I test knit a pair of night mitts for Rachel at Dyeabolical in early December and after they were done, I immediately cast on for another pair. It was a really fun pattern and I loved the end result!
But as many other projects go, I got partway through the first mitten then put it down to make all the pretty little christmas ornaments. I didn’t pick it back up until a few weeks ago. I’ve been on a bit of a kick to finish up a couple of projects that were languishing before casting on something new.
Once I did pick it up, I started to have a few problems. I tend to knit on two circular needles for these types of projects. The first needle broke. No big deal! I went back into my stash and found another needle of the same size and started using it. The next day a second needle broke. That left me with only 1 needle where I needed two. In my whole stash! Which is surprising because I used to have scads and scads of needles of all the same size. But I bought most of them between 2006 and 2009 so I think they’ve just all outlived their lifespan pretty much all at the same time.
Naturally, completing the mittens took yet another pause as I worked out the new needle situation. I ended up purchasing a few new needle sets. The first one to come in showed up defective. So it had to be returned, setting me back even longer.
But I am now pleased to say that I have a few more needle sets to replenish the ones that have bit the dust over the years. And, I also have a new pair of mittens!
These were knit with some handspun yarn from Miss Marja. I really enjoyed the yarn and was pleased to be able to get two pairs of mittens out of one skein. I gave the other pair to Marja, so this pair I get to use myself. Just in time too, it’s awfully cold here in the midwest!
Suzy Sells Sea Shells 
I love those mittens!! I also knit on two circular needles for socks and mittens and it seems I’m always having to hunt for a second needle…
I JUST picked up a languishing project and began knitting on it to finish it up. I haven’t measured them, but it seems likely that the two needles in that project just might be the size I needed for the mittens. So, it may be the case I could have held off on purchasing new needle sets for a bit! (But it would have inevitably happened again anyhow.)
I took the easy way out and ordered some short cables and more tips for my Chiaogoo needle set… I keep putting together knitting projects as kits with the needles in them, and then when I’m hunting for needles for a NEW project I can’t find them. I need to get under control, but where is the fun in that?
Finished that project last night, and sure enough, those were the needle sizes I needed for the mittens but didn’t have.
I actually invested in some chiaogoo needle sets this time. Previously I always had knitpicks but that was when they first came out like 15 yrs ago now. I decided that chiaogoo seemed like needles I could really get behind, and indeed, I’ve been exceedingly pleased so far! And I do love that I can just add to the sets when necessary.
I have the lace tip needles and have been very happy with them. After more than 5 years the joins between the cable and the needles are still smooth and nothing has broken. I really like how the case has room to add in more tips so I can have multiple tip sets all corralled in the same location; I have all the cables in the side zip compartment and it continues to hold them all as I add more cables. Well, that’s because so many are in use…
Now when I see the Miss M. and look at your gorgeous mittens, I think, that could be an eyeshadow. !!!! You think?
Absolutely, it would be a fantastic color scheme.