Gray Flames and Rainy Skies

I don't really know if I am making things harder than it has to be. I've had this idea for glove-mitts with flames on them kicking around for a while. I haven't found a pattern I liked so I decide to make it up. Not just the pattern for the flames but for the glove-mitts themselves. I am very, very excited about this project. Especially after reading a book on Twined Knitting, by Birgitta Dandanell and Ulla Danielsson. It was published in English in 1989. It covers what they call a Swedish folkcraft technique. ( There is more on this technique at Knitty.com.) I realize now that the twist stitch I was using on my circle shrug is this very technique. It makes for very sturdy, even 2 strand knitting. Perfect for what would have been messy, uneven fair isle glove-mitts. I'm only about an inch and a half in but I already love how it is looking and feeling.

You can see in the reverse side picture (below) the results of the technique. I am alternating twisting over and under each round or so to keep the yarn from turning into a huge knotted mess. The only thing is that I have a third color to add to the pattern, but I will sort that out later on when I get to it. The flames

were inspired by one of my favorite graphic novel artists, Junko Mizuno. Specifically from her book The Princess Mermaid. I've drawn out sketches and graphed out the flames and I am hoping that I have laid it out properly with the increases I'll have to do. I'm just holding my breath until I reach a snag. But so far, so good. *fingers crossed!*

This project is perfect for today. It is gray, cold and rainy out. I love weather like this when I am indoors though. It makes me feel cozy. And it always smells fresh when it's raining. I used to live in Calgary and it hardly ever rained there. It was always dry, brown and dusty. Now that I live in Vancouver, there is definitely no shortage of rain. Mmmm.

(It's not a very glamorous photo but it gives you an idea.)