Studying hard.

That is what today has felt like, I have been beavering away working on a couple of patterns.

I have never really done pattern writing, I adapted a pattern to make the Bella's scarf, and my version of the Bella's mittens is different from the original as I changed the palm from garter to moss stitch, but actually designing something outright I have never done. So today I sat on the living room floor surrounded by pieces of paper, lots of patterns I have been studying and my stitch dictionaries and did some doodling.

It all started when after receiving the yarn for my Haven scarf, and starting to knit it up I began to think I wouldn't have enough. I promptly ordered two more balls and it has now occurred to me that I might actually have had the right amount first time around, so I might have extra. To solve the potential problem I decided I needed gloves too. I already had some DK weight merino to make some ladylike gloves but I thought what if its colder and I want chunky gloves? After all I do live in England, and in the north, when I used to come home from Uni I would get off the train in Doncaster and promptly put on some gloves and a scarf. So chunky mittens became the idea.

So I am now sat having chosen the branch lace pattern for the top of the mitten having to choose from 7, yes 7, different types of stitch that I like for the palm. I don't want it to be plain garter because I like a textured palm to a mitten, but I also don't want to use anything too far away from the lines that garter gives when knitting in the round in case it looks a little messy, decisions, decisions.

I also don't want to start knitting it up because I might have been right the second time, and may need the yarn for my Haven, so this will be a slow burner I think (though if I am honest Haven is going pretty quickly, so it wouldn't surprise me if I was attacking this next week).

See, a long way to go but still growing quite a bit. Also look at the pretty KnitPro needles, I have fallen in love with the Spectra needles, they are fab. I find metal too slippery and these have just enough slip and just enough grab, as well as having nice pointy tips unlike my Addi metal needles, I shall definitely be adding some more sizes to my shopping list.

On another note about a finished object, I received a lovely compliment from this lady today. I have been reading her blog being a lurker for a while and she said my Bella's scarf was beautiful, which made me very happy. Incidentally I am currently awaiting a reply from Subliminal Rabbit, the writer of the Bella's Mittens pattern, I thought it would be polite to ask if I could put my scarf pattern up for all to see and knit as her mittens were my inspiration. So watch this space :)