Apr 21 2008
Earthy Projects
The influx of spring is hard not to notice. Warm temperatures and sunny skies all week followed by a weekend of torrential rains and thunderstorms. After months of gray and muted browns, the earth has truly blossomed in the past few weeks. The greens popping up in the grasses and trees seem electric and glowing. It is a great season to celebrate the colors and textures of the earth for Project Spectrum!
…and I have been doing just that with some crafting of my own…
After months of saving wine corks, I finally decided to go ahead and use them. I made this cork trivet using a small 4 x 4 pine frame, with particle board backing (purchased at the craft store) and some wood glue. It took some time to come up with an arrangement that I liked, and that fit well into the frame. Once it was settled, I glued the corks to the particle board backing, and voila! now my hot bowls and pots can rest on the pretty corks on the dinner table.
I have a few dozen more corks in the bucket, so I may have to make some more of these! Simple, easy, and instantly functional. Plus, it is a nice conversation piece - each of the corks reminds us of a wine tasting, a vacation, or a special event. If you have some wine corks saved, you might consider putting them to use with some of the tutorials outlined here. I am still thinking about a large cork board with a more intricate pattern. But we need more corks for that… and that means more wine 
We had a wonderful afternoon meetup with the DC Namaste Knitters. While the weather outside was frightful (thunderstorms and lightening galore!) we were indoors practicing yoga, knitting, and telling stories. We even had delightful desserts. We were having so much fun that I forgot to take a photo. Next time! If you are interested in joining our group, we will be meeting again on May 10th. More details to follow in the Ravelry forum.
Once I got home, braving the deluge, I sat down with a nice cup of tea and finished my Inca mitts.
Inca Earth Mitts
Pattern: Classic Elite free pattern
Yarn: Habu Lamb Wool Linen A-175 1/3.3
Needles: Size US 3 and 4 dpns
Source: Habu Textiles Store (NYC)
The pattern calls for a worsted weight yarn, but I wanted to use this earthy palette together, despite being a lighter weight. It is between a fingering and sport weight, so they fit nice and snug over my hands. The pattern was simple, and could be a good introduction for the knitter who wants to try stranded colorwork for the first time. I made a few pattern modifications, other than the yarn substitution. To lengthen the mitt more, I added another repeat of the butter yellow/sage green pattern on both the top and bottom cuff.
The mitts are part of my stashbusting project, spurred on by the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs, a little knitalong I am calling Lord Stanley Stashbusting. Watching hockey and knitting are fine companions! “My” team has advanced to the next round, but I am still devotedly watching the other teams and their competitions. This is a good time of year for stashbusting too… I have a trip to NYC coming up this week (NYC = yarn city) and of course, Maryland Sheep and Wool festival is right around the corner. The stash is moving and making room for the new neighbors!
oh those mitts are wonderful! when i worked in a restaurant i saved a big bag of corks to make a cork board. 3 years later, the corks are still in the bag. you’ve inspired me to get crackin’ on some boards and trivets.
maybe we’ll pass eachother at the MD sheep and wool fest. a group of philly ravelers are headed down there on saturday.
enjoy the day!
You’re coming to NYC? Any chance you might want to come knit with the Spiders on Friday? I’d love to meet in person!
Your Namaste Knitters meetups really sound great! It makes me wish I was in your area so that I could attend…
I like both of today’s FOs!
I love the cork project! That’s a great idea! I am going to the MDSW fest, too! It will be my FIRST fiber festival. I am psyched!
Those mitts really are great. They look perfect with that hot beverage!
Love the cork trivet! I made a cork board after out trip to Napa/Sonoma. I asked for a cork at every vinyard we went to and it was such a nice memory to make the cork board! Usually when I asked for a cork - they gave me a handful!
Those mitts are wonderful, and I LOVE your cork trivet!
Both projects are divine! Really love your mitts.
the mitts are fantastic! And the cork trivet is so clever. I could really use a hot plate, so I might be following your lead. I don’t think it will take too for me long to save enough corks;)
I am sure you had fun amassing those corks, I know I would have! Another cool craft project for you: our next door neighbor growing up was this impossibly chic woman who saved wine labels and did her entire kitchen in them, they were so much fun to look at and her kitchen was always changing:)
i love your new trivet! beautiful mitts!
Those mitts are gorgeous! I absolutely love the way they look in the yarn you chose…very nice and earthy!
My team has just exited the playoffs, but I’ll still be watching. I love the trivet project (it sure uses up corks faster than Korknisser) AND the mitts….
Love the wine cork trivet…thanks for the great ideas for using up saved corks! Awesome mitts!
Those mitts are the epitome of earthy! I love the colors esp. the gold!
The cork project is so pretty… I really wish we bought more wine with corks now! I am so ashamed to admit we end up buying the twist top kind most the time
LOVE the mittens, fair isle is not my strong point (I actually just knit a little hat in the round that was on purlbee just to see if I could do it). I’ll have to try this pattern too.
Aren’t cork trivets great? I used to do that with our corks - but I never thought to make a bulletin board, love that idea! And you are right, it means more wine!
oooh, i should do this with all of my corks! great idea! the mitts are great too
Love that use for your corks
I love the cork trivet. I have loads of corks just waiting to become one. Perhaps a visit to the craft store is in order.
The mitts are fab as usual!
i love a way to recycle all those corks i’ve popped! thanks for the inspiration.
love the cork trivet - a great way to preserve memories! the mitts are very nice - i’m amazed how much i wear all of mine! i need to make more!
love the cork board!! i have been saving up some for one really big one to hang up and pin all my fun project ideas on! I have a TON. haha - oh and of course your knitting’s pretty fab too!
Those mittens are so beautiful. And so EARTH-y. They remind me of the forest in the fall. What a great way to stashbust.
I love the trivet! I’ve been saving corks for a while for a cork board…I’m not quite there yet, but I do have them displayed in vases all over my house, so at least they are looking pretty while they wait!
The mitts turned out really nicely, they make me want to finish my Endpapers so badly…
I have been saving corks for Korknissen!
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/korknisse
I’m glad that you had a good time at the yoga meetup! It sounds so nice to have some restorative stretching along with knitting and camaraderie.
Great projects! The cork is especially earthy, with its reminiscence of wine and wood. The mitts are fab as well, and so quick!
I like that you’re stashbusting in prep for the upcoming yarn events. Even if we don’t get to net amount of yarn down, I think that staying at equilibrium is almost as good.
Bravo Lolly for putting together an insightful post on earth day and crafts. I enjoy reading about everything else going on in your life. The photos are such a delight. Enjoy your mitts and tea!
i love those mitts! so perfect for this round of project spectrum!
How touching it is! My friends once showed me a wine cork corkboard which was on a wall at a restaurant where we had a wonderful forever-friendship party. It was just before I left for the US from Sweden. People must have some wine corks which they can’t forget. I have some actually. I’ll make one someday for myself. Thank you, Lolly for sharing nice tutorials.
Love your mittens and mug too… beautiful herbs on your mugcup.
What a fun idea for the wine corks! A personalized mat that represents a lot of nice memories. Your mitts look nice and warm for those chilly rainy days of spring.
The fingerless mitts turned out really nice. I will be making two pairs of the mitts after I finish my Colinette sweater.
The cork trivet was a super idea! Thanks for sharing.
Carole
I made a wine cork-board a few years ago after seeing it done on an HGTV show. I love it. I just picked up an old picture frame from good will and painted it, and used a piece of scrap wood and hot glue. It’s great. I’ve been saving corks since and might have enough now for another one! But, I like your trivet idea…..
love love love the brown mitts. Such a pretty palette!
I love your trivet and mitts! Beautiful!
Love the trivet (love that word!!)
We have a corkboard on our wall a friend made for us - its a great idea for recycling/reusing materials.
The mitts, and their photos, are gorgeous.
Actually - a link between the recycle/reuse and the second shot - another friend of mine (http://bethbynnag.blogspot.com/2008/04/knit-knit-book-review-and-tea-bag.html) is collecting t-bag strings to knit - she’s thinking of making a tea cosie!! Brilliant!
I love your mitts, Lolly! Nice color combo and the fit looks perfect.
I love your Inca mitts - great patterning with the colors!