This month the Among Friends All American Club released their first installment to the membership. The yarn packet arrived on the same day the pattern dropped into Ravelry inboxes, and our secret project is now complete.
The yarn is dyed in the perfect colors by Brooke and Lorajean to go with my pattern, Chercheurs. Brooke's is called Ice Queen, and Lorajean's is called Emporer's Wings, after the butterfly they both chose for their palette.
The inspiration for the pattern came from the club's overall "knit local" philosophy. My interest in the Folly Cove Designers played right into the brainstorming session Brooke and I had over the phone, as I thought about one of my favorite block prints from Elizabeth Iarrobino.
image courtesy of The Cape Ann Museum
These mitts are a hybrid form, bringing in some familiar elements from Latvian mitten traditions -- the scalloped edge and the braid (which is optional) -- along with my local inspiration and the yarn originally spun at Green Mountain Spinnery. I'm proud to show it off and to be part of Among Friends. The pattern is exclusive until late in the winter, when I'll update it with the addition of a full mitten version and offer it for sale in the usual way. Until then, club members only.
Nail polish connoisseurs would probably like to know that the manicure is the CND Shellac color Asphalt, worn by my friend Denise Hanson. It was a lucky day for me when I asked her to pose. Thanks, Denise!