Mary Jane Mucklestone

Hand Knitting Blog & Knitting Patterns

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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

Cast On Sólbein Steekalong!

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Happy New Year!!! I thought I had it all planned out. But at the last moment I drove to Montreal to spend New Year’s Eve with my son in Montreal. I grabbed 3 balls of red Lettlopi from my stash. It’s really the only color I have enough of…I’m going to try and make it work.

When I went to sleep early this morning, I’d decided to start with the sleeve, totally forgetting that Solbein is knit top down. Not to be thwarted, I used a provisional cast on and went from there. I can graft the cuff on at the end with kitchener stitch – which I LOVE. So added pleasure. That’s if I end up liking how the colors work.

The reds are really really close in value…it might look cool like melted candle wax, or kind of a fade…or it might be too close in value. Honestly after the festivities of last evening my brain is a little muddled and I had a hard time following my own pattern especially on the 3 color round. I think I’ll draw a chart that has the reds in the right spot, so I don’t have to color-translate the chart. New term: color-translate!

I’m lucky to have a helper.

Travel over to Fringe Association to read what Karen has to say about the steekalong! We’re so happy that so many of you have joined us.

There will be prizes!!!

Use the tag #fringeandfriendssteekalong on Instagram so we can see what you’re up to!

Post any comments or questions you have here, or on Karen’s blog. I’ve also got a thread in my Ravelry group going. Bear with me, I usually forget to check everywhere…but NO FEARS MY FRIENDS!!! We’ve got you covered.

Off the top of my head I know we’ll be talking about those 3 color rounds and how to best handle 3 yarns (go slowly, slow and steady wins the race). Steeking methods, what to consider, and what happens if you change your mind 1/2 way through your project. To button band or to zipper…one of my big decisions…. We’re going to have fun!

Sólbein Cardigan

Just joining us now? It’s not too late! Find the pattern here.

The pattern includes a steeking tutorial that explains machine stitched steek reinforcement. I’ve also got a post on a crochet reinforced steek here.

Happy Happy New Year!!!

What’s New!

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Whew! What a wild year it’s been! I’m going to tell some of my stories in the new year, so stay tuned.

In the meantime I’ve got a couple of fun things to announce. My Sunflower Mittens are now out as an individual pattern. They were originally designed as part of Beatrice Peron Dahlen’s gorgeous book Maine Knits. The idea for the flower shape was inspired in part by a border element in a large cross-stitch panel that my Norwegian Great Grandmother stitched. It’s the only piece we have of hers.                                                       

Find the Sunflower Mittens pattern on Ravelry. I have to make myself a new pair since I lost the sample. I’m going to make the new ones with red flowers. 

Sunflower Mittens Details:

Yarn Nash Island Light (100% Maine island Wool;175 yds / 160 m per 100g)                                                                                                          1 skein in Driftwood or 160 yds / 146 m in MC                                         1 skein in Finch or 28 yds / 25.5 m in CC of worsted weight yarn                                                                                                                                      Starcroft Fiber Mill just got some new Nash Island Light Yarn! Better be quick! it goes fast!

Needles
US 7/4.5 mm DPNs , US 5/3.75mm DPNs; or size to obtain gauge

Gauge 
11 sts and 11 rnds to 2″ / 5 cm in colorwork pattern on larger needles, after blocking

Besides her gorgeous knitwear designs and book, you might remember Beatrice for her  insightful post on the true cost of what goes into the making of a knitting pattern, an important read.  She has a new podcast that you should definitely check out.

You may know Franklin Habit‘s  friend Dolores Van Hoofen. I was lucky to host her for a wee visit this fall. I made her a sporty toboggan hat for her winter pursuits. I’ve heard Dolores is a little on the wild side, but she was demure and a calm during her time at my house, but oh my, she went wild later when she hit the slopes! 

The hat, paired with a jaunty striped scarf is available as the Dolores #5 Huggy Hygge Winter Accessories Kit at Webs. You can get the pattern for your own Dolores at the same place!

Squam –  11 – 15 September 2019 

I’m teaching at Squam Arts Workshops again, this time in the Fall. Oh boy is it going to be gorgeous! I might go early and do a little hiking in the area. The picture on the left is from the top of the nearby hill, overlooking Squam Lake, and on the right is the cabin I stayed in.

I’ll be teaching a Squam-ishious version of my Multiplicity class, this time we’ll make darling tiny fair isle socks. I think the fall is a time for looking inward and preparing for winter, and a relaxing weekend in the hills of New Hampshire is just the thing to settle into the season. Plus, there are new friends to be made and new things to learn! These little socks might be fun to keep experimenting with and and maybe collect as ornaments.

For more details visit Squam Arts Retreats.

Hope to see you there!

Consult my classes pages to see what I’m up to in 2019. I’ll be adding new dates as soon as I’m allowed to announce!                                   

Off The Grid

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http://fiber-trek.squarespace.com/wool-scouts-retreat

Hello Friends!
Just a note to let you know that I’ll be off the grid for ten days in August beginning on the 10th. So if I seem super silent – Not To Worry! I’ll be back in my usual haunts of Instagram, Facebook and here too…though I have been lax.

I’ll be teaching at the Wool Scouts Retreat in at a remote camp in Northern Maine, two sessions that I’ve been looking forward to all year, we had so much fun last time! There is no cell phone service, Wifi or even electricity in our cabins! HEAVEN!

In addition, there’s a lot going on behind the scenes that I look forward to sharing with you some time soon!
Happy Summer!
Or Happy Winter if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere!
oxo
MJ