Knit Bath Mitts

Here's the pattern for the Knitted Bath Mitts I did for some easy yet useful holiday gifts:

Materials:

Cotton or Hemp worsted weight yarn (one ball of ecohemp will give you two bath mitts)

size 11 double pointed needles, or a nice long circular for doing magic loop one stitch marker

size F (or close to it) crochet hook

tapestry needle

Gauge:

not important for this project

Techniques Used:

Knit in the round

Purl in the round

increase (any method)

k2tog

k3tog

crochet chain

crochet slip st (sl st)

Pattern Instructions:

Cuff:

Cast on 30 sts LOOSELY using the long tail cast on method.

Place Marker at beginning of round (slip the ring through the stitch, easier!)

Divide evenly onto dpns or the two needles of your magic loop set-up.

Join to work in the round.
Knit 2 Purl 1 around, using the extra tail of your cast on WITH your working yarn until it is used up. This will give more heft to the cast on edge as well as save the step of weaving in the tail.

Repeat ribbing round for 2 inches.

Mitt:

Begin working in stockinette, increasing one stitch on each dpn (or 3 sts evenly around if using magic loop method). 33 sts

Knit 6 more rounds evenly in stockinette
Purl one round.

Knit 5 rounds stockinette.
Purl one round.

Knit 4 rounds stockinette.

Purl one round.

Knit 3 rounds stockinette.

Purl one round.

Knit 2 rounds stockinette.

Purl one round.

Knit one round.

Purl one round.

Because guage wasn't measured, now is the time to try on your mitt. If the ribbing is sitting comfortably around your wrist, and the body of the mitt reaches the ends of your fingertips or further, you are ready to decrease. If the body of the mitt seems short (remember it will shrink!!!!), knit and purl more rounds in an alternating pattern that pleases you.

Decrease rounds:

K2tog around to last 3 sts. K3tog. 16 sts remain.

k2tog around. 8 sts remain.

Using crochet hook, draw working yarn through remaining sts, drawing up a loop. Crochet a chain 6-7 inches long using that loop as your starting point. Bring the last chain back down to the top of your mitt and sl st to the mitt, forming a hanger for your mitt. You may wish to sl st a few more sts to secure the hanging loop.

Weave in end(s).

Done!

Bluhg

That's how I feel today....bluhg.
But I prolly won't feel that way tomorrow. At least I hope not.
I'll have more 'better' stuff to post soon.
Promise.

What to do on a Wintery Day.....Part I

First you can make up a new batch of playdough, and PLAY!

Then you can take mama's wraps (baby carrying cloth) and make HAMMOCKS!!!!

Then you can use another baby carrier, and take your baby sister for a RIDE!

Then take some pictures of your most recent LEGO SHIPS!

Finally, Get dressed for school in your BEST SHIRT and TIE!

BREAD

I use a stand mixer with a dough hook to do all my kneading. If you don't have a mixer like that, then use this recipe with the standard bread mixing method

2 c warm water
1/4-1/3 c oil (I've used shortening, butter, canola oil, coconut oil, grapeseed oil...I usually use safflower now)
1/4-1/3 c honey
1/4-1/3 c gluten (sometimes called vital wheat gluten, it's available at the health food store, or in the natural foods section of cub foods)
2 t salt
5 c whole wheat flour
1 T yeast (or 1 packet)

Layer in that order in the mixer and turn it on low. Let it mix for about 1-2 minutes, then turn it to the next higher (level 2 on my machine)....let it mix while you go throw in a load of laundry, step on a lego, get some ice for your twisted ankle, sit down on the couch and notice the puddle of unknown liquid on the floor, get a towel, mop up the liquid, run downstairs to throw the towel into the washing machine that you just started, come back up and see the child dribbling ice water all over from the bag you were icing your ankle with, find another towel.......

Oh, Wait! What is that NOISE????? OH!!!!! The Mixer! I'm making bread!
Check the dough, and add up to another cup of flour (more like 1/2 cup) ONE TABLESPOON AT A TIME, until the dough is cleaning the sides of the bowl (nice...now you don't have to!). Then put a towel (you could use the damp one from the ice water incident) over the bowl, and let it rise for a while (1-2 hours, or again, til you remember).

Then have a young child PUNCH the dough down. Remove the dough from the bowl, shape into two loaves, place into greased (not oiled) loaf pans, and let rise again until the pans are full of dough.

Bake in a preheated 350* oven for about 30 minutes or so. Golden tops, hollow sound when the bottom is 'thumped', and your good! Cool on racks (and I don't mean breasts!). Eat! (now this part might involve breasts, depending on the age of your helper!)