Little Gems and a clutch

I started a pair of mitts using the Little Gems pattern from the Holiday Interweave Knits magazine and I'm so jazzed about how they're coming along that I just had to show you an early in-progress picture.

Rather than the multi-colored version shown in the magazine, I opted for two colors of Fearless Fibers sock yarn. The darker one is Midnight Blue and the lighter is from the FF Seven Deadly Sins sock club and is called Sloth. Both skeins have a generous 550 yards (as all the FF sock yarns do) and I doubt these little mitts will make much of a dent in the two skeins I'm using.

Did I mention that I love how they're coming out? With the subtle variations of color in the yarns, and the complementary shades of blue, I think they look amazing. And I love how the middle stitch in the ligh-colored squares looks like a little heart. Now if I can just get them done in time for Christmas giving!

In other news, another of my test knit projects has appeared at Knit Picks. It's a pattern for a Floral Felted Clutch. This was an interesting project to knit and my first adventure in double-knitting. I loved working with the yarn, Andean Silk. It's got a lovely feel to it. I was sort of bummed to throw it in the washer, but I did and it felted into a wonderfully thick, fabric. It's a relatively quick project, so if you're looking for something for the holidays -- either as a gift or to use with your new party dress -- I highly recommend it.

When I sent it in, I used a bead from my bead stash for the middle of the flower. The folks at Knit Picks replaced that with a rose-shaped button. Of course, you can use whatever you like. Here's the comparison so you can get an idea of options when you purchase your own supplies. (Wish my picture was as good as theirs, but it is what it is.)