Mary Jane Mucklestone

Hand Knitting Blog & Knitting Patterns

Mary Jane

Fair Isle Weekend

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My new book Fair Isle Weekend is available for preorder from the Laine Magazine Shop beginning Monday September 28, 2020.

I’m thrilled it’s finally happening! The book will be released November 6th in English and in Finnish. You can order it to be shipped from Finland, or ask for it at your local yarn shop.

The idea blossomed on my first visit to the isle when I decided I needed to bring more appropriate gear, and realized that Fair Isle knitted garments really are the most practical. When flying in the small 8 seater propeller plane, baggage is limited by weight, so you can’t bring much! Fair Isle garments are both lightweight and warm, not to mention beautiful!

I designed a small collection suitable for beginners and old hands alike. I hope to have honored the traditions of Fair Isle’s knitting while retaining my own unique style!

Ella wears a Fair Isle Watch Cap while Vivian sports a cowl. They sit on a high bank overlooking the Atlantic Ocean

So come traveling with me to Fair Isle! I’ll show you around with my visitors perspective! Fair Isle lass, artist Vivian Ross-Smith and her best friend designer Ella Gordon are our models, photographer Jeni Reid is behind the lens and there’s a few more of us unseen in the background, so you’ll fit right in!

Additional photography was done in Maine by Greta Rybus and Jonna Hietala in Finland.

Stay tuned to my instagram feed, where I’ll continue to show sneak peaks and behind the scene shots! I’m @mjmucklestone

Huge thanks go to the folk who live on Fair Isle, who have always been kind and welcoming, and Laine Publishing for making it happen.

Sheep stand in front of majestic Sheep Rock
Sheep and Sheep Rock, Fair Isle, Shetland, Scotland

Cushing Cowl

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I love a cowl. Cozy and warm! And they won’t blow off or strangle you in the wind, but rather stay put and do their job.

Say hello to Cushing Cowl, inspired by the diagonal knitting of Maine fiber artist Katharine Cobey. I was scheduled to teach my Contemporary Stranded Knitting class at the Farnsworth Museum in Rockland Maine, who are having an exhibit of Katharine’s work. Wanting to add a little of her influence, I got to wondering how to apply her ideas about diagonals to stranded colorwork. I went a bit wild in the process, making zigzags, arrows, chevrons and diamonds that all stemmed from one little pattern repeat.

I began by playing around with diagonal lines, and settled on a 6 stitch x 6 row, diagonal pattern – 3 stitches of each color marching to the left. I flipped the motif horizontally to see what would happen. I discovered that if I added another column of stitches, I could make an arrow shape (above right) I’ve outlined the original 6×6 pattern in red so you can see. Next I flipped that whole new bit down, and added a row to make a diamond shape! That’s how it starts. The possibilities are endless!

I wanted a graphic look for my cowl, so I dove into my stash and came out with two skeins of local Maine based, Quince & Co. Lark, worsted weight yarn in Pea Coat, a nice dark navy for the Main Color. I wanted to pair it with an off-white. I didn’t have a full skein of anything, but found a couple of partial white balls, Audouin, sort of an oatmeal color, and a little ball of Egret, a bright white.

Necessity is the mother of invention, I used them both! Plus, I think having the two slightly different whites are what really make these solid colors work so nicely. The effect is very subtle, but so much more lively than if I had just used one contrast color.

MJM iat the town landing in Falmouth Maine, wearing Cushing Cowl and Dash Happy Hat

I’ve been wearing my version ever since! Here I’m at the end of the dock in Falmouth Maine, at the town landing.

Olivia, my wonderful intern for the last few weeks, willingly took on making a second sample. She choose Lark in River, a medium blue color and a wonderful variegated yellow called Salty Dog, in Dream State, by Spincycle Yarns out of Bellingham, Washington.

We were both delighted with the resulting cowl, the colorplay of the Spincycle yarn is effortlessly beautiful! Olivia herself is extra extra, agreeing with only a tiny hesitation to being my supermodel at the drop of a hat, twice!

I can not thank her enough, she’s the best!

Estimated Worsted Weight Yarn Amounts

  • Version 1 MC 165yd [150m],  CC1 60yd [55m],  CC2 30yd [28m]
  • Version 2 MC 165yd [150m],  CC  90yd [83m]

Cushing Cowl

20% off with code: 2020

through midnight

Sunday February 21, 2020

on Ravelry

My thanks to you!

Further Reading: Diagonal Knitting: A Different Slant, by Katharine Cobey

I LOVE seeing your MJM WIPs and FOs! Please tag me so I don’t miss them! @mjmucklestone #maryjanemucklestone

Gift-A-Long 2019

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I’m offering 25% off twenty of my patterns beginning Tuesday Nov 26th at 8pm EST through end of day Monday Dec 2nd!

It’s the Ravelry Indie Designers Gift-A-Long and I’m participating for the first time.

Visit my Ravelry designer page and click on the Gift-A-Long bundle.

Indie Designer Gift-A-Long 2019 is a multi-designer promotion that should help jump-start your gift making whether for the holidays or anticipating the year ahead.

Beginning at 8pm EST today, it’s a 5 week long KAL & CAL of making gifts using patterns designed by a giant list of participating designers. Starting today, hundreds of patterns are on sale for gift knitting and crocheting. It’s a great way to explore new-to-you designers. When I took a look it made me want to pick up my hook and do some crochet.

For my sale bundle, I chose 20 projects that would be fairly quick to knit, some at a large gauge and others small but interesting projects.

In the spirit of the season and for the fun of the Gift-A-Long this is the only time I’ll be offering such a big discount on my patterns.

Vementry Vest

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Vementry Fair Isle Vest

Vementry Vest has been published on Ravelry as a stand-alone pattern with extended sizes. It was originally designed for my Craftsy Class (now Bluprint) The Fair Isle Vest: Stranded and Steeked, and is in my opinion a great introductory project for Fair Isle knitting, not too hard, but with enough going on to learn the basics. The traditional styling makes the vest popular with experienced knitters as well. With unisex styling it is easy to customize and make your own. It’s a wonderful project for developing your own colorway. Find the pattern Here.

Vementry Vest is knit with a DK weight yarn so the work goes quickly. You can immediately see progress. It is knit in the round with steeks for the armholes and neckline. The pattern comes with two pdfs, one each for the smaller sizes and the larger sizes, so you only have to print the one you need!

Isle of Vementry, Shetland

Vementry Vest is named after Vementry, an uninhabited island in Shetland, that I was lucky to visit with friends several years ago. As there isn’t a bridge or a ferry, we chartered a boat in of the town of Aith on Mainland Shetland. The island is known for its well-preserved Neolithic heel-shaped cairn, which sits at the highest point on the isle with spectacular views in all directions.  Cairns were used as burial chambers, and heel shaped ones are only found in Shetland and Orkney.

PATTERN DETAILS Smaller Sizes

Finished Smaller Sizes 1 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
Bust 32 (34½, 37, 39½, 41¾, 44¼, 46¾, 49¼) in, 81.5 (87.5, 94, 100, 106, 112.5, 119, 125) cm

Yarn
Jamieson’s Double Knitting (100% Shetland wool, 25 gr ball – Approximately 82 yds / 75 m)
4 (4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7) skeins 103 Sholmit (MC)

2 (2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3) skeins 102 Shaela
1 (1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2) skein(s) 106 Mooskit
1 (1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2) skein(s) 105 Eesit
1 (2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2) skein(s) 182 Buttercup

2 (2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4) skeins 390 Daffodil
1 skein 350 Lemon
1 skein 660 Lagoon
1 skein 570 Sorbet

PATTERN DETAILS Larger Sizes

Finished Larger Sizes 9 (10, 11, 12, 13)
Bust 51 3/4 (54 1/4, 56 1/2, 59, 61 1/2) in, 131.5 (137.5, 144, 150, 156.5) cm

Yarn
Jamieson’s Double Knitting (100% Shetland wool, 25 gr ball – Approximately 82 yds / 75 m)

7 (8, 8, 9, 9) skeins 103 Sholmit (MC)
3 (3, 4, 4, 4) skeins
102 Shaela
2 skeins 106 Mooskit
2 skeins 105 Eesit
2 (3, 3, 3, 3) skeins 182 Buttercup
3 (4, 4, 4, 4) skeins 390 Daffodil
1 skein 350 Lemon
1 skein 660 Lagoon
1 skein 570 Sorbet

Find Vementry Vest on Ravelry

Knitting in Peru

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Today sign ups begin for Knit Stars 4.0: Alpaca My Bag 🌟

It’s the world’s first and only, all-online, multi-star knitting (and crochet) festival! 🙌

  • Learn from some of the most skilled knit designers in the world with Knit Stars 4.0: Alpaca My Bag.
  • Featuring breathtaking videos from Peru, courses from 10 expert knitters and crocheters, and exclusive kits only available when you join the course.
  • Visit Manos del Uruguay in Uruguay.
  • Find out how here!

Those who know me know that I love traveling, especially when I’m traveling to learn new-to-me knitting techniques. I was lucky to visit Peru on a number of occasions where I learned so very much. This new season of Knit Stars should offer some great armchair travel for those of us hankering to visit themselves. I know I want a return visit, and since I can’t go anytime soon I’m looking forward to watching Knit Stars 4.0.

Above, images from my own past trips to Peru, learning from the masters.

You can also sign up for my Knit Stars Workshop from Knit Stars 3.0. I teach stranded knitting and what makes Fair Isle knitting special.

Sign up for Knit Stars 3.0  and all the other seasons!

Mary Jane Mucklestone Knit Stars 3.0

Fair Isle – the place

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Three sheep rounded up during the caa on Fair Isle. Iconic Sheep Rock in the distance. Bright green grass with blue seas and sky.
Sheep with Sheep Rock in the distance, Fair Isle, Shetland.

When an opportunity arose to spend a week on Fair Isle in a creative residency, I jumped at the chance. To enjoy peace and reflection in the place where my favorite knitting technique hails from was a gift.

Lying where the North Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean, it takes a bit of planning to get to Fair Isle. Traveling from Maine, USA, I took a bus, three planes, a car and a boat! Even with the best of planning, you are never guaranteed of getting there, it all depends on the wind and the weather.

  • MJ and
    The Good Shepard IV
  • Farewell Mainland
  • Hello Fair Isle!

I’ve always wanted to take the boat to Fair Isle, but time constraints and unwilling companions meant I’ve always flown. I believe we had a good crossing, or maybe I’m just used to being on lobster boats, but I loved every moment of our journey. Watching Mainland Shetland recede, while Fair Isle slowly came in to focus made it all the more real for me, getting to an island by boat just seems right. I posted some videos on Instagram (@mjmucklestone) if you would like to see more.

And here below is my darling croft-for-the-week, where I spent time working on my upcoming book. Stay tuned for further posts, take a look at my instagram archives, and sign up for my Newsletter!


Lower Leogh Creative Residency with Malcolm’s Head in the background.

Fair Isle Travel information

By Air:

By Sea:

Where to Stay:

Fair Isle Studio – Creative Residency