One of the things I like most about this whole Crazy Winter of Crazy Snow that we’re having here in the US is the photography that it inspires from those living in less typically wintry climes.  It’s a patio table!  With three inches of snow on it!  It’s a lawn, with tufts of grass sticking [...]

Materials:1.5 skeins Knit Picks Andean Treasure in Amethyst, Ashley pattern; 3 skeins Elann Peruvian Highland Chunky in Grape Heather, Robin’s Egg Blue Hat and Sideways Grande Cloche patterns. Time: One week. Cost: $0 yarn (stash); vintage wooden button from Etsy, $1.50.

Materials: 30 toggles; headpins; two-tone faceted 8mm glass beads; absurdly cute porcelain Maneki Neko beads; sundry other translucent beads. Time: One episode of Studio 360 and most of the Friday News Roundtable on the Diane Rehm Show. Cost: Maybe $15?

Materials: 12 skeins Knit Picks Andean Treasure, 5 in Mystery and 7 in Amethyst.  Pattern: Bergen Street Cardigan.  Size 2 and 3 needles. Time: Two months. Cost: $55.

Materials: 1 skein Knit Picks Stroll Tonal in Springtime. Pattern: Green Autumn (Druid Mittens) from the Fall 2008 issue of Vogue Knitting. Size 1 needles. Time: One month. Cost: $10.

Materials: 4 skeins Knit Picks Gloss Lace in Sterling. Pattern: Zickzack Tunic, from the Spring 2009 issue of Interweave Knits, made to a size 37″. Size 2 and 6 circular needles. Time: Three months. Cost: $17.60.

Materials: 3 skeins Knit Picks Alpaca Cloud in Midnight. Pattern: Hanami Stole. Size 3 bamboo needles. About 120 grams translucent gray size 6/0 glass seed beads from beadFX. Time: Three months. Cost: $16.50, yarn.

Materials: 1.5 yards bamboo-rayon/cotton jersey in Linen Red. Pattern based on the raglan-sleeved top in Sew U Home Stretch. Time: Two evenings. Cost: $9.