My Mittens

A Story by Annawrites

my purple, sparkly mittens I knitted for myself. Note Pattern not included!

My Mittens

I grow elated when the light bulb for ideas in my head turns on. I should knit mittens for this winter! After all I have startis even though I have a zillion projects on the needles; I still want to start something new. Startis means that you really want to start a new project, and just have to cast on right away!

I never knitted adult size mittens before, but I have knitted baby size. This could be a new adventure for me. I get excited again, knowing that the next step for starting a project is picking out your yarn color way. In the knitting world this is called stash diving.

I get up from my couch in the living room and go up to the craft room. The craft room walls are red and gold. Yarn cakes are hanging on the peg board. There are also two big yarn bins. The table is in the middle of the room with my laptop on it.

I stroll into the craft room, not going to lie, but it’s a bit messy. I walk over to the bins where the yarn is kept. I sift through the yarn, and couldn’t find the right yarn for my mittens.

Bummer, and then I spot this purple yarn. Not only it’s purple, but it’s sparkly purple. I glance at the purple sparkling yarn. It’s worsted weight, this would be perfect for my mittens.

I get happy again. Now I get to search for a pattern of my choice. Raverly is a good website for knitters. Basically it’s a community of knitters. There are groups you can sign up, projects you can add, and patterns you can search for. Some patterns you can have for free or you purchase. I prefer to have patterns for free.

I search for the perfect pattern on my laptop. I finally come across one and print it out. I go back downstairs to retrieve my hard copy of the pattern. I go back upstairs after stapling the papers.

Now I get to find the needles. My pattern calls for size 6 US knitting needles. I like bamboo knitting needles over metal. It mainly depends what I’m in the mood for. I pick out my bamboo knitting needs.

I gather my supplies once I found my size US bamboo needs. Casting on is my favorite part. I cast on the number of stitches the pattern calls for. I start knitting the cuff. The cuff of the mitten is an easy part of the pattern. I continue down the cuff until I reach the desired length I want it to be.

I take a break from knitting on the mittens. My hands were getting a bit sore. I stretched my fingers and shake my hand a bit. My hand is cramping from knitting and a bit sore too. Sometimes I knit too much and I don’t take breaks. I should probably take breaks, but I get in my zone when I knit. That’s when my hands start to ache.

I pick back up the mitten and continue on with it. The mitten is forming its shape now, and I am almost at the thumb shaping. I am terrified at the thumb shaping, only because I haven’t done it before. I glance down at the pattern, and it looks easy to do. I get more relaxed with the mittens.

I finally reach the thumb shaping a day later. I did not have to to work on the mittens since I have my internship in the morning until late afternoon. The thumb shaping is indeed easy, and I am already half-way done with the first mitten. I already daydream about my other mittens. I got through the thumb shaping, and basically the top of the mitten.

An hour later, the first mitten is almost completed. I got through the thumb shaping, and basically the top of the mitten. I grow even more excited, knowing that my hands will be wearing handmade mittens. Not only handmade, but they are purple and sparkly mittens!

I finally, finally get to bind off the first mitten. I weave in the ends and double check to make sure no ends are going loose. I’m so elated and excited about my purple, sparkly, mittens, I cast on the second mitten. I knit the cuff and set aside the mittens for a few days.

I had let the mittens rest for a bit and now I’m ready to knit on them again. I work on the body of the second mitten and then transition to the thumb increase, and now I’m completing the second mitten. I bind off the mitten with glee.

I seam up the second mitten and weave in its ends. I then try on my brand new purple, sparkly mittens. I love them! I do a photo shoot. They are ready for the freezing cold winter!