New mitten pattern!

So my daughter has this friend. Said friend thinks my knitting is fantastic, and loves seeing my patterns and getting knitted gifts from me (which she often does, what with being so appreciative of the knitting and all, and because she's a good friend of my kid). About a year ago, this friend had a birthday coming up, so my daughter begged me to once again make something for her.

Naturally, I asked my daughter for some kind of hint or theme that could inform what I'd make. Upon being asked, one of the things the friend said she would love was "something black and white".

Well.

Are you familiar with Sanquhar knitting? If not, here, go check out this Google search. Feast your eyes on the gorgeousness. I know my jaw just about dropped off its hinges the first time I saw that style - probably on a pair of gloves. I love it. So I'd been looking for an excuse to make something in the Sanquhar style for years.

Well, black and white is one of the traditional Sanquhar colour pairings, so - tadah! - I had myself an idea for the friend's gift. I decided to make a pattern up myself and do mittens.

DD1 modelling the gift before we wrapped it up and gave it away

The mittens were much appreciated!

I then showed the pattern to the very nice people at the Knit Picks Independent Designer Partnership program, who also appreciated them, and sent me yarn to make a lovely sample:

Photograph by my own DD1

Meaning, of course, that you can now buy the pattern from Knit Picks. I call it 'Dambrod', which is the word for the checkerboard-like grid of the style.

This photograph also by DD1, and the shot was totally her idea. The challenge was to take a picture on a hot summer day that made it look like it was taken in autumn. I believe I will be using her skills more often in the future!

I hope you enjoy! In the meantime, I will be pumping DD1 for ideas for what I should be making the friend for her birthday this year. :)