I started knitting (again) after my husband had heart surgery. There were lots of hours in the hospital and at home when I needed something to do with my hands.

Wrist warmers or hand warmers seemed simple, and I set out to imitate a pair I had knitted a couple of years before. With that start, my various patterns evolved, nothing too complicated. I started collecting “orphan” skeins of yarn from thrift shops, looking always for high quality wool. I rarely buy a yarn without a label attached because it can be almost impossible to figure out what the fiber content is. I also sometimes buy yarn from the sale bins of yarn stores when they only have one skein left. Because I am able to buy excellent yarn at reasonable prices, I can knit very high quality items. And, because I only have one or two skeins of each yarn, no two pairs are ever the same. It keeps me from getting bored.

When I had accumulated many items and given many away to family and friends, I decided that the knitting should be for charity, so that I could give more money to organizations that lessen human and animal suffering.

The items below have all been sold, but more are available at my Etsy shop, AnetaSperber.

Please browse. If you find an item you like, let me know, and I will try to make something similar.