Knitting - Socks and Mittens

When I was in Australia mid last year I stopped into the local spotlight to see what they had.  I wasn't too impressed with their fabric - there was some nice stuff but it was more expensive than I usually pay and nothing was standout enough to pay the extra price....but I did find a pretty ball of sock yarn.  It's not really anything special it's a  Moda Vera Not Just Socks 50% wool, 25% bamboo 25% Polyamide (Nylon).  But its a  great Colour "Bright Multi Mix.

Of course I wanted to make a pair of socks out it.  I basically made up the pattern as I went along.  Working toe up trying it on as I went to get the sizing right. 

The toe is stockinette, there is  1x1 ribbing on the bottom of the sock to mold around the arch of the foot, then a gusset, heal turn. 

The heel is my standard k2 p2, sl2,k2, picking up stiches as you go along so there is no sewing or picking up stitches along the length of the heel. 

It's then knit in K2P2 ribbing for about 12cm.

A nice simple pair of socks.

And when I was finished I still had about 1/2 ball of yarn left over.

So I decided to make a pair of mittens out of it. 

Again the pattern for these was made up as I went along. about 5cm of 1x1 ribbing, another 4 rows of stockinette then increases for the thumb. Once I split the stitches for the thumb out I knitted a few more rows and then added in a few short rows to account for the fact that my pinky is lower set than my index finger.  I think I added a few too many short rows but that better than not enough.

 I then switched to 2x2 rib and knit for another 4.5 cm before casting off.

 I finished off the thumb and then went back, cast on the same number of stitches as across the bottom of my hand and then picked up stitches across the back and started knitting a mitten top to go over the top. 

The underside was in 2x2 rib and the back in stockinette.  A few decreases at the top and then a three needle cast off.

I really love these mittens.  I can slip off the top and have my fingers free to answer/play on the phone, or even slip the whole thing back onto my wrist is I need my hands free without having to take off - and usually lose - the mittens.