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Mary Jane Mucklestone

Hand Knitting Blog & Knitting Patterns

garter stitch

Knitting Poetry

April 1, 2015 by Mary Jane 5 Comments

Neruda_Bird

April is National Poetry Month. Inspired by a favorite poem, I knit a little coaster to celebrate the season. I used motif No.52 from my book 150 Scandinavian Motifs. Instead of knitting it stranded, I tried my hand at intarsia. I’m a little rusty and just off the needles it’s a bit bumpy, but I think it will calm down with a nice blocking.

I actually saw a cardinal today, sitting on a branch just outside my window, sweetly singing. The birds are different here in my new home in the city. I am making new friends and learning new songs.

Spring
Pablo Neruda

The bird has come
to give the light:
from each trill of his
water is born.

And between water and light that unroll the air
now the spring is inaugurated,
now the seed knows that it has grown,
the root is portrayed in the corolla,
at last the eye lids of the pollen unclose.

All this was done by a simple bird
from a green branch.

 

La Primavera
Pablo Neruda

El párajo ha venido
a dar la luz:
de cada trino suyo
nace el agua

Y entre agua y luz que el aire desarrollan
ya está la primavera inaugurada,
ya sabe la semilla que ha crecido,
la raíz se retrata en la corola,
se abren por fin los párpados del polen.

Todo lo hizo un pájaro sencillo
desde una rama verde.

What’s your favorite spring poem?

You want this book! 
Full Woman, Fleshy Apple, Hot Moon: Selected Poems of Pablo Neruda
Translated by Stephen Mitchell
Harper Collins
ISBN 0-06-092877-8

For the coaster I used Quince & Co. Lark yarn. In egret, delft and leek. More specs on my Ravelry  page.

 

Filed Under: Knitting Tagged With: colorwork, garter stitch, intarsia, knitting

Icelandic Insoles – Part One

April 3, 2014 by Mary Jane 9 Comments

Iceland has been on my mind since Cirilia Rose has been instagraming from Iceland along with her buddy Steven West. You have to check out their photostreams – so entertaining!!! This picture of fish skin shoes had me remembering the time Gudrun and I spent at the Textile Museum up in Blönduós. It turns out that the traditional knitting of Iceland, or rather the antique knitting of Iceland, isn’t the ubiquitous Lopapeysa yoked sweaters, but  garter stitch insoles for fish skin shoes. I’d heard about these from Helene Magnusson’s fantastic knitting books, especially Icelandic Color Knitting: Using Rose Patterns.

While wandering the galleries, I was so enthralled with the insoles that the kind women at the museum offered to show me some of the collection not on display.

It is about time I shared them with you!

Is_insole.1

Is_insole.2

Is_insoles.4

Is_insole.3

Is_insole

IMG_4293

Here’s how they are stored.

box_o_insoles

Ok that’s all for now, soon I’ll show you the shoes and some more examples.

Filed Under: Knitting, Travel Tagged With: colorwork, garter stitch, Iceland, intarsia

It is Still Winter!!!!

March 12, 2013 by Mary Jane 5 Comments

skiing

For my birthday I got cross-country SKIS + boots + poles which = FUN! So I’m still rooting for another snowstorm, though I am way in the minority around these parts. Sure some flowers would be nice, I can almost smell them when the sun comes out, and a robin or two singing would be cheery…but new snow would be even more fun for me now!

I’m outfitted in the Lopapeysa I got last summer in Iceland. Perfect, zips both ways. I’ve got my overalls on so my pants won’t fall down. I’m wearing my Elfin Peak Hat…and a stash busting scarf I made a while back with pom poms. Pom poms, as you may know, make you ski faster.

Of course you can make a scarf like this out of just about anything. I’m sure you can just whip this baby up without instructions, but sometimes you just don’t want to THINK AT ALL…Just Make!

For a scarf that measures 5.5 inches(14cm) wide and 43 inches(109cm) long – 45 inches(114cm) when measured with the pompoms –  here’s what I did:

Yarn: 1 skein Bartlettyarns 2 ply 100% Maine Wool [4oz /200yds (114g/183m)] ; Color “Bracken”. Assorted colors of worsted  weight yarn for pom poms 10 x 9yd (8.25m) lengths.
Needles: US8 (5mm) 24″ (60cm) or 32″ (80cm) circular needle – due to large number of stitches.
Notions: tapestry needle, 1 3/4″ (4.5cm) pom pom maker if desired.

POM POM HAPPINESS SCARF

Cast on 154 stitches. Knitting flat, knit every stitch every row for garter stitch.

Knit 48 rows.

Bind Off. Weave in ends.

Make 10 – 1.5″ (4cm) pompoms…any color you like! Leave the yarn that you tie the pom pom together with  long, and use those ends to sew them to the edge of the scarf – 5 on each end.

I like a really chubby pompom so I used about 9 yards (8.25m) for each. I use the “easy wrap” pom pom maker from Susan Bates and I trim my pom poms closely….a little obsessively.

Now you’re ready – to the woods!

pompom scarf

You can have this pattern as a Free Ravelry Download if you can’t keep those complex directions in your head!

Filed Under: Knitting Tagged With: design, garter stitch, knitting, knitting pattern, Lopapeysa, Maine, Maine wool, scarf

Before Footer

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.⁠
⁠
Art Joinnides⁠
President⁠
SoHo Publishing Company

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