Mary Jane Mucklestone

Hand Knitting Blog & Knitting Patterns

Fly Away – Flying Geese!

by

I’m off to the big city soon, New York, New York for Vogue Knitting Live! Woo hoo!
It will be so much fun – making new friends and knitting up a storm.

Before I fly the coop I’m leaving you a new pattern for fast, fair isle knitting fun! Flying Geese – inspired by the quilt pattern – turquoise geese fly against a gradient neutral background. Bright and subdued at the same time.

liz_4983 Demi_4914_crop

A stellar first stranded colorwork project! Fun for the experienced too!

I used Harrisville Highland a worsted/aran weight yarn I fell in love with all over again last year when I taught my Color Immersion Weekend right there at Harrisville Designs in beautiful Harrisville New Hampshire. Their color range is sensational. If you order full skeins you’ll have enough yarn to make a few cowls. I’d get some of their hot pink or marigold to change it up a little. Of course a single cowl doesn’t require a lot of yarn, so you could easily go stash diving, the gradient needn’t be grey – as always the possibilities are endless!
Find out all the details and yarn amounts here.

10 patterns will fly away for free! Leave a comment from now through Thursday – I’ll be gifting Flying Geese to a random 10 of you who leave a cheery comment and your Ravelry ID! Spread the love, spread the fun!

ps. if you’re not on ravelry…you should be…but you can send me your email when I announce the winners on Friday.

Thanks everyone. The comments are closed.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Love this and it would be nice and cheery to wear on a grey winter’s day, too. I’m littleredyarn over on Rav.

    • Lovely! I did some Flying Geese in quilting, but the idea to use it in a cowl is great! I am sure we see yours desings in VK many times more

  3. Mary Jane this is gorgeous! I finished your Muckle Toque last week, just in time for the weather to warm up. Going to make one for Don this week. Also started a color work cowl, Madalynn from Quince & Co. You’ve got me turned on to color work! My Ravelry ID is Pastryelf….

    • Beautiful cowl!!!! Love the shades of brown and contrast of blue! The shape is flattering for anyone. You have an excellent eye for shape and style.

  8. Gorgeous! I’ve always been a fan of the flying geese quilt patterns and have been looking for a way to incorporate it into some knitting projects. Love it! This would be only my second fair isle project. Looks like a great way to perfect my techniques. [rav id: rkjackson]

  9. Wonderful pattern, I could see it working really well in a lovely sunshiney yellow against the grey to brighten a dull winter day, and cowls are wonderful for keeping your neck warm too!

  10. I love this pattern b/c I love geese. I live in the upper plains and the geese migration that signals are change of seasons has always been a joy to me. Plus, in my childhood I lived across the street from the capitol building in Pierre, SD where the Flaming Fountain and Capitol Lake are located and we had year round geese that stayed on the warm open lake. Thanks for the lovely offer to win a copy of the pattern!

  11. Beautiful! I love the cozy shape of it! And I love Harrisville yarns, perfect! Winter needs all the cheery fair isle projects one can muster. I am Ginni on Ravelry, thanks for the chance to win!

  12. Michellejoy on Rav…

    I love the bright pop of color! It’s so necessary in New Hampshire this time of year when everything is so dreary. I look forward to knitting this.

  13. Awesome!! Love the colours. Would so go with a fleece lightweight jacket that I have. Looks warm and stylish.

    KarenLC on Ravelry

    • I love this cowl and the colors! It will be perfect accessory to wear with my new winter coat.

  15. What a beautiful pattern! I tend to shy away from colorwork, but I think I could handle something like this. I would love a copy of the pattern – my Ravelry ID is mylittlekitchen.

  16. Aaaaaah! This was the first Instagram I saw this morning and it was the best way to start my day! I have done a few colorwork projects but I am very awkward at it. I was so happy to see that this pattern was for beginners. Thank you for the beeeeeautiful pattern. Your color work is always amazing. It warmed my cold day 🙂 Rav ID: all1s0n

  19. How bright and cheery! I love the flying geese quilt pattern and the warm style you bring to it. I would love to try the colorwork.

  20. This is wonderful! I’m a quilter as well (ambitious novice, anyway), so I love that it’s the flying geese block- it’s actually a great inspiration, now I want to do a lap quilt to look like this! My Rav ID is nerdyblonde

  24. Just saw this on Rav and love it and really love the colors you choose too, I have been dipping my toe into colorwork and this would be a perfect one to learn with.

  25. I love this! You inspire me to make everything with fair isle 😉 on ravelry, I’m morganavelina

  27. Fabtastic cowl, simple, yet needs some care and thought to make. Honestly can’t get enough of colourwork, whether traditional or modern in its style. Beshabar on Rav, happy knitting!

  28. Wow, another great pattern, I want to so color work so bad, I think this would be a good first pattern!!

  31. I raise Shetlands and I am already planning to use a series of their natural colors for this, the different sheep will do the gradient shading for me!

  34. I live on the south shore of Lake Superior where cowl weather extends for many months. One gets bored with winter clothes in early March. This would be a great change of pace.

    Ridgeknitter on Ravelry

  36. Absolutely beautiful !
    Colour combo with the blue geese is timeless and classic. Would love to knit this !

    Roxyrana on Ravelry.

  38. love the combination of bright and neutral, really like the yarn and will definitely make this cowl whether I win the free pattern or not!

  40. Oh how interesting! Never attempted fair isle before, this looks like it would be a good pattern to start with! Thanks for the opportunity!

    girliefriend on Rav

  42. Love the cowl, can’t wait until VKL Seattle I am taking your Scandinavian color work class.
    Rav ID melshel

  44. Nibbleknitter on Ravelry, thinks that these Flying Geese would be a welcome and beautiful addition to her winter weather wardrobe!

  45. Very nice pop of color and pattern on what is a “rainy” winter day in NY. I love the quilting inspiration. Wrenknits on Ravelry

  48. Aloha,

    This looks like the purrfect project to learn colour stranding. And luv, luv, luv the gradient hues too.

    Ravelry ID is Tagati

    Mahalo

  54. Just the ticket – something bright for the grey days of winter. It’s a really nice use of quilt patterns. (ravelry: lindyleech)

  55. You’re my inspiration! I am trying to get myself familiar with this kind of technique and you came with a beautiful pattern. I’d love to knit this up!

    Debbie1085 on Ravelry

  57. WOW! I have quilted flying geese, but never have I knitted them. I would love this challenge. Have fun in NY!

  59. WOW – what a great pattern for a first-timer in Fair Isle. Of course, it’s a great pattern for anyone who might enjoy a new cowl. I would love to knit this – in purple gradients with orange geese. Or grey gradients with neon yellow geese. Or…..

    Enjoy NYC!

  60. Oohh!! This cowl is stunning!! I’ve never knit stranded colourwork before but have made it one of my goals this year to give it a try. A sweater is just too ambitious for me, and I know I’ll just drive myself bonkers if I tried it in socks. This cowl would be absolutely perfect!! Thank you so much for the fun pattern and for the chance to win a copy!!

    Rav ID: Misocraftyknits

  61. As an ex-quilter this design really appeals to me. And it looks like a pattern that my newbie stranding skills would be up to. Thanks! Teachermom on rav

  64. What a beautiful pattern. It reminds me that soon geese will be flying south for spring. : ) –Jan (jcoop on ravelry)

  66. Wonderful graphic cowl! I wonder how it would look with the gradient being bright and the geese the more grounding neutral color? Or even with bright contrasting colors?

    Hey, Midwest US winters are gray and dreary.

    Tsita

  68. This is beautiful, Mary Jane,! It’s another great fair isle design! I’m having trouble deciding which project to start next. This isn’t just about practicing my stranded technique…I’ve already started working on gifts for next Christmas…never mind that I’m going to want a flying geese cowl for myself!,
    Mary (Fibear)

  69. I’m resisting the urge to cast this on as soon as I get home because I *could* be a winner. This is next in my cowl-obsessed queue. Find me as knitterdame on Ravelry.

  70. I had seen this this morning when I went looking through the new patterns on Rav and immediately put it in favorites to buy later this month. I love the flying geese pattern in quilting and was actually thinking of starting a scrap one this weekend. I can see this knit up with a handspun for the geese. Now back to knitting my first ever pair of Latvian style mittens.

    Rav – knitplaywithfire

    ps – pocketfarmer Liz is a wonderful model for this piece too!

  71. It is gorgeous! Just getting in to colorwork. This looks like a great start. DrJKidKnit on ravelry

  72. Ooooh! My new resolution (not New Years – even if it did coincide) is to teach myself to do color work easily! I would LOVE for it to become second nature as cabling and some lace has become and this looks like the perfect project! Thank you for the chance to win.

    reikimom (ravid)

  73. This will make a perfect gift for my Mom the Quilter! Love it!
    So enjoyed your Picots and Popcorn class in New Brunswick in September…boy do I wish I was going to be in NYC! Have fun!
    Shannon (Shannchris on Rav)

  74. Thank you for the chance to win this wonderful prize!!!! This pattern looks fabulous!

    Tbmccarthy on rav

  75. This is so lovely! That blue is the same color as my winter coat – and the color I miss most in winter, when our skies go all soupy grey.

    ravid: zigeunerweisen

  77. Your cowl is cheerful … and inspiring !! I love the color combination — it makes the turquoise POP !! My Ravelry ID: BlueDogToo

  78. Fun!!!! Love how they look like arrows and would be perfect to wear at my parents Alpaca far, Arrow Acres! Rav id: leannecoppola

  81. Beautiful pattern, gprgeous color work. In the Native American “zodiac” a Capricorn is a goose. My birthday is in January and geese inhabit my area this time of year. I have to do thid piece. It does Cher me up. I am Harleymon on Ravelry.

  82. This looks like a great first project. I haven’t knit stranded colourwork before. Have a great time in New York.

    Rav ID alilou78

  83. Beautiful pattern! I love how modern it is. And I love Harrisville Highland–one of my all-time favorite yarns.

    jennyfrommaine on ravelry

  84. I remember you working on this when we were in class at Harrisville! Beautiful. Gotta love Harrisville colors.

  85. This cowl would be absolutely perfect for the 5 quilters in my life! Oh, how I would love to win this!

    My Ravelry username is PamelasPastimes.

    Thanks for the opportunity!

  86. Absolutely gorgeous!! I am so cowl crazy, and I think this might have to be next on my list.

    dogeared on ravelry!

  88. I love this new pattern and really love to wear cowls in the winter to keep the cold out. I have enough shades of alpaca yarn to make your wonderful cowl! Ravelry: zenitude

  90. Hello, thank you for the new pattern, and the giveaway opportunity. I love the flying geese design and the color. Here in Alaska we wear wool, cowls and desperately appreciate color in our dark winters.
    I’m Howdy on Ravelry

  91. Flying geese in fabulous fleece?! I think my love of knitting just found a new lease!
    <3
    knitsylu on Ravelry!

  92. Wow, I really like your new cowl; the blue geese make everything “pop”

    toomanyufos on ravelry

  93. What can I say but love, love, love. Just working on my first colorwork project. This would be an amazing second. Who can resist Canadian geese flying in formation honking their little hearts out.

  96. The cowl is just so pretty. It looks like it would be fun to knit. My rav name is janineny2001.

  98. Haven’t done much stranded work. Love harrisville, love geese and love cowls. Would love to knit a bunch of these. Gorgeous pattern!

  102. I would LOVE to knit and wear this Flying Geese cowl!! I work at my local quilt shop and Flying Geese are my favorite patchwork quilt units.

    Thanks for a great design and a terrific opportunity!!

    threadsgal on Ravelry

  104. Love the flying geese pattern. They have all landed in downtown Chicago to spend the winter in Millenium Park!! Ravid: Elmpark

  106. I recently learned how to do color work from Sally Melville, and I’d love for my first project to be your Flying Geese Pattern! Thanks for the opportunity to enter.

    Have a great trip to New York!

  107. Just heard you will be in Seattle in February – can’t wait to meet you! And I LOVE this pattern! So simple, yet not… 🙂

  111. This cowl would be perfect for Today in Wisconsin! Perfect to protect against the wind and look great!

  116. Love this!! We just moved to Illinois from Texas, and seeing all the geese here has been so fun! I am clbarnes00 on Ravelry. Thanks so much!

  119. I have never made a cowl before but have wanted to, and this is exactly what I would wear. Thanks for the chance to knit it! It is quite beautiful.

  121. Love this! I need a simple colorwork project to get me back into the swing of things. This looks perfect!

  124. I love this cowl! Would go great as a matching set with the Flying Geese socks from knitty!

    Ravid: celinag

  125. MaryJane…am on your Ravelry stranded group and this pattern caught my eye immediately. Beautiful design. On ravelry: 58hollett. Thank you

  126. Beautiful pattern…I am new to fairisle …this looks like a perfect beginning. Thank you Carol

  127. I love this cowl! I just finished the Chromasticity cowl- a Miriam Felton design- and I am riding the color-knit- cowl high.
    mersknits on rav

  128. Love the image of the geese flying against the lowering sky! Tinkingbell on Rav! Have fun at Vogue!

  129. Love the blue sky triangles– this winter feels like Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Long Winter. I’ve haven’t tried stranded colorwork….yet.
    “rarebeetle” on ravelry.

  130. First time at your blog though I follow you in FB and I’d love to have this cowl to begin to learn Fair Isle knitting.
    Love the colors and the elegance of the design. “teresafelina” on Raverly

  133. I love watching the geese fly over my house everyday and I love your Flying Geese too. My Ravelry ID is ‘CelticCreative’.Thank you for this chance to own one of your beautiful patterns.

  136. This cowl is just lovely. I haven’t tried colourwork before but this pattern seems like a good starting point. Thank you for the giveaway.

  138. Spotted this on Ravelry before the blog even! It’s gorgeous – simple but amazingly effective. Desperately thinking what I might have in the stash to do this in…

  139. Lovely design! I’ve been itching to dive back into colorwork now that all of my Christmas gift knitting is finally done, this looks like an excellent candidate…

    I am SpiffyB over on Ravelry. Thanks for the chance to win!

  140. Beautiful! Cozy… & I am now more comfortable with color work. Thanks for the inspiration, again!
    Johalley on Rav

  141. My Mom was a talented quilter, and this pattern reminds me of the beautiful quilts she would make. Will love knitting this for that very reason… and because I love your patterns! Ravelry ID is Lisaann.

  142. This is a very pretty pattern and with 3teenage daughters I am never at a loss for possible recipients. Would be glad to knit it!

  144. I love this design, it’s the Harrisville Highland, or their new WaterShed yarn! Enjoy VKL!!
    jaxie985 is my Ravelry name–

  145. I would love to try my first colorwork project and I have some turquoise
    handspun yarn just waiting for it! Ravelry id: woolleygoodness

  146. I love this cowl. Thank you for the opportunity to win. I made a Muckle Toque last week, I think I’m overcoming my fear of colorwork thanks to you.

    Janmarie- on Ravelry

  147. I love it! This is the year that I will explore colorwork, and this may just be the pattern to launch me on that new adventure! Thank you for the wonderful design! –lfairhall on Ravelry

  148. Flying geese is one of my favorite quilting patterns.
    It looks great knitted up as well.

    My rav I’d is danamary.

  149. I love love the way you have designed the cowl. It’s so beautiful and I am going to knit me one. It looks so WARM and inviting!

    Debbie1085 on Rav

  150. Nice! – I picked it out first from the list for today.

    I am my grandmother on ravelry. Gertrudepearson

  152. I love the simple elegance of your flying geese cowl design. I’ve yet to try stranded work–but I’m interested in taking it on. The confluence of my interest in both quilting and knitting…in flying geese. Thank you! mountainhaiku on Ravelry

  153. Love that you incorporated a geometric design with gradient color. Two of my favorite design elements. This is a winner. queenofpurl on Ravelry

  154. I’ve already started knitting cowls for presents next Christmas so this would be a great addition.

  155. I LOVE a beautiful cowl and this one is stunning! I am thinking I will do one in yellows and grays. Ravelry id: jenlong

  156. I have been knitting for a long time, but still have not done any colorwork (it is a goal of mine for 2014 though!). This would be such a fun way to learn, I love thinking about possible combinations of color! Also, what a great cowl for gifting..
    ravelry id: evehayes

  158. Gorgeous pattern!! I love the graphic quality of it, and the color choices pictured are just terrific. Over on Ravelry I am AshleyTree.

  160. I love this pattern, as I am a quilter and a knitter. You did a lovely job joining the two. Thank you for the inspiration to use other quilting patterns as well.

  162. I really love this pattern (I can definitely see the triangles in hot pink …) Your Scandinavian motifs book was one of my Christmas gifts, since my husband is very good at picking up on not-so-subtle hints, bless him, and I love it as much as I love your fair isle book – an infinite source of pleasure and design inspiration! Keep up the fantastic work.

  163. I adore everything about this! I have your Scandinavian Motifs book and spend a lot of time admiring all the different patterns while trying to figure out where to start using them! This pattern reminds me of our Vancouver winters and our Canadian Geese (loud dirty birds, but we love them anyway). I can definitely see making a few shot with brighter bolder colours as well. Your work is very inspiring and my fingers are crossed for the giveaway! Thanks so much.

  165. Fab design and love the colours.

    This is the my first intro to your site and will defo not be my last visit.

    Kate Davies mentioned your work on her latest blog entry and was justifiably singing your praises!

    Enjoy your trip!

  166. Fab design and love the colours.

    This is the my first intro to your site and will defo not be my last visit.

    Kate Davies mentioned your work on her latest blog entry and was justifiably singing your praises!

    Enjoy your trip!

    Forgot to confirm my Ravelry id: TREAC

  167. I have always wanted to try color work in my knitting and this looks like a great first pattern! I love geometric shapes!

    Ravelry ID: saladcrumb

    Thanks!

  168. I love, love,love your design! The strong graphic elements, use of color, and practice stranding are a win in my world! – Lulabellebird on rav.

  169. I am desperate to knit a cowl with a geometric pattern like this. My recent Ravelry faves are all triangles and arrows! Love this! stripesandpolkadots on Rav.

  170. Rav ID: ambercake
    I’m about to start sewing my first flying geese, and I’m loving this, too, and also just the shape of this cowl – is it actually wider at the bottom?
    Anyway, thank Kay (Mason-Dixon) for sending me over, I’m off to check out ALL your things on Ravelry now.

  171. Love the name and design. I always open the window to hear a skein of geese go by – the soulful sound of winter. Ravely ID: ald1

  173. Great cowl! I love the knitted flying geese, and have fun in NYC! I hope to see you in Vogue Knitting Seattle! I need to register. 🙂 Rav ID: sewknittystar

  174. Florrie and I are taking your class this weekend and I may have gone overboard in buying colors for class. oops. Can’t wait. This cowl is beautiful!

  176. What a great project….and what a generous ‘contest’. Thanks, Mary Jane. I can see lots of stash-busting opportunities here. Love it…..especially the traditional design incorporated.
    Ravelry ID malone

  185. I am a sucker for anything gradient, and I just love this design.

    Silly me, though. I got even more excited when I misread one sentence as “Their color range is seasonal”. Wouldn’t that be great, too. for a yarn manufacturer to offer a seasonal range of colors?

    wil4ds on Ravelry

  188. I just LOVE this pattern! Colors are great too- it really,really caught my eye! Would love to win!!!!

    Rav ID- khfuller

  191. I’ve never done color work, but I would Love to attempt this – it’s so cute!! I’m Marecolt on Ravelry. Have fun in New York!!

  192. I love quilt patterns translated into knit design; yours is just lovely. I am Shepherdess on Ravelry. Thanks for the chance to win.

  193. This is one of my favorite Quilting Patterns. I love what you have done with it in knitting. I am lovebirdmom on Ravelry. Thank you so much for the chance.

  194. Oh my goodness! How perfectly lovely is this? Honk if you love flying geese! Honk honk! I’m seedesigns on Rav.

  195. Howdy MaryJane! My new years resolution is to do more stranded knitting! I was smitten with this pattern the moment I saw it–I love triangles in design, and grey and yellow! Plus, I live on the Yellowstone River and see flying geese every day! I am montanasue on Ravelry!

  197. I love the Flying Geese; it’s very reminiscent of the quilt that was my great Aunt Jessie’s. The cowl made me smile to remember it. Beautiful, Mary Jane.

  199. Love this! Makes me want to give Fair Isle another try! And knit Button Jar Blue flying geese!

    Debbie4 on Rav