Smockies

Finally a successfully finished project! I was so determined to avoid the second mitten syndrome, that I cast on for the second one immediately after the first one was finished, and more than just enjoying the knitting I just wanted to get them finished. Now I have regained my faith in my knitting.

This is a free pattern called Smockies , and the main reason I wanted to make them was the beads and the way they were used to create a surface pattern. This is actually the first time I've used beads on a completed project. Another reason I wanted to knit this pattern was that it was finally a good reason to use some of the DROPS Alpaca I have that I've acquired in several different colors but, again, never used on a finished item. The needles I used were bamboo DPNs in size 2.5 mm. 

The modifications I made were changing the ribbing on the cuff to 2 x 2 instead of 1 x 1, because with my relatively loose tension and drapy alpaca yarn the ribbing just wasn't springy enough. I also made the section after the thumb hole 5 cm instead of 6 cm long, and the thumb is also slightly shorter than suggested.

Taking decent pictures in the daylight we have this time of year late in the afternoon was a challenge.

The Ravelry project page