Ever since the incident of a severely pricked and cut finger from knitting too many socks in a row, I’ve been wary of knitting more socks or projects using small needles. My left index finger is still not completely healed up, which adds to the complication.
Upon reading of my predicament, my incredibly generous and wonderful friend Kb, sent me a very touching gift: 2.25mm wooden Knit Pro needles. She also slipped in a pattern for a pair of Knotty gloves (a free pattern on Ravelry).
At about the same time, it actually got a little cold (winter in Wellington, NZ has been miserably mild this year!!) and daughter didn’t have any gloves. But she did have some pretty hot pink Knitsch sock yarn we’d found on a happy yarn hunting visit at Holland Road Yarn Company.
I decided that as the needles had been sent in direct response to the ‘ouchy’ needle complaint, it would be offensive not to give them a go… and I had just been sent a very pretty little pattern to try out! Only, the pattern would be modified to become mittens.
They’ve turned out well. The 100% merino, supertwist, superwash yarn is gorgeous. It’s soft and warm and most importantly for a 17 year-old madam, the “exactly correct” colour – this one is called “Sweetheart”. My Kitchener grafting is still not as satisfactory as I’d like, so I’m not showing you the ends.
Upon “scientific” analysis performed by my fingers, I have made a decision about needles for future sock knitting projects: Wooden needles are good. Bamboo needles are also good. But metal needles are not friendly. Which is sad, because I have two sets of 2.5mm steel needles that I like because they’re fast and smooth. I guess I’ll just have to resign myself to protecting my finger with a bandage when I next use the steel ones.
Thank you Kb, for your very generous inspiration for these mittens.
