Winter Worthy Knits

It was a crisp -4degF when I took my dog out first thing this morning. But with the sun now above the horizon it’s a balmly +4degF. A perfect winter day for the 7^th Annual Lake Ann Snow Pine Fest.

Lake Ann is a small village. This annual fest is charmingly village appropriate. Here are the activities listed on the flyer: “Lumberjack Breakfast, Chili Lunch, Snow Mountain, Quilt Show, Broomball, Animals of the World, Board Games, Sledding, Kids Crafts, Story Time, Antique Snowmiblie Display, Live Music, Hot Coco & Cookies, and So Much More!”

Life is good.

I’ve been especially happy with my dog walks not only today but all this winter because I had made myself a new scarf and new mittens. And both have held up quite well to daily use in November, December, January, and now February.

Here’s a picture of the scarf:

I knitted this scarf last summer. At the time, I wasn’t expecting to keep it for myself, but I was so totally charmed by the colors that I couldn’t give it up. I knitted it from some yarn that I’d spun a few years back. This was yarn left over from 2 other projects knitted from the same yarn: a pair of socks (which I still have), and a petite pocho (which I sold).

  

I’d made the yarn from two differently dyed combed top. I’d spun three 2-ply yarns: one yarn from one top, another yarn from the other top, and the third yarn was one ply from each top.

The body of the scarf is worked in stitch pattern #16 from Knitting Lace, by Susanna E. Lewis. For the edge, I actually crocheted! I used a variation of a crocheted “Simple Lace” edge from the book Interweave’s Compendium of Finishing Techniques by Naomi McEneely.

I’d started the mittens on my way home from the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival last September.  It was awhile before I finished them because I kept ripping out to revise. Here’s a picture:

I’d spun the yarn from Lizzy’s fleece. Lizzy is half Ile de France and she produces super elastic wool. Then I dyed the yarn with the help of my friend, Carol S . I called the colorway, “Fruit Heaven”.

I used a delightful slip stitch pattern, “Nubbly Tweed” from the Harmony Guide, vol 3 (1998 reissue). The structure of the mitten was loosely based on the instructions in The Knitter’s Handy Book of Patterns, by Ann Budd.

Oh, wait. Here’s a better picture of the mittens…..