Elves

 

 It's that time of year - the Christmas do of the local Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers - competition: mittens.  Leaving it until the last minute, I cast on 26 stitches in 2ply jumper weight and knit a corrugated rib.  Next came the thumb gusset, and the placing of the charted design.  Stitching them up was seriously fiddly - these are less than two inches in length.

 

 

 

Finally, something other than baby cardigans for Pine Ridge.  This is a Christmas gift for someone.  Who will it be?  I used the Skein of Tosh Light bought in Amsterdam earlier this year.  The pattern, Reyna by Noora Laivola, is ideal because the openwork showcases the lovely peacock colour of the yarn, instead of fighting with it, as some lace patterns do.  It's a free pattern on Ravelry.

 

 

 

 But, of course, I have also turned out two of these - 43 and 44.  We've been on the road a bit, and I find it soothing to knit while listening to downloads of Radio 4s "Soul Music" on my Mp3.  Takes the edge off, I find.