Another pair of Gunner’s Mitts

Gunner’s mitts, or trigger mitts, are traditionally knitted and working in Newfoundland. I love them because the colour work makes them very thick, and the separated finger makes them extremely versatile. On top of that, there are so many designs available.

I bought my first pair on my first trip to Newfoundland, over 20 years ago. I lost one of the mitts years ago, but hung onto the other hoping I would figure out how to replicate the pattern. Eventually I found a book that had a pattern (Favourite Mittens, by Robin Hansen).

It didn’t have the exact pattern of my mitt, but I did make several pairs using other designs it offered. Finally, over a year ago, I lost the first pair I made and decided I needed a new back-up pair. It was time to see whether I could replicate that design.

It didn’t work out quite as beautifully as I had hoped, since the number of stitches in the original was more than my pattern used, and I knew my pattern fit my hand really well. I managed to hide most of the odd bits in the palm so they are less visible.

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Spinning for Etaoin

Well over a decade ago, possibly as much as 20 years ago, my friend Etaoin gave me some beautiful merino wool that she had dyed with cochineal. It is a gorgeous red, wonderfully soft, and I have never figured out quite what to do with it.  Today I began spinning it on a drop spindle. Though I still hope to use some in a tablet weaving project, my first goal is to produce one of the wools for a two-colour knitted reliquary pouch. One of the patterns incorporates hearts. It’s a typical medieval German design, which is perfect for my persona. Plus, I miss Etaoin very much since her death a couple of years ago, and this will be a nice way to think of her.

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Sidetracked into knitting

I have gone down another craft rabbit hole that isn’t helping much on my A&S 50 challenge just yet. I have been learning to knit. This started almost a year ago; I am now pretty good at basic hats and I’m in the process of knitting my first socks. From there, I see a slippery slope into documentable hats, gloves, socks, and bags. I have a book of pilgrim’s pouch patterns, with the two colour patterns based on period examples (of socks, gloves, etc.). This seems like a good way to use up some of my hand spinning. It may eventually lead me to trying some of the folk socks I have patterns for, or even adapting the pilgrim’s bag patterns for socks. I have also been looking at the history of knitting.

To further this new endeavour, I have started thawing my purple loosestrife tea for a dyeing project tomorrow. I am promised that, if done in an iron pot, I should get a nice dark colour. We shall see.

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