Selbu mittens III…

Selbu Mittens – new ones right

I´ve had an ongoing quest for “my” Selbu mittens the past years. As you can see from this and this post. And finally I got around to knit me a new pair! And they work perfectly! Already tried and tested in the snow.

The photo was taken with a gopro camera by a friend “Speed-riding” (link to a speed-riding video) down the mountain side (me on the right – and if you look closely you can see my Selbu mittens).

It´s the same pattern : Woman´s Mitt by Rauma Designs – but in a 100% wool yarn this time… I´ve used Hillesvåg, Hifa 2 in Charcoal and Natural White, a high quality 100% Norwegian wool yarn, and though my Selbumittens III came out a bit on the large side, I know they will felt enough to fit perfectly in a year or two… These are definitely knit to last for the next 10 years…

I´ve also finished the two pairs of Selbu mittens from this post. They are knit in another Selbu pattern: 5. Womans Mitt, also by Rauma Designs using the same yarn as in the ones above. I´ve knit this pattern before, as you can see from this post.

These really started as one pair of mittens… but you know the feeling when you suddenly realize both mitts have the thumb on the left…? So I had to knit two new mitts… Enough Selbu for a while! But the recipients were happy!

@that feeling…

Well,well… xmas is coming up, and I´ve already cast on for a right hand mitten …and then another one.

Pattern: Damevott med vrangbord eller blondekant / Rauma
Yarn: Ask Hifa 2 / Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk
Color: 6057 natural white and 6056 charcoal
Needles: 2,5 mm / US 1,5

Selbu Mittens…

Long time! It´s been a busy summer, and the summer without knitting. And I mean NO knitting, whatsoever…
I´m currently teaching myself to “knit again”, and can proudly present a couple of pairs of mittens. They´re both from traditional Norwegian patterns I´ve found on “Eg sa strikk”´s blog.

The wool in both pairs are 100% Norwegian wool.

But why?

My resent endeavour in Selbu-knitting didn´t work out, and now this! My skiing-socks have shrunk! Some would call it bad karma …I would call it plain bad luck!

To some, this will sound like swearing in a church (so just close your eyes if you´re a bit fragile), I wash all my wool in the washing machine! If the wool can´t stand it, -well, then I don´t want it! (except angora of course, and that´s why I don´t own any angora…)

My wool is not superwash, it´s usually 100% pure wool, or wool mixed with alpaca, cashmere, mohair, camel, silk, etc. In my opinion wool comes from sheep, and other animal fibers are …well – other animal fibers. (Silk is a plant fibre.) Textile producers and me are not walking hand-in-hand on this issue, but that´s not my primary concern right now. My skiing-socks are!

My beautiful socks! They´ve kept me warm for miles and miles of skiing, hours and hours of mountain-cabin-after-ski-fun-around-a-board-game, and just sitting around the house in winter time.

I´ve got a fairly cheap washing machine, but it has a good wool-programme. I´ve put my skiing socks in the washing machine many times before. Closed the door and pressed the button, -in good faith.

I knitted my socks in 1997, cut the worn out feet off and knitted new ones in 2008, and they´ve never shown any signs of felting. So why did they felt this time? Did I press the wrong button? -don´t think so because the fellow garments came out all right. Did I use the wrong detergent? -don´t think so because I always use wool-detergent when washing wool. Did I fill the machine too full of wool? – well, maybe? Maybe that´s the case ….

In any case I have to knit my self a new pair. Luckily I have the pattern, and the wool is still avaliable. I´ve previously knitted 4 pairs (including my felted ones + my extra feet), so I know the pattern, and it won´t be that hard …… just booooring!! Why?!

Pattern: Raumagarn Nr. 1063, Men´s Socks

Yarn: Rauma Finull 2-ply

Needles: 2 mm and 2,5 mm.

Gauge: 29 st = 10 cm.

Ruined Selbu´s …but worth the ride!

I’ve reached summit no.one in 2013!

Spent a day with friends reaching Blåfjell (1392 m.)/Sogndalsdalen #Sogn&Fjordane. This was a perfect day for a free-ride on Telemark-skis! Sun, powder-alarm and beautiful mountains wherever you looked:) Tried on my new Selbu-mittens, and this is how they looked after 3 hours of walking uphill in minus 10 degrees celcius….

Before

After

So I have to admit; I was wrong! Pure Abuelita thin merino felts a lot more than Rauma Finull! Who would have thought:) …but that just means I have to knit myself a new pair…. Because these certainly won’t last for 10 years…