Completed at long last! Look close and you can see the squirrels looking at each other on the bottom part.
For this project I used leftover Lorna's Laces sock yarn (the pink) and some sock yarn that had been ripped and saved just because I really liked the color. I forgot what it was called, but it's the orange yarn.
The original pattern had much more Fair Isle; making it squirrels in a snowstorm. These squirrels are out and about on a sunny winter day, when just the last few snowflakes are falling. I am calling them Squirrelly Sunrise.
This project actually was a voyage of self-discovery. I attempted it because a) it was a free pattern b) I love squirrels c) I had the yarn already d) I wanted to try Fair Isle. Alas, I discovered that I do not like doing Fair Isle. I did these mittens at the same time on Magic Loop, which meant I had 4 different balls of yarn twisting all over the place. I had to stop and untwist after every half-round. I had to use a very complex system to keep my yarn balls in order, and if one hit the floor and rolled under the coffee table a lot of cussing ensued.
I just didn't find the process relaxing. Once I had gotten to the end of the squirrels, I made the decision to modify the pattern. For one thing, the pattern did not involve any increases for the wider part of the hand, which even on my small hands was a problem. And secondly, I was just plain sick of stranding and untwisting. I am a huge supporter of the idea that knitting is a *hobby*, and hobbies should be fun. If you are not enjoying what you are doing, you shouldn't be doing it, if it's a hobby.
And thus, after completing the squirrel part I took off on my own design and simply allowed the self striping yarn to create its own pattern while I incorporated some increases for the thumb gusset. Once I dropped that strand and untwist business, I completed the hand part in a weekend. For an extra touch, I sucked it up and did one row of Snow Stars at the top before decreasing for the tip and finishing off my mittens.
I really like how they turned out and don't think I would have liked them as much if they were totally Fair Isle. These sunny warm mittens are a reminder on winter's darkest days that Spring will not fail us, it will come again. The sun will warm the Earth and the snow will subside, save for a few last sparkling jewels, and the squirrels will come out of hibernation to play in the sun.
