I finished the first of my cabled mittens yesterday and set it out to block. I really like this pattern, despite the fact that it has some typos in it. But they were pretty easy to figure out, and the result is very cute. I sort of want a hat to match these, but I don't know if this cable pattern would translate well onto a hat. I'll have to think on it. I could always resort to my favorite cabled hat pattern, the Basic Cable from SNBN.
In other news, Mike and I have been trying to catch up on some more movies before the Oscars. First, there was Juno. I loved the quirkyness of this movie, but after a while the crazy dialogue got to me. You can tell that this is Diablo Cody's first film writing effort because she tried to cram way too much nonsensical hipster-speak and oddball situations into the script. However, the basic characterizations are very strong, and all of the actors, led by Ellen Page, do an excellent job. This is the second movie directed by Jason Reitman that I have enjoyed, following 2005's Thank You for Smoking. I am looking forward to his next project.
We also saw Eastern Promises on DVD this past weekend. In some ways, this movie didn't have a story arc at all. We just follow around a bunch of Russian mobsters for awhile. There isn't much resolution in the ending. However, I liked that there wasn't an epic storyline. This movie had no chance of topping all of the great gangster films out there, so it doesn't even try. Instead, it gives us a couple interesting characters and lets us explore their lives for a bit. Viggo Mortensen is amazing, as always. But be prepared for some graphic violence.
I overcame "second mitten syndrome," and I am now about a third of the way through the second one. I'm contemplating what hat I could make to match these. I like the look of Ysolda's Gretel. This is the problem with knitting mittens--I always think they require a matching hat, which means buying more yarn! But Fabric Place is having a sale on Cascade 220, so maybe I can justify breaking my yarn diet....
So, I've been sewing more than I have been knitting lately, but I did start a pair of cabled mittens. These are for the Emma (as in Jane Austen's Emma) knit-and-readalong on the Ravelry Austentatious Fiber Artists message board. The theme was "made for each other," meaning things that come in pairs. Since I've been needing some new mittens for awhile (I love my old cabled mittens, but they're beginning to look a little ratty), I started these. They're from the Vogue Knitting on the Go: Mittens & Gloves book. I wasn't sure about knitting so much reverse stockinette, but they're coming out fine. I'm using a ball of Cascade 220 from the stash (which was originally supposed to be felted sheep stuffie, but whatev). Maybe I can make a matching hat? (Though that would require me buying more yarn, and I'm trying to be on a yarn diet right now.)
