Alexander Pottery
Sometimes I like to think I am a crafty/somewhat artistic individual. I try my hand at many craftacular endeavours, some more successful than others, but I can never hope to master them all. I have scrapbooked, carded, beaded, dyed, macrame, baked, decorated, sewn (some awesome big pants, back when big pants were in, or at least when I thought they were in. Let’s talk about that later) quilted, crocheted, and of course, knit like there is no tomorrow. There are some things, however, I don’t even dare attempt. One of these things is pottery. I don’t think I’ve attempted any since my elementary and middle school days. I am luckily related to someone who is wonderful at creating pottery, my Aunty Nancy. She has been potting for some time and makes beautiful pieces.
At my cousin’s birthday a few weeks ago there was a large gathering of family and friends. I have a rather large family and we all hopped on the ferry to go the Vancouver island. My Aunt put on a lovely party in her welcoming home with many yummy dishes. One of my favorite things at her house was a table full of wonderful handmade mugs. When I say a table full, I really mean it. Full. A mug for everyone at the party. Dishes were served in beautiful pottery bowls as well. It was stunning. After dinner my Mom (another avid Alexander Pottery fan) and I took a tour of Aunty Nancy’s studio and I purchased this beautiful cream and sugar set. I am able to add these charming little items to an already solid collection. From my wedding I also have a tea pot, a set of dessert plates, and 2 large bowls. They look lovely on display and in use.
Nancy has recently started her own blog here and is planning a show the weekend of December 5th and 6th. If you are on the island you can check out her studio (details on the blog) or, if you aren’t local, her website is here for you to check out.
A New Look at an Old Favorite
I suppose these patterns aren’t really that old but I thought I would give them another knit in some new yarns. It’s turning colder and I need something quick and satisfying to keep me going through my slog of Christmas knitting. I just read that sentence back and it sounds like I hate Christmas! This is not true, I love Christmas and I love knitting for Christmas. Really. Mostly. There are moments.
Anyhow, back to the scarves. I re-knit the 2×2 cable scarf and the mock cable scarf. For the mock cable I did everything exactly the same but with Luxury Alpaca Sport (a misleading name, it’s not really a sport weight yarn…..) I just added more buttons.The 4 button look gives the scarf a little more structure. It becomes a little more collar-like, which is nice.
I originally purchased these buttons for a sweater but it was not meant to be. I went to Button Button, which is definitely one of my top places to be at any given moment, to get buttons for my Dad’s Christmas sweater (are you picturing a hideously colourful fair isle sweater that is too big? That’s not what it looks like but that image jumps to mind when I hear Christmas sweater). I did not, however, make a note of how many buttons I would need or which size. I guessed it would be 6 buttons and purchased 8 just in case. It took 11 and they were much bigger than I had anticipated. While I am not saddened at the prospect of another Button Button trip, I did feel I should use these buttons wisely. I put 4 on the mock cable scarf and I feel that satisfied my quick project, buttery soft alpaca, and button needs all in one go.
The other re-knit I was working on is the 2×2 button scarf. The yarn I knit it in originally (Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Super Chunky) has been discontinued so I felt it could use a revamp. We recently received some new colours in the Blue Sky Alpacas Bulky at the shop and being a big fan of blue I picked out 2 skeins of Atlantis. I knit this scarf on 10mm needles and omitted the first and last 2 rows of the pattern.
These patterns are availble through Ravelry (Mock Cable Scarf here and 2×2 Cable Scarf here) or you can order through paypal (Mock Cable Scarf here and 2×2 Cable Scarf here) and a copy of the pattern will be emailed to you.
Variation on a Theme
It may have become clear from previous posts but I am completely smitten with mittens. Working with more than one colour and being able to add designs to these charming little items have not diminished this infatuation. The image of the bird has also been an inspiration to me before (see Birds of a Feather Shrug). While I always swear I’m done with mittens for a bit each time I complete a pair, it never seems to take. I am also quite inspired by some of the images and icons of Canada as of late, cowichan sweaters being one. These mittens combine each of these loves.
They are knit with one of my very favorite yarns, Blue Sky Alpacas Sport. This yarn is warm and just the right amount of fuzziness for my taste, that is to say . The lining (of course there is a charming lining!) is made with the super soft Brushed Suri which makes these mittens extra insulated. They are a bit of warm deliciousness as the weather gets chilly.
My lovely cousin Danielle was kind enough to model them for me and she thought they were perfect for our walk through Beacon Hill Park in Victoria. I used Blue Sky Alpacas Sport, 2 skeins molasses, 1 skein streaky brown, 1 skein cream for the outside and for the mitten lining (optional but really fabulous): Blue Sky Alpacas Brushed Suri 2 skeins whipped cream.
My hands are rather large (8 inches around) so I knit them on 3.5mm needles and they fit well. If your hands are a little smaller you may want to change your needle size. The mittens seemed rather large as I was knitting them but the lining made a big difference. They really filled out with a little whipped cream in them 
To purchase this pattern for $7 you can visit my Ravelry page or you can click here to order via paypal and the pattern will be emailed to you.
