Been Making Things

Over the last few months I have been indulging myself.

Watercolor Mittens

Norwegian mittens in watercolor and india ink... Even though the classic colors of this design is high contrast such as black and white, I chose not to go that dark for this little sketch...

It is pretty simple... I didn't go for extreme detail of any kind, just tried to loosely describe them...



At least it didn't take as long as knitting them... but paper's not as warm...


The real ones that were the inspiration...


approx. 3½" x 5" watercolor, ink, brush, pen on CP Arches WC paper

Norwegian Star Mittens

These Mitts are ones I knit years ago... I am putting them away for the season ... I surely hope I will not need them again this spring...

They are warm and made of wool.... The black is from the Briggs and Little Woolen Mill in Harvey Station, New Brunswick.... The white I handspun from the fleece of my Border Leicester sheep.... At that time I had 2 sheep and 3 Angora goats that provided lots of fleece... I sheared them myself with a pair of hand shears which looked like big primitive scissors... slow job... the sheep once a year... the goats twice a year...

This Norwegian knitting pattern originated in the Selbu, a small northerly district where Norway's oldest knitting tradition is two-stranded knitting... which creates a warmer and thicker mitt due to the two layers of wool trapping the heat....

The sjenn-rosa or the eight petaled rose, is a favorite pattern... known as the "Norwegian Star"... classically knit in high contrast colors such as white on black....

I love the design and the black and white against the snow...

...but just before I put them away I better mend a couple of holes as they have become a little thread bare on the palms... I also might try a little watercolor of them and maybe post it tomorrow...