Hugo & Ellie

Thoughtful knitwear patterns with clear instructions, good maths, and a focus on garments that actually get worn.

03/09/2026

Around six months ago I finally took some photos of my first Mullein sample, then completely forgot about them. Mid test knit felt like the right moment to bring them back.

This sample was knit over a year ago, on and off, alongside everything else. I finally had the time to finish the pattern and bring it to testing after leaving my corporate job.

I’ve learned a lot since that first sample. Grading circular colourwork is tricky, and it gets harder still when the goal is to keep one chart throughout. A chart that expands below the sleeve separation adds even more to work out.

I lowered the main motif to make the bigger sizes work better. It’s still not perfect, torso length varies so much from person to person, so I’ve written some modification suggestions with input from my testers.

The test itself is going smoothly so far. I’ve been able to answer every question that’s come up, and a few tester suggestions have already made the pattern better than when it started.

What issues have you come across with fit in top down circular yoke colourwork? What best solutions you found so far for this type of construction? Tell me below.

10/08/2026

This past two weeks has been one of my favourite parts of the whole design process.

Two weeks into the Mullein test knit, and there’s so much happening already. I’ve picked out a few swatches and yarn choices to share here, but there are plenty more coming in behind the scenes.

Same chart, same shapes, completely different results depending on the yarn. Ochre and pine. Rust and cream. Blush and green. Deep plum. Pink with a strand of sequins running through it.

A few testers have gone soft and tonal, others have pushed the contrast right up. It’s the first proper look at how this pattern behaves across different fibres and palettes.

Thank you to everyone taking part. I can’t wait to see these swatches turn into jumpers over the coming weeks.

06/08/2026

First time processing raw fleece. I’d done the research, attended a fleece preparation workshop by sharon smith at Wonderwool Wales, read everything I could find. I was still surprised.

I’m not an expert, I’m a designer and researcher who needed to understand this from the inside. Take my observations as exactly that.

Save this if you’re thinking about trying it.

01/08/2026

When I started researching how to wash raw fleece, I expected to find a recipe.

Instead, I found ranges.

There wasn’t one agreed temperature, one soak time, or one amount of detergent. Most advice sits within a range and depends on the fleece, the detergent, the equipment, and the person’s preferred workflow.

Rather than trying to find the “correct” method, I treated fleece washing as a set of variables: temperature, time, number of cycles, detergent, and agitation. Once I understood what each variable was doing, the process made much more sense.

The values in this carousel are the ones I used for washing this fleece by hand, alongside ranges that commonly appear in hand-scouring guidance. They aren’t the only way to do it, but they gave me a framework that helped me understand why each stage exists and what changing a variable might do.

If you’ve processed raw fleece before, I’d love to know which variable made the biggest difference in your setup.

31/07/2026

Methods of making a stranded colourwork swatch for circular yokes

Ranked from worst to best*
*in my opinion

1, flat back and forth
The quickest way to swatch. Knit one row, purl one row.
Good for a rough colour check. Not reliable for gauge, purling changes your tension.

2, flat-ish on circulars
Knit every row by sliding the work back and carrying yarn loosely across.
No purling, but those long floats across the full width need cutting before you can measure. Always felt wrong to cut that much yarn.

3, in the round, small tube
Cast on enough to work in the round, knit a small tube.
Much closer to real conditions. A very small circumference can affect how you hold your yarn though.

4, in the round with steek
Cast on two full repeats, work in the round, add a steek column, then cut open and measure.

For me, it’s the most accurate method for any colourwork project worked in the round. Short consistent floats, clean cut, and what you measure is exactly what you will get.

Do you have your favourite method?

30/07/2026

When I was shopping I didn’t even realise I had a purple theme going on 😆
I went with just a few plans on getting missing skeins to projects I‘ve planned and then I went bit overboard, not too much but still 😆
yarnunique 4 ply Silky sock in Jewelled plum, perfect for earlier bought Rainbow sky, both will be a top for my daughter.
tools and natural dyes, prepping for my incoming workshop
handspun skein and bfl from to go with it
skein of Cosy 4ply in Ink to go with green and pink colourways I already have
4ply bfl and masham in natural to go with my rainbow selection
And of also got hand carders from and turkish spindle from which are already in use 🥰

29/07/2026

The barrier to processing raw fleece is lower than you think. Everything I used, I already owned.

Two Ikea buckets with lids. A food thermometer. A kettle. A big pot for boiling water. A garden hose to top up the temperature. Gloves, washing up liquid, a measuring cup and a clothes drying rack.
That’s it.

Raw fleece in the UK is remarkably affordable. A whole fleece can cost just a few pounds direct from a farm. The entry point is genuinely low, and I think that’s worth saying out loud.

What comes next is a different kind of story.

28/07/2026

Day one of the Mullein Jumper test knit is done and I am sitting here smiling.

Watching testers share their yarn choices, seeing the colours play together in swatches is genuinely one of my favourite parts of the whole process.

24/07/2026

This is a Welsh Mule fleece and my first time processing raw wool.

Before I started, I’d read articles, watched videos and attended a workshop with at . I had a plan, but there is a big difference between understanding the steps and doing them yourself for the first time.

One decision I made was to start with a cold soak before the hot washes because this fleece was particularly muddy. Looking back, I’m glad I did.

My goal from the beginning was to use as much of the fleece as possible. The fibres best suited for spinning will become yarn. Other parts will be used for felting, and whatever isn’t suitable for either will end up back in the garden as mulch.

I also have another fleece waiting, which I’m planning to turn into a felted rug.

If you’ve processed raw fleece before, I’d love to know what your first experience was like. What surprised you the most?

20/07/2026

Mullein is going to test knit and I am looking for knitters to join me.

This is a stranded colourwork jumper worked seamlessly from the top down. Intermediate level, nine sizes, inspired by folklore museums, and the landscape where mullein stands tall, tiered with yellow flowers.

Swipe through for all the details. If it feels like your project, I would love to have you.

Application form https://forms.gle/sfhsnVQjXdkDXVW98

Call closes Sunday 26 July. Test starts 27 July and ends 30 September.

Address

Beeston
Nottinghamshire

Website

https://www.ravelry.com/stores/hugo--ellie

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