I have very fond memories of my elementary school playground and the sunny days spent there.  I went to a small elementary school in a tiny little city in Virginia.  I knew all 200 of my classmates from Kindergarten to Graduation. A hand full moved in an out over the 18 years there thanks to the local military population.  Each who did added to the fabric of our little hamlet.  It was a divine childhood as I recall.

Our school had, by my recollection, two playgrounds and two ball fields surrounding it.  We spent our early years on the “black-top” directly behind the school which had a US map, hopscotch and four square painted on it.  Directly behind the black top were swings and monkey bars, then a baseball field.  Our recess was almost always free play… and in my mind the edges of the playground are blurred.  I vaguely remember some basketball courts between the area where we played as 3rd graders and where the big 5th graders got to go out to play by the Gym.

I do recall with absolute charity the light dusty mineral dirt under the swings. It was packed hard and worn bare from hundreds of feet dragging beneath the swings.  More than one friend broke an arm jumping from those swings and landing on that hard packed earth.  The winters where sometimes wet, but more often cold and clear.  The bright sun barely warming the ground but making recess possible all year long. The clear blue sky with tiny cotton puff clouds in comparison to the the post war red brick of the school were in perfect cold opposition.  We waited and waited, played and ran all in anticipation of the warmer days where we were no longer obliged to wear our coats to keep us warm.

Spring literally sprang in our costal community. Once the days were longer and the sun shine warmer the natural magic of the playground was enhanced exponentially.  The crabgrass became green, tiny purple and white pin point sized flowers appeared near the posts and in the crevices of the mulch boxes.  And then the clover,  the clover was dense and  brilliant kelly green in big patches. It was particularly thick on the 5th grade playground, where there were less pieces of play equipment and more field room for students to play organized games. Particularly close to the school, we could spend all our recess time searching for the perfect four leaf clover.  Once tired of the searching there were plenty of butter cups for us to make bouquets and test under our chins for the reflection of yellow color – this was a sure sign that you were a lover of butter, wouldn’t you know.

Our teachers would be blessed with tiny handful collections of flowers for the remainder of the afternoon once we returned to the classroom. Those collections would be proudly displayed until they wilted and were thrown out a the end of the day.

These fond memories manifest in my latest design, Clover Meadows. A  hat and cowl combo that feature a motif reminiscent of those tiny bouquets from grade-school. Alas, in knit form they last much longer for the recipients’ appreciation.

I am tickled to be partnering with Lindsay from The Fiber Seed for the yarns used in this new pattern. The rich green of The Fiber Seed Forest color way is the perfect dark shade from the clover patches. The slightly be-speckled Rock Creek color of the contrast reminds me of that mineral soil on the playground, dotted with bits of shell and seeds from all around my little marshy childhood community.

The pattern can be found over on Ravelry and yarns purchased through local yarn shops and The Fiber Seed.