“Back? I never knew it was gone,” you might be saying.
Understandably so. This spring, I made the difficult decision to shut down my store and take everything offline. I couldn’t justify the expense of my tech stack, and I didn’t have the time or energy to find other options before my annual renewals started hitting me.
Also, I was pretty wiped out energetically, so I didn’t even announce the departure. My Secret Wish Knitting just… quietly disappeared.
But now, it’s back. Hopefully, for good. I’ve built the new store on a platform that will be affordable forever, so even if (God forbid) something should happen to me, my heirs could keep it going with little trouble.
If you missed my store over the past few months, now is the perfect chance to explore my pattern catalogue again as you dig into your stash for the fall knitting season. And to use a tutorial or two to help you complete your projects.
Also, be sure to check out my selection of Low Vision Accessible patterns, which are available in standard PDF, Large Print Screen-Reader-Accessible PDF, and ePUB.
I hope to get a couple new patterns published this fall and winter season, so I’ll be back to tell you when those are available.
Happy knitting, magic maker. Thanks for continuing on this journey with me.
Warmly,
Talena (The Yarn Mermaid)
P.S. I’d love to hear what’s on your needles now (or next). Let me know in the comments!
(I’m working on a sample for a new cabled sock pattern, and a lace shrug I’ve had on my needles since 2016… but that I might actually finish this winter!)
This sock toe is a teaser of my upcoming “Carousel Socks” pattern.
Several years ago, my oldest son asked me to make him a scarf. Since it’s rare for anyone in my immediate family to ask me to make them anything fibre-related (hazards of having all boys, I guess), naturally, I jumped on that.
I came up with several ideas and ran them past him. In his late teens at the time, he already had a classic and slightly hipster fashion sense, despite our rural roots, and I wanted to make sure he was pleased with the outcome. He gave me the go-ahead on the yarn and basic design.
The result was this very simple and classy scarf with a definite masculine ruggedness and confidence to it that he loved. And this month, I finally got it written up into a pattern.
Classic, rugged, and warm, this attractive scarf requires only basic knitting skills. Perfect for beginners!A simple waffle weave pattern creates interesting surface texture on this bulky-knit scarf.The Commander Scarf being modelled by the recipient and inspiration for the name.
Rugged. Resilient. Timeless. The Commander Scarf is a bold, masculine knit designed for those who face the elements with quiet confidence. Featuring a striking waffle weave texture, this scarf balances warmth and structure, making it the perfect companion for cold, windswept days.
Crafted in bulky-weight yarn, the Commander Scarf works up quickly while maintaining a polished, classic look. Whether wrapped snugly for protection against the chill or worn loose for effortless style, its deep texture and three length options make it a versatile staple for any winter wardrobe.
Pattern Highlights:
Bold waffle weave texture for rich depth and warmth.
Designed for bulky-weight yarn—knits up fast!
Three length options to customize size and fit.
Three pattern formats: standard PDF, low-vision-accessible PDF (large print, screen reader accessible), and ePUB.
Includes charts for visual reference for both right- and left-handed (mirror) knitters.
Masculine, structured look that pairs effortlessly with coats and sweaters.
Ideal for knitters looking to create a classic, wear-everywhere scarf.
Set against the backdrop of a stormy northern sea, the Commander Scarf is inspired by the raw power of the wild coast—where crashing waves meet unyielding cliffs. Knit yours in deep, moody tones for a dramatic effect, or go for neutrals to emphasize its understated strength.
Wrap yourself in warmth. Knit with purpose. Command the season.
Ready to cast on? Get the pattern now and start your next adventure.
It’s been a minute. But I’m thrilled to pop in here to say there’s a new pattern in the store for something warm, toasty, perfect for winter…
Okay, they’re socks. Toe-up socks. With waffle texture and gusset heels and just enough pattern interest to keep you paying attention but not so much you can’t knit while watching Castle. (Or your own favourite show. You do you.)
Cover for the Adventure Socks knitting pattern by Talena Winters, a waffle-texture toe-up sock. Project Level: Intermediate.
This pattern is perfect for tucking into hiking boots and hitting the trail, or keeping your feet toasty while you dive into your latest read.
AND!
It’s got low vision accessible formats! Get it in large print screen reader accessible PDF, ePUB, or standard PDF formats, all from a single purchase!
Feast your eyes on these details:
Using a provisional cast on like Magic Cast On or Turkish Cast On at the toe means no grafting later! Easily shape the toes using raglan-style increases on the edges while knitting in the round.Use short row shaping to produce a gusset heel at just the right foot length for a perfect fit.The waffle texture is an easy four-stitch, four-row repeat that captures a little extra warmth while providing textural interest—as well as a little more interest for the knitter.Finish with an inch (or more) of one-by-one ribbing for a stretchy cuff that won’t fall down, then bind off with either Sewn Rib Bind Off or Super-Stretchy Bind Off for a smooth, professional edge.Put it all together for a pair of snug-as-bug feet on yourself or some lucky person you love!
While I made my sample in a variegated yarn, this would also be a great pattern for solids to really show off that waffle texture.
The pattern is available in three sizes, from Youth / Adult Small (8.5-inch or 21.5-cm instep circumference) up to Adult Large (11-inch or 28-cm instep circumference.)
What are you waiting for? Go get yours and cast on your next knitting adventure today!
A month ago, I posted the announcement that I was done. My Secret Wish Knitting was closing down, and for good reasons—mainly, that I didn’t feel capable of continuing to run this business, which took too much time and energy from my primary passions of writing and editing.
Over the last several weeks, I have gone about the process of following through on that. I took all my patterns down off of Etsy and Lovecrafts. I deactivated my pattern sales on Ravelry. I started making other changes to separate my knitting brand from other aspects of my online presence. I started backing up my extensive stitch tutorial pages elsewhere, in case I ever wanted to do anything else with that work.
And then, this week, I had meant to take the final steps of closing down this website and finally shutting the doors for good.
My previous concerns were valid. This knitting brand did take up a lot of my timeâbut that’s because I was spreading the brand too thin, and in places that didn’t serve me. Or, in retrospect, my customers.
Etsy, while an excellent search engine for new customers to find me, is the worst accounting nightmare I’ve ever experienced. And I’ve dealt with a lot of different platforms and retailers, so I have a really solid spectrum of platforms to compare it to. I’ve sold on Etsy for fourteen years, and that entire time, dealing with hundreds of hours of accounting annually for microtransactions that don’t even make sense to pay someone else to enter has been an ongoing drain on my time, energy, and financial resources.
(I have other issues with what Etsy has become, but this was my primary problem with selling there.)
Well, guess what? I’ve now closed my Etsy shop. (It technically still exists, but there are no active listings.) That headache is blissfully, wonderfully gone.
But that doesn’t mean my knitting business has to be.
One of the reasons I built this website last year, besides allowing me to serve my customers in ways my previous setup wouldn’t allow, was exactly because I could automate so many of the processes—the follow-up emails, for one, but mostly, the accounting. But because I thought I still needed to stay open on Etsy to make this profitable, this new website didn’t actually free up any of my time.
And because of that, I also wasn’t able to expend any energy on the things I really want to do to serve my knitting clients better, such as continuing to revise my older patterns to be more accessible, or to publish any new designs that have been languishing in just-need-to-be-written-up limbo for years. I was so drained from simply trying to stay on top of the admin that it left no room for growth or creativity.
If I hadn’t reached a breaking point this year and decided to close everything down, I wouldn’t have realized where the real problem lay.
But now I have. And in taking these steps,I’ve discovered that I can have the best of both worlds—keeping my side hustle hobby business alive, while continuing to fill what I feel is an important niche in the knitting community by working to provide low-vision-accessible, hand-ambiguous patterns and tutorials.
Same photographer, same cutie (I think).
A Mindset Revolution
As I’ve considered what led me to my dramatic conclusions last month (to make sure reversing my decision wasn’t a bad idea), I’ve had another epiphany.
I always want to do everything the very best I can. I’d rather do something correctly, to the best of my ability, and serve my customers in a way that satisfies me as well as you, than take shortcuts to do it fast and sloppy.
Like the slow fashion we create, my entire career has been built on slow growth.
I also have enough business knowledge and savvy to dream up what the best version of any endeavour I undertake might look like… in a perfect world.
The gap between those two things—wanting to create things well, even if it’s slow, and building a product or project into the best version of itself, which requires a lot of development—has been a constant source of frustration and character growth for me over the years.
This week, I realized that part of my frustration with this brand stemmed from not having the time nor energy to devote to bringing about that “perfect version” of it right away. And I kind of went, Well, yeah, Talena. What else did you expect?
To be honest, for me to do all the things I can envision for my knitting clients would require a lot of growth in all of my businesses. The kind of growth that would allow me to have a team and free up my time to focus only on the creative and community-building aspects of my brands.
But I’m not there yet.
Over time, I believe those dreams will be achievable. Eventually, I may be able to host the community events, publish new patterns on a consistent and frequent basis, and become more involved in the knitting community. I just can’t do those things right now.
And, as long as I can be okay with that, and stop trying to pressure myself into being in a place I’m not, then this business could continue to grow slowly, as it always has. I can keep this side business that’s always held a dear place in my heart alive. And my tutorials and knitting designs will remain available for those who want them.
So, that’s my big news. I’m not closing down completely. This website will continue to stay open for as long as it continues to pay for itself.
Back in Action
So, inspired by that burst of enthusiasm, this week I finished revising and republishing one of my most popular designs that had been sitting on the back burner: the Revolution Toque.
And if you add both the hat and the mittens to your cart, you’ll get an automatic bundle discount (about 25% off).
Thank you for your continued support, friend. By God’s grace, I think I’ve found a path that will allow me to continue to serve you for years to come.
If you’re in the market for a new project, please take a moment to browse my patterns, and be sure to subscribe to my newsletter so you can be notified when I have news to share.
Mittens can do so much more than warm hands—such as delight the eye and warm the heart. Pictured: Pale yellow The Honey Treemittens.
Winter hit northern Alberta yesterday morning. I woke up to find my lawn covered in inches of snow, with more huge, fluffy flakes coming down fast. Within minutes, my thoughts had turned toward hot cocoa, Christmas decorating (yes, I know, it’s only late October—don’t throw things), and handwarmers.
Well, for a crafter, knitting handwarmers is kind of a logical next thought after Christmas decorations, isn’t it?
If you have some hands to warm up this winter, here are some great ideas for making knitted mittens, gloves, fingerless mittens, convertible glittens, fingerless gloves… you get the idea. All of these knitting patterns come in sizes from wee to adult large, so you can outfit hands of every age.
Title card that reads: 5 Knitting Patterns for Fast and Easy Hand Warmers. Warm Hands for the Win! Patterns shown, going clockwise from top left: The Honey Tree, Just Plain Gloves, Revolution Mittens, and Twisted Rope Fingerless Mittens.
As a boy mom, I’ve knit a lot of gloves. I mean, half of those are because they lost them, not outgrew them, but the things we do for our kids, right?
One of my favourite things about the Just Plain Gloves pattern is that you can layer them up. (Here in the north, surviving winter is about layers.) You can use just the shell on its own, or you can make a fingering-weight liner for extra warmth. And if you want to be super-versatile, just make a shell in both fingering weight and either the worsted or bulky weights—then you’ll be able to pick exactly how many layers you need for the weather, and how thick those layers should be.
The bonus? This pattern is low vision accessible, so even more knitters can help keep hands warm this winter. (See the accessibility statement in the pattern listing for details.)
Mix’n’Match Gloves, Mittens, and Glittens (Convertible) Sets
Once upon a time, I had the brilliant idea to create a pattern set where you could choose your own finishing options. Each hand covering would be the same up to the thumb gusset, but from there, you could choose any type of finger finishing option you wanted to suit your personal style and needs.
(I was a big fan of choose-your-own-adventure books as a kid, can you tell?)
I used a simple two-stitch cable for the cuff (and included instructions for cuffs of different lengths), then a variation of the same cable over four stitches for the hand back. The finger finishing options would let you mix and match between fingerless mittens or gloves, regular mittens or gloves, or flip-top mittens or gloves (glittens). PLUS! I included a plain fingering-weight liner glove pattern so you could line these babies for extra warmth.
The first set I made with this idea was the Mermaids & Dragons set. I loved these so much, that then I created the Honey Tree set. For extra versatility, these two sets use the same yarn and measurements, so you can even mix-and-match the cable options between them if you want!
Your biggest dilemma with these two pattern bundles will be choosing which configuration to make first. 😄
Can I say how much I adore the look of brioche knitting? I mean, just look at those squishy vertical stripes! All that squishiness makes for extra-thick, extra-warm fabric, too. Which is why I designed these mittens for all sizes, with both long- and short-cuff versions (depending how much snow you need to keep out of your sleeves).
This pattern breaks down the stitches so you can finish these mittens like a pro, which means it’s a great project to start with, even if you’ve never knit brioche before!
Fingerless Mittens
If you live in a climate that hasn’t hit full-on snow-pocalypse like mine has (okay, that was yesterday, but I’m not going to see grass until April sometime, so allow me my moment of drama), you might be leaning more toward fingerless typing or texting gloves to keep your digits warm.
Honestly, I use these all winter long for typing, as my office is in the draftiest, coldest corner of my living room, and my fingers can turn to solid blocks of ice after only a few hours—not so conducive for typing. In fact, I’m wearing the Secret Garden Fingerless Mittens right now!
Besides the fingerless mitten and glove options in the two mix-and-match sets I mentioned above, here are two other patterns that might tickle your fancy—and keep fingers free for tickling other things.
Whether you’re a beginner looking for a simple yet stylish design or an experienced knitter seeking a challenge, one of these patterns should delight your sensibilities. So go ahead, grab some luxurious yarn, choose a design that speaks to your soul, and cast on to start warming up hands and hearts today.
I hope you enjoyed this round-up of mitten and glove handknitting patterns from my shop. I’ll have even more designs coming (or coming back) soon, so be sure to subscribe to my blog through the link below, or join my newsletter list to be notified about future releases.
Confessions of a Yarn Mermaid 