Some of the strangest and most beautiful landscapes in England can be found on her east coast, and one of the most remarkable is the shingle spit known as Orford Ness. Now a National Trust property, it’s a Site of Special Scientific Interest thanks to its unusual coastal fauna, and is also spattered with buildings (and, they tell us, unexploded ordnance) from its past use by the Ministry of Defence. One of these is the Black Beacon, a radio navigation tower, which also happens to be the place where my husband proposed to me. So when I found this dark-as-night DK yarn, from the Trust’s own flock of Hebridean sheep which graze the Ness, I had to make him not only a hat, but also a scarf, which mimic its hexagonal shape and clapboard construction. The overall shape of the hat hints at a traditional fisherman’s cap, reflecting the coastal inspiration. The scarf features successive half-hexagon shapes, alternating from stocking stitch to reverse stocking stitch, and is knitted in 2 halves grafted together at the middle.

This is a collection of four accessories inspired by the lakes and rivers of Zambia & Malawi.

Inspired by the great conservatories of Victorian and Edwardian botanical gardens, the leafy training lace pattern on this scarf has the lush, heady feel of rampant vines and Art Nouveau ironwork.

These gloves have been especially designed for runners - or cyclists, hikers, gardeners - anyone who needs to keep their hands warm when exercising. Worked in a wool/nylon blend, they’re cosy and solid across the back of the hands and fingers, but feature an eyelet pattern across the palm, which allows air to circulate and helps to make sure yo...

This hat is incredibly quick to knit up and slipped-stitch technique is so easy with just a little practice.

Are you ready to enter the secret garden of the Fingerless Gloves Fanatics October Mystery KAL? Week by week through October 2018, each clue will introduce you to more fragrant delights and sensory experiences, with some pretty details and maybe a new technique or two as you explore what lies beyond.

This wrap is knitted in two pieces and grafted together at the centre, so the ends will be symmetrical. If you aren’t worried about symmetry, you can simply knit the whole wrap end-to-end. It features a pretty lace pattern which can be worked from the chart or written instructions, whichever you prefer.

This scarf is knitted flat in one piece. It features a lace pattern that can be worked either from the chart or written instructions, whichever you prefer.

This scarf uses different stitch patterns to create a textured pattern inspired by the landscape of the beautiful Peak District in Derbyshire. Thorpe Cloud is one of the more manageable peaks, rising up from the valley of Dovedale near Ilam.

The winding path along the edge of this scarf is created so simply - making a beautiful, textured, cosy scarf, perfect for a walk through the woods. Suitable for beginner knitters or a quick and satisfying knit for the more experienced!

October 2017’s Mystery KAL took us on a trip back in time, to the lush colours and rich decoration of medieval art. Act by act, the Mystery Play Mitts revealed their secrets.

A sleeveless top that’s perfect for warmer weather knitting or wearing, in luxurious Fyberspates Scrumptious, or choose your favourite indulgent yarn - smaller sizes knit from just 2 skeins so it’s a great opportunity to treat yourself!

Inspired by the swirling designs of the Cornish Carn pottery.

A lacy scarf which is both warm and elegant in luxury cashmere. The stitch pattern is easy to memorize, so it’s as relaxing to knit as it is to wear!

These pretty lace fingerless mitts work perfectly in one ball of soft cashmere yarn. Picot cast on-and-off add a feminine touch.

A pretty lace hat featuring a picot cast on, which perfectly sets off the beautiful pure cashmere Di Lusso carn used. Both sizes work from 2 balls. Shade shown is Burgundy.

Stefano was principally inspired by the brickwork patterns of the beautiful medieval churches of Northern Italy - in particular, San Stefano in Bologna. But I have to confess that the sleeves come from closer to home, the vaulted ceilings of English Perpendicular Gothic cathedrals.

Inspired by nature, this top-down slouchy hat uses decreases and eyelets to mimic a spiral-shaped cactus. Uses Emily Ocker’s Circular Cast On - link to instructions provided.

This cowl is worked in the round from the bottom up. The pattern is inspired by maps, and especially the contours around hills, and it’s named after Silbury Hill, the mysterious Iron Age earthwork in Wiltshire.

The mitts are worked in the round and are based on a simple lace pattern. You can use written instructions or the chart.

This scarf is worked flat and based on a simple lace pattern, with an interesting twist introduced. You can use written instructions or the chart. The chart for the scarf shows right-side rows only.

This cowl was inspired by the “Difference Engine”, designed by Charles Babbage in the early 19th century and arguably the world’s first computer - you can find out more on Wikipedia.

Fun fingerless mitts for spring or autumn with cables inspired by runner bean poles.

This lacy scarf is worked in two halves and grafted at the centre. It features a lace stitch pattern which can be worked from the chart or written instructions, whichever you prefer.

To Infinity & Beyond! This cabled cowl or infinity scarf uses the figure eight, the mathematical symbol for infinity, to create a squishy, cosy accessory that will keep you warm for eternity. Or a few hours at least.

This cute bee toy or pincushion is doing his best to help bees help people. Although the pattern is free to download, knitters are asked to make a donation of whatever amount you want to the charity Bees for Development. This charity gives assistance to people in developing countries get into sustainable (using local breeds of bee and resources...

This pattern is knitted flat in two pieces, starting from the point of the scarf. The two ends are then grafted together in the middle to create a symmetrical piece. It’s inspired by the English medieval legend of the Lambton Worm, a dragon that grew in a well and terrified the locals until slayed by the man who put it in the well as a baby. Th...

This versatile tank features a slipped-stitch pattern inspired by the beak of Britain’s only endemic bird, the Scottish Crossbill. Its criss-crossed beak is a perfectly designed tool for extracting its favourite seeds from the cone of the Scots pine.

This seamless sweater has an undulating lace pattern designed to flatter every body shape. The stretchy ribbed lace gives it a forgiving fitted look.

These fingerless mitts were inspired by Blacker Yarn’s special 10th anniversary yarn, Cornish Tin. These cosy mitts have a cabled I-cord cast off around the hand and thumb, developed in imitation of the crimped edge of traditional Cornish pasty. Pasties were the traditional lunchtime snack, or “croust”, of Cornish tinminers, designed to contain...

This hat is knitted in the round from the bottom up. The pattern can be worked either from the chart or the written instructions, whichever you prefer.

This scarf is knitted in two identical pieces, which are then joined in the middle to create a symmetrical scarf. The lace pattern can be worked from either a chart or written instructions.

This scarf takes the smooth cables of the traditional cricket sweater and turns them into a scarf. The stripes at either end mean that you can make this in team colours. The cables are ribbed making this a reversible piece.

These pretty mitts are inspired by the textured pavements in the city of Seville.

Please note, although there is no charge to download, knitters are asked to make a charity donation - see below

This cute hat for spring reminds us a beautiful English rose.

This simple knit results in a clever reversible zigzag design.

British ceramic designer Clare Wakefield makes the most wonderful pierced designs, using the soft colours and waves of the seashore as her inspiration. This cowl is inspired by her beautiful designs, and is perfect for a self-striping yarn.

A ribbed cowl with a twist. The increases and decreases give the final cowl a slant like a lean-to or skillion roof, which makes it fit snugly with the higher end covering your neck, or alternatively you can wear it asymmetrically.

This useful bag is entirely seamless and a brilliant stashbuster. It knits from about 200g of pretty much any DK yarn. I’ve named it after Leeland Road in West Ealing where my wonderful local farmers’ market takes place every Saturday.

This hat uses a clever combination of cables to create a woven look.

This scarf uses a clever combination of cables to create a woven look.

Treat yourself to some special yarn and knit this beautiful lace scarf, with a lace pattern inspired by gently floating downy feathers.

One of the most popular exhibitions at the British Museum in the last year was the Beyond El Dorado exhibition of gold artefacts from the ancient civilizations of South America, in conjunction with the Museo del Oro in Bogota, Colombia. The spectacular exhibits showed the craftsmanship and technological achievements of these peoples, as well as...

I designed this pattern to include in a kit for the Hanwell Women’s Institute stand at Hanwell Carnival. It’s a basic, starter-level lace scarf which will work with any fancy ribbon yarn of similar weight to Glisten. It’s a super-quick knit for craft sales or gifts. I’m happy for you to use the pattern but please, click fave if you like it, don...

I designed this pattern to include in a kit for the Hanwell Women’s Institute stand at Hanwell Carnival. It’s a simple drop stitch scarf and will work with any fluffy or mohair yarn. It’s a super-quick knit for craft sales or gifts. I’m happy for you to use the pattern but please, click fave if you like it, don’t reproduce it without my permiss...

This simple cowl will keep your neck warm and cosy all through the winter. It uses twisted stitches and mock cables to create a pattern that looks more complicated than it is to knit!

This clever hat is fun to knit and comes in sizes for all the family!

These fingerless mitts are practical yet stylish, with a simple pattern of knit and purl, and would suit a man or a woman.

These fingerless gloves are worked in successive lacy half-hexagons and are long and snug over the wrist.

Practise picking up stitches to create this simple and stylish scarf, perfect for wearing with a smart outfit.

Lake Malawi is known as the “Lake of Stars” because of the hundreds of golden lights on fishermen’s boats that scatter across the lake at night. They’re mostly fishing for kapenta, the tiny fish hugely popular with the people of central southern Africa – they’re dried and eaten whole, like whitebait. This stole features yarn with a silvery, wat...

South Luangwa National Park in Zambia is named by most experienced safari-goers as the best game park in Africa. It’s also where the walking safari was pioneered, giving visitors a chance to get to know the bush at a far more intimate level than on the back of a jeep. It’s essential when walking in the bush to have a handy & comfortable sup...

Of all the lakes of the Great Rift Valley, Malawi is the one that teems with life. A constant supply of fresh water from its feeder rivers means it has avoided the fate of some of its northern cousins, whose lakes are too alkaline for most creatures; Malawi is home to the brightly colour fish known as cichlids, which dart and slither in the cle...

On the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe stands one of the most spectacular natural sights anywhere in the world – known to most of the world as the Victoria Falls. The sound and spray of this mighty waterfall makes itself known to you long before you see the huge sheets of water crashing from the lazy river above into the tempestuous rapids b...

This beret is inspired by one of England’s most enigmatic landmarks and the simple lines make it easy to knit.

Whether you dress it down with jeans and a shirt or dress it up with a cute skirt, a cotton vest is an essential knit for summer.

Add a little 60s chic to your home with these clever knitted sleeves which turn simple tumblers into pretty lamps.

Although this pattern is free of charge to download, if you do so please make a donation to the British Heart Foundation through the link below.

Many (too many!) years ago I was born in the great Yorkshire wool city of Bradford. I haven’t lived there since I was a child, but I’ve maintained my love for Bradford City FC – the Bantams – who, after 2 seasons of premiership glory, collapsed tothe lowest tier of the Football LeagueHowever this year, 2013, they’ve beaten a hat trick of Premie...

The stitch pattern for this wrap is completely reversible – meaning you never have to worry about having your wrong side showing!

Some of the strangest and most beautiful landscapes in England can be found on her east coast, and one of the most remarkable is the shingle spit known as Orford Ness. Now a National Trust property, it’s a Site of Special Scientific Interest thanks to its unusual coastal fauna/flora and is also spattered with buildings (and, they tell us, unexp...

Some of the strangest and most beautiful landscapes in England can be found on her east coast, and one of the most remarkable is the shingle spit known as Orford Ness. Now a National Trust property, it’s a Site of Special Scientific Interest thanks to its unusual coastal fauna, and is also spattered with buildings (and, they tell us, unexploded...

Caleta Tortuga Negra means “Black Turtle Cove”. It’s a shady, mangrove-fringed inlet on the coast of Santa Cruz island in the Galapagos, safe and shallow for young turtles, sharks and rays, which glide lazily under visitors’ dinghies and around the mangrove roots. The cool green leaves and straight roots of the mangrove trees inspired this vers...

Bartolome is a tiny island in the Galapagos, where shoals of multi-coloured fish swim and the tropical rains brighten into glorious rainbows. This cowl is designed to showcase the colour changes of your favourite variegated DK yarn, using short row shaping to create a swirling organic shape. Wear it pulled over your shoulders or loosely draped.

Keep your digital camera safe & stylish with this bag, complete with handstrap. The chequerboard pattern is smart and not too fussy, making this suitable for a man or a woman; you can pretty it up by using a variegated yarn or a contrasting colour for the handstrap.

Why do knitting patterns usually give identical sizing for the front and back of the pattern, when women generally are a different shape at the front from the back?

When my granny was a little girl (which would have been back in the 1910s or early 1920s), when she was given some sweets for a treat, they would always come in a little “Dorothy bag”, and this was the most special moment of the week. So, she explained, she always associated the name Dorothy with a touch of luxury.

These pretty fingerless mittens are knitted in a lacy rib pattern inspired by the rambling roses and trailing clematis of an English country garden. They’re perfect for afternoon tea on the lawn or relaxing with a glass of wine on the patio on a long summer evening. They’re named after Cecily, the character from Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of ...

Quick to knit and fun to wear, these fingerless mitts feature a “bunch of grapes” motif made from simple bobbles. Whether for quaffing a glass on an autumn evening, or picking the grapes to make your own, these would make a quirky gift for the wine lover in your life & would suit a woman or a man. I’ve knitted them in super-soft, super-warm...

Make your welly boots more cosy, comfortable and fun with these cabled welly toppers/welly warmers featuring short row shaping, provisional cast-on and three needle cast-off. Directions & links to technique guides included if you are not familiar with these techniques.

These fingerless gloves have been especially designed for cyclists. Made of machine-washable recycled cotton blend DK to keep cool even when you’ve been working up a sweat, they feature a broken rib pattern on the top, with a practical moss-stitch palm to provide extra grip and durability.

Nothing says springtime like the taste of locally-grown asparagus. Whether you’re dining al fresco or digging the vegetable patch, take the edge off that springtime air with a light yet cosy alpaca scarf, with a pattern inspired by asparagus spears. Although this would suit a man or a woman, the Artesano alpaca yarn used has a rugged tweedy loo...

Nothing says springtime like the taste of locally-grown asparagus. Celebrate spring with this scarf, with a lace pattern inspired by asparagus spears. The Scrumptious DK yarn suggested is a blend of silk and merino, making it luxurious yet warm enough to keep you cosy, perhaps for an al fresco spring lunch.

These fingerless mittens have been especially designed for cyclists. They feature a smart mock-cable pattern on the top, with a practical moss-stitch palm to provide extra grip and durability.

Keep your i-Phone safe and scratch-free with this simple sock-style i-Phone cover. The plain pattern is really quick to knit and ideal for using up that oddment of luxury yarn you just can’t bear to throw away. It’s also great to try Judy’s Magic Cast-On out on if you haven’t used it before. For both i-Phone 3 and i-Phone 4.