Baby, it's cold outside

Ta Da!

Baby, it's cold outside.

Sometimes, when you're out walking, wouldn't it be nice to have a warm place to tuck your hands?
An additional layer when your gloves aren't keeping for fingertips warm enough?

Okay, I didn't invent this idea. I was inspired by some pattern for pocket-ended and mitten-ended scarves I saw somewhere*, but then couldn't re-find. I was even going to BUY it. But I still haven't been able to re-find it. Plus, the pattern had complicated things like cables, which I don't know how to do.

Then, when I was surfing for mitten patterns, I came across these crocheted ones that are crocheted in one flat piece with a hole, then folded in half to seam up. Of course, I don't crochet, so I couldn't use the pattern. But I thought the idea would lend itself perfectly to the end-of-the-scarf idea, so I just muddled something out myself.

So I made this up. It's not bad for a "first draft" if I do say so myself ~ the mitten size was a little off. I did want them roomy, so that they could go over gloves, but they ended up kind of wide and squat, don't you think? But it works, and I still like the idea. I'm happy with the results, even if they're not perfect. Hey, I'm happy just to come to closure on a product, if you know me at all you know I don't finish things.

Here's the scarf, knit all in one long strip, before the mitts were folded and seamed:

Here's a close-up of the way the mittens are knit (and you can see my Excel spreadsheet "pattern" I made half-way through the first mitten, so I didn't get confused. Next there's a pic of one close up when it's folded and seamed.

I'd make them a little longer through the fingers, and maybe the ribbing at the wrist tighter (and longer?) if I did it again. Which I plan to do.

This started out as a gift to match the hat knitted by Iliacat, seen at the top picture (thus all the secrecy). But the hat turned out to be too itchy for the recipient (and thus did the scarf) so now I'm not sure who it's for. But we get to make another with softer material. So that's fun.

We used Lion Suede in teal (although it's darker IRL than it looks on their site, almost a dark spruce) and Red Heart Super Saver Yarn in banana berry. the Banana Berry is 100% acrylic and a little scratchy.

Oh, and the edges roll. A lot. What's up with that? I guess I need to learn how knit so the edges don't roll. Is it because I was using two yarn strands at once?

But anyhoo, I wrote down what I did, so that i can do it again, with kimodifications, of course.

So ... that's the big secret project. What do you think?

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* look!
I finally found the concept-inspiration scarves again!