Saturday, September 17, 2011

more knitting and autumn colors


Fingerless mittens are fairly easy to knit -- even fair isle (multi colored) ones.  They are just a straight cylinder, with ribbing in the cuffs -- you don't even have to put in a bona fide thumb like I did in these, you can just leave a slit, like a button hole for the thumb.  The straight cylindrical shape makes it easy to use Fair Isle patterns of varying sorts and numbers of rows.  I make copies of black and white pattern charts of Fair Isle rows, pick the the number of rows I want (a 2 row pattern, 5 row pattern, etc) and patterns with the correct number of repeats to fit the stitch number in my piece, and then use markers or colored pencils to try out different color combinations.


I knit these fingerless mittens a few autumns ago.  I was struck by the September/October colors in my yard -- the chartreuse leaves and purple berries of the beauty berry (calicarpa) bushes I have, juxtaposed with the blackened susans (rudbeckia), the deep blue of October skies, the greenish brown loden color of adjacent tree trunks.


Brought out our autumn table cloth and sunflower placemats for our kitchen table finally.  Sometimes the beauty berry leaves will fall off the plant before the berries are all eaten by the birds and squirrels, which is then very striking!

Linking to The House in the Roses Show Off Your Cottage Monday

6 comments:

Janie said...

What pretty colors and patterns. I knit too, but just plain things, although I have made sweaters and Love cables....mostly simple things though.

Sweet Bee Cottage said...

Can you tell I'm back at work now? Not nearly enough time to buzz around to all my blog friends. But, I just had to say how much I adore those fingerless mittens. They are so cute! I love, love, love the color combination. My husband's birthday is in October too. I think September and October are the best months for birthdays. I'm sure you agree.

Heirloom treasures said...

Very pretty colours,nothing nicer than home knits and they last too. x

Barb said...

Your mittens are wonderful....great colors!

Barb

Kathy said...

These are spectacular! I am so inspired! Thank you for sharing! I have enjoyed my visit!
Kathy

Anonymous said...

Just beautiful, I love the colors you used!! Clarice