocolate (again, gf/wf).
Any allergies/preferences (fiber-wise or treat-wise)?
I’m Coeliac, so I have to avoid anything containing wheat, oats, barley or rye. I also can’t tolerate even the small quantities of wheat starch or barley malt which some Coeliacs can manage, so be wary of items which claim to be ‘suitable for Coeliacs’ – not all of them are. Don’t worry, though – I have a willing daughter and husband who will be more than happy to help out if I receive something I can’t have!
Oh, and I can’t wear wool next to my head or neck, but my hands and feet are fine.
Anything we missed that you’d like your partner to know?
I have a husband, a 6-year-old son (also Coeliac) and a 4-year-old daughter.