Colorwork-Crazy Vespergyle Mittens for Jessica

I've been making my friend Jessica hand knit gifts for a long time. We met in a group fiddle lesson in Brooklyn, and we lived just a block apart. Even though we both left BK, we still keep in touch -- and we still exchange crafty gifts every year.

Last fall, Jessica told me about a pair of mittens she bought from a handmade market in Norway. She lost them, and she was pretty upset about it. Since she purchased them from a lady at a random market, they were practically impossible to replace. So I agreed to try and make a replica.

The result: Vespergyle Mittens.

Pattern: Vespergyle Mittens by Elinor Brown (Free Pattern!)

Yarn: Wullenstudio Superwash Sock Merino Nylon and Bernat Baby Solids in White

My colorwork wasn't perfect throughout the entire mitten, and this was my first time making a mitten where the thumb is increased slowly off the side of the mitten, rather than added later with picked up stitches. I think this type of thumb is way easier to knit.

The colorwork makes the mittens warmer, and it also looks super cool:

I don't think I successfully replicated Jessica's original mittens, but I hope these will be just as warm (and never lost!).

Here's a photo of Jessica's lost Norwegian mittens:

You can see they were a little felted and probably much warmer. But I think we did a pretty good job finding a pattern that is similar!

Here's a funny video of Jessica modeling her new mittens. Go, Jessica!

Alex's Latest Knit Crazy-Colored Socks

Alex is forever requesting that I knit him a pair of socks. You probably realize this already, since his legs grace the opening of practically every sock post. He's so spoiled now that he wears a pair of hand knit socks practically every day. (That's thanks in part to his mom also knitting socks for him.)

This latest pair came about by accident. My friend Jo's mom kindly unloaded part of her stash, and Jo brought over a whole bag of yarn for a few of us to go through. I chose my yarn, and after everyone left I found a lonely skein of sock yarn that had fallen off the table.

No one else claimed it when I asked, so I kept it! (Couldn't let such a lovely yarn go to waste.)

Thus was born Alex's latest pair of socks, requested for Christmas but delivered a teensy bit late.

Pattern: Waffle Rib Sock by Carolyn (Jill) Ferneau

Yarn: Schoppel-Wolle Zauberball®Crazy (I think it's color #1537, but not entirely sure)

I've made this same sock pattern several times. It's one of Alex's favorites, but I share the waffle love with all. Here are the other socks I've made with this same pattern:

• Dad's Waffle Rib Christmas Socks
• Alex's Waffle Rib Socks
• Whales Road Waffle Rib Socks

I'm also really digging the Eye of Partridge heel. It has such a neat texture and makes other heel types look so boring.

When I didn't know what the yarn was, I worked up this tiny little swatch and put it through the washer to see what happened. I love how such a cool yarn can look so inconspicuous when it's worked in such short rounds.