Wool Fingerless Mittens with Ribbed Cuff

This weekend, I finally picked my mittens back up and finished the second thumb. The yarn ends are now woven and my new tweed mittens are done! Just in time, too, as it is now [more consistently] feeling like Autumn.

This pattern was written by Ravelry member Karen and is available for free via her blog, Mitten and Makings. I haven't had too much experience reading patterns (at least not in the recent past) but I thought this pattern was well written and I loved the rubbed cuff detail. The only part I changed, aside from making it a touch smaller, was the thumb. To give a more consistent look, I used two rows of HDC topped with one row of DC. I preferred the look, and feel, of this to the suggested SC but, that's a matter of personal opinion only.

Even though crochet typically gives a more open pattern than knit, these are still quite warm. Due in part, I'm sure, to the fishermen's wool I used. They're also perfect for getting me to actually wear mittens. Generally, I hate mittens because I can't use my fingers and I hate gloves because, well, I can't use my fingers very well. Mind you, I'll still wear gloves once the temperature drops to "purple fingers" level but, until then, these will give me just enough coverage and warmth while not hindering me in any way. They'll be great for errands and walking our dog.

Luckily, I don't work in a cold office where I would need these to type. My Mom, on the other hand, unfortunately does. So, the next project on my queue is a pair of Autumn red lace fingerless mittens to give her for Christmas. (Not to worry. She doesn't know I have a blog so she won't read this :) ) So far, I love the color and the pretty fan shapes used to create the lace look. You can follow my progress on this project here, even if you don't have a Ravelry account (though, if you don't, you totally should!).

What are you working on? Are you making any handstitched presents this year?