A Good Week for My Hands and Feet

Posted on by Dan

Among some projects finished these last couple of days, Virginia made a pair of mittens and socks that deserve some blog time (obviously, every project should get a mention, but my track record lately has not been good).

Vespergyle Mittens

These “Vespergyle Mittens” are from a pattern by Elinor Brown, knit using Spindrift. I really admire the argyle and stripe combination. And, of course, the Spindrift is such a cozy yarn for this sort of thing.

Vespergyle Mittens

I am happy to say they are big enough to fit my hands, so there will likely be a race to the mitten bin every time we head outside.

Vespergyle Mittens

I’m also the happy recipient of this early-Valentine’s gift. A pair of “Tweed Socks.”

Tweed Socks

These are knit from a pattern by Marilyn Morgan, in the book Socks, Socks, Socks, using several types of yarn, including Jawoll and Socka. The slipped-stitch pattern really dress up these socks, and I can already envision these paired with dark brown khakis and cardigan.

Tweed Socks

Like I said, it’s a good week for my hands and feet.

Weeks 3 & 4 in Review

Posted on by Dan

Snippets and snapshots of the last 14 days, the third and fourth week of the year.

Week in Review - 3

And, as always, the full-size versions of these photos can be seen in my One a Day set on Flickr.

Week in Review - 4

I am looking forward to the days when the outdoor pictures will be, well, less white.

2 Comments

Miles of Crochet

Posted on by Dan

A very audible sigh of relief was heard in the ScratchCraft household when the final loop was made on this piece.

Tropical Stripe Wrap

Twenty-four skeins of Spindrift were used to crochet this luxuriously substantial wrap. Let’s see, that’s 24 x 115 = approximately 2,760 yards of yarn, or about 1.57 miles of spun wool. That’s a lot of crochet (although, we have been spending some quality time in front of the television, to help the miles go by quicker).

Tropical Stripe Wrap

Virginia used a pattern by Kathy Merrick, called “Tropical Stripe Wrap” in the book Crochet in Color, deciding to play with 11 different colors of yarn.

Tropical Stripe Wrap

And, as this is a shop model for the local yarn store,  we’ll have to wait a bit before enjoying being wrapped in all that wooly goodness.

Tropical Stripe Wrap

3 Comments

End of May Mittens, (End of) Earth Bread

Posted on by Dan

Hot off Virginia’s needles are these fabulous mittens.

End of May Mittens

They are knit using Cascade 220. Pattern is by Mandy Powers, called “End of May.” They will fit right in with this Middle of January.

End of May Mittens

End of May Mittens

While the mittens were blocking I was playing in the kitchen, trying to start making a dent in the bulk, two pounds of yeast I had bought a few weeks back. The bread was inspired by a desire to eat less refined foods (including flour, sugar, etc…).

Earth Bread

It’s made with a whole wheat flour sponge, but crammed inside are all sorts of goodies, like wild rice, barley, molasses, flax seed meal, sunflower seeds and some caraway seeds. I call it (End of) Earth Bread (not to be confused with the Earth Bread recipes floating around out there that are laden with oil and sugar), and think it would by a necessary addition should there be an End of Earth. Virginia thinks I’ve been watching too many post-apocalyptic shows lately (she’s right about that). But, I have to say a few loaves of this and you’d be good to go.

4 Comments