Seasonally inappropriate finished objects!

Well, winter finally seems to be over. Melbourne cranked out a toasty warm day today (forecast was for 25 degrees but I think it might even have been warmer). Happily I was out in it - and only about an hour of sunshine was sacrificed to law school servitude! I even raided the bookshop on the way home...

Anyway, to celebrate the warm weather, here are the two latest finished objects - both of them things that I won't be able to wear until it's cool again!

Firstly, yet another pair of Garter Mitts:

I love this pattern to an extent that is truly ridiculous. It's easy and quick, but clever enough that it's immensely satisfying too. This is my third pair, though the first pair that I've made for myself that have actually fit - the last ones were a little too big because I made the large size. Apparently my hands aren't as big as I think they are! This pair were made in the small size (actually, with slightly fewer rows worked than the pattern specified), and they fit perfectly (sitting neatly underneath my sleeves, which was what I was going for).

Reason #8,437 that I love this pattern - it's a really good use for varigated yarn. I have a little bit of a problem with varigated yarn. Nine times out of ten, I don't like the way that it looks when it's knitted up. But for some inexplicable reason, I can't seem to stop buying it... Anyway, this pattern more or less circumvents the whole unpleasant pooling issue, and that is a fine, fine thing. Soon after I bought this yarn (Moda Vera Fun - $2 for the ball, so I couldn't exactly complain), I had one of those "erm, why did I buy this?" moments. But I actually love the way that the colours look together here - kind of rustic. I love these, and I can't wait to wear them.

Anyway, moving right along... to the Mrs Darcy cardigan - finished at last!

I guess "at last" might be a little too strong a phrase, given that this was knitted in a little over two weeks... But it felt like it took forever to block (we've just turned off floor-heating-what-makes-things-block-at-super-speed), so for my attention span, "at last" is appropriate!

I'm very happy with how this turned out. The style isn't one that I normally wear, but it's more flattering than I was expecting it to be, and I Love This Shade of Green. Seriously. If all yarns came in this particular shade, I would be one happy camper. As it was, they don't all come in this shade, so I used Lincraft Merino Crepe 8 ply (about 8 balls of it). Not particularly excited about the yarn, but at least it was cheap (cardigan cost about $25 all up). And did I mention the colour? Mmmmm... bottle-y forest-y green...

Erm, moving right along from salivating over tasty viridian shades - this pattern was great. I made it nearly exactly as written - the only modification I made was to add a few rows to the back/sides, since my row gauge was ever so slightly off, and I'm tall so I wanted to be sure that it would be long enough. I didn't change the number of rows in the sleeves, because everyone on Ravelry seemed to be saying that the sleeves were too long, so I figured that mine would come out about right unaltered (I was actually right for a change!). Oh, and I didn't crochet around the bottom, because I wasn't having the curling issues that the designer had. I did however crochet around the back neckline, because it was curling a little there. Problem seems to be mostly remedied now.

I was very impressed with this pattern all in all - minimal shaping but it didn't end up boxy at all (hurrah for ribbing!). I would definitely recommend this pattern to anyone knitting a garment for the first time - it was ridiculuosly quick and straightforward. As whinged about on Ravelry, the only even slightly difficult part (in my opinion) was seaming the ribbed section - my seaming skills are not particularly impressive, and that combined with the comparatively loose gauge of my fabric meant that there were a few parts that looked a little dippy. I'm not too fussed though - it isn't all that noticeable, and I'm no perfectionist! Some people have had trouble with the sleeve cap, but none of that here - it fitted just fine for me.

And yes, I was roasting when these photos were taken. Double layers, one of them wool, on a warm spring day = an uncomfortably toasty Anna!

So yes, lots of warm clothing that is thoroughly inappropriate for current Melbourne weather. Thankfully, I'm not fussed by this for two reasons:

1. It's Melbourne we're talking about here. It'll probably be snowing by dinner time.
2. In a little over two months, I'm off to Europe! Bring on the woolly scarves!

Unfortunately, before I get to gallivant merrily around Germany, Austria, Italy and France there will be exams. Grumble. On that note, I'd best go and tackle the Constitutional Law textbooks. If anyone hears a banging noise, don't worry - that will just be me repeatedly bashing my head against the table in an attempt to euthanize myself in order to avoid the otherwise long, slow and painful death by boredom that awaits me... Or something.