Christmas Knitting Back on Track

The last knitting detour from last week has been completed. It is the Carmel Cabled Hat by Iris Wilde.



I have finished The Peek A Boo Cloche for my step-daughter. This photo shows the lighter lining and also how the brim is doubled, separate from the lining and the outside of the cap.



I have begun the next project: Wintergreen mittens by Kate Gilbert. These are for my sister who lives in NYC. I imagine I will need to give her an IOU. She will be here until the Saturday after Christmas so I should be able to get them done before she leaves. I started today and I am having trouble with gauge. My LYS indicated the yarn was DK weight, it is Berocco Pure Merino but it is worsted. I tried to use a 0, the gauge seemed to be OK, the cuff fit but I could not get it over my palm. I am going to start over with a 1. I love the twist of the yarn and it is working well with the pattern. I have not knit mittens in many years. I am having trouble with the measurements provided with the directions.

I emailed Kate Gilbert and she responded very quickly but I still am not sure that I understand. On the page with the mitten chart, there are 7 sets of numbers. Each set of numbers is a series that correspond with gauge. The first series indicate that it is the measurement to the mitten tip. I just am not sure what the remaining measurements are. The measurements are increasing sizes and that confuses me. The first number is 3/12 the bottom series is 7. Is this 7" from the cuff for beginning thumb? From the 7 inches, it then has 61/4. This measurement cannot be from the cuff, is it from the tip of the finger? If you knit from the duff to the tip of the finger, shouldn't the numbers increase - not decrease?