Category Archives: Uncategorized

Test Knitters for the Una Set – CLOSED

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*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

 

 

 

Five Floral Mittens

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Greetings! I wanted to write a bit here about how I ended up making an ebook called Five Floral Mittens. I have spent the last few years knitting and writing patterns that I put out for free on this blog. It was lots of fun and some of the patterns got attention and were knitted by folks that found me here or on Ravelry. Some of the patterns did not do so well but I left them up anyways since I found out that you can not delete a pattern of Ravelry. It can become “unavailable” but the photos and information remain.

Over time I felt uncomfortable about some not-so-good patterns and wanted to fix them. I reknitted and rewrote a few patterns and they did look better. In the mean time I was starting to work with an editor for my new pattens and anything I had edited I would charge money for. No more free pattern. The more I learned while working with the editor the more I cringed at my old patterns.

I went back to work on Carmelita Mittens. I actually changed the yarn/gauge and fixed some awkward elements in the design (long floats, ugly thumb, etc.). I set them aside and started working on one another pattern called Wild Flower Mittens. Again, the thumb was difficult with long floats, so I change that and reknitted them. I kept the basic design the same. At first glace, they look like the same mitten, but they knit up easier than the original pattern.

After re-working the Wild Flower Mittens pattern I started looked for the next in line of poorly written patterns. I thought Floriculture Mittens needed some help. But WAIT! This is when the idea came to me. There was theme to these pattern that I was rewriting. Floral designs. 2 colored stranded knitting. Same front and back, so all mittens are not designated left or right. All fancy thumbs!

I looked through my patterns and decided that Flowerfest Mittens needed to be in the group. My plan was to compile all these patterns and send them off to the tech editor. I arranged them as an ebook with a plan to sell them on Ravelry. Since it was a little odd to take free patterns and turn them into for-sale patterns I thought I’d take them time to create something new. The new pattern is really what you are buying and the others are kind of thrown in for the editing. I was planning on charging the price for one pattern and the other four were kind of a bonus.

Floria Mittens were designed with the same elements as the others: floral motif, fancy thumbs, same pattern front and back, 2 colors.

The ebook has been edited and Five Floral Mittens is now available on Ravelry. I have taking down the links for Carmelita Mittens, Flowerfest Mittens, Wild Flower Mittens, and Floriculture Mittens. You can find them, plus Floria Mittens, in the ebook. I’m listing it for $8.50.

For more info and to purchase: Five Floral Mittens.

Children’s Fair Isle Mittens

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Back in November I started a small project of Children’s Fair Isle Mittens. Each grandkid got a pair this year and that allowed me to make every size that’s available in the pattern. The pattern has been tech edited now and is up on Ravelry as of today!

Children’s Fair Isle Mittens have a corrugated cuff, checkerboard palms and thumbs, and a star motif on the body of the mitten. Each size has it’s own chart in the pattern. Although it’s best to measure the child’s hand to get the right fit, the sizes are: Size 1 age 2-3, Size 2 ages 4-6, Size 3 ages 7-9.

Finished Measurements:
Mitten length from cuff to tip: 5.5 in/ 14 cm (6 in/ 15 cm, 7 in/ 17.5 cm)
Mitten circumference at knuckles: 6 in/ 15 cm (6.5 in/ 16.5 cm, 7 in/ 17.5 cm)

The colorwork charts are in grayscale and the instructions include information about choosing colors. You can use the colors noted from the sample mittens or choose your own colors from your leftover 100% wool fingering weight yarn. The mittens have a main color (MC) and three contrasting colors (CC).

Size 1
MC – 51 yds/ 47 m
CC1 – 30 yds/ 28 m
CC2 – 15 yds/ 14 m
CC3 – 15 yds/ 14 m

Size 2
MC – 71 yds/ 65 m
CC1 – 36 yds/ 33 m
CC2 – 15 yds/ 14 m
CC3 – 15 yds/ 14 m

Size 3
MC – 76 yds/ 70 m
CC1 – 41 yds/ 38 m
CC2 – 15 yds/ 14 m
CC3 – 20 yds/ 19 m

You can buy this pattern on Ravelry. buy now

The Jacobina Set

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Introducing my latest pattern: The Jacobina Set. This pattern is named after my daughter – her middle name actually since I’ve already used her first name in a pattern! I just published it on Ravelry this morning. It’s sold as an “ebook” because the pattern contain both the hat and the fingerless mitts.

The ribbing is knitted with US Size 2/ 2.75mm needles and the charted colorwork is knitted with US Size 3/ 3.25mm needles.

Materials needed: Knit Picks Palette, fingering weight 100% wool. 1 ball = 231 yds/ 212 m/ 50 g 

Color Knit Picks color nameYarn Estimate for HatYarn Estimate for MittsYarn Estimate for Full Set
Brown (MC) PumaHeather41 yds/ 38 m66 yds/ 61 m107 yds/ 98 m
Light BlueClarity46 yds/ 42 m51 yds/ 47 m97 yds/ 89 m
GrayMarbleHeather 25 yds/ 23 m30 yds/ 28 m55 yds/ 51 m
TealTidepoolHeather20 yds/ 19 m25 yds/ 23 m45 yds/ 42 m
CreamOyster20 yds/ 19 m15 yds/ 15 m35 yds/ 33 m
SageSagebrush30 yds/ 28 m25 yds/ 23 m55 yds/ 51 m

You can buy the ebook for $7.50 on Ravelry.

If you’d like to be redirected to Ravelry to buy this pattern click: buy now.

Nth Mitts

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Since I was in the mood for some colorwork knitting I took to my computer and started designing. I use the Stitchmastery program. It gives me a grid and I click the little boxes to make patterns. I can spend hours doing this. The software gives me a default number until I name the pattern. If I don’t name it I forget what number I’m working on. In my confusion I quickly gave this one the name Nth and it stuck.

I realize that Nth is not a common word but a few people I know (like my mom) use it occasionally. Like I do with all my pattern names, I googled “Nth” and searched ravelry to make sure someone else has not used it to name a mitt pattern. What I learned was that some people use NTH in text to mean “need to have”. I love it! Two meanings now!

My patterns are not written for beginning knitters. I’d say they are for intermediate knitters that already know how to read charts or advanced knitters. I thought I’d take time here to tell you how I knit patterns like Nth Mitts. Remember, there is no one right way to do anything in knitting.

Managing multiple yarns: I always weave in as I go so I don’t have lots of strings to deal with in the end. The exception is at the beginning or end of a project. I do take the time to weave in those end so the little left over tails are not visible. Also, with corrugated ribbing like in the Nth Mitts I do not weave in as I go because I get a better look if I take the time to weave in the long tails at the end. I carry the yarn not in use up the rows, trapping it every other row or so. That way it is ready for when I need that color again. With Nth Mitts I did not do that with the red lines because I decided it would be too bulky if I had that many yarns being carried up at the beginning of the round. If this idea is new to you, check out youtube videos or other resources about knitting stripes. Stranding knitting/colorwork it like knitting stripes except each “stripe” is worked with 2 colors at a time.

I don’t use fancy yarn holders. I just put the dominate color on my left side and my “background” color on my right side. I set the balls next to my legs. If I have a color that’s not being used but is still attached to my work, I set it in the middle of my lap until I need to use it again.

I use double pointed needles (dpns) because I love knitting with them and have no interest in “magic loop”. My patterns are written using “dpns” but you could use circulars/magic loop if that’s what you like.

If you need to have these mitts you can make them yourself with this free pattern!

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

nth-mittsDownload

Stella Nova Mitts

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I want to tell you a little secret about how I swatch for mittens… I just start knitting the pattern. Of course I know it’s important to get the gauge right but honestly to get the gauge “in the round” you need to make something the size of a mitten. As for picking colors, it’s true that you can make a little square of the pattern but if you think you’ve got the colors that you want, you could just start knitting the mitten. 

This idea of skipping the swatch or having the mitten be the swatch works well with a lot of my patterns because I like to start the cuffs with colorwork. Stella Nova Mitts have very long cuffs—6 inches of colorwork before you get to the wrist. The cuffs are knitted with Size 3 needles so they are looser than other mittens that I have designed. 

With such long cuffs these mitts were not designed to be practical—am I stating the obvious? They were designed to be a fun explosion of stars.

Here is the free pattern for you to enjoy.

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

stella-nova-mittsDownload

Why Free Knitting Patterns?

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Recently I decided to sew some doll clothes for my grand-daughter’s 18” doll.  I looked on Pinterest for free patterns thinking I’d whip out a few outfits in an evening.  There were lots of cute ideas but most of the links were covered with ads and I couldn’t easily find the download for the free patterns.  When I did find the links for the free patterns they didn’t work or the link was for something other than what I thought it would be. I’ve been listening to the podcast Darknet Diaries which is about hacking, scams, botnets, and the like. It’s a really good podcast and I recommend it but it’s made me overly  cautious about opening links.  So I gave up on the free sewing patterns.

This experience solidified my choice to not crowd my blog with ads.  When I started writing knitting patterns I imagined that I’d give them away for free at first and then one day charge for them.  I didn’t have a strong vision of where I wanted to go with knitting pattern design.  I know that if I design a sweater or an other multiple-sized garment I’d probably charge for it because of the work involved.  But somehow I got stuck on accessories and I can’t seem to stop. I love knitting mittens and hats!

Here’s what I get out of it: perfect record keeping.  My fiber craft life has not been one of good record keeping.  I didn’t label my fleece.  I made yarns with unknown amounts of blended wools.  I made the worst offenses when dyeing: didn’t measure dye, didn’t measure mordant, just threw it all in a pot and worked with what came out.  This was my sloppy way of doing things—could I change? Yes!  My knitting projects are recorded so well they are reproduce-able!

With that I give you my next Free Knitting Pattern: Longmont Hat. This hat was designed and knitted while we were visiting family in Longmont, Colorado. Enjoy!

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

longmont-hatDownload

Forecast Hat

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We are back from our trip to Colorado in which we took our travel trailer and camped in below freezing weather. We were obsessed with checking the forecast and the weather was always on my mind. This is because of our solar/battery set up and it’s questionable ability to discharge in below freezing temperatures. This is really my hubby’s arena since he put in the solar set-up. I just benefit from it by being able to go “glamping”.

I had all the luxuries: yarn and light to knit by. I also took my computer and worked on some designs. The photo below is of all the samples I made that did not work out. I thought I’d share this mess so if anyone thinks they have trouble with choosing colors they can see I have troubles too.

I did get a few designs to work out and I ended up knitting two hats on the trip which I will share later. The pattern that I was writing at the time of the trip has been named “Forecast Hat”. I’m posting it here for anyone who would like to knit it. I don’t typically put black into my color-work but I did with this one. And of course, because I can’t resist—a Latvian Braid! Enjoy!

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

Forecast Hat, updated2026Download

Wintress for the Winter Princess

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I know a woman named Wintress and I think she has such a cool name. It’s like ‘winter’ and ‘princess’ combined. I designed this hat to be worked with 2 colors at a time in the classic Fair Isle style. The corrugated ribbing is knitted with size 2 needles and the rest of the hat is to be done in size 3.

In my mind there are 2 kinds of hats: one you would wear doing outdoor activities like hiking and the other you would wear chilling out like on a casual walk. When I make hats I use a size 1 needles for the ribbing if it’s meant to be a sport-style hat. Wintress is more of a causal chilling-out style so the ribbing is with size 2 needles and it’s corrugated so it on the loose side. If you make this hat you can chill-out looking like a winter princess!

This is a free pattern. If you make it please let me know either on ravelry or message me here.

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

wintress-hatDownload

Hibernus Mittens

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‘Tis the season to knit with red and green.

I designed Hibernus Mittens with Knit Picks Palette line of yarns using these colors: Celadon Heather, Rainforest Heather, Finnley Heather, Asphalt Heather, and Lingonberry Heather.

I used with my favorite seeding pattern for the palms and thumbs: checkerboard! And of course, a Latvian Braid at the wrist because I’m super into Latvian Braids. I wrote up the pattern to share with y’all. Enjoy this FREE PATTERN.

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

hibernus-mittensDownload