Mary writes...

Speaking of mittens, check out what I'm making Christy for Christmas: You might recognize them from their first incarnation as the cover pattern on the summer issue of Knitty the Canadian knitting 'zine. But I didn't like them as fingerless gloves (even though I adapted the picot bind off to a scarf I knit last fall). So I knit the second one and made it into gloves with the cut off fingers. But I didn't like that either so...Christy loves her big mushy tweedy mitten/gloves and I thought I'd make her a pair. So I unraveled and off I went. Thus, the picked-up stitches on the back of the hand. These are interesting in the way the thumb is made - no gusset, just knit the first 7 stitches of a round onto some waste yarn, then knit them over again with the working yarn. Later, you take the waste yarn out and pick up the stitches around the hole you just made. Verrrry interesting and has implications for other holey stuff...hmmm. Which reminds me - check out a blog called Stitchy McYarnpants and see the hilarious holey yarn stuff on there. Also interesting in that it's a 4 by 1 rib, and stretches enough that I didn't need increases from the wrist to the hand. I'll send a pic when I get them done.

Love you,

Mary