Category Archives: My original hand knitting patterns

Good deal for knitters!

Knitting, My original hand knitting patterns, Original Patterns, , , , , , , , ,

hello all my knitter friends,

Have i got a deal for you! I recently designed a sweater for a new web site that sells patterns and yarns, Uptown Stitches.

The owner sent me a message recently with a special deal. . . . no shipping charges on orders between now and July 31st. To get the free shipping coupon, enter code W2D4-06.

The pattern on the front page is mine!! Knit in Belfast. A cotton/linen blend that is great fun to knit and wonderful for summer knits.

I can’t wait to get my hands on some of her lace weight yarn. It sounds heavenly.

So check out one of my recent projects, the Uptown Sweater, and don’t forget–free shipping coupon for orders between now and July 31. (W2D4-06)

Fun with New yarn

Knitting, My original hand knitting patterns, On My Needles, Original Patterns, , ,

I was given about 6 oz/ 311 yards of the new wool available at Gale Woodes Farm to see how it works up and create a project.

The yarn is a 2 ply, sock weight, about 10 wpi and available in this natural white color. It has great stitch definition and I can’t help thinking what a wonderful cabled cardigan I could knit in this yarn! I love knitting with natural whites and though I am not a dyer of yarn, I bet it’d be fun to see how this yarn dyes.

Here is what I came up with this weekend. The travelling stitch goes around the leg and when they meet there is a small medallion. It will be very easy to knit these in any size. After knitting your swatch to get gauge, cast on as many stitches as you need ot fit your leg and then knit around and around till it is as long as you want. I’m still contemplating the top of the leg warmer. I have a few options in mind and I’ll have to wait til I get there in my knitting to see which end I’ll feel like using.

I think I’ll work up the other one to this length and them work them both at the same time. I did a rough measurement of my swatch and figured out the area to see if I’d have enough yarn for 11″ leg warmers. If my math is correct I’ll be okay.

New knitting pattern now available!

Knitting, My original hand knitting patterns, Original Patterns, , , , ,

I’m proud to present my “Tree hugger neck cuff”

I have been having some great fun with this one! I’m happy I finished it before it got so hot!! I actually had a camping opportunity to wear it and it kept me cozy all night. . . . and I looked good:)

Tree hugger neck cuff on me
Tree hugger neck cuff on me

This pattern is now available on my Etsy site And I will put it for sale on Ravelry too!

Soft as fairy hare knit scarf
Soft as fairy hare knit scarf

This pattern is not for the weak of heart. Use a provisional cast on and work back and forth. The stitch count changes on every row. Whew, it took me a while to memorize this pattern. The pattern is both charted and written out. The scarf consists of three parts, each of which are written in a different color in the pattern for easy reference.

Grey Tree Hugger Neck Scarf
Grey Tree Hugger Neck Scarf

The blue scarf is knit using Kimmet Croft Fiber’s Fairy hare–a wool angora blend that I just love. Though for this pattern the silk/wool blend from Rovings, Inc. has better stitch definition.

Neck Cuff Cose UP
Neck Cuff Cose UP

I love how the leaves on the bottom have a scallop edge that sits so pretty.

Lovely neck scarf on Hannah
Lovely neck scarf on Hannah

The first scarf took a while but the second one (blue one) I was able to knit fairly fast. The stitch count changes every row, and it is included in the pattern so it is easy to double check your work.

Lace Neck Scarf
Lace Neck Scarf

Fingerless Mitt knitting pattern for Musicians!

Knitting, My original hand knitting patterns, , , , , ,

I often play the fiddle in colder conditions than I would like and have been craving an “appropriate” pair of fingerless mitts.

Now I have three to choose from!

I am really excited about this pattern! Notice how the foreground/background colors change from one mitt to the next?

One has a blue treble clef on beige background, the other has a beige treble clef on a blue background.

Noteworhty Fingerless Mitts for me!

Fingerless Mitts
Fingerless Mitts

Fiber: Le Fibre NobiliTajmahal, 70% superfine merino, 22% silk, 8% cashmere; 170m[50g]1 3/4  oz: 2 skeins blue, 1 skein ecru
Needles:US 3 & 4 dpns or circulars   7 1/2″ circumference, 9″ long

Fingerless Mitts
Fingerless Mitts

Fiber: Kimmet Croft Fibers, Fairy Hair, 40% Angora/60% Merino, 2 ply-laceweight, 2oz/375 yards, 1 skein each color
Needles: US 1 & 2 dpns or circulars
Size: 6 1/2″ circumference, 8″ long

Fingerless mitts
Fingerless mitts

Fiber:Louet Gems, 100% Merino, fine-sport weight, 100g/225 yards, 1 skein each color
Needles:US 2 & 3 dpns or circulars
Size: 7″ circumference, 9 1/2″ long

The treble clef pattern is charted only and the pattern is available in Pdf form from my Etsy store

or Ravelry

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do.

New pattern for sale! Knotty Tote!

Knitting, My original hand knitting patterns, Original Patterns, , ,
Three Linen and fabric totes
Three Linen and fabric totes

I’ve finally finished the pattern for my Knotty Totes! It is available on my etsy store

I knit three of them, using different colors of Geneva, Euroflax linen, and 100% cotton fabric. They worked up really fast.

I keep one in may car and whenever I run into a store for an item or two, I have my non-plastic, non -paper tote.

Good for me, good for the earth!

This one is my favorite
This one is my favorite

Happy Knitting,

Shawn

Knitting Mittens!

Knitting, My original hand knitting patterns, , ,

My friend Ellen needed a new pair of mittens. . . really, I do too. . . but these fit her better than me.

I used my Garter Stitch Mitten pattern and knit these up in a few short hours.

The yarn is from Dream In Color in color Strange Harvest. I purchased the yarn a few weeks ago at Needleworks Unlimited in South Minneapolis. I might add it was a harrowing experience. . . not in the yarn store, that was heavenly, walking around looking at, feeling, and smelling yarn. . . but when I left.

I drive a big old van that has absolutely traction. Also, I’ve taken the seats out to give me room for hauling  stuff, which makes the van weight lighter than normal. Can you tell where this is going? I got stuck. It was a warmer day. . . about 10 degress F. . . and there were “lovely” ruts on the parking side of the road. I could not move. I tried rocking back and forth and still I had no forward momentum. The tires spun and spun. They finally hit pavement, but that only meant the tires were buried in 6 inches of muck and ice. I was late for a lunch date and not sure what to do. Luckily, two painters came out of a near by restaurant, (I could tell they were painters by their clothes). Aha, strong men.

They were kind enough to give me a push, but they got a snowy, mushy, shower. Many many thanks to them for their good deed for the day!

Anyway, here is a picture of Ellen in her mitts. . . and an appropriate pose for these mitts!

Where was this shovel when I needed it!
Where was this shovel when I needed it!

Back after a busy summer with new freeform coat

free form knitting, Knitting, My original hand knitting patterns

I haven’t written for so long! I’ve been busy knitting though!!
I have two sweaters to share with you. One is my freeform “Spring Garden Coat”. My favorite knitting is doing freeform or collage type knitting. Here are pictures of my 4th freeform sweater and my favorite so far!

Spring Garden Coat front
Spring Garden Coat

FINALLY DONE AND PHOTOGRAPHED!!
I really love how this one turned out.
Each swatch in the coat has an embroidered or crocheted flower. I used mostly single crochet and crab stitch pieces in the assembly. The sleeves were knit in one piece (Plymouth Alpaca) from shoulder to cuff and then I cast on some sts (forgot how many already) and worked garter stitch back and forth in different yarns to knit the cuff. When the sleeves were done I embroidered the flowers on them too, and then ran the ends from the different yarns on the cuff up the sleeve in slip stitch crochet.
I didn’t even know I was so “in vogue” but I bought the tagua nut buttons at a local fabric store, and then low and behold they are advertised in the latest issue of Vogue Knitting. Hope you enjoy the photos.

The other item I’ve finished is my “Spoke Yoke Sweater”. I wrote the pattern and it is available on my etsy site.

I worked this up in yarn from Gale Woods. The yellow sweater is one my mom knit as she was testing my pattern. It is the smallest of 7 sizes and she knit hers in Galway Yarn from Plymouth.

My favorite new every day winter sweater!

Ain't this sweet!
Ain't this sweet!

Well, I’ve had enough fun for the morning, chatting. I need to get to work!

Knitting with beads

Knitting, Knitting with beads, My original hand knitting patterns

Read All About It!
I finally did it. I have a pattern for sale on line at Lulu
It is a pattern of beaded fingerless gloves I knit using yarn from Liisu Yarn
I knit these Glam Gloves in Cherries Jubilee, Leili yarn. This yarn was so nice to knit with I can’t wait to order more.

The “ring” is a mother-of-pearl button that a friend made for me about 12 years ago. I so happy to finally be able to use it!
The beads for the bracelets are from EarthFaire This sight has tons of different beads for sale (among other things) and lots of great inspirational projects!
Here is a close up of the bracelets. (sorry about the blurry photos)


I just love these brass hands! I got those at Storm Cloud Beads in St. Paul.

Now I’m working on a pair of socks with a beaded anklet. What fun!