Latvian Braids All Day

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Sitting on my desk is a big jar of left over yarn balls just waiting for me to think of something to do with them. I love Latvian braids so I thought I’d work out a hat that uses up these scraps.

I started by grouping the colors and thinking about how to make the braids look interesting.

With my first hat I used a light color for the base color (main color) and chose various greens and blues for the braids.

For this one I chose a base of dark gray with tans, browns, and grays for the braids—plus that one green ball.

This hat has a dark brown main color with tans, oranges and greens. However you configure your colors, I think it’s best to have high contrast with your Latvian braid colors.

I must say that these hats didn’t even put a dent into my scraps and I still have a big jar of little bits of yarn sitting on my desk. Now I’m thinking about weaving with them!

This isn’t my first attempt of trying to design something that would eat up my scraps. I did a stranded hat pattern called Using Up Scraps Hat that you can get for FREE on this blog.

Here is the Free Pattern for Latvian Braid All Day Hat:

Latvian Braids All Day HatDownload

Lit Mitts

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When I write a pattern I search the name I’ve chosen to see if anyone else has used it. I’d been calling these little mitts “Lit Mitts” since I started working on them. When I did a name check I came up with my own pattern Star Lit Mitts! Oh, right, I forgot about that! I decided to stick with “Lit Mitts” anyway.

I thought it would be fun to incorporate Latvian Braids—plus it’s a good use of colorful scrap yarns. I chose Hollyberry and Fuchsia for the accent braids but any bright colors for this trim would work.

Most of the mitten and mitts that I’ve designed lately have the same pattern on the palms and backs of hand. I like the idea that there is no left or right. Here’ the FREE pattern for Lit Mitts for you to enjoy. If you want to share this pattern, please link to this webpage instead of posting the pdf.

Lit MittsDownload

Flower Field Legwarmers

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Flower Field Legwarmers were fun to design and knit but it took forever to get the pattern in order. The problem was the photographs. I’ve given up and have decided to present it all as I have it now— even with my not-so-great photos. I do not like modeling. I don’t mind putting on some mittens and taking a few photos but modleing legs is another thing all together.

I took photos with 3 different kinds of shoes/boots to show how one could wear these. Wearing them with my rubber boots if my favorite for sure.

Here I am with my slippers and sleeping shirt! Woah… lots of leg showing.

Enough about modeling! Let me tell you something about the actual leg warmers. I designed them with a 7-stitch stripe up the back, kind of the way socks are designed. There’s lots of color changes in this pattern and I’m hoping people will use those 7 stitches to weave in the color changes as they go. Sometime people post photos on social media of their stranded color work with dozens of tails that need to be woven in. At that point it’s too late for anyone to suggest to weave in as you go. But let me say now, before you begin this project—weave in your color changes as you go! I designed this pattern specifically so you can do that on the back of the legwarmer.

Here’s the free pattern for Flower Field Legwarmers. If you want to share this pattern please link to this website. Enjoy!

Flower Field LegwarmersDownload

Favorite Mittens

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I spend a lot of time thinking about color. I shuffle my yarns around to see what looks good together. Then I get on my computer and work it out in a grid pattern. I use Stitchmastery software which gets the job done but I can’t say I love it. It’s doesn’t save my colors which is unfortunate. I mostly use Knit Picks Palette line and my old on-line program had those colors all imported. Sadly I can not use an on-line product like Stitchfiddle due to the time I spend in places without internet. So Stichmastery it is.

Here’s a photo that includes my first attempt at this mitten. I got pretty far before deciding to chuck it. Regarding the half-finished mitten on the left: I love these colors together, but I didn’t like the lack of contrast with the blue and dark brown. With the second attempt I made the flower section very high contrast with light and dark gray (basically black and white).

I think Favorite Mittens would look good with lots of different color combinations. You could use the colors I’ve worked out or pick some of your own. Below is the free pattern. If you want to share this pattern with anyone, please send them to this website.

Favorite MittensDownload

Boreas Mittens

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Man Mittens! This time David was my model and I was the photographer. I designed these mitten and made them for someone as a gift last month. Now I’m just getting around to writing the pattern.

Boreas Mittens are knitted by following several charts. First you knit the cuff, working through the ribbing section. Then you follow 2 more charts for the mitten body and the thumb gusset. After you finish the mitten body you work the thumb in pattern.

This is a FREE PATTERN. Enjoy! If you want to share this pattern with someone, please send them to this website. Gracias!

Boreas MittensDownload

Indiola, Oregon

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In July this year we were traveling in Oregon and I took my husband to Indiola. This is a place up the road from Mapleton on Lake Creek. We were just passer-byes being that I don’t know anyone who lives there anymore. It is were my grandmother lived and it is were my mother grew up. I spent many of my childhood days playing in the river there and running wild. Since I was knitting these mittens on that trip I named them “Indiola Mittens”. My mother passed away this fall so I’m a little sad posting this tribute to her childhood home. The actual house she lived in is gone now, but the air smelled the same and the river still runs.

Near the river is a plaque dedicating the boat landing to my grandparents. May their spirit live on and on!

Now, on to the knitting. The color of the year for me was Coriander Heather (a Knit Picks color that’s basically oatmeal). Here’s just a sample of the knitting I did this year and it’s clear I had a theme going on.

Here we have Floretta Mittens, Indiola Mittens, Blyn Hat, and a baby sweater (no pattern). I simply could not stop knitting flowers!

The other thing I was obsessed with this year is what I call “fancy thumbs”. I love designing mittens with complicated thumbs. Yes, it’s a bit fussy to knit in the round with 20 stitches but I just love how it turns out.

Here’s the Free Knitting Pattern for Indiola Mittens. If you make them I’d love to see a photo. Please post on Ravelry or send me a message. Happy New Year!

Indiola MittensDownload

Glacia Mittens

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Glacia Mittens kept me busy for a week. After designing on the computer, I sat down and started knitting. I didn’t do a swatch this time!

I’m sure we all have knitting “focus” categories in our minds. Mine are: Everything quiet, No talking, Ok for music to be playing, Ok for podcast to be playing, TV knitting, Conversation knitting, etc. I get motion sickness so I can never knit while riding in the car. There are, however, transportation knitting categories: OK for flights, OK on a ferry, OK for walking (never for me!). Glacia Mittens start with the cast on (No talking, No sound). Work a simple 2X2 ribbing (TV knitting). Work a Latvian Braid (OK for music). Start the charts (No sound for a few rows, then put on music). End with a kitchener stitch (No sound, No talking). Thumb (Music). Weave in the ends (Conversation or Podcast). Categories may very. Warning: if you don’t weave in your ends as you go you will need to listen to several podcasts to weave them in at the end.

Here’s the pattern for Glacia Mittens. It’s free and if you want to share it please link to this blog. If you make them please send me a photo or post on Ravelry. Enjoy!

Glacia MittensDownload

All-Star Mittens

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This week I’m presenting the free knitting pattern for All-Star Mittens. These wool mittens are knitted on Size 2 needles with fingering weight yarn. There’s a chart for the corrugated ribbing cuff then you follow 2 charts for the mitten body and the thumb. The front and the back of the mitten are the same. This is a pattern that I designed and knitted while traveling this summer. They are part of my cold weather back-stock of patterns that I plan to put out over the fall months

I though it would be fun to share something I’ve been keeping in a box for years. Let me first say that I am not a keeper of things and it’s very unusual for me to hold on to something for years. I’ve made lots of knitted items that were worn out, donated, or given away—never to be seen again. That’s why it’s so incredible that I kept the very first pair of mittens that I designed and knitted!

Centering the stars was just too difficult I guess! These mittens are so funny to me because I know I didn’t think ahead on how to place the color-work part. I actually wore them the winter I made them but I don’t remember how long ago that was.

Fast forward a few decades— I know how to design with the motif centered now! Here’s the pattern for All-Star Mittens. Enjoy! If you want to share this pattern, share the link to this website, not the pdf please.

All-Star MittensDownload

Starla Mitts

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There are two design elements that I’ve been focusing on lately–fancy thumbs and mittens that are the same pattern on the palm and back of the hand. It is true that I’ve made several fingerless mitt patterns with star motifs, but Starla Mitts are different because the palms also have the star pattern.

The other change I made in this pattern is to use ribbing on the thumb and finger opening. I really like how they fit. I used Size 2 needles for the ribbing and the charted star pattern. I always make mitten with Size 2 needles when using a fingering weight yarn because the closer knit makes a sturdy mitt.

If you prefer a seeding pattern for the palms check out Star Lit Mitts and Star Power Mitts, patterns I posted in 2023.

Here is the FREE patten to download if you want to make Starla Mitts. If you want to share this pattern just link to this page. Please do not post the pdf of the pattern on other sites.

Starla MittsDownload

Edie Beanie

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Because we were camping without cell reception/internet, I didn’t post weekly patterns like I said I would. Instead we went to Utah to the Uinta Mountains. There I found bright fall colors! I also realized how each region has different fall colors. (Of course there are no fall colors at my home in the Mohave Desert.) When I designed Edie Beanie it was still summer and I was going by memory of what fall feels like. I still love the colors in this hat pattern, but they are more subdue than the real life bight fall colors that are happening in some places. It doesn’t matter really because are we just trying to match the colors in our coats, right? 🙂

Edie Beanie calls for small amounts of 7 colors. I think it’s a good use of fingering weight scraps. The pattern of alternating botanical motifs travel up to the crown and meet in a way that creates a star at the top.

This is a free pattern for now. Please do not use any of these images without consent or post the pattern pdf on another site. It is okay to link to this website so others can find it.

Happy Knitting!

Edie BeanieDownload