Olympic Knitting - Day 1 and Day 2

My mittens are progressing nicely! I'm right on schedule so far. Here's a brief recap of the knitting from day one and day 2. They look really the same - I just started one mitten on day one and the second one on day 2 and now I'm ready to start the chart on the mittens. I wanted to do the braids separately since that gets the yarn all twisty. I have snow laying around for pretty picture taking so I'm taking advantage of the scenery.

Progress at the end of day 1 - one mitten started (still need to do braid)


Progress at the end of day 2 - two mittens started, chart is next!


Close up of each mitten
I made the braids go different directions so they will be mirror images of each other. It's a little detail that I will appreciate later on. I love symmetry.




On to start the chart! (And watch last night's primetime Olympic brodcast - women's moguls, speed skating and the first medal ceremony.). I love having a DVR when it comes to watching sports. I get to skip all of the commercials!)

Snow! and Dogs!

So the Olympics started on Feb. 12th and we also had snow! I got to leave work early - and that never happens! It took me forever to get home - 1 hr 45 min. Yikes! Normally it's just under 30 minutes. I was animal sitting for my mom, so I went straight to her house. Below are some pictures from the snow!









And a couple pictures of the cuties I was looking after...
Arlo and Bailey
Arlo is an Italian Spinone and Bailey is a Bearded Collie

Bella's Mittens

Pattern: Bella's Mittens
By: Subliminal Rabbit
Needles: 9 Boyle 32 in. circular
Yarn: Patons Classic Wool Merino color 00225 (dark gray mix)

Needed something to keep me occupied until the Olympics start, so I cast on for these. I bought two balls of yarn and am holding the yarn doubled. I'm using a size nine, which is larger than pattern recommendation because I read comments about the mittens being a bit small if you have larger hands. I have larger arms, so I decided to go up a size. I didn't swatch either. Living dangerously! The fit feels pretty good so far, so I'm happy. I like the idea of putting a pattern on the palm (like the ones from the movie). Some people are putting moss stitch on it, but I like the original pattern better. I think there's another pattern on Ravelry for free that has a different pattern, which is closer to the original. I'm going to have to check that out and see if it's compatible with what I've already cast on! Love them so far, it will be nice to have some mittens. By the end of February, I should have two pair!

I have four more Gnome beards to show too. All different colors and all darn cute! I just need to take pictures. (I'm never home during daylight so I have to remember to take them this weekend - if I'm not totally absorbed in my Olympic knitting and watching the Olympics.)

Colors decided!

I've decided to go with the white + blue/gray combination. It was my original choice, but I was briefly swayed when I got my yarn (well, to be honest, not so briefly swayed). I think I will make a coordinating Daybreak with the gray/blue + black combination though. And possibly a hat that matches the gloves. I'll have to see how much yarn is left over after knitting the mittens and decide if there is enough to make a hat. It would be nice to have a whole set. Somewhere I once read a statement that went kind of like: you can always tell a knitter, because they have great knitted items but nothing matches.

I'm not sure exactly why, but that statement bothers me on several levels.

(1) If they're wearing great stuff, why care? It probably all goes together somehow. I don't think people would purposefully wear clashing items. (Right?)
(2) Before I became a knitter (and since, to tell the truth) I didn't/don't own a complete matching set of winter wear either. Who buys sets anyways? I know some people do, because they're out there, but not me and not anyone else I know. I do own a matching hat/scarf, but I rarely wear them together. And I bought them since I started knitting.
(3) Two of the first things I knitted were a green scarf and matching fingerless mitts. So there. We do knit things that match.

So, just to say "who cares?" and "so there!", I'm planning on knitting a coordinating! complete! set! of winter wear. 

Maybe.

This post brought to you in honor of the 2010 Knitting Olympics (button by the Yarn Harlot) and the 2010 Ravelympics (button by 22whitejd)