Big News

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I’ve dropped a few hints that I’ve been designing a sweater and working with an editor. My plan was to publish the sweater pattern this fall and I’m on track. I’ve had 5 test knitters working on the sweater over the summer and I will put that pattern out on Oct. 11th. It will be for purchase on Ravelry.

But that is not all I’ve been working on. Since I’m making the jump to having an edited pattern in which I charge money for I figured I’ll go all in and publish several patterns in that fashion. The sweater feels like such a big deal I thought I should start with something I’m familiar with– accessories!

I designed and wrote the pattern for the Darrington Set while in Darrington, Washington this summer. I had brought a bag a yarn and was going through the colors when I became inspired by this palette.

Although there are 8 colors involved in these colorwork accessories, you can make all 3 items with only 1 ball of each color. The pattern for the Darrington Set will be for purchase on Ravelry in a few days.

The sweater that will come out in a few weeks is called Twoolen. It’s an all over colorwork sweater that comes in 8 sizes. I’ll leave you with this little sneak-peak 🙂

17 years of blogging

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It was August 2008 when I got the idea to start a blog. I opened up the page to create a blogspot account and it asked what I wanted to name my blog. I gave it ZERO thought and the words Fleece Love and Happiness popped into my head. Knitters on-line tended to use puns—okay, I like puns. I didn’t plan to stick with it, I was just seeing if I could figure out how to get a free blog at the time. (Ah, remember when blogs were free.)

In the old days I wrote about spinning, carding, and dyeing wool. There was a time that I blogged about weaving. I always knitted and blogged about that too. All those old post are still out there on the internet. I ended up losing that account, changing my last name, changing my email address, but I kept my knitter “handle”. I moved over to wordpress—and here I am. Still Fleece Love and Happiness after all these years.

To celebrate the anniversary of my blog, I decided to put out a free pattern. A gift to you! Sleeping Bear Hat was designed and knitted this summer while we were traveling. I made it with 3 different color schemes and decided to put them all in the written pattern. I’m assuming people will use their own scraps of fingering weight yarn if they want to make this hat. The colors I chose are just a jumping off point. There’s so many color combinations that would look good with this pattern.

Sleeping Bear Hats are fun to knit to the very end!

Here’s the FREE KNITTING PATTERN for Sleeping Bear Hat. Happy Knitting!

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

Sleeping BearDownload

A Little Warmer

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Back in 2023 I wrote a knitting pattern called A Little Warmer Mitts and posted it to Ravelry. It holds the record for my least popular knitting pattern that I have published with a total of ZERO people knitting it. I thought I’d take it down so my “portfolio” of knitting patterns looked good. It turns out once you post on Ravelry it’s there forever. That was news to me!

My next idea was to knit a new pair with more interesting colors and post new photos. I chose these natural colors: dark dray, medium tan, tan, and cream.

This was also a chance for me to update the pattern. I’ve been writing patterns for a few years now and I’m getting more skilled at it as I go. I’m going to slowly go back through my old patters and update them. I’ve already updated Golden Hour Mittens and it feels better having something out there that I’m proud of. Here’s the new and improved free knitting pattern for A Little Warmer Mitts. Happy Knitting!

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

A Little Warmer Mitts, updatedDownload

Golden Hour Mittens

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I’ve been designing mittens and other items for a few years now. I’ve learned a lot during the process of posting over 50 pattern on Ravelry. I didn’t know once you post something it’s there forever!!! Well, I’m not exactly proud of a few designs I’ve posted. In fact, I would take them down if I could. I figured the next best thing would be to update the patterns. I’ve started with the eye-sore Golden Hour Mittens. I’ve changed the colors and made some adjustment to the colorwork charts so that there are no long stretches of one color. I’ve added a row of the contrasting color around the edges and redesigned the thumb so it’s easier to knit. The cuff now is a 2-color ribbing because it just looks better with the mitten design.

The original Ravelry post had only 1 photo! Oh my, what was I thinking? The updated version has more photos so you can see the front, back, and thumbs of the mittens.

Also, in the pattern I’ve tried to make the instructions more clear. Here’s the updated Golden Hour Mitten Pattern. It’s free. Please post on Ravelry if you make them. Enjoy!

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

Golden Hour MittensDownload

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.

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

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.

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

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. Enjoy!

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

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.

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

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!

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

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!

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

Indiola MittensDownload