Happy March everyone! Can you believe it's March already? We actually got more snowfall here, in the Seattle area, a few days ago which is unusual but fun for us skiers. My sister, Brandi, who lives in Idaho, can get snow into April sometimes. She emailed me a photo of a pair of mittens, that she found on the internet, and asked me if I could please knit them for her. I think she believed that I could just recreate them for her. Eek!:
Lucky for her, I knew there already was a pattern for them and I knew exactly what that lovely pattern was - Bird In Hand by the wonderful Kate Gilbert. They were enjoyable to work on and weren't too difficult for me. These are all being modeled by my sweet girl.:
I knitted them using Cascade 220 Superwash in Red and White on US #2.5 Needles. I don't think it's any secret how much I love this yarn and how versatile I think it is. I usually use US#7 needles, but I have gone up to a US#9 and I would have never guessed that I could go down to a US #2.5 needles with this yarn. How pretty are the palms of these mittens too?:
How fun is it to find little birdies on the thumb?:
Since I always like having an easy, no-brainer pattern on the needles, I decided to knit my brother, Vince, a Ribby Hat, that my daughter also modeled for me.:
After modeling this hat for me, Hailey has requested that I knit her one too. I don't mind the multiple knitting so you'll be seeing more of these easy peasy hats from me:
Here's another hat that I finished a few weeks ago. Around Christmas time, my sister-in-law and Vince's wife, Janeiro, asked if I could knit her a grey hat with a big ol' pompom on it. I didn't think it would be hard to knit the hat but I've never made a pompom before:
This is the Ribby Hat, (again!) using Cascade 220 in Silver knitted on US #7 needles. This adult hat was modeled by my other sweet little girl (which is why the hat looks so large on her.):
I figured out how to make that big ol' pompom using the Clover pom pom makers and now it's been non-stop pompom making around here! I would have taken pictures of them but my boys have been using them to tag each other. They are so fun to make and are an awesome way to use up those scrap yarns:
My photos and projects can always be found on my Flickr photostream or on my Ravelry page. Thanks for all the love on Matt's sweater from the last post everyone!
Beautiful mittens! I really like the traditional red-and-white color combo.
Posted by: Pikku-Kettu | March 01, 2009 at 09:37 PM
Those bird mittens are just beautiful. Your girls look so cute modelling those hats too, cant wait to see the multiples too.
Posted by: sue | March 01, 2009 at 11:51 PM
The mitts are stunning!!!And I adore the hats! They are pretty but don't take away from the pretty models :)
Posted by: gilraen | March 01, 2009 at 11:59 PM
oh...I love the red and white...gorgeous mittens and your hats are outstanding!
Posted by: theresa/t does wool | March 02, 2009 at 02:31 AM
Love, love, LOVE the mittens!
Posted by: Nora | March 02, 2009 at 03:30 AM
Lovely mittens!!
Question for you about the top of the hats: how do you decrease so that it has such a nice crown, without puckers? How many decreases each row? I am new to the hat thing, and am not knitting from a pattern (He wants a hat from the "Firefly" tv show!!)
thanks if you can let me know!
Posted by: Lee Cockrum | March 02, 2009 at 04:00 AM
Stunning!!!! all of it!
Posted by: Tracy | March 02, 2009 at 04:07 AM
I love seeing your photos; you are an amazing knitter. I don't even feel depressed anymore that I'm so far away from you on the continuum scale of knitting :) Thanks for sharing so much; I'm now using Cascade 220 more!
Posted by: Rose | March 02, 2009 at 04:11 AM
I love the red and white mittens. The hats are great, too!
Posted by: Stacee | March 02, 2009 at 04:15 AM
image her picking such a popular pattern, she has great taste :)
Posted by: kelly | March 02, 2009 at 04:29 AM
The mittens are gorgeous, your sister will be over the moon!
I love the hats, especially the pom pom one! Oh, how I wish I'd had a clover gadget for mine...I'm off to search the web, I NEED one!!
Posted by: Liz | March 02, 2009 at 04:37 AM
Your family sure is lucky! Those mittens are especially beautiful!
Posted by: nicole | March 02, 2009 at 04:57 AM
You did a lovely job on your mittens! I hope to get a pair knit this winter too. :)
Posted by: Kim | March 02, 2009 at 05:45 AM
Oooh your sister is going to be soo happy with those mittens - they are lovely.
Posted by: sam | March 02, 2009 at 06:53 AM
Beautiful mittens (as usual!). I wish we had some snow around here so I could use some mittens. It's been a DRY winter. I hope you sister gets good use of them!
Posted by: Carolyn | March 02, 2009 at 07:10 AM
Making pompoms with the Clover gadgets is one of the most fun things ever. Did you know they make an XL pompom maker? I'm on the hunt for one!
Posted by: Mandy | March 02, 2009 at 07:26 AM
Love the mittens. Too cute. The hats are great and I love the yarn recommendation. I haven't used any cascade yarn yet and I am always looking to see what yarns knit up well!
Posted by: Andrea | March 02, 2009 at 07:33 AM
Lovely knits! The Bird in Hands mittens are just beautiful as are your hats which will be well used and enjoyed!
Posted by: MrPuffy | March 02, 2009 at 07:42 AM
The mittens are great! I really should reknit the tiny one I made so I can actually wear mine.
Posted by: Whistlepea | March 02, 2009 at 07:56 AM
LURVE LURVE LURVE the red and white BoaF mitts!!!
Posted by: Stacey _CrimsonPurl | March 02, 2009 at 08:08 AM
I love that pom pom hat!!! I really need to get myself a pom pom maker...
Posted by: Erin | March 02, 2009 at 08:26 AM
Love the mitts! And the hats are really cute - I'll have to try that pattern. Love the pom!
Posted by: Jeanne | March 02, 2009 at 08:29 AM
Oh lovely lovelies! The mittens are fab. And I love the beaks!
Posted by: Kara | March 02, 2009 at 08:39 AM
What sweet mittens! We need to be knitting spring things now to stop this snow madness, I think! Am working on a summer shawl myself with great hopes of seeing a daffodil soon. :)
Posted by: Debby | March 02, 2009 at 09:52 AM
What a luck family! All of the knits are wonderful - but those mitts - wow!
Posted by: stacey | March 02, 2009 at 10:00 AM
I have GOT to check out that pattern. I love that type of mitten, but my patterns all call for teeny tiny yarns. I think I could handle Cascade 220!
You kick butt on those hats! WHOOOSH!
Posted by: rani | March 02, 2009 at 10:34 AM
Hi! I've just stumbled upon your blog, it's so lovely!! So inspiring for a novice knitter-blogger! Those mittens are right up my alley!!
Posted by: little_lj | March 02, 2009 at 11:08 AM
Lovely, all of them.
Lucky sister!!
Posted by: Renee | March 02, 2009 at 11:53 AM
You Rock, I love the mittens and Hat.
Luv to you all!
Posted by: LoveleeLara | March 02, 2009 at 12:16 PM
I love the mittens. I am so sad that I lost one of mine and need to kick it back up to make another matching partner. SIGH... especially as we got snowed on today!
Posted by: stinkerbell | March 02, 2009 at 12:22 PM
Boy, those mittens in red and white really pop! So pretty against your daughter's white jacket. Love the birds on the thumbs! I'm knitting a scarf now -- just one HUGE cable -- and it calls for a BIG pom pom on each end.
Posted by: Robin | March 02, 2009 at 01:00 PM
The mittens are so adorably cheerful - perfect for a snowy day!
Posted by: Anna | March 02, 2009 at 01:28 PM
I love your mittens! I've had that pattern for a long time. You are inspiring me to get it out and get started!
Posted by: linda | March 02, 2009 at 01:58 PM
I love those mittens! They're so bright!
Posted by: Emily | March 02, 2009 at 02:12 PM
so cute! you are such an awesome knitter...love the mittens!
Posted by: darlene | March 02, 2009 at 02:31 PM
Tis so great to be related to such an awesome sister!!! The mittens look FABULOUS and I'll be checking my mail everyday until they arrive. I'm in love already!!!!!!!!
And you are wrong, I bet you could have knitted these even without a pattern. :)
Love you!
B
Posted by: Beer Momma | March 02, 2009 at 02:43 PM
I love the red and white mittens. Of course!
Posted by: grumperina | March 02, 2009 at 03:32 PM
you are awesome. i always love every single thing that you knit. beautiful work.
Posted by: katie | March 02, 2009 at 04:44 PM
Wonderful mittens! Size US 2.5 needles? Crazy!
Posted by: Heather / "Arctic Knitter" | March 02, 2009 at 06:22 PM
Love the mittens!
Posted by: Hege | March 03, 2009 at 01:11 AM
SUCH LOVELY MITTENS
YOUR SISTER IS SO LUCKY
HAVE A VERY NICE WEEK AND WONDERFUL MARCH ;) HAPPY KNITTING
Posted by: Marimi | March 03, 2009 at 01:31 AM
i too, love that red and white! a baeautiful job!
we just got more snow on the east coast.
but it's march...spring"s on the way!
Posted by: TD wool design | March 03, 2009 at 04:10 AM
I LOVE those mittens!
Posted by: adrienne | March 03, 2009 at 04:33 AM
Gorgeous mittens! Hmm, I might have to try those.
Posted by: Hilary | March 03, 2009 at 07:01 AM
Those mittens are gorgeous, Tiennie! Your sister is lucky!
Posted by: Mary | March 03, 2009 at 08:39 AM
I recognized that pattern right away! Funny how we knitterly people start to identify yarns and patterns instantly after a while, isn't it? You did a great job knitting the Bird in the Hand for your sister. :-)
Posted by: Karen in Toledo | March 03, 2009 at 09:25 AM
I LOVE those mittens. I hadn't noticed the pattern until seeing yours. The color combo is great!!
Posted by: amanda | March 03, 2009 at 02:04 PM
how fortunate your sister knows a fabulous knitter!
love the ginormous pom-pom! that clover tool is the best. santa put it in my stocking this year, and i never knew what i was missing until then.
Posted by: sheepishone | March 03, 2009 at 02:17 PM
Great knits! Cascade 220 regular and superwash are my favorite yarns. The superwash holds up great even when the the knit item is abused by an active toddler. :)
Posted by: Trish | March 03, 2009 at 02:30 PM
Those mittens are just gorgeous, as are the hats and kids!
Posted by: Lorette | March 03, 2009 at 03:11 PM