22 Dec
Cast on during a road trip. Did 28 ridges for the garter stitch band. I decided I wanted the mitts to cover more of my fingers so I picked up and knit 36 stitches around for a little less than an inch. (Initially I picked up 29 stitched around, but ripped back because 1) it was going to be too small and 2) the picked up edge looked a bit messy. While the top cuff isn’t as defined with the pick up and knit compared to just picked up, I’m still pleased with it.)

For the thumb, I decided to do it the way I read about in another pattern but haven’t tried. I knit in rounds until where I wanted the thumb opening, then knit back and forth in rows. I’ll do this until I’ve made a long enough opening (I have fleshy thumbs) then switch back to in the round. Later I’ll pick up and knit some stitches to make the thumb.

I finished the bottom with 3 or 4 rounds of seed stitch. I might do a 1/1 rib next time since I have a tendency to tug on them and that stretches out the bottom.

23 Dec
All finished. I still have to block them, but I’ll wait until I get back home. They are very wearable as is. I picked up and knit 20 stitches for each thumb, knit 4 rounds decreasing down to 14 stitches, then finished off with 2 rounds seed stitch.

27 Dec
Final thoughts: So this was a great little project that took less than six hours. I wore these mitts for the rest of my trip (my cousin keeps her house cold!) and that’s where my disappointment comes in: with the yarn. The yarn is so soft and squishy and the colors are lovely - but it’s so loosely spun that it fuzzes. A lot. I wore the gloves for three days and they look like I’ve worn and washed these every day for months!

I still have more of this yarn so I’ll use it again, but I’ll see how it does at with a (much) smaller needle. As it stands, though, I can’t imagine wanting to use Mochi Plus again, no matter how pretty the colors are.

This pattern though? Different story. Totally would do it again!