Hello from a late summer Wednesday evening. I hope you're doing well!
I don't have much to report this week. The mornings are getting darker here - though that means I can watch the beautiful pink sunrises with morning coffee in hand! I do love this turning time of year in Wellington.
We recently went on a weekend trip with friends to the Wairarapa coast. It was beautiful - expansive skies and sea everywhere we looked. I've included a couple of photos - the third was taken from the Cape Palliser lighthouse which was built in 1897. I believe the sturdy steps up to the lighthouse are a relatively recent addition!
The trip over there was good for knitting and crochet. I've started a new blanket - spurred on by the first crochet one I finished. This one is a giant granny square - I started in the centre and I'll keep going out until I have something queen-sized, all going well! I'm using some merino-possum yarn I bought on cones from a local yarn factory. The colours are a light charcoal and a peachy pink. I really enjoy working on it - it's really repetitive but weirdly addictive. It's like my brain can rest and play at the same time... not the best explanation of the joy of crochet, but hopefully you know what I mean?
We've just celebrated Keira's birthday - she turned 16 - and one of her gifts was a pair of fingerless mitts I knitted for her. I had started out making her some socks in some self-striping Regia yarn that I love for its ''earthy rainbow'' vibes.
She saw me knitting them and asked if they could be fingerless mittens instead. Of course!
To make these, I used a method very similar to the Purl Soho 'Colorblock Handwarmers' that can be found here...
... but adjusted them a bit to K's specifications. I used about 35 grams of the 100g ball - so you might be able to get 3 pairs out of one ball, depending on their size and your gauge! Here's how I made them, in case you fancy casting a pair on:
Keira's fingerless mitts
1 ball 4-ply or fingering weight yarn (I used Regia Tweed Colour in the ''frost'' colourway, #07491 and used approx 35g of the ball)
2.25mm needles (either a set of DPNs or a long circular, to work magic loop)
Scissors + darning needle
Cast on 64 stitches using the German Twisted Cast On or another stretchy method. Place marker and join to knit in the round (I used a long circular and the Magic Loop method)
Knit 1 X 1 rib for around 4cms.
Knit in stocking stitch until work measures 13cms.
Now begin to work back and forth (not in the round) by working to marker, then turning back and purling until you reach the marker again. Work in this way (forming a split in the tube of knitting) until split portion measures 4.5cms.
Now continue in the round again, thereby closing up the spilt section. Knit 4 rows in stocking stitch.
Work 1 x 1 rib in the round for 4 cms (or until desired length).
Rejoin yarn to the right side of the mitten, at the base of the thumbhole. Working around the hole, pick up 30 stitches around (this might be easier to do with double-pointed needles).
Work 1 x 1 rib for three rows. Cast off in rib.
Weave in ends and make a second mitt in the same way. Block gently in warm water.
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Take care, friends! See you again soon.
XX M