Solf/Sulva Mittens

Karhu and I both bought this kit two weeks ago here in Vaasa - it's an old pattern from Solf/Sulva. Once I figured out the cuff, the knitting was quick - two evenings for the cuff, another for the rest of the hand. I love the way the decrease happens at the top! I'm using the Swedish version of the pattern and it took me a few tries to get it right. The pattern is a little vague (make one - how?), but it might just be my language skills! For the hand, I ended up doing the following (and it looks like the photos): R1: K1FB K4 K2T (S1KW S1PW K these two together through the back) K3 K1FB K1; R2: K all

The cuff involves some tvåändstickning... Took me a while to figure this out, but I finally put a few different sets of instructions together and made it work. I realized first that tvåändstickning is basically Fair-Isling with twisting the carried yarns each time (thanks for the video, Michi!). Then I noticed that the stocking I'm making had a half-version of the braid on the Solf mittens. In that pattern, the braid is done by purling with the carried yarns in front (and twisted each time). THEN I noticed that there are similar braids in Latvian Mittens by Lizabeth Upitis. These braid are also made by purling with the yarn carried in front - twice. So, back to the Solf mittens - these braids are made by turning the work inside out and knitting with the yarns carried behind (on the front side of the work), twisting them, as well. Twice. The knitting version is quicker (for me, at least), but it does leave a hole in the side where the color changes happen. I'm going to cover that up with some sort of tassel, as suggested in the pattern.