Nothing Will Be The Same

So I used to believe in monogamy. I would start a project and not work on another until I had finished. Then a few months ago I got tired of that and cast on about three projects. It was so much fun to go from project to project, as soon as I got bored with one I'd move to a different one without a care in the world. But at the same time it was sad to not actually finish anything.

Well, a few days ago I had my faith in monogamy restored. I cast on a new project (Thursday) that I couldn't wait to start and worked on nothing else until I was finished four days later (Sunday). What was the amazing project that gave this college girl new hope for the single-project mindset? Why the Bella mittens, of course!



For all fan girls everywhere, Twilight has been a landmark event, in both the literary and film worlds. I can't explain why we love it so much, why we debate for hours on end the merits of vampire vs werewolf vs human boyfriends, or why we all want to move to rainy Forks, WA. We just do. My sister and my friend Ky pushed and nagged and pestered me until I finally broke down and read the first book back in August. And then that same book read the rest of the saga that has been published (my Christmas wish was for Stephanie Myer to realize that her fan base is huge and just get over her pride and finish Midnight Sun). And then came the movie -- that we went to at midnight. And then later at 4:15 on opening day.

Anyway, I found this pattern over on Ravelry on Tuesday and immediately had to try it. When we started seeing images from the infamous van scene in the film version of Twilight Ky and I joked about those mittens becoming a fashion trend.



Well, as you can see, I participated immensely in the trend. I already learned how to cable back in December, so I knew I could handle that part, but nothing could have prepared me for learning how to use double-pointed needles. Actually, it's not as hard as it looks. (I think I had more trouble figuring out how exactly to use the stitch markers than handling the needles). I used this Youtube video and was pleasantly surprised at how easily I could make the thumbs. Most of it was common sense and I only had to rip it out once because my stitches were backwards.

The temperature here has dropped since I finished the mittens, and they have been very warm and cozy, though understandably bulky to handle. I would highly recommend this pattern for any Twilight fan or knitter who wants to try their hand at mittens. The directions were clear and the stitches were complicated enough to keep me entertained and fully addicted. Double-pointed needles don't have to kill you and at the end these are totally worth all the frustrations and sore thumbs.