Fiona Hamilton-MacLaren

eBooks available as Ravelry Downloads

Patterns available as Ravelry Downloads

Crochet: Cowl
For warming up in winter nothing beats the delicious treat of a syrupy stroopwafel sat on top of a cup of hot coffee to go warm and gooey. The waffle texture achieved by the stitches in this pattern reminded me of the tasty biscuit, and the colours used for the sample of combining it with a hot coffee (or cocoa if you prefer) – ultimate winter ...
Crochet: Headband
This pattern is a fab skill builder, using simple stitches to create texture. Perfect for using up leftovers of DK yarn – try colourblocking the rib edgings or using scraps to make stripes.
Crochet: Cowl
This pattern is a fab skill builder, using simple stitches to create texture. Perfect for using up leftovers of DK yarn – try colourblocking the rib edgings or using scraps to make stripes.
Crochet: Fingerless Gloves
This pattern is a fab skill builder, using simple stitches to create texture. Perfect for using up leftovers of DK yarn – try colourblocking the rib edgings or using scraps to make stripes.
Knitting: Cowl
Designed as part of a series to increase your knitting skills, this pattern uses basic lace techniques and beads. Requiring just 50g of yarn, you can use leftovers or a precious single ball of yarn. The pattern can also be resized, or worked without beads – play with the techniques to make it yours!
Knitting: Ankle Sock
These socks feature a bold geometric pattern- challenge your colourwork skills with three colours; wrapping floats is optional as the longest will be five stitches. Made in a cosy blend of wool and alpaca, with the added warmth of colourwork, these socks will keep you super snug.
Knitting: Pullover
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Knitting: Mid-calf Socks
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Knitting: Beanie, Toque
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Knitting: Ankle Sock
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Knitting: Headband
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Knitting: Vest
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Knitting: Cowl
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Knitting: Cowl
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Knitting: Boot Cuffs / Toppers
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Knitting: Beanie, Toque
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Knitting: Fingerless Gloves
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Knitting: Shawl / Wrap
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Knitting: Cardigan
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Knitting: Cardigan
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Knitting: Ankle Sock
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Knitting: Shawl / Wrap
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Knitting: Cowl
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Knitting: Fingerless Gloves
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Knitting: Beanie, Toque
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Knitting: Mid-calf Socks
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Knitting: Earwarmers
Springtime brings sunshine, and those first signs of nature awakening, but it can still be a little chilly. Using less than 50 g of DK, this headband uses short rows and a textured stitch pattern to help keep you cosy on those cooler days. The head band is worked flat and seamed at the centre back.
Knitting: Legwarmers
Celebrate the festive season with something a little different to the “Christmas sweater”, try these colourwork legwarmers. Use your choice of motifs to personalise your knit and get your perfect nod to the Christmas trend. Knit with DK yarns these are a cosy knit that can be made to your choice of length- from boot topper to legwarmer.
Knitting: Fingerless Gloves
A simple colourwork mountain range decorates the cuff of these quick to work mitts. Made using aran yarn they knit up fast and make for cosy hands. The colourwork requires just a little of each yarn, making it perfect for using up scraps.
Knitting: Beanie, Toque
A simple colourwork mountain range decorates the border of this cosy beanie. Made using aran yarn the hat knits up quickly. The colourwork requires just a little of each yarn, making it perfect for using up scraps.
Knitting: Headband
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Knitting: Headband
Fall in love with cool, crisp days, hot chocolate and crunchy leaves- it is easier to love cold weather when you are wrapped up in cosy wool accessories. Using just a small amount of a soft and warm DK weight yarn this earwarmer will help keep you snug as you enjoy the cooler months.
Knitting: Cowl
Warm and squishy with loads of texture, this cowl was designed to use scraps and mini skeins but works equally well in a single colour.
Knitting: Legwarmers
Whether you want to add a splash of colour, or for some extra warmth, legwarmers are an awesome accessory. Sized from baby (perfect for little legs in slings) up to adult, these are a quick knit with colourwork detail to keep the knitting interesting. Made in a fingering weight yarn, choose something luxurious or pick a brightly coloured hardwo...
Knitting: Hats - Other
The inspiration for this hat came while taking a lunchtime stroll through Leicester city centre. A gentleman walked past wearing a very snazzy felted star shaped hat. After chasing him down to compliment him on it I decided I had to come up with a pattern to knit something similar. This hat has a modular construction and no sewing.
Knitting: Legwarmers
Needles: 2.5 mm / US 1.5 double pointed needles or circular(s) for knitting in the round on a small circumference.
Knitting: Beanie, Toque
Originally designed to make the most out of your “rough stuff”- small amounts of leftover yarn or variegated yarns that just won’t play nicely with patterns. This beanie style hat combines two colours with an all over textured pattern stitch. The hat also looks great when you combine variegated yarn with a solid yarn as the stitch pattern will ...
Knitting: Boot Cuffs / Toppers
A speedy knit using thick yarn, these boot toppers will add a pop of colour to any outfit and stop chilly drafts at the top of boots.
Knitting: Hanging Ornament
Use your leftovers to decorate your tree with these handmade baubles. The pattern includes instructions for a Christmas tree, reindeer, star, snowflake, present, candle and a stocking. All designs can be worked in two colours, with an optional third colour or beading on some motifs.
Knitting: Shawl / Wrap
This shawl is designed to make use of those irresistable mini skeins or your precious sock yarn leftovers. A collection of coloured yarns are combined with a neutral to make this striking shawl.
Knitting: Hanging Ornament
Use your leftovers to make this adorable Christmas decoration with a heart motif- perfect for gifting or hanging on the tree.
Knitting: Ankle Sock
Inspired by the wide sandy desert areas of Egypt and the Suez canal. The right foot has an all over lightly textured pattern to represent sand; the left foot continues the sandy texture but has a purl channel for the Suez canal running down the leg and opening up into a textured coastline across the top of the foot. This pattern is worked from ...
Knitting: Ankle Sock
Worked from the top down with a short row heel, colourwork gives these socks a wave pattern around the leg and foot. The first sock has chevrons flowing in one direction for the flood (rising) tide, the direction of the chevrons is reversed for the second sock to represent the ebb (receding) tide.
Knitting: Pullover
This is the ultimate cosy ribbed sweater with a chunky cowl to keep you warm through the cooler months. The body of the sweater is worked in aran weight yarn, the perfect choice for a snug sweater and fast knitting. The cowl is worked in a bulky yarn; it would be ideal for using 100g of bulky handspun or that skein you had to have but now can’t...
Knitting: Fingerless Gloves
Cosy mitts to keep your hands warm. These knit up quickly using aran yarn. They are worked flat then grafted. The thumb is added by working in the round.
Knitting: Beanie, Toque
Colourwork patterning on this hat takes you on a journey from the waves at the shore, through the forest to the mountain peaks.
Knitting: Shawl / Wrap
Some days you want to knit complicated lace in cobweb yarn, or knee high socks, and then other days you just want to knit. This one is for those other days. Delightfully squishy garter stitch means lots of straightforward knitting, with just a few yarnovers for shaping.
Knitting: Mid-calf Socks
Celebrate the long days of summer with these solstice themed socks that you can wear all year round.
Knitting: Ankle Sock
Slipped stitches and tiny cables combine to give a great effect in variegated yarns. Ribbed columns are worked down the sides of the leg and foot to achieve a super fit. Socks are worked from the top down with an afterthought heel.
Knitting: Earflap Hat, Beanie, Toque
Inspired by the rock profiles used by geologists where a different colour and texture is used to represent each layer of rock, this hat mimics a similar structure with a range of patterns and textures. The Rock hat is knit in the round and highlights a myriad of textured stitches, while the optional earflaps provide extra warmth. You are encour...
Knitting: Accessories - Other
A fun gift, with a practical nature, a little nose cosy to keep your nose warm on chilly days.
Knitting: Christmas Stocking
Add a little knitting to your Christmas decorations. Aran yarn and big needles will make this one of the fastest socks you will ever knit.
Knitting: Cowl
A very simple cowl to keep you warm in wild and windy weather. This cowl is quick to work and just right for using up yarn leftover from another project.
Knitting: Beanie, Toque
This hat requires just 50g of yarn. The ribbed texture is broken up into a seed stitch pattern, making it quick to work.
Knitting: Cowl
A combination of Catherine wheel and flickering flame lace stitches creates an autumnal cowl, just right for wrapping up warm while you watch the fireworks.
Knitting: Boot Cuffs / Toppers
Cosy boot toppers to keep you warm on chilly autumn walks. The leaf motif is worked lengthways, once the ends are joined stitches are picked up then ribbing worked in the round.
Knitting: Shawl / Wrap, Scarf
finished measurements
Knitting: Mid-calf Socks
There’s no reason why your feet should be excluded from the monochrome trend, so step out in style with these pretty socks.
Knitting: Ankle Sock
Designed as a mystery knit along for fans of the Playful Day podcast.
Knitting: Beanie, Toque
Sock yarn makes great baby items. It is fine, soft, comes in a huge range of colours and possibly most importantly, it is machine washable!
Knitting: Ankle Sock
A sock pattern designed with handspun yarn in mind, it will also work beautifully in a commercial sock yarn.
Knitting: Ankle Sock
The name says it all, it is just a basic sock. This sock uses a finer weight yarn, the 4 ply commonly used for sock knitting.
Knitting: Ankle Sock
Try these for a first pair of socks, using thicker yarn makes the socks faster to knit. The pattern makes a pair of socks suitable for wearing in work or walking boots as they are a little thicker than 4 ply socks.
Knitting: Hanging Ornament
Try this pattern as a perfect introduction to sock knitting. All the techniques you need to knit a full size pair of socks are in here, but done in miniature so you can be finished super quickly
Knitting: Animal Toy
This cute snake uses scraps of sock yarn, make him as long as you like until all your leftovers have been used up.
Knitting: Afghan block
This version of the classic log cabin square uses different textures on each round. Log cabin squares are made from lots of little sections- use up yarn leftovers, or work the square in one or two colours.
Knitting: Beanie, Toque
Soar is a beanie style hat worked from the top down. It is designed to be the next step in your learn to knit journey (see “Spread your wings” and “Learn to fly” for first and second knitting projects).
Knitting: Cowl
“Learn to fly” is a great choice for a second project. It introduces purl stitches, yarn overs and knitting two together to create a patterned cowl. There is the option of trying a provisional cast on and grafting for a seamless cowl.
Knitting: Fingerless Gloves
A basic repipe for making a mitts using rectangles of garter stitch.
Knitting: Hot Water Bottle
Snug is worked in the round from the bottom. It is started using the Judy’s magic cast on method.
Knitting: Mittens
These snug mittens have a heart pattern on the back of the hand, formed using cable stitches and a moss stitch pattern. The palm is ribbed for a comfy fit.
Knitting: Afghan block
Designed to use up leftover scraps of yarn. The square uses a reverse mitre technique to make the most of the yarn you have available.
Knitting: Electronics Cozy
A textured waffle stitch creates a squashy fabric that helps to protect your gadgets.
Knitting: Cowl
A cowl designed to make the most of a precious 50g skein of aran weight yarn, the sort you save from the yarn shop bargain bin.
Knitting: Beanie, Toque
Worked from the bottom up this pattern uses knit and purl stitches to create texture.
Knitting: Fingerless Gloves
Pattern photos show mitts on a medium sized woman’s hand. The ribbing allows the mitts to fit a wide range of sizes, resizing instructions are given.