The last pair of mittens of this year

Well, I got the miniature mittens out of my system. The pattern is from Folk Mittens: Techniques and Patterns for Handknitted Mittens by Marcia Lewandowski, and they're made with some scraps of Caron Simply Soft and Woolease. They are cute, but I probably won't make any more with this pattern--worsted weight wool on size 1 needles wasn't too bad until I got to the decreasing, and then it became apparent that this was one of those never-again patterns.

I tried to get Cal to wear them for a photo, but he is only willing to model hats, preferably berets in earth tones.

Since the Christmas knitting is now completed and wrapped and mailed, I got out the languishing Hourglass sweater and did quite a few rounds yesterday while watching Prancer. I really love the way this sweater is turning out and can't wait to be able to wear it. There's no picture today since it looks almost the same as the last picture, only longer. I'm now almost up to the second increase.

I have noticed that in the sweater there are occasional "lines" where I'm guessing the knitting has been on the needles too long. I've had this happen before with wool projects, and the lines have always gone away in blocking. I'm hoping the same will be true for the cotton fleece. If anyone has had the same experience, please let me know if this will disappear, or if I should be frogging back to eliminate the lines. It's not that noticeable, but I'm very picky about my own knitting, and I know it'll drive me nuts.

That's all the knitting news. I hope to be able to work on some new patterns this afternoon. I have a couple of ideas for short scarves that I'd like to get underway, and I'd also like to shake the dust off the second Trekking sock and get that finished soon so I can be wearing them.