Snowflakes for Shirley!

 I bought this mitten kit last year and of course being a procrastinator I just started this project in January..better late than laying in my stash! I had every intention of keeping the mittens, as I have never owned a pair of lined mittens but I decided to give them to Shirley! Now, she may not like the colour and they may not fit her...but isn't it the thought that counts! Besides, Shirley loves winter and loves snow and lives in Pennsylvania..BBBRRR!!  Consider this...Shirley made "vanilla" just before Christmas and out of the blue sent me a big bottle. Do you know how expensive pure vanilla is??? I'll say no more. I do bake lots of cookies at Christmas and I really appreciated her generosity!
Kit....
Pattern:-"Snowfling Mitts" by Tanis Lavallée
Yarn:-Tanis Fibre Arts yellow label DK Grape and Frost for the outer shell/
             Tanis Fibre Arts purple label cashmere sock yarn jewel tone for the lining!

Needles :- Size #4 for the outer shell and sz#3 for the lining! (I think the suggested needle size was # 3 )
I thought the yarn seemed heavy for a DK weight..but that could be just me!
I honestly didn't  find adding the lining an easy task. Picked up the stitches..no problem but doing the lining of the first mitt was a bit tedious! I had to measure, rip and adjust a lot!! I made careful notes of what I  had done and the second lining went
 a bit easier. My biggest fear was that the lining would bunch up in the thumb and at the mitten top. I think mine is fairly smooth after lots of ripping and reworking! I thought that maybe if you were to knit a mitten liner separate from the outer shell and then to sew it in might be easier..I dunno!!! Honestly it will be a long time before I do another pair with a liner!! Just saying!
The only change I made was to mirror the <'s  >'s on the cuff.
I have set myself a little challenge for 2014.
A pair of mittens with a liner.
A pair of gloves.
A pair of  doubleknit mittens.
Well, one down..two to go!
Ha, ha!
Happy knitting.
Mags.