Every December, my friend gives me a tall glass vase with paperwhite bulbs nestled on a bed of stones, their bases just touching the water. They’re not especially attractive early on, but soon those turnip-like clumps begin to sprout green tendrils. Then in winter sunshine, their stalks grow a shocking amount each day. When the stalks are well over a foot high, a few buds emerge, and within another week or so, the most fragrant white blossoms tower over the top of the vase. These paperwhites are such a burst of joy in the dark days of winter, and I understand why they’re sometimes called “winter’s surprise.” The blossoms usually last through January, but by February I have to say goodbye until the next winter, when my friend arrives with a fresh vase of bulbs.
Karen’s friend's glorious paperwhites in full bloom.
Last month, craving a bit of green and some cheerful blossoms, I decided to transform my beloved paperwhites into something I could wear through the shifting weather of the coming months.
These simple colorwork cuffs feature a corrugated rib at top and bottom and a repeating six-petaled blossom, with a French knot at the center. I chose green knowing it would be March before I finished knitting the cuffs, and green and white felt like perfect colors.
Karen’s paperwhite-inspired cuffs
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Materials
• Cascade Yarns Heritage Fingering (75% superwash merino wool, 25% nylon), 437 yd (400 m)/3.5 oz (100 g) skein: 1 skein of #5612 Moss (MC) and 1 skein #5618 Snow (CC).
• Any laceweight yellow yarn for the centers
• Needles: size 0 (2 mm), set of 4 double-pointed (dpns), or size needed to obtain gauge
• Stitch marker (m)
• Tapestry needle
• Milliner’s needle with eye wide enough to accommodate yarn for the flower’s center
Finished Size: about 7" (17.8 cm) circumference at wrist and 4" (10.16 cm) long.
Gauge: 21 sts and 25 rows =2" (2.5 cm) in St st.
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