My pal Bev and I often talk about our creative work when we're together, and as we do the similarities in our processes have become apparent. She's a writer (here's her blog).
I decided to set a few weeks aside in January to focus on fingerless mitts. They'd be easy, I thought, allowing me time to rest a bit before taking on a next, more strenuous, cardigan design. I started by studying patterns from other designers to understand mitt fit and measurements, then set out on my own. A 1960s knitting dictionary I rediscovered on the shelf yielded several fresh abbreviated lace patterns (what a find!) that fit well into the condensed mitt format. I was right, the mitts have been quick to knit (and fun). Their design, however, has come with unique discipline, that made me think of Bev's blog posts and her challenge of creating a complete story with fewer words in a limited space – that she does so well.
I'll be posting an ebook with 4 patterns in a week or so, named for my girl – Juliet's Lacy Mitt Series – because she clamors for them, and now so do I. We'll share.