• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Patterns
  • Classes
  • Books
  • About
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Newsletter

Mary Jane Mucklestone

Hand Knitting Blog & Knitting Patterns

mittens

Holes! Horrors!!!

January 18, 2012 by Mary Jane 14 Comments

Ah yes you say, “I made your Muckle Mitts and I love them, but I have holes at the corners of the thumb, what did I do wrong?”

Nothing…as Isolda, who has been knitting for over 40 years, since she was a tiny girl in Germany said “There are always holes. We always have holes, even in school we had holes. There are just holes there. We know that.  We sewed them up, we still sew them up”.

And that is usually true…the holes are just…there. And yes, you take the tails of your yarn and sew them up.

Above First snug up the yarn from the outside, around the hole. You know, follow the stitches along and snug things up with the tip of a tapestry needle.

Above Then turn inside out and using the existing ends if they are long enough, begin to sew. These ends are, typically for me,  short. You should try and leave longer tails to give your something to work with. If you can’t work with too tiny tails, use a strand of your Main Color yarn about 8-12 inches long.

Above Now begin stitching carefully around the hole, taking little stitches skimming through the back side of the stitches. You don’t need to poke through to the front like a quilter would.

Above Take small stitches circling the hole, and gently snug things up.

Above Do it with both yarns, then weave in the ends as usual.

Above Like so.

Above Ta Da! No Holes. Now these babies need some serious blocking. Look at that bloated ribbing. Heavens! I’ll wash them lukewarm water with a mild soap, rinse in water of the same temperature,  gently press the moisture  out, shape my mitts into right and left hand, then dry flat.

Tutorials in the Afterthought Thumb Series:

Waste Yarn, What Yarn?

All Thumbs

Filed Under: Knitting Tagged With: afterthought thumb, mittens

A Gift for You!

January 4, 2012 by Mary Jane 20 Comments

On Christmas Eve, the wonderful Kate Davies offered a free gift to her loyal readers. A Muff! I was flattered to find in my honor! A Mucklemuff!  Imagine! She used pattern motif #172 from my book 200 Fair Isle Motifs. She used the book just as it should be used, as a jumping off point for her own ideas….she took the allover arrangement and lengthened it…but after you read this run over an read what she has to say, the patten is free for a couple more days.

I imagined that I’d get my little gift to you my dear readers on New Year’s Day, but all I could manage was the knitting and the pictures…the rest took me a bit but we’re all good to go now! I also used pattern motif #172 but I flipped it a little to make a mirror image. I chose fingerless mitts because my hands are always cold in Seattle, but full mittens are just too hot. Fingerless mitts are just the ticket. I knit the crazy bright ones first, I was inspired by the mounds of Tulips for sale at the Pike Place Market.   A burst of spring in the dead of winter!

Understanding that I don’t always feel like being that cheerful or conspicuous, I dug through my stash and came up with the Red-Violet ones, Rødlilla  in Norwegian. I’ve been in a Norwegian mood, spending the winter in Seattle, taking nips of Linie Aquavitt to keep the damp at bay. So I used Dale of Norway Heilo and Falk both.

I’ve been spending time with my little sister which has been lots and lots of fun. She is a vibrant glowing good natured being,  and always willing to be a model on the spur of the moment! You’d never know her hands were covered with paint 20 minutes before we took the pictures. She chose the colors for the third pair, diving into my stash and choosing natural and a pale chartreuse. Both yarns are Classic Elite; Princess and Inca Alpaca. They compliment each other, the alpaca giving the green a slighty seaweedy look.

I’m especially happy how all the mitts look great with the camel hair coat I found for my mom. They each lend a totally different feel to it.

So download the pattern here and attack that stash of yours!

Free until January 16th,  2012!

Filed Under: Knitting Tagged With: fair isle, handknitting, knitting, knitting pattern, mittens, mitts, stranded

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! 
. 

#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.
.
Twelve21 hats fresh off the needles ~ still 15%off through tonight. Secret code 1221
. 
#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! 
.
In 3 sizes, shown grey in large, black in small. Medium was absconded with 🤣 I mean...gifted
.
Newsletter subscribers check your on box for a special discount✨
. 
. 

#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 😂
. 
. 

 #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 
. 
Repost from @vogueknittingmagazine
•
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

Footer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Mary Jane Mucklestone © 2020