Tess Young Designs & Makes

Welcome to Tess Young Designs & Makes

Here at the online home of Tess Young Designs and Makes you can join me on the blog where I talk about knitting, cooking, gardening, textile heritage, natural plant dyeing and my knitting design process.

You can also browse my hand knitting patterns and find all the links to purchase online via your preferred pattern site, including Payhip, LoveCrafts and Ravelry.

Whether you’re here for the blog, where I encourage you to comment and share your experiences too – I love hearing from readers – or to browse my pattern designs, ‘Welcome’ and I hope you find what you’re looking for.

A first FO of the year: How to knit a sweater in a couple of weeks

March 17, 2023

After a sluggish start to the new year and a lot of indecision about what to knit next, I took a step back and thought about what I like to wear. What, if anything, could I complete in the next month or so that might slip right into my wardrobe? Then it occurred to me that the sweater I reach for most often, and which could perhaps do with a break, was the everyday sweater … More A first FO of the year: How to knit a sweater in a couple of weeks

Late Wovember Italian Wool Inspiration: Beautiful blended undyed shades

February 1, 2023

Today I want to share my final Wovember inspired post on the local Italian wools I bought at La Fierucola in Florence last November. This yarn enables me to spotlight two more Italian sheep breeds, and a Spanish cousin. Despite so many stunning naturally dyed shades on the stall, this time I was attracted to the beautiful natural greys of Verde Filo (Green Thread) Lab, it was a hard choice, but I think you’ll see … More Late Wovember Italian Wool Inspiration: Beautiful blended undyed shades

Starting a new Starter and other early year activities

January 23, 2023

Hello there! I just wanted to pop in before this years blog content continues apace to say Happy New Year. I hope everyone got through the end of the year in good spirits and the new year has started well. I never know quite where the first weeks of the year go and this year is no different. We were in the UK for Christmas and France for New Year, with family in both places. … More Starting a new Starter and other early year activities