One pair of mittens down, two more to go until my mittens goal is completed. Not too bad for my first pair but I definitely see where I made my mistakes.

To start, they aren’t the same length. I didn’t count correctly on my second mitten (the right one). However, I did use the Kitchener Stitch to stitch together the top of the second mitten. I liked that result much better than threading a yarn and needle wherever I wanted (like on the right one).

Second, the thumb on the right mitten (the first one I made). For some reason it is much tighter than the stitches leading up to it and when you wear it, you can feel the tightness around your thumb. That is not ideal. I have no idea how that happened, it didn’t happen on my second one. The only thing I can think of is that I picked up the wrong double pointed needle and knit it with the smaller needles I used for the ribbing.

Lastly, I have 3 columns of unsightly loose stitches that run lengthwise from where the needles meet. No matter how tight I pulled the yarn they showed up. I haven’t scoured the web for solutions yet, but I will before my next mitten or sock project.

And for all of you who are afraid of double pointed needles (my first concern – they are not my favourite), by the time you get to the second mitt the needles will feel much more comfortable in your hands. I don’t find the needles as intimidating as before. I can only assume that the more I use the needles the better I will become and the more comfortable I will be.

Happy Knitting,

Ashley