Hibernus Mittens – you found a truly free knitting pattern!

2 Replies

One evening, after looking too long at Pinterest, I decided that I would stop designing mittens. The world has too many mitten knitting patterns. I was working on a knitted tank top pattern at the time and thought, “I’ll just do garments now.”  I even spoke the words aloud to my husband, “I’m not going to design hats and mittens anymore.”

I woke up early the next morning and started doodling on my stitchmastery program (a grid that you can use to design color-work).  Very quickly I made a little design into a grid that was the size of children’s mittens. Cute. And I grabbed some yarn and cast-on. 

My love for knitting mittens is obsessive like those who always have a sock project going.  Just to be clear, I do not need this many mittens. There are a few days each year that I go somewhere cold enough to wear them myself.  Sure, I’ll give some away, but most of my loved ones have all the mittens they will ever need. 

In the early days of designing knitting patterns, I would write up my notes and put it out for free. That’s what my blog was used for. After a while, I decided to up my game and hire an editor. I was working on a sweater pattern and that was a whole other beast. Now I have all of my patterns professionally edited and that costs money. I now charge for these patterns so I can pay my editor.  

With the way of the internet now, it is not possible to put out anything for “free”.  Free just means that someone else can take it and use it to make money.  Over the last two decades the internet went from a super cool crowd-sourcing tool to an algorithm-driven, slop filled, commerce-centric shit show.  Since the internet is the way I share my patterns, I’m stuck with it. That sense of wanting to quit isn’t about not making the actual knitting pattern – that part is fun, I love it!  What I was wanting to quit is the internet.  Unfortunately knitting pattern designing and the internet go hand-in-hand. 

Just for fun I’m re-posting this free pattern. The fun is in the breaking of the link for the sights that use this pattern to make money. It’s all over Pinterest and links you to a bunch of shitty AI free pattern websites. It’s probably a waste of time because AI will just check all the links and fix them. Anyway, if you are looking for the free knitting pattern Hibernus here it is.

Please do not post this pdf on other websites! If you want to share it, just link to this page.

Hibernus Mittens2026Download

The Una Set

1 Reply

Howdee! We are in Cody, Wyoming this month. We came to rock climb and do a little hiking. Of course I brought my knitting and my laptop so I was able to publish my newest pattern, the Una Set, on time.

I also gave modeling a whirl. I still don’t like it. Seriously, how do you get a photo of your mittens and hat together looking natural? Hmmm…..

Not natural! Who is this poser?

The Una Set is a stranded colorwork knitting pattern for matching accessories. I sell it as an eBook (because there’s actually 2 pattern in it) on Ravelry. Both the hat and mittens start with a corrugated ribbing, then follow the charts using two strands of yarn at a time to create the intricate pattern. The back and palm of the mittens have the same design, thus there is no designated left or right. Just make two mittens and you have a pair.

Materials: Cascade 220 Fingering, which is a light fingering weight, 100% wool yarn. 1 hank = 273 yds/ 250 m/ 50 g

For full set: Coastal Fjord (MC) 180 yds/ 165 m, Sage 96 yds/ 88 m, Beige 96 yds/ 88 m, Lemon Pepper 78 yds/ 71 m, Fir Green 108 yds/ 99 m.

The Una Mittens pattern is written for two different cuff lengths. The long cuff version is 10.5 in/ 26 cm from cuff edge to finger tips and 7.5 in/ 19 cm around the knuckles. The short cuff version is 9 in/ 22.5 cm from cuff edge to finger tips and 7.5 in/ 19 cm around the knuckles.

The Una Hat is one size, adult. Hat fits a 22-24 in/ 56-61 cm head.

You can find the eBook/patterns here: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/una-set

Happy Knitting!

The Radi Set

1 Reply

The Radi set is my newest pattern, published in my Ravelry Store. It’s sold as an eBook because it’s essentially 2 patterns – a hat and some mittens – both for $8.50 Since I’ve been selling accessory patterns I’ve made it a habit of having more than one item per pattern–or eBook. That way if the knitter is buying yarn for the project they get a second project that will use some of the remaining yarn from the balls/hanks they buy.

The Radi Set is a stranded colorwork charted knitting pattern. Both the hat and the mittens start with a corrugated ribbing then your follow the charts to create the vibrant floral motifs.


One size: Adult. Hat fi ts a 22-24 in/ 56-61 cm head. Mittens are 12.5 in/ 31 cm from cuff edge to finger tip. Mittens are 7.5 in/ 19 cm around the knuckles.

Materials – Cascade 220 Fingering, a light fingering weight, 100% wool. 1 hank = 273 yds/ 250 m For full set: Jet (MC) 120 yds/ 111m, Burgundy 126 yds/ 116 m, Dark Plum 72 yds/ 66 m, Ginger 66 yds/ 61 m, Jack O’Lantern 132 yds/ 121 m, Amber Glow 114 yds/ 105 m.

You can find the Radi Set here: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/radi-set

Test Knitters for the Una Set – CLOSED

4 Replies

*Edit* All the test knitters for the Una Set have been selected. I’m leaving this post up for referrence.

Hello Knitters! I’m looking for a few people to test knit the Una Set. It’s a hat and mitten combo pattern that I plan to publish in the fall. The Una Set is a charted colorwork pattern and both the hat and mittens are knitted on size 2 needles (or to gauge).

I’m doing things a little different this time and I’m supplying the yarn for two testers. The yarn is Cascade 220 Fingering 100% wool. The colors that I’m supplying to the testers are different than the pattern’s suggested colors. If you are interested read on…

Option 1 CLOSED

Option 1 is very similar to the pattern’s suggested colors except the blue is brighter and the green is darker. There will be enough yarn to complete both the hat and mittens.

Option 2 CLOSED

Option 2’s main color is dark brown and the other background color is navy. The contrasting colors are two shades of blueish gray and one olive green. There will be enough yarn to complete both the hat and mittens.

Option 3 – CLOSED

Option3 – test knit the pattern by suppling your own yarn. If you would rather use the suggested colors or you have other yarn you want to use, you can be a part of the test knit.

To be a test knitter for the Una Set you need to: 1) Have a Ravelry account and link your project to the pattern page starting at the testing phase. 2) Live in the US if you are applying for Options 1 or 2 since I will be mailing the yarn to you. There’s no restrictions on the location of Option 3 testers. 3) Communicate by email and give feedback on the pattern via email at the end of the test. 4) Complete one of the accessories (either hat or mittens) by Sept 17, 2026. 5) Share at least 3 photos of your project on Ravelry. I may ask to use the photos for promotion.

If you want to apply, email me at traciscott1210@gmail.com and link to your Ravelry page. Let me know if you are interested in Option 1, 2, or 3.

Here’s more information:

Supplies Needed Hat only
US Size 1/ 2.25mm 16 in/ 40 cm circular needles
US Size 2/ 2.75mm 16 in/ 40 cm circular needles
US Size 2/ 2.75mm dpns or preferred needles for small circumference knitting
Mittens only
US Size 2/ 2.75mm dpns or preferred needles for small circumference knitting
Full set
US Size 1/ 2.25mm 16 in/ 40 cm circular needles
US Size 2/ 2.75mm 16 in/ 40 cm circular needles
US Size 2/ 2.75mm dpns or preferred needles for small circumference knitting
Tape measure, scissors, stitch markers, yarn needle, and scrap yarn for mittens.

Gauge
32 sts/ 37 rounds per 4 in/ 10 cm with larger needles in colorwork pattern after blocking.

Size
One size: adult. Hat fits a 22-24 in/ 56-61 cm head. Mittens are 10.5 in/ 26 cm from cuff edge to finger tips. Mittens are 7.5 in/ 19 cm around the knuckles.

Materials Cascade 220 Fingering, which is a light fingering weight, 100% wool yarn.
1 hank = 273 yds/ 250 m/ 50 g

Yarn estimate for full set —- Coastal Fjord (blue) 180 yds/ 165 m— Sage (sage) 96 yds/ 88 m—Beige (beige) 96 yds/ 88 m— Lemon Pepper (light green) 78 yds/ 71 m— Fir Green (olive green) 108 yds/ 99 m

A few more details: no test knitting experience required. However, this is a pattern for experienced knitters. I’m looking for someone who can complete this project (at least one of the accessories) within a month. I provide no monetary reimbursement to the test knitters. Test Knitters will get a copy of the finished pattern plus one pattern of your choice from my Ravelry Store emailed to you after the test knit is complete. Please email with any questions.

Happy Knitting, Traci

 

 

 

Still My Favorite

4 Replies

Here’s a little history if you are new to my blog. A few years back I started writing patterns for the mittens and hats that I was designing. I put them out for free on this blog. All those free patterns are still here and people mostly find me on Ravelry. Those accessory patterns were never professionally edited or tested. They are almost all for “one size”. Most of them were written with only the imperial measurements leaving the metric system out all together. Don’t get me started on the punctuation errors – oh my god it’s bad.

Starting in 2025 I finally wrote a few patterns that were edited and tested. I charge money for those now and they are so much better than the free ones. I do plan go back and fix all my free patterns. There are about 60 of them so it will take a while. Working with a technical editor has taught me so much! I should be able to improve the free patterns and will chip away at them when I get a chance.

I’ve been knitting a long time and I personally prefer patterns that don’t have a lot of teaching elements. My free patterns represent this style of pattern writing. Mostly the pattern is some charts and some basic instructions and the knitter is expected to know what to do with it. For example, the free patterns say “close the top of the mitten with the kitchener stitch” and the for-sale patterns have half a page dedicated to the steps involved to do the kitchener stitch. Needless to say, the free patterns are about 2-3 pages and the for-sale patterns are 12-18 pages.

If someone wants to be a knitting pattern designer I don’t think they go about it like I did. There are some big problems about putting out so many unedited free pattern. Someone might write me off as a hack when they see my old patterns. Also, all those free patterns were used to train AI (thanks wordpress!) and have been hijacked by other websites so they make money off my work – ugh. Of course people steal patterns that are for sale, but I made it really easy for the theives.

On the bright side, I did get a small following of people who like my designs. I also got to knit A LOT. Now that I pay an editor, I will only put out 4 or 5 pattens a year. When I was putting out free patterns I sometime put out 3 or 4 in a month. That allowed me to experiment with designs and get a feel for what people like.

That leads me to the Favorite Mittens pattern. After I made these mittens I determined that they were my favorite so I named them as such. Get this—it’s one of my least liked pattern on Ravelry. A total of ZERO people have made them. It was first published in Feb 2025 and I just updated the pattern today! It still has not been tech edited, but I fixed the main problems. Now it is written for metric along with imperial measurements. I added the row count to the gauge–it use to just have stitches per inch. I added an abbreviation guide. It still doesn’t tell you how to do a kitchener stitch, it just says “work these (stitches) off with a kitchener stitch”.

Here’s the updated pattern if you are interested. Please do not post this PDF on the internet. If you want to share it, please link to this page.

Favorite Mittens, updated 2026Download

Latvian Braids Revisited – All Free Patterns

2 Replies

For those who want to add a Latvian Braid to your own project here’s the basic instructions.

How to make a Latvian Braid

This Latvian Braid is worked in the round with an even number of stitches and two different colored strands of yarn.

A Latvian Braid is made by working these 3 rounds:

Round 1:  (k 1 Color A, k 1 Color B) repeat to end of round.

Round 2: Move both strands to the front of the work. (All stitches in rounds 2 and 3 are purled over the same color as the previous round.) Starting with Color A, pull the yarn up and purl. Now using Color B, bring it under the last stitch and purl. Now use Color A and bring it under the last stitch and purl. Alternate these two stitches for the round. Your yarn will twist up. Do not try to untwist because it will naturally do so on the next round. 

Round 3: Work the 1st stitch by pulling Color A  under the last stitch and purl. (This is the only one in this round that is pulled from under the other.) Then work the next stitch in Color B, pull the yarn OVER the last stitch and purl. The 3rd st is also worked by pulling OVER the last stitch and purl. Continue bringing each yarn over the last and purl to the end of the round. Your yarn will untwist as you do this row. Pull the yarns to the back at the end of the round. You will weave them in later.

If you want to follow a pattern that includes a Latvian Braid, here’s some of my patterns for you to try.

You can find Lit Mitts here: https://fleecelovehappiness.home.blog/2025/03/08/lit-mitts/

You can find Glacia Mittens here: https://fleecelovehappiness.home.blog/2024/11/16/glacia-mittens/

You can find the Forecast Hat here: https://fleecelovehappiness.home.blog/2023/12/02/forecast-hat/

You can find the Bella Bella Mittens here: https://fleecelovehappiness.home.blog/2023/09/03/bella-bella-mittens/

If you really want to go crazy with these, try Latvian Braids All Day Hat. Found here: https://fleecelovehappiness.home.blog/2025/03/29/latvian-braids-all-day/

Happy knitting,

Traci

Open Test Knit for Ulia

Leave a reply

Sizes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 are closed as of 6/28/26. Still need testers for size 6, 7, and 8.

Interested in being a Test Knitter for the Ulia sweater? This post is to give you information so you can decide if it’s the right Test Knit project for you. First I will describe the sweater, then I will describe the test knitting process.

Ulia is a textured, structured, crew neck sweater with a classic fit.

Construction: Ulia is knitted from the bottom up, in the round, until you get to the armholes. At that point the front and back of the sweater are knitted flat. The sleeves are knitted in the round until the underarms and then knit flat as you shape the shoulder caps. Both the body and the sleeves start with a tubular cast-on to create a tidy, long-wearing ribbing. The raglan sleeves are sewn to the sweater body. Stitches are picked up around the neck to create the ribbing for the neckline. Lastly, a tubular bind off is worked to keep continuity of all edges.

The pattern is charted and there are written instructions of the charted sections for those who prefer it. This pattern is for experienced knitters. It’s expected that the knitter maintains gauge while knitting both in the round and flat. The bobbles are what I call “quickie bobbles” because you do not turn your work to create them.

Sizing: Choose your size according to the largest measurement around your chest, plus 4-6 in/ 10-15 cm of positive ease. Example: if your chest measures 34 in/ 86 cm and you want 5 in/ 12.5 cm of positive ease, you would knit the size 2 that has a 39 in/ 98 cm circumference at the chest. The chest and waist measurements are the same so pick a size that also fits your waist.

Materials: Harrisville Designs Highland Yarn
Color: Russet
100% wool, Worsted weight
Approx. 200 yds/ 183 m to 100 gram skein
Amount needed: 6 [6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9] skeins
Substitution can be made with other worsted weight 100% wool yarn.
Amount needed: 1150 [1130, 1232, 1320, 1406, 1493, 1601, 1695] yds/ 961 [1034, 1126, 1206,
1286, 1366, 1464, 1550] m.

Supplies
Needles for gauge swatch and sweater referred to as larger needles
US Size 6/ 4mm 32 in/ 80cm circular needles
US Size 6/ 4mm 16 in/ 40cm circular needles
US Size 6/ 4mm dpns or preferred needles for small circumference knitting
Needles for Ribbing
US Size 5/ 3.75mm 16 in/ 40cm circular needles
US Size 5/ 3.75mm dpns or preferred needles for small circumference knitting
Optional for Tubular CO
US Size 4/ 3.5mm dpns or preferred needles for small circumference knitting
US Size 4/ 3.5mm 32 in/ 80cm circular needles
Cable needle, tape measure, scissors, stitch markers, yarn needle, a few yards/meters of cotton
or other smooth scrap yarn.

The Test Knit Process

Start Date: Now. The pattern will be emailed to you as soon as you are chosen to be a test knitter. End Date: Nov 5, 2026. The pattern will be published on Ravelry mid-November 2026.

This pattern has been professionally edited and is ready to knit. I do not pay for test knitters, nor do I supply any $ for yarn allowance. I use email for communication regarding the test knit.

Expectations Compete project by Nov 5, 2026 Make project page on Ravelry (exceptions may be made for those who don’t do Ravelry) Keep track of your yardage and final measurement of garment. Supply me with (or post on Ravelry) at least 3 photos, taken in natural light, of the sweater. A WIP photo is good, plus the sweater laying flat, and if you are ok with it, a photo of the sweater being worn by a person. If you don’t want to be in a photo, a picture of the sweater on a hanger will work. I will have a short questionnaire at the end of the test knit period asking about the clarity of the pattern and you general impressions.

Model is wearing size 3 with a 4 in/ 10 cm ease.

Applying: just email me at traciscott1210@gmail.com and let me know what size you want to test knit. Please read the expectations and only apply if you can meet those.

After all that time with a calculator and then going back and forth with the editor, I’m happy to be at this point. Let the knitting begin!

How to be a Human on the Internet

Leave a reply

Have you noticed the trend of photographing knitwear without a face attached? I like that style and embraced it while choosing photos to promote my knitting pattern called Twoolen. I felt that it put the focus on the sweater, not the person. And let’s be honest, I’m not really a model. 

Alas, another internet trend has developed. Thieves are stealing patterns and chopping off the heads of the models in the accompanying photos. I’m pretty sure this happened before AI, but clearly it’s a problem now.  When I’m on social media forums lots of people post these AI fakes and ask, “doesn’t anyone know where I can find this pattern?”  The crowd responds: it’s an AI fake. The author of the post asks, “how do you know”.  This back-and-forth is repeated everyday. 

I was listening to a youtube video (while knitting, thus the reason for not watching) about images on the internet and how it’s important to look like a human now. In other words, put your face in the photo. This comment was not about knitting patterns, but right away I saw the truth in this idea. Most of the designers I follow use their faces in their promotional images. I know their faces and I know their pattern designing style. Some examples of designers that do a good job of being humans on the internet are: Briana Arlene, Native Knitter, and Tracey Doxey.  These designers share quite a bit about their lives. They are clearly real people with real pattern designs. 

So when I say, “How to be a human on the internet” what I’m really saying is “how to not look like a bot”.  (As for being a good human, that’s on you and will not be addressed here.)  Sadly, the internet world has come to this. There are so many scams on fb marketplace and all the buy-and-sell groups, we all have to be careful.  My default mode is: that’s not a real person. I’ve tipped over into the doubt-everything mind-set. As for knitting patterns, I wouldn’t buy anything unless I was totally sure the designer was getting paid. Pro tip: if the pattern is being sold for $2, scammers are just getting your credit card info and you will not get a pattern. (I read that story on a knitting forum.)

I don’t think a person has to show their face to be seen as a human and not a bot. Half of my internet friends have their cat or dog as their avatar! I love that. My original Fleece Love and Happiness (circa 2008)  avatar was a photo of my hands holding yarn. Moving forward, I will be mindful of how I portray myself and I will not shy away from sharing my humanness. Mistakes and all.  Human slop is so much better than AI slop, right?

Blyn and the Center Double Decrease

2 Replies

A few years ago I put out a free pattern on this blog called Blyn. Today I updated the pattern to make the chart easier to read. Take a look at these two blank charts. The first one, on the left, is like the old Blyn pattern and the second one on the right is like the new Blyn pattern.

The chart on the left assumes the knitter knows to read from the previous line when working the center double decrease. The one on the right is easier to understand regarding when to start the center double decreases.

Although I considered the first style of chart to be normal, it was confusing to people. I probably wont go back and change other patterns but I made an exception for Blyn. Moving forward, all my new hat patterns will be laid out with the double-center-decrease in the middle of the chart.

Here’s the free updated knitting pattern for Blyn. Please do not post this pdf on other websites! If you want to share it, just link to this page.

Happy Knitting!

Blyn2026Download

Side note: not everyone uses the term “Center Double Decrease”. I see it sometimes as “double-center-decrease” or “centered double decrease”. Either way, it’s taking 3 stitches and turning them into 1 stitch with it aligning in the center of the original 3 stitches.

Subtle and Obvious Thievery

2 Replies

I should have known better. If you give something away for free, someone else will take it and sell it. In a round-a-bout way, that is what the websites that gather free patterns in one place are doing. They make money from the advertisements they sell. So people go to the websites for the pattern and see all the ridiculous links to “download” something. A few of these sites have had my patterns up and they redirect people to this blog for the pattern. I surrendered early on to that situation. I check the link, and if it really goes to my blog, I just let it be. These shitty sites include, but are not limited to: sarahmaker.com, knit-knit.com, and intheloopknitting.com. Do not click on them!

Sometimes my name has been removed for a pattern/chart and there is no link to me or to Fleece Love and Happiness. When this happens on Pinterest I fill out a complaint form. I prove it’s my pattern by linking to my original post. Pinterest deals with it right away! Within 24 hours they will take those fraudulent pins down. Today I was on a site that had my photography and my charted pattern and the name on it was Sarah White. Wow. That’s probably not even a person. An AI bot probably scooped a bunch of free patterns off the internet and posted them to sell adds.

I come from an era of using the internet to share ideas. That’s why I wrote free patterns and that’s why I blab away on this blog. But times have changed and every corner of the internet has been monetarized. Today I edited every post that I have made that includes a free pattern download pdf to say: “Please do not post this pdf on other websites! If you want to share it, just link to this page.” I’m not sure that will deter anyone but I figured I should state it clearly.

Theft is a problem for all artists and craftspeople who put their work on the internet. I’m a beginner silversmith and I hear from the real artists that make their living selling jewelry that scams are everywhere. Thieves take the photos of their jewelry and post it for sale, take the money, and never send the item because, of course, they never had it. I’m talking about beautiful hand crafted silver pieces worth several hundred dollars. To make matters worse, the duped buyer is livid and they write horrible reviews of the artist.

On that note, I can only be a little grumpy about people taking my free patterns. What’s really crazy is people posting knitting patterns that are in books or purchased pdfs. I cringe when I see those Pinterest pins of photos taken of the pages from a pattern book.

The photo above is a pattern called Pretty Please Mittens that I published on this blog in 2023. I found it on a website that had “10 Free Patterns for Beginner Knitters”. Ok, anyone who has knitted my mitten patterns knows they are not for beginners! They are knitted on size 2 needles, in the round, using 2 strands at a time, and changing colors often. I think an adventurous intermediate knitter could give this a go, but you’d drive yourself crazy if you were a true “beginner”.

I’ll end it there. I know I’ve been a little cranky in my last few posts. Bear with me. I’ll get back to Fleece Love and Happiness!