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Mary Jane Mucklestone

Hand Knitting Blog & Knitting Patterns

My Books!

New Book: Fair Isle Weekend

NEW! I’m happy to announce my new book Fair Isle Weekend will be open for pre-orders on Monday September 29! I’ll take you along on a magical trip to Fair Isle, the most remote inhabited island in the UK. The isle is famous for its bird life and, of course, its traditional color work knitting. I designed a small collection, based on what I’d take with me when going for a visit! 8 patterns, ranging from small projects like wristlets to yoked sweaters. All are designed using Shetland wool yarn and inspired by the traditional Fair Isle knitting style. In addition to the patterns, you’ll also meet a Fair Isle lass Vivian Ross-Smith and her best friend designer Ella Gordon, who modeled the knitwear and each contribute an essay! I also tell you a bit about the deep-rooted traditions of Fair Isle knitting. Be transported to the windswept island!

Preorders begin September 29, 2020 at Laine Magazine Shop

Book release November 6, 2020

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200 Fair Isle Motifs

200FairIsle
The mysteries of Fair Isle are revealed! 200 Fair Isle Motifs offers simple solutions to the seemingly complex technique of stranded colorwork.

A collection of 200 life-sized swatches organized by row count and stitch count, making it easy to find one suitable for your needs. Each swatch is accompanied by 4 charts:

  • an old-style black and white chart making the pattern easy to visualize,
  • two color charts, one of the knitted swatch and the other an alternate colorway,
  • finally, a non-traditional all over arrangement, expanding the Fair Isle horizons!

Whether you’re a beginner or experienced knitter, you’ll find much to inspire you.

Explore the color-rich world of knitting with 200 Fair Isle Motifs.

Order My book 200 Fair Isle Motifs: A Knitter’s Directory from the Interweave Press Shop Here – or from your Local Yarn Shop!

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150 Scandinavian Motifs

150Scandi
You’ll enjoy 150 Scandinavian Motifs if:
• You want to learn how to knit colorwork
• You’re a beginner knitter and want to learn how to knit motifs
• You’re an experienced knitter and want ideas for colorwork

150 Scandinavian Motifs is an inspirational collection of favorite knitted motifs found in the traditional knitting of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, and the Faeroe Islands. Included in this collection are colorful designs for stars, hearts, flowers, birds and animals, geometric patterns, and more.

Each motif is shown as a handknitted swatch, illustrated with clear life-sized photographs and accompanied by easy-to-read color charts and an alternate colorway suggestion.

In addition to a full overview of two-color knitting techniques, this book also gives advice on incorporating Scandinavian motifs into a variety of different projects, allowing knitters to create unique designs. It also includes guidance on choosing yarns, use of color, and finishing techniques to help them hone their knitting skills and create stylish projects.

Knitters will learn how to knit Scandinavian motifs starting from the very beginning. This book covers choosing yarn, casting on, how to hold the yarn for knitting colorwork, how to weave yarns in to prevent long floats on the inside of the work, knitting a colorwork swatch, increasing and decreasing, steeking, correcting mistakes, and blocking finished works. It also includes history on traditional Scandinavian garments, how to use motifs horizontally and vertically, how to plan your first project, and more.

In addition to 150 Scandinavian motif patterns and charts, this book also includes four knitted projects featuring colorful motifs. Knit a blossom motif pincushion, traditional mittens with a geometric motif pattern, a reindeer motif hat, and a simple colorwork cowl with an easy-to-knit triangle pattern.

Order your copy directly from  Interweave Press here – or your Local Yarn Shop!

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Fair Isle Style

FairIsleStyleDive headlong into modern colorwork with this useful guide that will teach you how to knit Fair Isle inspired colorwork.

You’ll enjoy Fair Isle Style if:
• You’re a knitter looking to learn Fair Isle color knitting
• You love color knitting patterns for women and knitted accessories
• You want to knit modern garments inspired by traditional colorwork techniques

Each knitted garment and accessory pattern in Fair Isle Style features a unique mix of traditional colorwork techniques combined with modern color schemes and patterns to make color knitting accessible to today’s knitters. Begin with color knitting on small knitted accessories, learn how to incorporate Fair Isle motifs in larger projects and garments, and challenge your color knitting skills with several all-over Fair Isle knitting patterns. This book is great for beginning color knitters as well as knitters experienced with Fair Isle knitting and features a wide variety of projects for all skill levels. Color knitting patterns include knitted socks, accessories like cowls, gloves, and scarves, knitted cardigans, and more.

Fair Isle Style offers a collection of patterns from a variety of established, rising, and new knitwear designers and focuses on fresh, modern uses of color for today’s knitters. A Design Notebook rounds out the book, giving readers further ideas for using Fair Isle knitting. Knitters will delight in a modern look from a traditional technique with Fair Isle Style.

Order Fair Isle Style directly from the Interweave Press Store here – or your Local Yarn Shop!

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geoknitscover

Geo Knits

A fun, fashion-led craft book, Geo Knits provides the perfect introduction to knitting colourful geometric shapes and patterns for the beginner knitter. The path I followed when i first learned to knit. Starting with the very easiest garter stitch stripes – and advancing to slightly more challenging projects including chevrons, polka dots and more – 10 lessons and accompanying projects teach you all the geo knit skills you need to craft unique accessories. Geo Knits is the perfect primer for today’s newbie knitter – simple shapes including stripes, diagonals, triangles, circles and chevrons make sensational projects perfect for beginners. 10 straightforward fun projects from scarves, mittens and bags to blankets and cushions accompany lessons with easy-to-follow instructions, patterns and illustrations showing how to knit a variety of basic geometric patterns. With a fashion-style lookbook of inspirational images and pattern swatches this book is sure to set your needles aquiver!

Find Geo Knits at your Local Yarn Shop or here.

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Happy Fair Isle Friday. The sea brings solace. V Happy Fair Isle Friday.  The sea brings solace.  Veesik from my book Fair Isle Weekend knit with DK weight @jamiesonsofshetland Shetland wool. 
#fairislefriday #fairisleweekend #maryjanemucklestone #shetlandwool #fairisleknitting 📷 @jenireid 💃🏽@ellagordondesigns #fairisle
9 from last year. It was a wonderful year for me i 9 from last year. It was a wonderful year for me in so many ways, despite the strange and scary times. Number one was your number one too, baby Otis!  Thank you for all your support this year and the outpouring if love for my new book Fair Isle Weekend. 🙏 we’ve got some adventure and exploring ahead! Even if it’s in our own neighborhood. 🏡 🏔I’m glad we’ve started a new year. May it be happy and safe for everyone. ✨⭐️✨ 
Now go eat some black eyed peas! 
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#topnine #granny #fairisleweekend #fairisleweekendbook #knitting #norwegianpurl #demo #wearalltheknits
Have a lovely evening! #maine Have a lovely evening!
#maine
Happy Sunday in Maine! Clearing our heads at the b Happy Sunday in Maine! Clearing our heads at the beach.
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Twelve21 hats fresh off the needles ~ still 15%off through tonight. Secret code 1221
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#maine #twelve21hat @hiravelry #knittersofinstagram
Happiest of Holidays! Leelee the Wonder dog, Empre Happiest of Holidays! Leelee the Wonder dog, Empress of the Universe extends her love and benevolence to you all and every being on the planet and in our solar system and all other solar and other systems ✨ blessing on us all. On a personal note, Vogue Knitting Magazine arrived Christmas Eve! Such a gift!!! And and slide 3 The Man from Cebu Borneo is surrounded by special snowflake light!
✨ 
MeRrY mErRy🌟
Twelve21 !! Happy Solstice 🌞New pattern today! Twelve21 !! Happy Solstice 🌞New pattern today! Use code: 1221 for 15% off on @hi.ravelry thru Sunday ~ link in bio. Cozy cozy with super bulky or bulky yarn. Two skeins of @quinceandco Puffin made 2 hats (not including pompous) One already gifted and away! Many thanks to busy mommy Sophie for agreeing to an impromptu photo shoot. Pandemic make do - safety in the backyard! 
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In 3 sizes, shown grey in large, black in small. Medium was absconded with 🤣 I mean...gifted
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Newsletter subscribers check your on box for a special discount✨
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#Twelve21Hat #quickgift #knitgift #strandedknitting #strandedcolorwork #maryjanemucklestone #knittersofinstagram #knittingaddict #newpatternrelease
Happy Fair Isle Friday! Kuvvel is a cowl with a tw Happy Fair Isle Friday! Kuvvel is a cowl with a twist! Knit as a tube, given a turn and grafted together. I love testing out different color combinations. The two swatches on the left are simply rearrangements of the same 5 colors as the original. The monochromatic swatch on the right uses 4 shades of @woolfolk_yarn Tynd. The possibilities are endless! I even have a swatch that used glitter yarn, but it’s so hard to photograph! Which one do you like best? Have a great weekend friends - have some fun! Swipe for an example 😂
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 #fairisleweekend #kuvvel #fairisleweekendbook #fairisleknitting #shetland #fairislebook #knittingbook
#maryjanemucklestone #fairislefriday 
#lainepublishing #lainemagazine #strandedknitting #stickning #tricoter #stricken #neulonta  #編み物  #フェア 📷 photos 2&3: @jenireid
So happy to share with you what I was working on t So happy to share with you what I was working on this summer. Such an honor to work alongside editor and chief Norah Gaughan and art director Emily Jones, and with all the talented  designers, writers and photographers. Teamwork ❤️ 
Photo: @gretarybus 
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Repost from @vogueknittingmagazine
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From pandemics to politics, the world has changed. I think you’ll agree that the next issue of Vogue Knitting has also changed radically. The issue is inclusive and diverse, and represents what Vogue Knitting is known for: solid, painstakingly accurate instruction and our signature fashion-forward designs. I want to thank Norah Gaughan and her team who put together such a uniquely different publication. I truly hope you find enjoyment in this well-crafted collection.⁠
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Art Joinnides⁠
President⁠
SoHo Publishing Company

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Mary Jane Mucklestone © 2020