{Fiddle Knits Designs} : original patterns to knit and crochet by Erica Jackofsky

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Sourwood Mountain

A new spring '09 design from Fiddle Knits

 
Sourwood Mountain
Photography by: Rick Jackofsky; Model: Erica Jackofsky

{About the Pattern}
“Chickens a crowin’ in the Sourwood Mountains; Hi-ho doodle-um a-day; So many pretty girls you can’t count em; Hi-ho diddle-um a-day” –Sourwood Mountain, Traditional American Folk Song.

The return of Spring and warmer weather often leads people to rush outside at their first chance. Festivals, concerts, and other outdoor gatherings begin popping up. While this is certainly a beautiful time to celebrate, it can still be chilly. As a performing musician Spring heralds the beginning of the busy season and sometimes hours of strumming and fiddling away while exposed to the elements. These gloves are inspired by the many performances I have spent wishing I had a little something for my hands. They are thin enough to allow movement, but just warm enough to help fend off that nip lingering in the air.

Sourwood Mountain is a traditional old-time American dance tune. Exact geographic origin is unknown, however, it usually appears in collections of southern mountain songs. Variations of this tune were collected by folklorists dating to the early 1900s spanning across North Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Missouri.

All three sizes of this glove may be completed with two skeins of yarn. However, if you extend the pattern, or wish to keep your gauge swatch, you will need a third skein for the largest size. The leaf pattern on the hand is worked across one needle for ease of keeping your place. If you find that the purls at the beginning and end this needle are showing ladders, try purling through the back loops of these stitches to pull them in.


Sourwood Mountain Fingerless Gloves can be found as a free pattern on Knitty.com! Find finished projects on Ravelry.


Make sure to check Knitty.com for fabulous free patterns, articles, reviews, an
d more.
Direct URL to Sourwood Mountain:
http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring09/PATTsourwood.php
Fiddle Knits
{Designer Profile}
Erica Jackofsky


I grew up in a family that put creativity and individual expression at the top of its list of values. When I was 10 my parents decided to homeschool me to allow me to pursue art and music to the fullest.

Since 1997 I have been playing music professionally (I was 12) with my family band, The Homegrown String Band. We began by playing old-time and folk music, but have gradually morphed our style over the years. We are what we are... and what is that? Something that combines musical influences over genres such as blues, rock, old-time, country, bluegrass, and jazz, just to name a few. We travel around the USA from Maine to Missouri playing at coffee houses, festivals, theaters, libraries, and schools. Our fourth CD, Ragged But Right, was released last summer (2007). Much of the material on this CD is original, contrasting with the our first, mostly traditionally, album. You can check the band's Web site for more info at: www.homegrownstringband.com

Along with being a musician I am proud to call myself a knitter! An absolutely obsessed knitter. Most times you will find me planning out new patterns (several are available on Ravelry) and creating items for my Etsy shop, The Knitted Fiddle Boutique.

When I'm not performing, rehearsing, or knitting chances are that I'm teaching. I have been giving private fiddle lessons from my home studio in Rocky Point for several years.