New Pattern: On the Other Hand

I'm excited to share a new mitts pattern today: On the Other Hand is now available in my Ravelry, Etsy, and Craftsy pattern stores.

Pattern: On the Other Hand, by Bonnie Sennott

Yarn: Skeinny Dipping Merino Single in the Brown Butter colorway

With their knit-purl textures and simple lace, these mitts make the most of the tonal variations in hand-dyed fingering-weight yarns—but they’ll look great in solid and semi-solid colors, too.

As I developed this design, I experimented with different options for the arm, trying out a longer lace section as well as a shorter lace section followed by rings of purl rounds. In the end, I really couldn’t decide which option I liked best! And when I shared them with some friends, an equal number liked one or the other. So I knit one of each and included instructions for both of them in the pattern.

You may knit one of each, as shown in the sample photos, or knit two matching mitts using either option. From the thumb gusset upwards, both options are the same. The pattern provides instructions for two sizes, women's S and M/L.

On the Other Hand is the first pattern in All You Need Is One, a collection of five one-skein designs I'll be releasing every 6-8 weeks in 2015, ending in the fall. All You Need Is One is available only on Ravelry. When you purchase the ebook, it will automatically be updated in your Ravelry library each time a new pattern is added. 

What other kinds of patterns can you expect? It's still a work in progress, but I can share that the second pattern, due out later this spring, will be a lace scarf. I also hope to design a cowl for a gorgeous sportweight alpaca I found at Rhinebeck last fall. What else? Socks are quite likely, and beyond that—it's a surprise!

I knit the mitts with a fingering weight merino from Skeinny Dipping in a colorway aptly named Brown Butter. Of all the photos I took, I think the one below best captures the beauty of the color. A single-ply yarn, it has an appealing halo and is super soft.

Each design in All You Need Is One will be knit with yarns by U.S.-based indie dyers and small yarn producers. Throughout the year, I'll be doing interviews here on the blog with the folks who make the yarns. Look for the first one, with Christine of Skeinny Dipping, later this month.

Thanks and credits go to:

• My sister Betsey, who gave me the beautiful yarn for Christmas, modeled the mitts, and made the beaded crochet necklaces she's wearing in the photos
• My sister Jackie, who thought of the pattern name
• My sister Jenny, who edited the pattern
• My godfather, Uncle Hubert, for giving me the charm bracelet in some of the photos. It belonged to my godmother, Aunt Valda, and is filled with souvenirs of her travels. When I was a little girl, she gave me a charm bracelet of my own and each year at Christmas and on my birthday sent me new charms. I didn't get to see her much when I was growing up, so it means a lot to have this tangible connection to her.

Thank you very much for reading!