Remember when this image went viral last year as a whole mood for what was happening in the world? Well I’ve got a pattern for that!
As soon as I saw this image of Bernie Sanders hunkered down in the cold with these cozy mittens, I knew it needed to be a knitting pattern. That very same day I pulled out a pencil and some graph paper to chart out a similar colorwork pattern as to the ones shown in the picture. By the end of the day, I had a Sanders Mitten and my version of the pattern was born.
I wanted to make sure my mitten pattern would be available in at least two sizes, so I picked a totally different color palette for the second pair of mittens. Of course the smaller ones would be for me, so I went with pinks and reds. What I didn’t realize is that when I substituted in the red color, little hearts appeared!
I also wanted to make sure the pattern would be beginner friendly, so the colorwork does not use more than 2 colors per row, has solid rows of knit in between each chart for a break, and no colorwork on the thumb or top decrease section. I also used a 9” circular to knit my mittens, which helped make the entire project just fly off the needles. A light blocking helps smooth everything out, and I recommend starting the second mitten right away so you won’t have second mitten syndrome, like I do a year later! I made the two sample mittens in the two colors but didn’t finish the respective mates. Now I need to find them and finish them! Thankfully my testers were able to finish a pair of mittens during testing, so the pattern is fully tested and edited.
And there you have it, the Sanders Mittens knit pattern by Jenny GL! You can find the pattern on Ravelry here and on Etsy here. Make sure to tag me @kountingsheep and use hashtags #kountingsheep and #sandersmittens on Instagram if you post your project.
So much has been happening in the world right now, and it can be pretty scary for a lot of people. For me, turning to my crafting has been a comfort when my anxiety is heightened. That’s why I have a bunch of yarn related sales and a freebie to share with you today!
However you choose to spend your unexpected downtime or isolation right now, I hope that you and your family are safe and healthy. It’s my hope that by spreading a little bit of kindness that we can bring a little glimmer of light and hope during this dark time. Happy Friday and happy crafting!
In August of this year, Tyndale released a new Inspire Bible for Girls ages 8 and up. This new Bible is a wonderful edition to the award-winning Inspire line, and I’ll be sharing my review on the blog today as well as a few pages I’ve illustrated in mine. Yes, this Bible is for girls of all ages, including us “big” girls. You can also watch my review on YouTube 
To order your own Inspire Bible for Girls on Amazon, shop my affiliate link 
Here is a brief description of this new Bible from the publisher: “
Tyndale was kind enough to send me a copy of the softcover Inspire Bible for Girls to review. I did also purchase the hardcover version for myself because I loved the cover. Both covers have shimmery silver to it, but I felt like the hardcover had just an extra special touch with the etched designs and colorful endpapers. Both Bibles contain the exact same content, so it’s just a matter of personal preference when choosing a cover. The softcover also retails for slightly less, if budget is an issue.
In addition to the illustrations we’ve come to love in the Inspire Bibles, the Inspire Bible for Girls also includes lots of extra features. These extra features include: 300+ devotionals written by author Carolyn Larsen; 160+ journaling prompts; 64 key scripture verse pages new with illustrations; 64 fun facts list for each book of the Bible (1-3 John are listed together); topical index of devotionals as well as a special “Shine Brightly for Jesus” devotional plan.
As with the other Inspire Bibles, this one includes the full text of Scripture in the New Living Translation (NLT). This translation is dynamic and highly readable, making it a great option for young girls. Something new to this Bible is the addition of some color to the actual pages. There is some teal included throughout the Bible on the key verse illustration pages, the Old and New Testament Pages, the fun facts, devotionals, and journaling prompts. I like that they used color to help highlight these columns throughout to make them stand out and easier to find as you’re flipping through.
The introduction includes lots of information for studying and illustrating in your Bible, as well as some practice illustrations that are a great place for testing out supplies. In the back is an index of all the designed scripture verses and designed word art.
There are new illustrations on the inside covers and the dedication page. Again it was left blank like in the Inspire Praise bible to make it easier to personalize as you choose. This was the first page I illustrated in my new Bible the day after I received it. I used sparkle gel pens and Faber Castell big brush pens to color and write on the spread.
The next page I illustrated was this full page illustration in 2 Chronicles 20:20. I used watercolor pencils and light water to color this page. The thickness of the pages I would consider the same as the original Inspire Bible. The pages are listed as white, but they seem sort of cream to me still. I do think they are a lighter shade than the original Inspire Bible though.
Overall I am highly pleased with the newest Inspire Bible for Girls, and I love that it’s packed full of features. This would make a great Christmas gift for any young girl in your life. To order a copy of the Inspire Bible for Girls on Amazon, click 
You can purchase a special digital kit with tons of printables that coordinate with the Shine Brightly for Jesus devotional plan in the new Inspire Bible for Girls 
Also, I’ll be having a giveaway this week on my Instagram! Check out 
The summer may have slipped away from me before I could share more kids books, but I’m excited to get back into blogging with the next book I recommend for kids: 
This book is compiled by Tyndale publishers and includes 100 of the most well-known stories from both the Old and New Testament. Some of the stories include creation, Noah’s ark, Joseph and his brothers, the Ten Commandments, Naomi and Ruth, Daniel in the lions den, the birth of Jesus, the Beatitudes, the crucifixion and resurrection, Paul’s ministry, and heaven. They are arranged in the order you would find them in the Bible.
One of the things I like the most about this book is that it’s written for children in a way that doesn’t water down the Bible for them. Some other Bible story books we have seem to almost make scripture “too easy” for kids, and it loses some of the seriousness of the message. Obviously I believe you should teach scripture to your children in an age appropriate way, but I appreciate that this book introduces kids at a young age to a broad scope of the Bible and its often difficult topics, like sin, Cain and Abel, and the death of Jesus.
Each story is arranged as its own chapter, with at least one illustration and the direct scripture reference listed at the beginning of the story. The book has a ribbon bookmark to make it easy to find your place each time as you read it together with your child. The stories are short enough to read one or two at a time before bed.
I am so grateful for Tyndale sending me this book to review with my family. I can definitely see it becoming a regular part of our family reading. I would consider 100 Bible Stories for Children a great resource for parents to help teach the Bible to their children in a way that is both fun and educational.
For the month of July, I thought it would be fun to share some resources for kids to encourage them to read this summer! First up I have 2 board books to share that are great for reading aloud with toddlers. I have 2 little girls who love books, and these board books have been a huge hit with them.
The first book I want to share with you is called Counting Blessings. This sweet book features a cute bunny family. The mommy and daddy bunny are helping the baby bunny to count different blessings throughout the day. The first half of the book show 10 different blessings to count and then the second half of the book counts things outside in nature, without using numbers like the first half.
As a mom of two young children who love to read counting books, I really like the structure of this one to include actual numbers for part of it and then things that the child can count for the second part of it. The cover of the book is a padded cover and the pages are traditional board book material. This book is very sturdy for little hands, and so far our copy has been able to withstand two very rough toddlers. Another thing I like about this book is that it showcases simple blessings that would be more familiar to a young child, like crackers, good night kisses, books, songs, birds and trees. This loveable book is great for reading before bed with a simple rhyming scheme that makes it flow smoothly when reading.
The second board book I want to share is called Little One, God Made You Special. I was drawn to the title of this book for my girls because my husband and I try to emphasize a lot how God made us special. We want our girls to grow up knowing that they are made in God’s image and that they are a precious gift. This book helps to reinforce those truths with soft illustrations of animals and a sweet rhyme that points out the different parts of us that are perfectly made by God. The book opens and closes with the message that “God made you special, little one. There’s no one like you–no, no not one!”
My girls love to read this one and flip the pages. This board book has a traditional board book cover and pages, but they are on the thinner side. It will stand up to toddlers better than a regular book, but may not be as sturdy as other board books. The size is perfect for showing off the beautiful illustrations, which I think are a major highlight of this book. The book is written by Rick Warren’s daughter, Amy, and is inspired by themes from The Purpose Driven Life. I love that the theme of this book is very intentional, even for the youngest of readers.
Have you tried Tunisian crochet before? If you haven’t ever heard of this technique, it’s a special combination of knit and crochet that uses what was traditionally called an “afghan” hook, or a long crochet hook. Your grandma would have known it as “Afghan stitch” or “Afghan crochet” because it was a very popular technique to use to make large panels for blankets. In fact, I know my grandma knew how to do Afghan stitch, because she made my dad an entire blanket using this technique.
I learned how to do Tunisian crochet about 15 years ago before I had learned to knit. I had been crocheting for several years and wanted to branch out to something new, but wasn’t ready to pick up some knitting needles. I had several books, a few long afghan hooks, and a few double-ended crochet cables (like circular knitting needles but with crochet hook tips). I mostly made scarves, because you don’t have to turn your work with Tunisian crochet. The above pictured scarf is the only thing I still have from when I first learned Tunisian. Unfortunately I gave away all my Tunisian supplies when I learned to knit, thinking I would never be interested in doing it again. I have major regrets now for not keeping my supplies, especially the double-ended cable hooks.
Now with the recent resurgence of this technique, I decided to get a new set of Tunisian hooks and pick it up again. And I’m addicted! I really think the best part about Tunisian crochet is the fact you don’t have to turn your work. Tunisian is a combo of “croknitting” loops onto your hook going right to left, then crocheting the loops off your hook from left to right. It produces a fabric that is neither fully knit nor fully crochet but resembles a little bit of both. I’m currently working on my very first Tunisian crochet blanket, and it’s been fun learning new stitches.
For Day 3 in this “College Bound” series, I have a new crochet pattern to share with you! The Collegiate Throw is the perfect project to help get your college student into school spirit. Choose your school colors to crochet this giant granny square blanket, perfect for dorm rooms, chilly fall football games, cuddling up with a textbook, or even to help stay warm in a cold classroom.
The Collegiate Throw pattern includes written instructions for how to make the blanket, special instructions for making a crisp straight square, 4 color sequence ideas, and 2 picture tutorials for special stitches. This crochet pattern has been carefully edited and tested to ensure quality and accuracy.
The pattern also uses one of my favorite blanket yarns, Caron One Pound. You can order this yarn in a variety of colors on Amazon 
Download your copy of the Collegiate Throw crochet pattern in my Etsy shop 
Please note that this post contains Amazon affiliate links. This means that I receive a small commission when you purchase through the links at no additional cost to you. All pictures and opinions contained in this post are my own. 
Kountingsheep 