Knitting in the North

I've been working away at my Flap Top Mitten from Handknit Holidays, and am almost finished the first one. I had ordered some alpaca from Elann, and then decided it was too light a weight for these mittens. So, I went out and tracked down some Galway Irish Worsted Knitting Wool. With a name like that, you know it can't go wrong! (It even has a sort of shamrock on the ball band, which I think is a tad too cute.) You can't see it very well in the photo, but I'm using black for the main colour, with a heathered dark red/black for the wrist and trim on the flap. The wool is obviously not nearly as soft and squishy as the alpaca (which arrived today), but I'm sure it will be warm. Most likely, the wool makes for a more sturdy mitten, anyway. Now I have to decide what to do with the alpaca. I'm thinking maybe a pair of fingerless gloves for my mum. I've never made mittens before, and am feeling completely satisfied with myself because of this pattern. I read it through a few times, and thought there was no way I could manage it. Still, I'm making progress, and at every step completed, I say to my Wonderful Husband, "Look! I just made a thumb gusset!" (or whatever). Sadly, he is not nearly excited enough, so I'm hoping you'll share my joy. I've finished the actual mitten part, and am nearly done with the flap. Then it's just the thumb, and we're on to #2! Really, though, these mittens are a completely encouraging knit. They're small, so you get all this gratification, and halfway through, you have a finished object, which is always thrilling. For me, this pattern is a challenge, and I totally love doing something I've never done before, or am not really good at. It feels so good when you conquer it.