I am off on my hols, well not a complete hol as I will be knitting, but no more sitting in front of the 'puter. I have been scurrying around putting together a few patterns to be published next month, and the deadline is 1 sep, I go away 29 August, so I have been stuck to the seat for HOURS mainly making my photos work, and the patterns needed grading and writing up....feel like I am flying by the seat of my pants but I am determined to get these done before I go away so I can be totally FREE on hols to start designing the next batch of stuff.

Here are a couple of pics, but without the knitwear as that is secret.

Firstly, I have the lovely Jenni walking like an Egyptian outside a tomb while she waited for us to decide what we were doing, and then we have Jenni looking coy on demand. The other photos are a lot more serious, honestly!

Good ol' Jen, she had to do some amazing clothes changes in the car and hobble around on her twisted ankle around an overgrown graveyard whilst getting attacked by brambles.

Hope it is worth it when the patterns come out! After all the styling and make up etc, sadly it is only certain bits of her body that get used for accessory knitwear but we had to take pics of all of her anyway.

More Ramblings on Test Knitting, both Good and Bad....

I thought I would add a few points after my outburst yesterday re hired knitters. I just wanted to say that the point of the discussion on Ravelry was not whether knitters were good or bad or whether designers were fair to them.


The point was, that a test knitter had asked where on Ravelry she could name and shame designers who don't pay up, and my reaction to that was that I didn't feel that either a knitter OR a designer should be dealing with those issues in public, where neither party could defend themselves adequately without appearing really unprofessional or actually breaching the confidentiality obligations in their contracts.


However, someone said she thought that perhaps I was scared of negative feedback because I had a high rejection rate and perhaps was unnecessarily harsh on employees, and perhaps looked for faults where there were none.

I can assure everyone though, even if you absolutely spell out what needs to be done there are certain people who can't do what they are asked to do and fail even if given every opportunity. I do a little test knitting stocking stitch squares, knitters are asked to do the following

Exercise 1: Knit a square, (approx 20-30 sts wide ) in 4ply/on 3mm needles,
DK/on 4mm needles
Aran/Worsted/on 5mm needles

Then they are asked to label each swatch with the following Name
Type of yarn/gauge weight of yarn
Needle Size
Gauge per 4inches (measure this yourself)
Weave in your ends and block swatch so it is presentable

This is useful to both check they can follow instructions and knit to gauge, but also that they can finish their work and make swatches good enough for photos as sometimes publishers of the Harmony Guides employ my knitters to knit their swatches and require clear labelling and good blocking and weaving in of ends.


In response to this, I get people knitting in any old yarn they find on any old needles, then not labelling it and returning it saying they didn't have the yarns and didn't have the correct needle sizes so they changed these and hope that I can see they knit neatly from the swatches anyway and they can follow a pattern.

Usually these people completely ignore the gauge measurement, and don't weave in ends or make their knitting look presentable (creased with uneven stitches).

Many who gave their gauge measurements of what they had knitted, had measured it inaccurately and usually their methods when described, explained what was causing the discrepancies. Often they had no concept of average gauge, or that it could vary over a whole garment.

I also set them

Exercise 2: knit the following on needles to achieve the gauges asked for
4ply yarn (I give them a specific gauge)
DK (I give a them specific gauge) Aran/Worsted (I give them a specific gauge)

They are asked to label these swatches in the same way, with their name, gauge/weight of yarn, the gauge they have knitted to and the needle sizes they used.

Some knitters have not labelled at all, told me once again they didn't have the needle sizes needed or the yarns needed.

None however, ever contacted me when they had received the test to communicate they didn't have the right needle sizes or yarns. They just hoped doing the squares any old how would do.

They were specifically warned at the beginning of the test, that it would assess whether they could knit to a gauge, label and take notes correctly, follow simple instructions and communicate any problems.

Really, the test was very simple and only a fraction of what they would need to do if knitting up a pattern for photography, or swatches for the Harmony Guide publishers. Many just refused or ignored instructions. However, a few people were excellent and beyond the standards asked for and these few people I passed on to Collins and Brown and as far as I know, they are still knitting swatches for a good fee per swatch and being offered other work.

I also get a fair amount of test knitters, who are told on Ravelry, please email me directly firstly for it to be confidential and secondly because I can send a return email immediately with the patterns they need. I ask, please don't pm me or put a message up on the forum.

Despite this, I get some knitters sending me forum messages, and some even say "I know you didn't want me to pm you, but I just wanted to ask if I can test knit....." and then if I say, really you need to email me as it is more efficient and I can't send you docs via Ravelry, they go off for a while, then come back and say they looked everywhere but couldn't find my email address so could I just send them what they need via Ravelry? And actually, my email address is on the forum, is on my profile, my website, and on every correspondence with them.

Their confusion and laziness for following simple directions, usually tells me what they are like to test knit with. And often those people will test knit a pattern but not bother to use an appropriate yarn, and if it is a baby item convert it to an adult, or often they just disappear then a photo of the supposedly confidential design pops up in their public Flickr album.

However, these are just some of the problems. There are some excellent test knitters who popped up, who surprisingly, hadn't ever done a job like that before but were able to produce a garment overnight and edit the pattern and comment on it constructively.

They proved that the pattern could work as well, because I had also received emails saying that knitters could not even knit one of the patterns as it did not work, even though it was a simple rib with just one simple cable.

I really feel in some of those cases, it is not the communication the designer offers that is the problem, it is that people who are able to knit to a beginner/intermediatelevel pattern to satisfy themselves sometimes overreach themselves if they think they can test knit a pattern too.

A few people had problems with language, they didn't understand what minus/take away/or subtract meant, so instead of knitting a sock to a specific length minus (subtract or take away) the 2.5cm toe, they just knitted the whole sock length as 2.5cm and I could not find any other way of explaining that other than in the final pattern putting a specific length. I wanted to find out those specific lengths/row numbers from the test knits, and couldn't rely on them matching specific row gauges if I gave row numbers, so those who could not do simple maths or said the word 'minus' did not exist in US English, were not really suitable to test a rough pattern. It is slightly different from just normal knitting.

However, the fact that some people got stuck on a simple pattern does reflect what could happen commercially if that pattern was sold, and it is disheartening as there is nothing that can be done to improve some people's interpretations of a simple pattern that cannot be simplified further. My patterns tend to be in abbreviated form, either US language text or UK language text, or both, depending on where published

The majority of people applying to work as knitters wish to do so as they are at home and enjoy knitting as hobby so think why not do it professionally. And not everyone can cross over and reach the high standards the industry requires. Even I can't achieve those standards when it comes to seaming set in sleeves or fiddly embroidery on sweaters, so I don't take on these jobs when knitting for other designers as my hand mobility is not up to it.

I am being totally truthful when I say a very small percentage are suitable or able to do the things they are asked, and I know from my experience of working with other designers that the patterns I give out to people I don't know, are very thorough. I often put more into the pattern to help a knitter achieve specific sizes etc, than will eventually appear in the published pattern.

There are some very good knitters out there, but unfortunately some of the more senior ones will not use dpns as they are traditional sweater knitters for yarn companies. And the rest of the good ones, will do one or two jobs but really if they are good then they will want to produce their own work and design themselves, which is fair enough.

The knitters I have helping me at the moment are designers, and involved in publishing and they really are the best, if something is causing a problem, they tell me so, they are capable of communicating and have a strong drive to achieve a beautiful finished piece. They are much better than I could ever be at finishing and neatness. The thing is, my standard is very, very average, and all I want is for knitters to be at least up to my standard, which shouldn't be very hard at all considering the problems I have with using my hands (numbness, neuropathy, hardened scar tissue and limited movement, fatigue, brain confusion, overall slowness and eyesight problems).

By the way, all the images on this post have absolutely nothing to do with the content, but I just couldn't leave all that bare text up there without sticking up some colourful but totally useless scribblings and images from the web.

Just downloaded a couple of socks patterns. I will enjoy knitting a pattern I don't have to think about, in that someone else has done the working out and I hope it doesn't inspire me to come up with my own designs as that would not be the point! I like these knee highs, called Lissajous by Cookie A in the Twist Collective



I am looking forward to the end of August when all my current deadlines are finished and no-one will be working for me still. I have two good knitters at the moment, but each of those is a designer in their own right and one of them is an editor of a knitting mag so neither is permanent. I am planning to spend more time, just knitting for me after August and although I have a sock book planned, I want to try out other people's patterns first before refining my own. A bit of solitary knitting and research will help me, and I will have to try hard to stem the flow of ideas I want to start straight away!
I also love these Empoisonnee socks by Yarnissima mainly because they are Toe up with an interesting gusset and the toe is not the normal short row one I have been using.


There has been an ongoing discussion about whether there should be feedback on Ravelry as to 'naming and shaming' designers who don't pay up. As a designer who has had the awful job of rejecting work and not being able to pay those who knitted items that cannot be used (if they are the wrong size, gauge or just plain wrong) I think that giving designers the right to point out bad knitters is just totally totally unprofessional and nasty.

I think it reflects badly on people both ways if they start naming and shaming, and I would not want to be a part of it. I put my views up as clearly as I can (with a disability that affects the words and language I use that was not easy by any means) and one person suggested that perhaps I was worried about negative feedback for myself when maybe I was being too harsh on my workers. Another said that perhaps I should be testing the pattern before the sample knitter makes it, in order to make sure it is a working pattern with no mistakes so the sample knitter doesn't have to find mistakes.

I don't feel I have been harsh, and in the main, I have paid fees in a lot of cases where the work could not be used, only in a few where there were multiple faults and it was of the wrong size completely did I withhold payment. I also withheld payment where the workers response to criticism had been over the top, and to pay any part of the fee would have caused a legal problem in that it would have been deemed that I found the piece acceptable.

There was an argument, that perhaps because ebay has feedback in that manner so should Ravelry when it came to 'test knitters'. However, my argument would be that Ebay's whole existence centres around the buying and selling transactions that take place on that site, so it is appropriate for it to police its own activities in that way. Ravelry on the other hand, is set up as a website to share information and serve the hobby knitter, and the transactions that take place between designer and knitter are away from Ravelry, and not what the site itself is centred upon, so I would not take part in a scheme which is suggested by hobby knitters to police the knitting industry's own activities.

. There are legal consqeuences as well, because me trying to explain why I did not pay a knitter could draw me into having to give a way certain details about the projects in order to justify myself, and then I am breaching any confidentiality I have with the publisher.

Also, no-one seemed to take into account that it is not my standards that cause work to be rejected, but the standards of my client, so whether or not I am being harsh does not come into it. If it is not good enough for photography for my clients, then they will not use it, regardless of my private opinion. Some knitters who have worked for me, did work for publishers and designers that I was not involved in other than being a project manager and putting my neck on the line with publishers by saying that any work not good enough by them, will be redone by me. And I have done that too!

In the end, it all became a bit confusing on Ravelry, and I think people started to think I was advocating pointing the finger at bad employees publicly, when in fact, all of what I was saying was to support WHY it was so bad to do it, and I don't want a part of it.

I wish some other more experienced designers had been able to support me on line, but a lot of them quite wisely lurked around these discussions without jumping in. However, I felt that I was speaking for them, and had similar views to some of them, but people reading the posts would not have understood that and there are still 'indie' designers who work for themselves who do not understand the contractual obligations and duties to a third party, i.e. the publisher employing me. If anything is too difficult, has too short a deadline, too low a fee and has complicated and varied duties, then don't blame me, the publishers demand that.

There are still a lot of people as well, that think test knitting is this. You send a finished but near perfect copy of a pattern to a test knitter and they knit up something for themselves in their own yarn and own time and tell you if they found an error. Yes that is one form of test knitting, but there are so many other things a knitter can be asked to do from pattern checking, copy editing, tech editing, knitting up a design from a concept only and no pattern, and knitting near perfect samples for photographs and models. To name a few.

It is difficult to find good workers, and I don't expect the earth, I just want to be able to supply the framework of a pattern to a good knitter who does not need a pattern, and for them to knit a sample good enough to photograph. I am fair, I reject work if it is fundamentally wrong and if it is completely the wrong size or cannot be used for photography.

One person thought I was rejecting work to save myself money. However, I lose out more than the knitter. They lose only their time but often I have to replace materials and pay another knitter overtime to complete it in such a short space of time. I cannot let my standards slip as I know my standards are fairly average and not that high and to drop them would make the work too substandard to be used in the commercial world.

However, I would not ever breach confidentiality and name knitters on line or anywhere else, after all, they can have a bad experience the first job or two and then learn from their mistakes.

Erssie Knits Patterns Available to Download

This is a list of all the Erssie Knits patterns available to download.
There are plenty of free patterns to download either directly from Erssie Knits
or from magazines and websites, just click on the links if you want a pattern.
Other patterns are for sale for reasonable prices using PayPal and you just
need to click the BUY button to purchase and download in one click.

This list does not include patterns I have written for books or magazines which are for sale as the publishers hold the rights to those patterns so they are not available to download from here.

Keep scrolling down to see the list of patterns.
At the bottom of this list you will find knitting charts and motifs both free and for sale.

For anyone who knits for charity, either to give knitwear to those in need or to sell knitwear to raise funds I do give out free patterns but you must apply in writing to my email address below outlining the use. Free patterns are sent out on an individual basis once approved. For any other special requests including custom knits or designs feel free to email Erssie, erssiemajor@yahoo.co.uk

Gothic Trio

New booklet with the three ex Anticraft patterns

£4 for all patterns

The patterns included in this collection were originally submitted to the Anticraft for inclusion in their book Knitting, Beading & Stitching for the Slightly Sinister.

Sadly the Anticraft book is out of print but I am able to offer these three patterns in this thirteen page booklet; Gothic Trio.

I have updated these patterns with two new charts which were not included in the original book and in addition have had the patterns re-edited by my technical editor to make the patterns even more accessible and in my own style. The errata on the original book have been corrected and are not included in these versions of the patterns.

The patterns are also available as single patterns but obviously downloading the whole booklet is cheaper and saves a total of £3.00

Belladonna Sleeves

£2.00 for a single pattern

Gothic Glam Yule hat

£2.00 for a single pattern

Pop Art Skulls Pillow and MP3 Players Pillow

£3.00 for both pillows pattern

Little Ravens Peruvian Style Earflap Hat
GBP£3.00

Yarns: Shown here in Blue Sky Worsted Hand Dyes (above) Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Chunky (below right) and Sirdar Click Chunky with Wool (below left)

Needles: 5.5mm double pointed or circular needles or size to get gauge
Sizes: Adult Small, Medium and Large
Pattern: Includes full colour charts for a 4 shade and 2 shade version with full pattern for knitting and finishing
Price: £3.00 via PayPal, which will convert this to any currency.

Tapestry Crochet Chunky Baskets

See instructions for making these baskets here

Ann Marie Stockings
Simple Lacy Rib Vintage Style Stockings

Sizes S (M, L)
Knitted from the toe up these will stretch to accomodate a lot of sizes
You can download the FREE pattern from here
Or here

This is a vintage inspired design called Ann Marie Stockings using Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock Multi in the Flamingo Stripe shade in association with Lorna's Laces because they donate 20% of profits from sale of this shade of yarn to women's cancer charities.

You can download the FREE pattern from here
Or here

Another Country Beret
Simple Tweed Stocking Stitch Beret

Knitting Pattern
Sizes: S (M, L)
To fit: 20 (22, 24) inches head circumference
Using Superchunky yarn that knits on 6.5/7mm needles

£1.50
This is my new which replaces another old classic Country Beret





£1.50

Pearmain
A Fancy Ribbed Beanie

Here is the follow up hat from the same series as Rubinette

Pearmain above is now ready to download for
£2.50



Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran or substitute with a soft Aran/Worsted
Needles: 5mm dpns or circulars/knit in the round
Stitch Pattern: This is Beaded Rib adapted for the round, and the decreases are a custom fit so it neatly decreases in pattern right to the end.
Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL covers from teenage girl (20 inches) up to Men's (23 inches plus)
Style: Loose, modern beanie with optional slouch.

This is one of a set of loose modern beanies/tams that are quick knit but in a very easy knit and purl stitch.

Coming soon there is:
Launcelot a tweed/herringbone stitch Tam,
Starr a star stitched Tam and
Pippin, stitch pattern to be confirmed.

Rubinette
A Textured Loose Beanie

Yarns: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran or other Worsted
Needles: 5mm dpns or circs

This simple hat pattern in a textured checks pattern in a loose baggy style with tiny pompon is available for
£2.50

Las Calacas Danzantes
Day of The Dead Dancing Skeleton Socks

Yarns: Alpaca 4ply, or other sock yarns
Needles: 2mm - 3mm dpns

These are socks available to download FREE from the Anticraft magazine
They were designed for a Dia de los Muertos theme in the Samhain 2008 issue of the Anticraft

Los Pequenos Relojes de Arena
Little Hourglass Ribbing Socks

Yarns: Opal Neon 4ply/Lorna's Laces or other sock yarns
Needles: 2mm - 2.5mm dpns


These are socks available to download FREE from the Anticraft magazine
They were designed for a Dia de los Muertos theme in the Samhain 2008 issue of the Anticraft

Alice P Beanie
A Simple Striped Beanie For A Child

Yarns: Worsted/Aran Cashmere Merino oddments
Needles: 5 mm dpns

£1.50



Size: 3yrs -5yrs one size only

A beanie for an older child to match the newborn beanie. They can feel left out when their knitting person starts to knit for their newborn baby or brother, so remember them too and knit a bigger beanie to match.

Buster Baby Beanie

Hats for baby newborns
Yarns: Worsted/Aran Cashmere Merino oddments
Needles: 4.5 mm dpns

£1.50
Size: Newborn
Approx 13 inches circumference when flat
14-16 inches when stretched.


Stash busting little hats that are super quick to knit once you know whether the new arrival is a boy or a girl. The free pattern includes plain and striped versions and can be knitted in the round or flat.

Work in odds and ends in luxury yarns or leftovers in your stash
Bobby is in green, red and gold (Rasta colours)
Tommy is in blue and red stripes
Little Boy Blue and Pansy are in solid plain colours

Speke's Mouth Cove
Wavy Cable Baby Socks

Yarns: 4ply sock Merino
Needles: 2.5 mm dpns

£1.50
Size: Baby 6mths and 9mths only
More sizes and other patterns coming in 2009
To be published in the booklet
Sand Between Your Toes: 10 Socks to knit by the seaside
by Erssie Major

Simple Simons

Socks in Simple Stockinette

Yarns: 4ply wool rich in 2 shades
Needles: 2.5- 3 mm dpns

Download via PayPal
£2.00 GBP

Sizes XS, S, M, L, XL plus tips for enlarging further

• Simple Stockinette only
• Sizes XS, S, M, L, XL and tips to enlarge even further
• Short row heel and toe
• Toe up from provisional cast on (2 methods included)
• Ordinary wool rich 4ply (about $8/£5* per pair)
• Wider leg without having to increase
• Simple instructions for beginner sock knitters of toe up, short rows, and knitting ‘anti-jog’ stripes
  

Little Pink Baby Set
Simple Beanie and Socks in DK Sock Yarns

Yarns: Sock DK
Needles: 3.5 mm & 4 mm dpns

Download via Paypal
£2.00 GBP

Sizes: Newborn - 3mths (6mths-9mths)
Knitted in a DK sock yarn e.g. Regia Crazy Colour

Little Mex Baby Set
Simple Beanie and Socks in Aran/Worsted Sock Yarns

Yarns: Aran/Worsted Sock e.g. Stoehler and Stahl
Needles: 4.5 mm dpns

Download via Paypal
£2.00 GBP

Sizes: Newborn - 3mths (6mths-9mths)
Knitted in an Aran/Worsted sock yarn e.g.Schoeller & Stahl Big Mexiko

Sweet Socks For Sugar Free Feet
Socks Designed with Diabetics In Mind

Yarns: SWTC Tofutsie
Needles: 2.25- 3 mm dpns

Sizes Women's Small/Medium/Large
Can be knitted for men too

£1.50

It is a very plain but roomy sock in a stretchy yarn and has a small sporty side gusset to allow feet to expand. The style has mainly stocking stitch so suitable for sock beginners and has minimal patterned stitches so that as few marks on the feet are left as possible. The toe is extra wide and seamless.

Ondine:Sleeves for a Mermaid
Armwarmers with Flared Cuffs

Yarns: SWTC Karaoke Worsted/Aran
Needles: 5 mm dpns

The FREE knitting pattern is featured in the UK online magazine The Inside Loop and can be

downloaded from here
free only until 31 January 2010

Baggy Beanie
A loose stocking stitch beanie

Ocean: Using one solid yarn and one variegated yarn
shown here in Wensleydale variegated dyed by Woolly Wormhead and Jaeger Shetland Aran Navy

Sand: Using SWTC Karaoke in variegated yellows/browns and solid tweedy rust colours









Fiona: Using 3 colour stripes. Shown here in 3 shades of Jaeger Shetland Aran

Fiona: Using 3 colour stripes. Shown here in 3 shades of Jaeger Shetland Aran











Fiona Reversed: Using 3 colour stripes and worn inside out. Shown here in 3 shades of Jaeger Shetland Aran











Rasta: Using Red, Green and Gold colours with a black crown, and the brim knitted on afterwards from a provisionally cast on edge. This means you can complete the top part of the beanie, and then just extend the bottom as long as you like to fit the length of your hair or dreads









Yarns: Worsted/Aran
Needles: 5 or 5.5 mm dpns

This is a loose striped beanie and can be knitted in any Aran/Worsted yarn on 5mm or 5.5 mm dpns. It can be knitted in 2 colour stripes (Ocean and Sand) 3 colour stripes (Fiona), 3 colour purl stripes (Fiona reversed) or Red,Green,Gold stripes with a black crown and an afterthought black brim (Rasta)

Knitting Pattern (All versions)
Download via PayPal
GBP £2.50

Erssie's Easy Beanie

A Fair Isle Beanie For babies

Yarns: DK Merino oddments
Needles: 4 mm dpns

Download via Paypal
£2.00 GBP

Size Baby 3-6mths+

Yarn: Any DK wool rich

The knitting pattern for these beanies includes a 2 colour and 3 colour version. A matching pair of Fair Isle booties pattern is FREE to download from the Knotions magazine website
(see Under One Skein below.)

Under One Skein Booties
Cinderella Lacy Baby Socks
Skywatcher Fair Isle Baby Socks

Yarns: Heavy DK or Worsted/Aran Cashmere Merino oddments
Needles: 3.5 mm dpns

These booties first appeared in Magknits and are republished in the magazine Knotions and can be downloaded FREE from their website patterns section
The Skywatcher (Fair Isle booties) actually match Erssie's Easy Beanie above (Fair Isle Beanies above). The Cinderella (eyelet) booties use a garter ridge eyelet pattern.

Striped Baby Beanie
Cotton and Silk Blend Beanies for Babies with Wool Allergies

Yarns: Worsted/Aran
Needles: 4.5 mm dpns

Download via Paypal

£2.00 GBP

Shown above in Cotton/Silk Aran, and below in alpaca silk aran

Ice Baby Beanie
A 100% Silk Baby Beanie with Traditional Snowflake Design

Yarns: Worsted/Aran silk or other Needles: 4.5 - 5 mm dpns

Download via PayPal

£2.00 GBP

Size 6mths/12mths

Available free from Hip Knits with purchase of silk aran

Ghostskulls
A Baby, Child and Adult Beanie with Skulls Motifs

Yarns: Worsted/Aran
Needles: 4.5 - 5 mm dpns

Download via Paypal
£2.50 GBP



All 3 sizes in one pattern
Baby 18mths
Child 4-6yrs
Adult Medium

Includes Girlie Ghostskulls Adult pattern

Pirate Gal and Pirate Boy
Charts for Pirate Skulls Beanies

Yarns: Worsted/Aran
Needles: 4.5 - 5 mm dpns
Adult chart is free with a very rough outline, it is not a full pattern

It is FREE download from here

This is not a full knitting pattern, it is a chart with guidelines to knit a medium sized adult hat. It can also be adapted for other sizes like Pirate Boy below. The motifs on the back of the hat, are a reverse colours of the motifs on the front of the hat....so it keeps you thinking!

Little Skulls Baby Set
Little Pink Skulls and Little Blue Skulls Baby Hat & Socks Set

Yarns: Worsted/Aran

Needles: 4.5 mm dpns Download via PayPal

£2.50 GBP

Sizes Newborn (3mths, 6mths)

Using Aran/Worsted yarns it is made in blue for a boy, pink for a girl or ivory or other for neutral

Cafe Racer Set
A Hat & Socks Set for a Biker Baby


With a Traditional Finishing Flag Design

Yarns: Worsted/Aran
Needles: 4.5 mm dpns

Download via PayPal
GBP £2.50


Sizes: Newborn - 3mths Perfect set for little biker newborns, or those with sporty mums or dads

Baby Santa Hat

Yarns: Worsted/Aran Cashmere Merino oddments Needles: 4.5 - 5 mm dpns £2.00 GBP

Christmas Pudding Hat
Baby Beanie with Icing and Knitted Holly and Berries

Yarns: Worsted/Aran
Needles: 4.5 - 5 mm dpns
Download via Paypal
£2.50 GBP

Sizes: 0-6mths, 6-9mths and 12mths

Christmas Tree Decorations Collection
Gold and Silver Baubles
Red and Gold Tinsel
Santa Mini Stocking
Striped Mini Stocking
Christmas Tree Mini Stocking

Yarns: Various
Needles: various Download via PayPal
£2.00 GBP
This collection of Christmas Tree ornaments includes Gold and Red Tinsel, Gold and Silver Baubles, and 3 separate designs of mini stockings

Dizzy Lily
A Snood for a Hound

Yarns: Worsted/Aran
Needles: 5 mm dpns
£2.00


A snood for sight hounds, who suffer really badly from the cold due to thin skin and fur. Most kennel coats or outdoor coats can leave a gap around the neck so the snood is a perfect piece of knitwear to cover the gap. This knitting pattern is free to those who knit multiple items for rescue organisations only and I may consider giving it free to those on benefits or pensions if they apply with proof. Other people can download it for a donation of 100% of the proceeds go to a greyhound charity.

Bee Hat and Bootees
Easy Striped Baby Hat and Booties

Knitted Flat

Yarns: Worsted/Aran
Needles: 4.5 - 5mm dpns

This former Magknits pattern is now republished in the magazine Knotions and can be downloaded FREE from their website patterns section

G8 Caps

Yarns: Worsted/Aran Cashmere Merino
Needles: 4.5 - 5 mm dpns
Using leftovers you can knit a fez style colourful hat with easy colourwork

These hats for mother and daughter first appeared in Magknits and are republished in the magazine Knotions and can be downloaded FREE from their website patterns section

Silvanus
Bag with Green Man Design

Yarns: Worsted/Aran 100% wool
Needles: 4.5 mm ad 5 mm pairs

Dowload your free copy of this Erssie Knits pattern from the online magazine archives of the Anticraft, the chart is not mine, I adapted the Green Man from a chart in Enchanted Knitting.
It was featured in the Samhain issue 2006

Beltane Flame
Adult Hat

Yarns: Worsted/Aran Merino
Needles: 5 mm straight pair or dpns


Dowload your free copy of this Erssie Knits pattern from the online magazine archives of the Anticraft
It was featured in the Beltane issue 2006

A Maiden's Glory
A Headdress for Beltane

Yarns: Sports weight cotton
Needles: 2 - 2.5 mm dpns

Dowload your free copy of this Erssie Knits pattern from the online magazine archives of the Anticraft
It was featured in the Beltane issue 2006

Charts

These are knitting charts drawn up from my original artwork. They are put into a graph paper format and can be used for knitting and crochet or other needlework arts, although the proportion is best suited to knitting

Tesselating Skulls

Download via PayPal
£1.00 GBP


A chart of an all over pattern of repeating skulls (offset in a diagonal way like wallpaper), includes an enlarged individual chart 16 sts x 58 rows so that you can choose either the individual motif, or have a 'tile' to repeat over your garment to whatever size you like x 16sts. The overall pattern looks really good for knee highs or stockings, as the skulls coil around the legs in a diagonal line.

Dancing Skeleton

with Top Hat and Flowers

He is a cheeky chappy who has escaped from dia de los Muertos (Mexican Day of the Dead) festival and is looking for a small home (17 sts x 59 rows) for his long and thin body. Knit onto a scarf, a hat, or a pair of socks....in fact anywhere will do.

Calavera Naranja

This is a fruity orange sugar skull to knit onto your Halloween projects.
Designed by Erssie Major, charted by Cindy Moore of Fitter Knitter
It is FREE download from here

Skull with Vines and Cherries

A chart made from Erssie's original sketches for the cover of the Anticraft's Samhain issue 2008. This was made by putting the sketch through the KnitPro software available on http://www.microrevolt.org. Reproduced by kind permission of MicroRevolt.

It is Free Download from here

Erssie Knits cards for sale

Good quality printed cards are for sale with all royalties going to Essex Greyhound Rescue. Includes a Christmas card.