Knitting patterns
Naturally dyed yarn
Patterns to cast on now
A classic beanie that looks good on men and women. Comes in five sizes from baby to adult large.
Pattern Inspiration
I recently stopped off in San Sebastián en route to Portugal. Inspiration for this pattern came whilst sat in one of the many bars eating Pintxos! Some of our favourites were the sea urchins. This hat is made to resemble a sea urchin shell, which can be ordered in nearly all of the bars there. And afterwards you can go for a swim in the sea, heaven!
Pattern Overview
The San Sebastián hat is a delight to knit and works up very quickly as every other round is a knit round. The hat is worked in the round from the bottom to the top. The brim is folded twice so that it is eventually made up of three layers of fabric. This is super cosy to wear and gives a beautiful aesthetic as the cast on edge is hidden inside the brim. Once the brim has been worked to the desired length, the crown is shaped using a series of evenly spaced decreases, and voila! The hat comes in five sizes from toddler to large adult.
Sizes: baby/toddler (6 months - 2 years), junior (2 - 10 years), tweens and small adults, adult medium to large, adult extra large
Finished Hat Circumferences (cm): 36, 41, 46, 52, 57
Recommended ease: approximately 5 cm negative ease
To fit the range of head circumferences (cm): 38-43, 43-48, 48-54, 54-59, 59-63
Height of brim once rolled up (cm): 4.5, 4.5, 5.5, 6, 6.5
Gauge: 24 sts / 10 cm in stitch pattern and 34 rounds / 10 cm
Needles: 3.5 mm circular needles of circumference 25 cm, five 3.5 mm DPNs of length 15 cm
Yarn: 100g DK weight yarn, approximately 230m per 100g. I would suggest Knit by Numbers DK by John Arbon Textiles or Double Sunday by Sandnes Garn or my own plant dyed organic merino DK by Thread of the Earth if any is available. You will need approximately 119, 162, 195, 215, 241 metres for each size. For the adult large size you may need to consider buying two skeins of yarn, depending on how generous your skeins are. If the skeins are exactly 100g, I would opt for getting two to be on the safe side.
Samples shown here are knitted as follows: baby/toddler (pink with speckles): BFL DK (47g) by Thread of the Earth in colourway ‘opal’, tweens and small adults (brown): 100% organic merino DK (77g) by Thread of the Earth in colourway ‘deep forest’, adult medium (green): organic merino DK (85g) by Thread of the Earth in colourway ‘Moss’, adult large (yellow): BFL DK (96g) by Thread of the Earth in colourway ‘elderflower’.
A shawl inspired by a one woman row across the Atlantic! In the winter of 2025/2026, Mili from Tribe Yarns, rowed solo across the Atlantic and I watched from afar, totally in awe, knitting this shawl. The Atlantic Adventure Shawl has an unusual, exciting construction. You begin with the ribbing and shape the tip of the shawl with a series of central double decreases. You then fill in the whole body of the shawl with German short rows, incorporating an ever increasing number of stitches from the initial ribbing rows. I warn you that knitting this shawl gets addictive!
This pattern is written for four weights of yarn in varying gauges, and with each weight of yarn, you will end up with very similar finished measurements.
Finished Measurements: 154cm/60inches wide and 45cm/18inches deep
Gauges: light-fingering (4ply) sport (DK): 34 (32) 31 (29) sts per 10cm/4inches
I would say that gauge is not crucial for this project. What is important is that you like the feel and drape of the finished fabric. I would therefore suggest you choose the needles that give you your desired fabric. It will be helpful to highlight the instructions for your chosen yarn weight.
Needles: 3 (3.25) 3.5 (4) mm for the cast-on and main body of the shawl and 2.75 (3) 3.25 (3.75) mm for the final neck ribbing and cast-off (US sizes 2.5 (3) 4 (6) and US 2 (2.5) 3 (5))
Yarn: Approximately 550 (640) 620 (690) m / 600 (700) 680 (755) yards or 110 (160) 240 (300) g of light-fingering (4ply) sport (DK) weight yarn.
Samples shown here are knitted as follows:
Light-fingering (blue): Knitting for Olive merino (100% merino, 250m/273yards per 50g) by Knitting for Olive in colourway ‘dusty dove blue’
Sport weight (pink): Antigone (100% organic linen; 260m/284 yards per 100g by De Rerum Natura in colourway ‘macaron’) - stocked at Tribe Yarns!
DK (brown): one strand of alpaca and silk (80/20, 265m/290yards per 100g, non-superwash in colourway ‘earth’) by Thread of the Earth, held together with one strand of suri alpaca, extra fine merino and silk (50/30/20, 1200m/1310 per 100g, non-superwash in colourway ‘earth’) by Thread of the Earth.
Use almost any yarn weight to knit this beautiful four-seasons shawl.
Testimonials
“A fantastic knit and terrific design.“
“This has become my favorite men’s sweater.”
“A truly relaxing knit and produced a most handsome garment.“
“I’m planning to knit another one.”
“I loved knitting this.“
“Made this for my husband and my son loves it too so I’m going to knit it again for him.”
Pattern Inspiration
This pattern was inspired by a jumper that my husband inherited from his grandfather. He lived in many countries throughout Europe, but he studied at St Andrews University in Scotland. It was during this time that a sweater similar to this was knitted for him from handspun yarn and has since been passed down through the family. With this sweater pattern I hope that you too will be able to slowly create a fabulous piece that will be shared with generations to come.
Pattern Overview
St Andrews Sweater is worked in the round from the bottom to the top with raglan shaping. It features a simple cable pattern on the front and back, which is mirrored down the length of the sleeves. There is simple waist shaping to create an elegant fit. The ribbing is worked in half twisted rib and the neckline is folded double to create a timeless sweater.
Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6), (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
Recommended ease: I recommend approximately 20 - 25 cm positive ease.
Finished Sweater Chest Circumference (cm): 97 (101, 108, 114, 120, 124), (131, 137, 143, 150, 158)
To fit a chest circumference (cm): 73-77 (77-81, 81-88, 88-94, 94-100, 100-104), (104-111, 111-117, 117-123, 123-130, 130-138)
Gauge: 19 sts / 10cm and 25 rounds / 10 cm on larger needles, in stocking stitch after blocking
Needles: 4.0 mm (US 6) circular needles of circumference 40 cm (16-inch) and 23 cm (9-inch) for the neck band and wrist cuff respectively. 4.5 mm (US 7) circular needles of circumference 80 cm (32-inch), 40 cm (16-inch) and 23 cm (9-inch) for the body, neck and sleeve respectively.
Yarn requirements: 5 (5, 6, 6, 6, 7), (7, 8, 8, 9, 9) 100g balls John Arbon Textiles Devon Naturals Aran (176m/100g)
Samples: 1) (younger man) 700g of John Arbon Textiles Devon Naturals Aran (10% Zwartbles / 90% Exmoor Blueface (176 m/100g (193yards / 100g) in the colourway ‘Ethel’. Size 6. 2) (older man) 700g of John Arbon Textiles Devon Naturals Aran (Grey Exmoor Blueface / Romney (176 m/100g (193yards / 100g) in the colourway ‘Reggie’. Size 6 (for a snug fit as both men have a 107cm chest).
Knit level: Advanced beginner
Yarns in stock
This is a beautiful soft and bouncy yarn that you can wear next to the skin. It is organic AND machine washable, but non-superwash! It is treated in an environmentally friendly way to prevent shrinking, which does not rely on strong chemical treatments (chlorine) or plastics.
Hand dyed naturally by me in small batches using a range of locally sourced plant material selected for good light- and wash- fast properties.
Fiber content: GOTS certified 100% merino wool spun in Yorkshire, UK.
Yarn Specs: fingering weight, 4ply, high twist
Meterage: 400m / 100g
Please bear in mind that colours are represented differently on different display screens. I have made every attempt to capture these skeins to their true likeness, but it is possible they will look different on different monitors. I only use specially selected plant material with good light and wash fast properties to dye my yarn. However, natural dyes can change over time. This property is valued by many cultures. Keep out of direct sunlight and handwash in warm water.
Please note that I can only ship to UK.
This is my first vegan yarn, still lovingly hand-dyed by me with a range of foraged plant material and extracts, but no sheep in sight!
Fibre content: 50% Natural Bamboo, 50% Linen
Yarn weight: Fingering, 4ply
Meterage: 400m / 100g
Please bear in mind that colours are represented differently on different display screens. I have made every attempt to capture these skeins to their true likeness, but it is possible they will look different on different monitors. I only use specially selected plant material with good light and wash fast properties to dye my yarn. However, natural dyes can change over time. This property is valued by many cultures. Keep out of direct sunlight and handwash in warm water.
Please note that I can only ship to UK.
This is a beautiful soft and bouncy yarn that you can wear next to the skin. It is organic AND machine washable, but non-superwash! It is treated in an environmentally friendly way to prevent shrinking, which does not rely on strong chemical treatments (chlorine) or plastics.
Hand dyed naturally by me in small batches using a range of locally sourced plant material selected for good light- and wash- fast properties.
Fiber content: GOTS certified 100% merino wool spun in Yorkshire, UK.
Yarn Specs: DK, 2ply
Meterage: 230m / 100g
Please bear in mind that colours are represented differently on different display screens. I have made every attempt to capture these skeins to their true likeness, but it is possible they will look different on different monitors. I only use specially selected plant material with good light and wash fast properties to dye my yarn. However, natural dyes can change over time. This property is valued by many cultures. Keep out of direct sunlight and handwash in warm water.
Please note that I can only ship to UK.
Latest Release
St Andrews Sweater
Man
— Coming September 18th —
Brunel cowl and shawl
Released Friday 4th September
Published in ‘The Annual’ Issue 6, by John Arbon Textiles
More Than Just Patterns
I naturally dye yarn and embroidery threads by hand in small batches using a selection of plants and mushrooms
Embroidery threads and kits
100% British non-super wash Appleton’s Crewel wool spun in England and naturally dyed by hand in small batches. Natural dye stuffs include leaves, roots, flowers, bark and mushrooms, and the occasional dye extract.
Each ball weighs approximately 5g. I hand wind every ball and so they are all different.
Plant material is specially selected for their good wash and colour fast properties. Because I only work with natural dyes no two batches are the same. I advise you to buy all of the wool you might need for a single project in one go. Natural dyes can change and develop over time, a quality that is appreciated by many cultures. Hand wash in cool water and keep out of direct sunlight.
100% British Appleton’s Crewel Wool. Spun in the UK Dyed between Cambridge and Portugal.
A bundle of five 5g balls of Appleton’s Crewel Wool. Naturally dyed by hand by me in small batches using foraged plant materials. Lovingly curated sets of five different colours. Total weight is approximately 25g. I hand wind every single ball and so there may be some variation in size.
Please note that I can only ship to the UK at this time.
These have sold out, but I am preparing one more that will be ready soon.
If you would like to preorder it, please expect it to be ready within 3 weeks.
I have dyed up 100% non-superwash Bluefaced Leicester wool for this incredible design. The yarn is sourced and spun in the UK and naturally dyed using a range of plant materials. Please note, the pattern must be purchased separately.