Good pair of woolen mittens

Few things are better in winter than a good pair of woolen mittens/gloves.




This pretty pair I got from my sister a week ago (I had birthday last week). She had bought them on a market in Riga, Latvia.

They're probably knitted on a machine, but otherwise this type of mittens is apparently traditional in Latvia (and other northern countries). Although maybe usually in more earthy colours. My sister picked these blue ones for me, because blue suits me better.

I love how bright they are - they pop out among the blacks most people wear in winter around these parts! Plus they have two layers and are really just luxurious...




These are handmade by my grandma. I got them... years ago. Which would explain why they wore through at one thumb:


I bought woolen yarn in the same colour and carefully strengthened the worn-through thumb and sewed the hole together. So hopefully they'll last for many more years.

I personally haven't got to this level of knitting yet - although I'm already able to make fingerless mittens, even with the thumb. On the five sock needles.
But if you cannot knit on five sock needles, you can quite easily cheat around that:



I wanted to make a pair for a lady I occasionally buy magazines from in the street. I had noticed she didn't have any gloves. But last time I got a glimpse of her, she had already been provided with a good pair of gloves, so this joyful aqua pair of fingerless mittens will go to somebody else.