Silvestre Mitts – a beautiful new Loop pattern and a giveaway!
This week we are so happy to announce our newest pattern at Loop – the Silvestre Mitts, designed by Skeindeer for Loop. The word ‘Silvestre’ is old Latin for ‘woodlands’. These luxurious mitts are knitted in Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift, which is a lovely pure Shetland wool, with a 2ply spin. This is a favourite yarn of Eli, the lovely lady behind Skeindeer.
This pattern is wonderful as it is for fingerless mitts or full mittens and from child to adult extra large sizes. Something for everyone! And we have made beautiful kits for you and are giving two away this week!
We talked to Eli about her new pattern, her design process and her relationship to Loop.
Could you tell us a little bit about where your idea for the pattern came from?
The idea for the pattern very much came from my love of woodland motifs. Among all my knitting project bags, there is a good portion of them have prints of deer, bunnies, trees and squirrels. It seemed very fitting to Loop’s aesthetic as well and so I went with it.
Can you tell us about your design process? How do you set about coming up with new designs?
I have surprisingly little insight into my own pattern creation process. They just come to me. It helps that I think very visually, so often the main challenge is to get what it’s in my head onto the needles. Most of the time I start off by charting a motif, as most of my designs are stranded colourwork. Then there is a lot of spreadsheets. Not very sexy, but there you go.
What has Loop and our knit night meant to you over the years?
I have lived and worked next to Loop for over 7 years. When I moved from Norway to London in 2011 I didn’t fully understand Loop. It’s a very unique shop, and so different from the yarn shop scene in Norway that I was used to. Loop has since been part of my journey to knit with more indie designed patterns, hand dyed yarns and small producers, to eventually become an indie designer myself. It’s now the first place I go to for the latest knitting publications, and I may have filled out a loyalty card or two… or three.
Do you have a favourite ‘item’; one that you love to design or work on?
Mittens have always been my go-to item to design. My whole designer journey started with making Norwegian Selbu Mitten patterns that are approachable for those who are new to making colourwork mittens. I have since made mittens of a variety of styles and weights, but all colourwork. In fact, I think the Silvestre mittens might be my 20th mitten design!
Finally, what is your favourite yarn at Loop?
My favourite yarn at Loop is hands down Jamieson’s Spindrift. I love love love woollen spun 2 ply sheep yarn. It’s perfect for colourwork and you can cut (steek) straight through it without any unravelling. It’s no coincidence that this is the yarn I made the Silvestre mittens with. Other favourites include, Isager Highland Wool, anything Quince & Co, and the new Harrisville Nightshades DK.
Thank you so much to Eli for answering our questions!
We have put together a few different colour combinations for these mitts, we want a pair in every colour!
The Silvestre Mitts are available as kits in either the ‘Jupiter’ or ‘Mocha’ colour ways; you will get 3 balls of Spindrift yarn, the pattern and a Loop cotton shopper bag. We also have the printed pattern available to purchase individually.
If you would like the PDF of the Silvestre Mitts, it is available though Skeindeer on Ravelry.
We are also running a giveaway for this wonderful kit!
If you would like to enter our giveaway, please leave us a comment telling us which version you would like to make (mittens or fingerless mitts), and in which colour way – Mocha or Jupiter.
The giveaway will close on Thursday 24th January, and we will pick a winner at random here on the blog.
We will also pick one winner over on Instagram! Simply follow our IG account @LoopLondonLoves and either repost our image or use one of your own using the hashtag #LoopLovesSilvestreMitts – we’ll choose both winners next week and notify the winners on Friday morning of the 25th January. Feel free to enter in both places and best of luck!
We hope you love this pattern as much as we do! Thank you to Eli for designing this gorgeous pattern for us.
This giveaway is now closed.
In love with these mittensThe motif is perfect ! I would knit Mittens in Juniper .
I would love to knit the full mitten in Jupiter. Living in the States the Jamieson yarn is not readily available and would love to try knitting with this yarn that seems to be one of the yarns of choice for colorwork. Thank you for your beautiful designs, also.
Really like these- love knitting fingerless gloves and these would be very interesting to knit! Mocha please!
Oooh I’d love to knit fingerless mitts in woodland Mocha! ☺️
Another lovely pattern and it would be brilliant in Jupiter.
I’d love to knit the mittens, lovely design!
This design takes my breath away. If I do win would love the fingerless gloves in Mocha.
I would love to knit the full mittens in Mocha. This colourway reminds me of a walk I used to do at this time of year in a local wooded park in Glasgow
I love the design of these, jupiter mittens would be great!
I love all of Eli’s mittens, I would do the full mitten version in Mocha! Beautiful giveaway!
Such a gorgeous pattern and using one of my favourite yarns too. I would love to knit these mittens in the ‘mocha’ shade
Lovely pattern, Eli has a wondeful taste. I’d love to knit this pair in Mocha.
I would use mocha such lovely colours and would be finger gloves! So much more use for them for me. What an absolute gorgeous pattern.just love it!
I would love to knit the fingerless gloves in the Mocha color way.
Thank you.
I would love to make these as fingerless gloves in the mocha. Anything with a deer on it and I’m sold. These are so sweet.
Full mittens in juniper to keep my fingers cosy and warm
I would knit the full mittens in juniper. Lovely, lovely pattern.
I would make the mittens to show off the beautiful pattern in Jupiter. .
I would love to boost my confidence in colourwork knitting and these would be the ideal choice. Cold winter? It has to be Mocha for me – warm hands in mittens wrapped around a steaming hot mug.
I love colour and would making the mittens in jumiper colour.
Fingerless mitts in mocha for me!
I would knit fingerless mittens in Mocha, it’s a lovely pattern.
Fingerless mitts in mocha for me please!
I love this new pattern and kits, particularly the owl in the tree. So loop’s spirit.
I like the Jupiter shades for the mittens
The fingerless mitts would be fabulous for wearing when I do my photography.
Lovely pattern I would choose mocha colourway and knit both fingerless and full mittens
I love these, particularly in mocha!
Oh and it’s tough choice but I think the fingerless mitts would be the version for me, perhaps with an extra long cuff for folding over at the fingers end (if that makes sense!).
Oooo they are gorgeous .. I would knit the fingerless in Juniper
I would knit the full mitts in Jupiter
I would like the mittens in Jupiter please x
I would knit the mittens in mocha. What a beautiful pattern.
I love the combination of the lacy cuff and motif main part. After making fingerless mittens for friends, I would make the juniper full mittens for ME! Never knitted mittens before.
Fingerless mitts in mocha – gorgeous!
Beautiful pattern.
If I was lucky enough to win I’d have full mittens ( it’s cold up in Cumbria ) and in mocha.
Thanks for the chance ❤️
Absolutely beautiful mittens. Never having knitted any form of glove before, this looks a stunning project on which to start. Jupiter and the fingerless mitts would be my choice. Thank you for offering this lovely seasonal giveaway.
Oh these are lovely. I’d make the fingerless in Mocha….perfect for dog walking on these chilly mornings! Thank you for sharing!
I’d pick Jupiter mittens for my girlfriend, she’d love them.
I love the Woodland theme, and I love fingerless mitts, so useful. I would like the mocha colourway if I am lucky enough to win a kit!
Oooo these are gorgeous.. I would love to knit fingerless in Juniper
Love this pattern. Would make the mittens in Mocha.
The mittens in Jupiter are my preference. Great to see a workplace help staff thrive.
Love the pattern. I would make the mittens in Juniper
These are so beautiful – I would love to knit the full mitten in the Mocha colour way :)
Juniper and full mitts – it’s freezing out there!!
I love the juniper, full mittens for me, I recently made my first pair, they are so warm, I’m now addicted to mittens. This pattern is so attractive, I love the woodland scene.
These are just beautiful and I would like full mittens in Jupiter.
Those full mitts in Jupiter are begging to be my next project!
What a lovely giveaway! I would love to knit the Silvestre Mitts in the ‘Jupiter’ colourway! I would definately make the full mittens.
Such a beautiful pattern! I would like to make it in Jupiter.
I’m only now entering the world of two colour knitting and these are just divine! Hard to decide on my preferred shade… let’s go with mittens in Mocha!
I love this design and as I have a thing about owls I would knit the full mittens in the Jupiter colourway.
Hmm, the first pic I saw was for the fingerless version and it was pretty appealing, but then you get an owl and the moon, so I think I would have to do the full version. As for the color, I’m a purple gal, so I’d go with Jupiter, though I can’t deny wondering how this would look with a rainbow variegated option: purple moon, blue owl, green/yellow tree, down to orange/red deer, toadstool, and squirrel!
oooh – so lovely. I’d definitely go for mittens in Jupiter.
Mittens in Jupiter
I think everyone in my family would love a pair of these, from 9 months old to 89 years! For myself I would love to knit the fingerless mitts in Mocha. Jamieson’s Spindrift has such fab colours they would all be very different.
I love the Juniper mittens. I would really like to make those in that colour way
The Jupiter mitts would be a lovely birthday gift to myself and the perfect occasion to visit London and Loop again.
Would love to knit the Jupiter fingerless mittens. I love Jamieson’s Spindrift. Such an incredible choice of colours.
I would love to knit the full mittens in Jupiter!
Mocha for me!
Lovely pattern and I can’t fet enough of the Spindrift yarn – love it!
Mittens in Mocha for me please
So difficult to choose it’s such a lovely pattern, but I think I would knit the fingerless mitts in Mocha.
Loving both patterns and the yarn, I can’t get enough of it.
Mittens in Mocha would be great!
Beautiful. I would love to knit the mittens in mocha.
Such a great design in sizes for the whole family. Jamieson’s Spindrift is wonderful for colour work. I would like to knit the full mittens in Juniper.
The mittens in mocha would be absolutely stunning! This is such a beautiful design <3
I’d knit the mittens in Jupiter!
I want a pair in every color too! I’ve never tried knitting something like these mittens before, but they look stunning and so inspiring. I would knit the full mittens in Mocha!!
The pattern is gorgeous! Love the Jupiter colorway.
These mitts in Jupiter would be a lovely birthday present for myself and the perfect occasion for another visit to London and Loop.
What beautiful mitts. I saw them on your Instagram feed first and fell in love with them ♥️ The cuff on the mitts is so feminine and delicate. I would love to knit the mittens in mocha.
Mocha! Fingerless…
Lovely pattern…!
This is a wonderful mitten pattern. My grandaughter would love me to make the design in Jupiter
What an Alaskan mitten! All of our wildlife friends that come through the yard on a regular basis just to see what’s going on…the Jupiter colorway kit has the perfect match for the winter light here. Well done!
And thank you Skeindeer for sharing your Selbu teaching pattern! I had taken a stranded Selbu class and seriously considered quitting knitting! I found and followed your pattern and instruction and now have a new knitting love…mittens!!
Jupiter mitten kit would make me very happy!!
This is lovely, my little granddaughter says she would love a mocca deer “in her hand”
Lovely mittens, I would like to knit jupiter fingerless mitts. have a good wek end
Fingerless mitts in mocha for me or as my twin daughters have now seen the pictures, Mocha for one daughter who loves this pattern and colourway and Jupiter fingerless mitts for the other! Looks like lots of knitting for me to keep everyone happy!
The fingerless mitts in Mocha! I love the braided top, so clever.
what a beautiful pattern! I would love the mittens in jupiter.
have a lovely weekend!
Nathalie
Oh my, they are gorgeous … if I was lucky enough to win, I’d choose the mocha colourway!!
Jupiter for me, please. They would look just right alongside the Norwegian Selbu socks I am working on.
They are so beautiful !!! Love them !! I would knit the mittens in jupiter. Thank you for the give away.
Nice we!
I absolutely love the jupiter colourway and if I was lucky enough to win I would like to make the mittens
Beautiful mittens. I would like to knit them in Jupiter
I would love to knit the mittens in juniper, the pattern is delightful and mittens are so warm to wear and the weather is getting colder.
Fun interview. I love these! I’d choose Jupiter mittens.
Beautiful mittens! What a wonderful collaboration. And another great giveaway. I were so lucky to win I would love the mocha colorway.
These look darling.
I like the Mocha in the fingerless style.
I would definitely make the full mittens in Jupiter – what a gorgeous design and colour combination!
These are just lovely, and oh how I’d like to try knitting these as mittens in Jupiter! A perfect project for January.
Easy to choose – full mittens in Jupiter. Will remind me of the 4 deer who turn up in the field by my garden and the pair of owls who call to one another (and keep me awake!)
Fabulous fingerless mitts! Gorgeous!
These mittens are beautiful! Great collaboration! I would love the knit the mittens in Jupiter.
OH- these are so lovely!! This is a must-make for me, as I live in a forested area and this reflects the animals I see often. Love the tree and moon!! The Owl!! So perfect. Plum is one of my favorite colors right now, especially to wear, so Jupiter would be my choice right now. Will get this pattern either way.
Would have to be the fingerless mitts in jupiter. Ticks all the boxes.
I would love to make the fingerless mitts in Jupiter colour way.
I’d definitely do the ‘fingerless mitts’ and in the colourway Mocha. It would be a great starter for me as I haven’t tried stranded colourwork yet x
Mittens in Mocha!
Beautiful pattern!
I would make the fingerless mitts in mocha
❄️☃️❄️
Thanks for a lovely giveaway! I love fingerless gloves and I prefer the mocha kit.
I love that these mittens have a generous cuff. I would make the full mittens in Jupiter to take advantage of all the interesting pattern details.
Oh, these mittens are SO beautiful!!! I LOVE them. I especially like the juniper colour! The design is exquisite!
*jupiter* colour!
I’d love to knit the mittens in the Juniper colourway.
I am a new knitter and would love to have a go at the mittens in mocha!
They are so lovely!
The pattern is lovely as is the giveaway! I would knit mittens in Jupiter colour – I like the moon above.
Beautiful mittens! I would make the full mittens in Jupiter.
SO BEAUTIFUL!
I would knit mittens in mocha colour.
I would love to make the full mittens in mocha!
I adore the gloves and the Jupiter colour way is perfect.
Hi, thanks for this wonderful yarn and amazing colours! My favourite are fingerless mitts Jupiter. Good luck to me :)
Ooooh I have never seen such a romantic design before. Real ‘picture-book’ images for your hands. Our lives have been turned upside down recently but it has led us (the silver lining) to begin to slowly plant a wood on our plot. We imagine our wood will one day be full of all the creatures on these beautiful mittens.
I would love to be able to knit the fingerless mittens in Mocha please. Thank you.
Bonnie pattern. I would knit fingerless in mocha.
LOVE!! so beautiful!
Love these mitts, Eli is getting me addicted to her mittens, I like both the fingerless ons and the full mittens
Ooh , how lovely . I would love to knit the full mittens in Jupiter . Thank you for the oppotunity . Good luck everyone .
Lovely lovely lovely . Mocha in fingerless would be fantastic .
Love this pattern and would love to try this yarn – I’d like the Jupiter color way for mittens
What a beautiful pattern. It is breathtaking. Jupiter and full mitts will be the option.
Thanks
What a beautiful pattern. I’d love to knit the full mittens for myself in Jupiter (and then matching ones for my daughter!)
Fingerless gloves in Mocha for me!
I love the design, mittens in Jupiter would be great!
The fingerless mitts in Jupiter would be my choice.
Thanks for a great giveaway!
I would love to give stranded colorwork a try – I would attempt the full mitten in Jupiter. Thank you!
Such a beautiful pattern – you stock such glorious yarns. Jupiter mittens for me please. Fingers and toes crossed!!
Gorgeous pattern knit in a fabulous yarn. I would knit fingerless mitts in Jupiter
I’d love full mittens in Jupiter!
It’s been -20 this week, so full-fledged mittens are a must. The Jupiter kit is great for adding a bit of colour to winter too!