Voodoo Revised

Today I:

• am taking the MLK holiday, whether or not it is given
• haven't had breakfast yet...or even coffee
• learned that if you don't open your oil paints for a year, you need pliers
• don't have pliers
• am experiencing artistic angst

I thought today would be an ideal day to get going on some artistic endeavors outside of soap - like that learning to oil paint thing I keep nagging myself about - but until my boyfriend/partner/whatnot comes home during lunch with some pliers, I may have to resort to another medium. Argh.

Voodoos
Pattern: Voodoo wrist warmers from Knitty, with modifications

Size: Small (40 stitch cast on)

Yarn: black Lamb's Pride Super Wash on Us #5 dpns

Modifications: After making one, I was dissatisfied with the fit around the thumb so I decided to add a thumb gusset. The Bitter Knitter asked me about the thumb gusset, so I've included below a rather poor description of what I did for her benefit.

What I did:

• ripped it back until it was only 5" long
• (k2, p2) 3 times, then k1, twisted m1, k1, p2, *k2, p2, repeat from* until end of row
• increased by 1 every row to the right of the twisted m1 for eleven more rows, alternating between p and k m1's (if that makes any sense - I don't know how to phrase it!)
• knit one row as set (52 stitches on needles now)
• (k2, p2) 3 times, then k1, cast off 12, k1, *k2, p2, repeat from* until end of row (40 stitches on needles now)
• (k2, p2) 3 times, then k1, pass over cast off stitches to k1, p2, *k2, p2, repeat from* until end of row
• work ten rows as set
• cast off.

This makes a decent V-rib pattern, but it's not perfect. The first twisted m1 on my Voodoos gapes, and I don't like how the knit rows stagger instead of meeting up exactly. Also, instead of just skipping over the cast off stitches, I would increase by one and take it out after about three or four rows because the yarn between the two knitted stitches were stretching when I wore the wristwarmers last night. It didn't make them uncomfortable - the fit was actually quite good - but the look bothered me.

Formerly, I thought wristwarmers were really silly, but walking around yesterday in the 15 degree F weather convinced me of their value. No more trying to pull my sweater sleeves over my knuckles when my hands are in my pockets! I'm converted, esp. by how fast they were to make.