St. Casmir, the patron saint of Lithuania, is often depicted on stained glass windows in Lithuanian churches holding a lily. Every year on the first weekend in March, the streets of Vilnius are filled with stalls with craft vendors hawking their wares: woven baskets; ceramic bowls and vases; wooden spoons and utensils; iron crosses and jewelry; and knitted socks, mittens, and wrist warmers.

Vilniaus verbos—bouquets of dried flowers—are also sold at the fair, in preparation for celebrating Palm Sunday and the coming of spring. Traditional foods are served by street vendors, singers and dancers perform age-old folk songs, and the streets are filled with tens of thousands of locals and visitors from near and far who have come to eat, drink, and be merry. This event is called Kaziuko mugė—St. Casimir’s Fair—and it’s been held annually since the early 1600s.

These gloves were inspired by the knitted accessories I saw for sale at this event, and by the hope for flowers to bloom not too far in the future.