Category: Patterns

Sanders Mittens

Published on by kountingsheep

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.

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My Temperature Blanket Recipe

Published on by kountingsheep3 Comments

Please note this post contains Amazon affiliate links. See the bottom of post for full disclosure.

UPDATE: Full pattern released December 2, 2021!

I have been getting a lot of interest on my half-finished Temperature Blanket from 2020 (I promise to finish it this year, wink wink). So I thought I would answer all the questions and give my basic recipe for how I am making one. When I finish my blanket, I will update this post with a link to the full pattern in my shop, but this will definitely get you started! I’m going to walk you through my process for picking colors, creating a temperature range, and helpful tips for making your own Temperature Blanket.

One of the biggest factors to a successful Temperature Blanket is to pick colors you like. It does not have to be rainbow colors. However, make sure to choose a yarn that won’t be discontinued any time soon and comes in a wide range of colors. For my first blanket, I picked Knit Picks/We Crochet Brava Worsted yarn. It’s an affordable yarn that I’ve used before and enjoy working with, plus it comes in so many different colors. You’ll want to pick about 10 or more different colors, depending on the temperature range you want to create. Obviously the more colors you have, the more colorful and nuanced your blanket will be. Also make sure to add in a neutral color, like cream, gray, or black, to use as a Monthly Marker.

The next thing you want to do is decide whether you want to record the high temps or the low temps for each day. For my blanket, I choose to focus on the high temps. It’s also important to create your own temperature range based on your local area, since some places don’t range in temperature as much as other places, or your temps may be more extreme (hot or cold) than other parts of the world. For example, I live in Arizona where it doesn’t really get below 50 degrees Fahrenheit for the high during the winter and the summer can be as high as 120 degrees Fahrenheit!

Make a list of the colors you have and then divide up your temperature range amongst the colors. For my range, I did a 5 degree gap, since I wanted to make sure my blanket had a lot of colorful nuance. Here’s my Temperature range as an example:

Mesa, Arizona Temperature Range

  • 115 and Above: Dove Heather
  • 110-114: Caution
  • 105-109: Seashell
  • 100-104: Rouge
  • 95-99: Cotton Candy
  • 90-94: Blush
  • 85-89: Seraphim
  • 80-84: Lady Slipper
  • 75-79: Freesia
  • 70-74: Tranquil
  • 60-69: Tidepool
  • 59 and Below: Hunter
  • Monthly Marker: Cream

Another important factor to a successful temperature blanket is to not make it in one big row-a-day block, because 365+ rows makes for a way too long blanket. It’s better to break it down into panels or squares so that your blanket will come out to a more manageable size. This also means less work each day/week since you’re only working on a portion of the blanket at a time. For mine, I decided to do two panels. It works out almost exactly even to split it into the first half of the year and the second half of the year, including a starting row and the 12 monthly markers.

The great thing about modern technology is that you can always access temperatures online. This is helpful for working on your blanket once a week or once a month, instead of trying to keep up daily if you’re like me and can’t commit to a daily year-long project. It also makes it easier to catch up should you fall behind, since you can always look up and record your temperatures for past dates. It also means you don’t necessarily have to do a temperature blanket for your current year! Pick a special year (like the year you were born or your child was born or you got married, etc) to help commemorate a milestone year you want to remember. I did go ahead and write down the daily temps in my notebook (or you can use a knitting project notebook like this) so I could cross them off as I worked that row and keep track of where I was for when I inevitably abandoned the project and came back to it.

You’ve got your yarn, you’ve got your temp range, now it’s time to get started! I chose the crochet moss stitch for my blanket, and that will be the pattern I share below. I highly recommend making a gauge swatch with all of your colors in order, so you can see how they will work together, as well as to measure your gauge. Gauge is not essential for this project, but it’s helpful to know you won’t get a blanket that’s too big or too small. Get the full pattern including Temperature Tracking Chart on Ravelry here and on Etsy here.

My Temperature Blanket (Crochet) Details

  • Finished Size: Panel – 18”/46 cm wide by 44”/112 cm long; Blanket – 40”/102 cm wide by 48”/122 cm long
  • Gauge: 16 sc and 16 rows = 4”/10 cm. Use a gauge tool like this to check your gauge swatch.
  • Hook: US Size H (5 mm) Clover Amour hook
  • Notions: Chibi yarn needle, scissors, tape measure
  • Yarn: Knit Picks/We Crochet Brava Worsted (100% acrylic; 218 yards/100 grams per skein) in 13 colors: 1-2 skeins in each color. See above for example colors. You could also get a couple sampler packs of Brava Worsted where all the colors are picked for you.

Use hashtag #mytemperatureblanket and #kountingsheep when sharing your progress on social media! You can also tag me @kountingsheep on Instagram for a chance to be shared in my Stories. Link your project on Ravelry here.

Please note this post contains Amazon affiliate links. This means that when you make a purchase through the link, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. All pictures and opinions contained in this post are my own.

Change Your Mind Shawl & More

Published on by kountingsheep

I keep forgetting that I’m trying to revive my blog and post more regularly. But this pandemic has been a whirlwind the last few months, and I took a designing break to give myself permission to just craft for myself. I also took a detour back into sewing, and I’ve been selling and donating cloth face masks. You can shop for them in my Etsy store here.

I did break my designing hiatus to release the Change You Mind Shawl pattern and help raise funds to donate to a charity doing the work to fight police brutality in America. 50% of pattern sales through June 30th will be donated to Campaign Zero. If you are interested in learning more about doing the work of dismantling racism in your own life, a good place to start is with these books on Amazon (affiliate links): Me and White Supremacy or How to Be Antiracist. Here is also a helpful list of ways to actively put your words into actions.

Change Your Mind Shawl was born out of a happy accident because I couldn’t decide on what pattern to create or colors to use. Sometimes momentary indecision can lead to a creative breakthrough. Instead of ripping out my work, I just kept going. It’s rare when I don’t plan out a design beforehand, so it was fun to let the creating happen as I knit. The simple garter stitch makes for a soothing project while the eyelets and color changes add just the right pop of fun.

Change Your Mind Shawl is an elongated triangle shawl that uses 3 colors of fingering weight that fade from dark to light. The fading sections use rows of eyelets to create both a lace pattern and a shift in colors. This shawl is a great way to use 3 special fingering weight yarns from your stash. And if you change your mind about the colors, you can always make another one! Grab your copy of the pattern on Etsy here.

The last thing I want to mention is that I have decided to move my pattern testing group over to Slack instead of Ravelry, due to the redesign that has made Ravelry inaccessible for people with certain disabilities, since the design is highly triggering for migraines, eye strain, seizures, and other health concerns. If you would like to join my new tester group, please follow this invite link here. Slack is an app you can download on your phone that allows users to create private work groups and chat threads to collaborate and work together. It’s also easier to upload and share files and photos, as well as receive notifications. If you are interested in testing knit and crochet patterns for me, I would love to have you join and come say hi in the general chatter thread!

Please note this post contains Amazon affiliate links. This means that I receive a small commission when you shop through the link at no additional cost to you. All opinions and pictures in this post are my own.

College Bound: Collegiate Throw [Crochet Pattern]

Published on by kountingsheep

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.

Download the pattern on Ravelry here and on Etsy here.

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 here. Combined with a large crochet hook, this throw works up quickly. You can order a Boye Ergonomic size L hook (as seen in these pictures) on Amazon here. The Collegiate Throw pattern is addicting, and soon you’ll be making one in all your favorite college team colors for every member of your family!

Download your copy of the Collegiate Throw crochet pattern in my Etsy shop here and on Ravelry here. Use the hashtag #collegiatethrow on Instagram to share your projects made using my pattern. I can’t wait to see what color combos you come up with!

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.

Mother’s Day Gift Ideas: Miss Priss Hat

Published on by kountingsheep

To continue the series from last week of Mother’s Day Gift Ideas, I have a pattern you can crochet as a gift: the Miss Priss Hat. This Hat pattern is one that I designed 10 years ago in April 2008, and I have revised and updated the pattern to improve it. New features include all 3 sizes in one pattern, toddler, child, and adult; new recommended yarn; new hook sizes; and a new bow pattern (Southern Style Bow by Southern Day Crochet, which can be found here). The Miss Priss Hat pattern is available to purchase on Ravelry here or in my Etsy shop here.

I was also able to partner with Oak Viking Designs to create several custom polymer clay crochet hooks to coordinate with the pattern. These hooks are featured in the pattern, and you can purchase your own custom hook for yourself or as a Mother’s Day gift through her shop here. I just love how my colorful glitter hooks turned out, and they are so comfortable to use!

The Miss Priss Hat has a special place in my heart because it was designed for my sister, Heather, as she underwent cancer treatments. This was her favorite hat, and I made her at least 8 in different colors so that she would have many options to wear while she was bald. The hats were soft, washable, and breathable since it was summer in Arizona when she was going through chemo, but her head still got cold. This hat makes a great chemo cap for those going through cancer treatments. Everyone who saw Heather wearing a Miss Priss Hat loved it, and it has been one of my most popular requests in the last decade. Sadly, the above photos are the only ones I have of her wearing her pink Miss Priss hat, but I’ll never forget what she looked like while wearing them. This pattern is dedicated to her memory, Heather Nicole 1987-2009.

Give your mom the gift of handmade this Mother’s Day! Each Miss Priss hat is handmade with lots of love and care. If you purchase the pattern to make your own Miss Priss Hat on Ravelry here or Etsy here, make sure to tag your projects on Instagram with the hashtag #missprisshat and feel free to tag me @kountingsheep!

All the proceeds from patterns and items purchased in my shop go towards my daughter Ellie’s autism care. She was recently diagnosed, and we have some expenses that we need to raise funds for. Thank you so much for your support when you shop through the links on my blog posts! If you would like more information on how to donate directly to our cause, click here.

Penelope Infinity Scarf

Published on by kountingsheep

The newly redesigned Penelope Infinity Scarf knitting pattern is now available for sale! Grab your copy on Ravelry here or in my Etsy shop here.

Penelope Infinity Scarf is a loop of fun that is a perfect transition piece for Spring, when the weather starts teasing you of warmer days, but it’s still a little chilly. Wrap yourself up with this soft scarf that feels so squishy around your neck! Penelope Infinity Scarf uses one skein of Caron Cakes yarn. Learn how to cable without a cable needle with a picture tutorial included with the pattern.

This cozy infinity scarf is sure to become a staple in your colder weather wardrobe. Download the pattern today!

WIP Wednesday: Loggy Squares Blanket

Published on by kountingsheep

I am slowly making progress on crocheting one of my old patterns in order to update it. I’m loving these bright cheery squares! These colors together make me so happy. 

For a project like this, I would normally wait until all the squares are made to see them together. However I needed to be able to visualize what they would look like in a row as well as take some measurements, so I’ll be assembling them as I go. It will be fun to see this blanket take shape one row at a time. 

Check back soon to see when the Loggy Squares Blanket Pattern goes live. 

Scrappy Squares Blanket Pattern

Published on by kountingsheep

Introducing the newly revised Scrappy Squares Blanket Pattern. Knit up all your scrap and leftover yarn into this fun and whimsical blanket. Easy to follow instructions with tips on how to create your own fun Scrappy Squares Blanket.

Available to download from Ravelry here and in my Etsy shop here.

This pattern is great for beginner knitters looking to learn simple increasing and decreasing. These squares are addicting to knit! Download your copy of the pattern today!

Big Heart Baby Blanket Pattern

Published on by kountingsheep

It’s been several years since I have released a new pattern, so now is the time! Introducing the new Big Heart Baby Blanket pattern! This digital pattern will help you crochet your own Big Heart blanket for the little ones in your life. Pattern includes written instructions and a color chart for the heart. You can grab a copy of the pattern in my shop here or on Ravelry here.

Big Heart Baby Blanket Pattern

Something new also available with this pattern is permission to sell finished items that you make using this pattern. Please remember that the pattern itself is for personal use only. Please do NOT distribute copies of this pattern and do NOT sell copies of this pattern. You may sell finished items that you make using this pattern, but you are required to credit the original pattern/designer as follows: Made using a pattern from Kounting Sheep by Jenny Galusha-Luna: http://kountingsheep.com

This pattern is great for beginners wanting to learn tapestry crochet, which is a technique where you carry the unused color yarn under your stitches as you do colorwork. Download your copy today!