Mittens possessed

So, maybe I was asking for it naming this project the Demon Squirrels, but gee these little buggers have been giving me some trouble!!!

It all seemed simple enough.
I knit myself a pair of Swedish Squirrelly Mittens last year, Mum asked if I would knit her a pair too.
No problem.

She wanted blue with red squirrels (yep, that kind of demon).
Good old Cassidy's had Cleckheaton 5ply crepe (sorry, that's a Ravelry link - it's been discontinued and I couldn't find anything else) at $2 a ball, in the perfect colours - mine were knit with Patons Bluebell, which is also 5 ply, also crepe-y, and has the exact same gauge, according to the labels.
Coolio.

It took me a little while to figure out what size needles I used last time, but eventually nutted it out (I knew all that forensic reconstruction I picked up from watching CSI would come in handy).
Excellent.

So, just like with my squirrelly mitts (you know, same needles, same gauge-y yarn same mitts, right?), I started off by doing the cuff ribbing on 2.25mm dpns (very shiny Knit Picks at that), then moved to the 2.75mm for the 'body' of the mittens.

Houston, we have a problem - these demony squirrels are REALLY BIG.
I compared with mine, and sure enough my gauge is coming out pretty different that last time, even accounting for the fact that my first squirrels are probably a bit tight on account of using 3 colours (I think).

I set that mitten aside and started on the next - 2mm cuffs, 2.5mm body.
Hmmm squirrels are still too big - barely different from the 2.75s.

You can see them all in a row in the pic up the top there: from the top 2.75mm then 2.5mm in the middle (both too bit, though it might not be obvious in the photo, I measured and the circumference of each demon mitten is about 1.5cm more than my zombie squirrels), the guys at the bottom are just right - yes, it is all starting to get a bit Goldilocks, really.

I really don't want to end up with squirrelly oven mitts (I've already got a finished pair of unintentional oven mitts in for 'adjustment'), so there was really no choice.
I've ripped the one on 2.5mms back to the top of the cuff and am trying again (again) with 2.25mm.

I have to say, this yarn is a bit splitty, particularly with my sharp'n'shiny Knit Picks, but I am very impressed how well it's holding up to the rip and reknit treatment it's getting.

Isn't it weird how different a result you can get, even though to the best of your knowledge (and I have to admit, on rare occasion I have been known to be mistaken) you're working with all the same parameters?

Do you think this means I'm a more relaxed knitter that a year ago??

xo

ps. I think I have to by some Malabrigo lace weight (Go on, click on it you know you want to. I dare you. Click and then tell me you can resist). =)
Bells and Trine I'm blaming this on you guys for even saying the word Malabrigo, ok? ;)