We’ve just returned from a three day weekend in Melbourne – a favourite city of ours. Food, wine, friends, a hotel room with a wonderful view, tram rides, coffee – you get the picture. The reason for the visit was to attend a friend’s 40th birthday party. I feel like her turning 40 has kicked off something that will be an ongoing theme for the next year or two as many of my friends celebrate a ‘significant birthday’. My own isn’t too far away – but I’m not thinking about that yet!
I have knitted for this friend before and knew I wanted to give her something lovely again. I procrastinated for a long time, unsure what was going to be the right thing to make and when I finally decided, there wasn’t much time left.
I settled on fingerless mittens, but not just any fingerless mittens. The ones I chose were special. An elegant pattern with some old style glamour and prettiness. I chose Ysolda’s Veyla Mitts. They were fun, fast and ultimately very satisfying.
I made them from one of my favourite sock yarns – Socks that Rock lightweight in Winter Solstice. It was a lovely, as always.
The mark of a great knitted gift, I think, is that you wish you could keep it for yourself. Fortunately, I have loads of this skein left since these mitts take next to no yarn to make. I predict I will soon have my own pair and given the recipient lives in Perth, the chances of us both showing up at the same event wearing them is miniscule!
I changed nothing with these. I just loved every little detail and marvelled, as I often do, at the cleverness of Ysolda.
Check out the thumbs. Rather than just increasing in the thumb gusset, she made a feature of the increases and included a leaf pattern.
And the way they’re knit is pleasantly clever too – you knit the lace cuff flat, bind it off then pick up stitches to knit the hand. It all happens very quickly, each glove was done in a couple of nights.
I love them. And I think my friend did too.
Bells
They are gorgeous and I love all the lacy details and the cuffs!! I shall add this to my (ever increasing) queue. I know your friend will love them!!
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I love these!! I have this pattern already, I just need to find the time. Ugh! Where do my days go?
really beautiful bells! they must have been hard to part with, but given you that feeling that they were a perfect gift. you’ve reminded me that i must try a ysolda pattern soon, love the details. glad you enjoyed melbourne! although i live here, i feel like a city weekend too!
Just lovely. Perfect colourway for this time of year, and those buttons work so well.
Something I really like about Ysolda’s pattern are the little details she sneaks in. Looks like Veyla are no exception!
They are beautiful, what a lovely gift.
These are sooo pretty and so is the colour ..!
You should absolutely knit some up for yourself – your friend is very lucky to receive such lovely mitts they are very elegant and would make nice evening gloves for a pretty dress
Nice work, they are so elegant and the buttons are perfect.
They’re so feminine and lovely. I am not a mitt fan but I think I’d like those. My children are at the age when their friends are getting married and having babies. I am at the age when my friends’ kids are getting married or having babies (also the age for funerals, it’s depressing sometimes).
Beautifully elegant.
oh they are simply divine. i adore all the detailing, especially the thumb increases – just beautiful!
i love the attention to detail in Ysolda’s patterns – the button placement, and the two lace details on the the thumb and back of the hand are just perfect. I bet your friend LOVED them!
I just adore them! Ysolda is such an amazing designer! I think I might need to knit myself a pair!:-)
It’s wonderful to make a gift and have someone appreciate it. This has not always been my experience. (Of course, I’ve also had that experience with non-handmade gifts but it doesn’t seem to hurt so much).
Lovely choice of colour and yarn to go with that pattern.
What a beautiful gift! I especially like them in such a delicate color. It’s a perfect match of pattern and yarn!
That’s a lovely gift as the mittens are gorgeous. I love the lace cuffs.
I love them … very very pretty
So lovely. These have long been on my knitting wish-list! I do hope you make a pair for yourself, too!
The mitts really are lovely and your friend is very lucky. I’m glad you had a nice time away. As I will be 59 in a very few short weeks, I know how birthdays can affect us! I’m old enough to be her mother!
Beautiful! And the buttons are perfect, too!
They really are lovely, I must make some for myself too! Lovely in the soft grey yarn too.
I love the buttons. What an elegant touch.
They look lovely! I have plans to make these myself, once I get the sizing right.