For my first project of 2009, I’m picking up something that I left half done in 2008; my Druid Mittens.

I “finished” (except for the thumb) one mitten in October, but got discouraged and needed some time away from it. I love the pattern, I love the cables, and the yarn, but I chose the wrong needle size. And I even did a swatch! Although a stockingette swatch for something that has NO stockingette in it wasn’t the best idea Vogue ever had.

The fabric was much to tight, but I was too much in denial to actually stop knitting. I kept telling myself that blocking would fix it. Nope! Still tight, and too small for  my hand. But it is small in an interesting way:

The palm has a different row gauge than the top, so the mitten curls on itself. It can even stand up by itself:

So yes, definitely too small for  me, and odd enough that I wouldn’t want to give them as gifts. For whatever reason it took me ages to realise this, so a few days ago I cast on for mitten #2, with needles 0.5mm bigger, and we’ll see what that does. I haven’t frogged mitten #1 yet though, because I like petting the cables.