Raven and Cat’s Paw
Sun! Glorious winter sun. High clouds of carded wool. And wind, bird-buffeting, window-whistling wind. A lovely day to knit in the south window seat, in short. And to post pictures of the finished raven mittens, at last:
I give you the Raven and Cat’s Paw Mittens, designed by yours truly.
Yarn: Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift, 1 skein each of mooskit, port wine, and black
Needles: US#3 dpns
Pattern notes: The Cat’s Paw motif on the backs and the Fly motif on the palms are traditional Estonian, taken from charts in Nancy Bush’s Folk Knitting in Estonia. Likewise the vikkel braid. The vision, the raven cuffs, and the thumb design are my own. And here lies the quandary: Can I offer the pattern here? Nancy presents the Estonian motifs as traditional, but certainly the charts are hers, and the vikkel braids were worked according to her information. In none of the original patterns in the book does she use the Cat’s Paw, but she does use stripey fingers in one glove pattern that probably inspired the striped thumbs of the Raven Mitts. In short, my mittens have their genesis in Folk Knitting in Estonia, but I think they have sufficient elements of originality for me to call them my own.
It begs the question: What does any of our knitting do but stand on the innovations, research, and teaching of those who came before us? It’s a well-known adage that there’s nothing new in knitting. At what point do we get to take credit for our ideas and demand some form of tribute from others who want to use them?
These little fellows, at least, are all my own doing:
And my neighbor declared them one of the coolest presents she’s ever received. That she loves them and that they warm her hands is what makes knitting its own reward, in the end.
Posted: January 27th, 2007 at 11:55 am
Lovely mittens! I often wonder how much design inspiration I can take from one place and still call a pattern my own. I’m working on some designs right now and am trying to be original, but still find myself borrowing quite heavily from things I’ve already made or patterns I own.
Posted: January 27th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
they are the coolest mittens i have ever seen! i love them 🙂
Posted: January 27th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
Those are stunning. Nice job combining new motifs with old!
Posted: January 27th, 2007 at 3:42 pm
Awesome mittens! I love how you combined traditional patterning with the ravens, and I’m very inspired!
Posted: January 27th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
Stunning design! Enjoy them this winter!
Posted: January 27th, 2007 at 6:24 pm
as long as you acknowledge where the inspiration came from, you can probably claim it as your own. you’re just combining elements from other sources. it’s like using a stitch dictionary. and of course, the ravens are all your own. that most definitely makes it yours
those are lovely!
i spent our windy day being sick again (these fronts have got to stop coming through like freight trains and flattening me!)
Posted: January 27th, 2007 at 8:17 pm
Those are beautiful Sarah! Great design – fantastic job!
Posted: January 27th, 2007 at 11:44 pm
those are most excellent mittens–good colours and ravens! just wanted to say I really like your blog.
Posted: January 28th, 2007 at 10:41 am
Those mittens are so beautiful! What a wonderful gift.
Posted: January 28th, 2007 at 4:57 pm
those are really breathtaking mittens. you are a fabulous neighbor! i’m really smitten with the ravens — and you’re right, they’re yours, all yours.
Posted: January 28th, 2007 at 6:18 pm
They are so beautiful–and look so lovely relaxing in the winter sun. Your neighbor is very lucky. 🙂
Posted: January 29th, 2007 at 8:08 am
Fabulous mittens! I love the ravens. Great job! Your neighbor is lucky indeed!
Posted: January 29th, 2007 at 9:04 am
Those are some excellent mittens. Absolutely beautiful!!
Posted: January 29th, 2007 at 11:25 am
Great mittens and they look very warm! Your neighbor will really enjoy wearing them.
Posted: January 29th, 2007 at 11:27 am
those are great! Well, it would be hard to say – how many designs out there harbor one of Barbara Walkers patterns? (probably hundreds)….lucky neighbor!
Posted: January 29th, 2007 at 11:56 am
Very lovely mittens! So beautiful in the winter sunlight. I adore the cat’s paws.
Posted: January 30th, 2007 at 11:17 am
Those are amazing! Can’t believe you gave them away, is there another pair in store for yourself?
Posted: January 30th, 2007 at 11:30 am
Gorgeous!
Posted: January 30th, 2007 at 9:21 pm
Wow, these turned out amazing! Really, really beautifully done!
Posted: January 30th, 2007 at 10:08 pm
I’d say claim it your own. Being Estonian I can verify that these are really common patterns, these are used everywhere from socks and gloves to sweaters.
Still up for that knitting lunch of ours?:)
Posted: January 31st, 2007 at 7:11 am
I think it’s so charming how one of the ravens is looking backwards at the other – the mittens are fabulous!