mitten season! (test-knitters needed)
UPDATE: Thanks so much to all the folks who offered to test-knit. I’ve got plenty of volunteers now. Seriously–thanks!
The middle west US is covered in snow, which means those of us who are responsible for cars or porches or sidewalks or pets spend a lot of time moving the stuff around. Which is cold. Which means … mittens.
I recently did a mitten swap with some friends, and came out of it with a gorgeous pair of Chevaliers from Ms. Fricknits.
Thanks, J!
I knitted for Elinor, and I decided to design my own pattern.
They feature a fat two-color cable running up the back, extra-long cuff, and a stripey thumb with swirling decreases (thanks to some clever tweaking from Minty). And, because they’ve got colorwork and cables in worsted-weight wooly-wool, they are WARM.
I’m planning to make them my very first pattern-for-sale. Want to test-knit a pair? Let me know! You should be an advanced knitter comfortable with colorwork and with cables, and you should have a couple skeins of Cascade 220 or other 100% wool worsted-weight yarn to devote to the cause.
ETA: Also, could you please include a link to your Ravelry projects or a blog or Flickr set or something? I suddenly have this fear that “advanced” and “comfortable” are relative terms. 
Thanks!
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December 4th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Those are gorgeous! Too bad I’m not a color knitter.
December 4th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
i’m in love with your outfit in the first photo. those mittens are awesome! i sent you an email!
December 4th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
That’s an awesome pattern! So many color possibilities. I would love to offer to test knit - but i doubt i would be able to start until at least January
December 4th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
I’d LOVE to test knit these! I have thought they were beautiful from the first time I saw them on flickr!
Cheers!
December 4th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Beautiful mittens, Pam! I currently don’t do color knitting, so I can’t be a test knitter, but congratulations on such a stunning design!
December 4th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
They are gorgeous!! It’s too bad I’m totally booked up knitting-wise for the next couple of months, otherwise I would have offered!
December 4th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Nice mittens, the netherlands is not covered in snow, but we do need warm lovely mittens (as these) here as well. Are you still looking for test-knitters? I would be glad to!
December 4th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
I would love to try these! I have the wool if you have the pattern. I would buy it if you are ready to sell a pattern. These are right up my alley!
December 4th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
If you’re still looking for test knitters I can help. You can see some of my knitting on my blog or on my Rav page, http://www.ravelry.com/projects/leesy
December 4th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
I saw these on Ravelry this morning and completely fell in love. They are beautiful and combine cables and colorwork, which are my favorite things to knit. I’d love to test knit for you if you still need people. I could have them done by this weekend.
December 4th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
i am the worst test knitter ever (so i won’t even bother), but i can’t wait for this pattern to become available! love love!
December 4th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Oh, they’re gorgeous! I’ve only just started colour knitting, but I’ll definitely buy the pattern when I have a bit more practice
December 4th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
These are absolutely gorgeous! I’ll be waiting to buy the pattern. =)
December 4th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Hi I’d be willing to test them too, if you still need ppl, my rav page is http://www.ravelry.com/projects/winterdandylion
December 4th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
You are right that advanced and comfortable are relative terms. I have discovered that thru a number of various swaps that required you to be an advanced knitter. What I received was not advanced. If you still need another test knitter, I can get my hands on a few skeins of 220 fairly fast. I need to pick up some to make a pair of Matrix mittens anyway. How soon do you need them turned around? I have a little of of holiday knitting to finish up. I am knitplaywithfire on Ravelry. I was planning on starting a pair of Post War Mittens but they are for a friend who is a knitter afaraif of colorwork. And she understands that they will be a post Christmas gift.
December 4th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Love these mittens! I am always on the look out for new and fun knitting patterns. I’d love to help test knit and I sent you an e-mail with more info!
December 4th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Those are really cool! I would offer to test knit, but when under a knitting deadline, that project usually becomes the last thing I want to knit. But I’ll look forward to the pattern coming out!
December 4th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/apryl
I would love to try you mittens…I have been planning to make a pair for myself immediately and this would give me that push to do something for myself. I have tons of cascade and malabrigo so yarn is not a problem.
December 4th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
i am neither advanced nor comfortable, but i think your mittens look amazing!
December 4th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Those are super awesome!!! I wish I didn’t have so much Christmas knitting to do (or that I could think of someone to gift them to) so I could offer to test knit them.
For now I’ll just have to add my name to the list of those waiting for the pattern!
December 4th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Pretty, pretty, pretty! I love the two-color cables. I so wish I had time for test knitting right now!
December 4th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
I know my limits, and right now this is far beyond them. But these are really cute!! Good luck.
December 4th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
These are so cute! I love your pattern so much. If you need another test knitter, lemme know: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/femiknitter
December 4th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
I am in mitten mode these days, and ready to start a new project this weekend. I would be delighted to test knit these mittens. Aside from the more recent projects that I have put up on Ravelry (link in the Website box), I have knit 6 pairs of Turkish stockings and 4 or 5 pairs of socks in stranded color work.
December 4th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Love the mittens! I sent you an email if you’d like me to test. They look so cozy!
December 4th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
I would love to have offered to test knit these for you but I have never done colourwork so I don’t want to waste your time. The mittens look lovely though!
December 4th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
I would love to test knit them but I have a ton on my plate right now… I’ll definitely pick up a copy of the pattern once you have it all ready to go though!
December 4th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
I’d love to test knit!! I am both comfortable AND advanced. (: I’m ElleWoodsHerself on Rav.
Love your blog! (:
December 4th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
I love them! I will not, however, be volunteering for test knitting.
I think we have the same definition of comfortable and advanced, I’m not either with regard to cables and color work.
They are lovely, I’m sure you’ll have great success with them!
December 4th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
I`m not skilled enough to test knit, but will knit these for sure when you publish the pattern. They are gorgeous!
December 4th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
i’d offer to test knit, but i’m starting a test knit pattern for someone else and i don’t want to leave you hanging.
i think it’s safe to say that i am comfortable with cables and colorwork — you can check my ravelry projects page if you’d like though.
December 4th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Whoa, those look so fuzzy and awesome. It is definitely mitten season. I need a new pair, a warmer pair like these… can’t wait for them to come out!
December 4th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
I just sent you an email and if you still need knitters let me know. I’d LOVE to test those beauties out!
December 4th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
Those are just beautiful! It’s wonderful!
December 4th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Oh, gosh, a zillion years late to the party and all, but I’ll test knit for you! Ravelry: WryPunster, blog above.
December 4th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
You know, I kind of love the term “middle west.” It’s so Gatsby. It makes it sound much fancier than where we actually live.
December 4th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
Do you still need test knitters and when would you need it test knit by? (I have a full yarn room of Cascade 220 - since I sell it - LOL). My Rav ID is knitpurlmama - if you want to see what I knit - but I’ve already designed 4 patterns myself, and working on more!
December 4th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
i’m in love! I’d love to test-knit a pair if you still need people! http://www.ravelry.com/projects/caruba
December 4th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
The pattern is really nice! I would love to test knit, but I’m not yet there, I’m afraid. That sounds like a very interesting thing to do! Best of luck with this pattern! Anyonecanknit.
December 4th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Your mittens are awesome. I would love to test knit these for you. I sent you an email via your personal email addy.
Good Luck !
Debbie
December 4th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
I’d be happy to test knit a pair of these mittens! I’ve not been a test knitter before, but I have done color work and I love knitting mittens and mitts. http://www.ravelry.com/projects/fibernymph
December 4th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Oooh, those mittens look awesome. I don’t know if you still need test-knitters (probably not, as I’m seeing this post late in the day), but I’m sending you an email anyhow.
December 5th, 2008 at 11:00 am
OK, I read a little late to test knit, but Man-Howdy! I’ll buy the pattern & knit it. Absolutely lovely!!
December 5th, 2008 at 11:58 am
The gray and pink - awesome color combination. But pink goes with everything IMO.
December 5th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Lovely. And they look really warm!
December 6th, 2008 at 9:25 am
wow, those are awesome! i bet they are perfect for keeping your hands toasty warm in a michigan winter
December 8th, 2008 at 9:31 am
I have a question about the red scarf you’re wearing in the first picture: where did you get it? Is it wool? I’ve seen lots of people wearing thin scarves that are long, wide and drapey so you can wrap them around and tie them. They look perfect and I’m curious about it.
I haven’t bought scarves in a long time because I figure, hey, I’m a knitter with a ton of yarn, I can make one. But, shockingly, not everything is knitted these days!
December 8th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
I loove the colour combination on the first picture! Bold and beautiful!
December 9th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
I saw these up on Ravelry and just now realized you were looking for test knitters. I’ve done mittens and colorwork, and I go pretty fast, so if you still need any, I’d love to! Here’s a link to my projects on Rav. http://www.ravelry.com/projects/ilovewool
Thanks!
December 10th, 2008 at 9:26 pm
Damnation! I want to be a test knitter so badly, but I have neither enough time nor enough stash yarn right now! Nonetheless, those are some gorgeous mittens and many congratulations to you on such a lovely design!
December 11th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
I’d buy that mitten pattern in a flash - wow.
December 12th, 2008 at 4:49 am
Ms Flint, I need your postal address, please…