Happy May Day!

It's May Day...

Pretty flowers are everywhere!

Hand Knit Flowers

I love flowers and my favorite flowers to knit are Louisa Harding's fabulous Rosette pattern. 

I learned how to make Louisa's Rosette from Louisa herself in a 2009 workshop.  She has designed such a clever flower and Louisa herself says "it looks like crochet but it's all knit". 

Louisa uses variations of her signature Rosette in many of her designs.  The design always knits up beautifully and it's fun to watch it transform using Louisa's many different yarns. 

I love how Louisa's Rosette pattern "pops up" in her books as an embellishment.  My favorite Rosettes can be found in these Louisa Harding books:

Knitting Little Luxuries

Gathering Roses The Accessories Collection

Venezia Felice Mai Dopo

Dauphine

Pretty Knits

Fade to Grey

Violet Sky

Knitting in the Details

I not only love these Rosettes to embellish my knits but now I'm attaching a brooch back with a pin and an alligator clip so I can wear them in my hair, too.

Thanks to Louisa Harding and Knitting Daily, you can find her Rosette and Juliet scarf pattern here and her Poppy Rosette pattern here. 

So since it's May Day...

Knit a pretty Rosette

and wear it in your hair!

It's Earth Day

You can make a difference!

It's Earth Day...

let's all do our part!

Reduce

Hand Knit Cosy Cuff

Hand knit cosy cuffs are so much better for the environment than cardboard cuffs. 

They are a quick knit and wonderful to give with Starbucks gift cards! 

Reuse

Vintage Embellishments

Our grandmothers and great-grandmothers
 never threw a button away. 

It's in-vogue to save buttons and vintage treasures
to re-use and embellish your knits

 

Upcycle

"Green Crafting"

I love upcycling and green crafting. 

It's so fun to take something vintage or thrifted and upcycle it into a new project. 

Upcycling is hotter than ever (just check out Etsy) and

saving so many items from going into the landfill.

Be Sweet to Mother Earth

Save the Bees

Be kind to Mother Earth and plant Lavender in your garden.  Lavender shrubs attract bees which need our help to maintain our ecosystem.  

An added bonus...harvest it and make lavender sachets to ward off harmful insects

from your precious hand-knits.


Every little bit makes a difference. 
You can make a difference...
are you?

Royal-Tea Cosy

Royal Garden Party Tea Cosy

I'm ready for a Royal Wedding Tea Party...

How about you?

Every proper tea table should have a hand-knit cosy to keep the tea pot warm.  In planning a Royal Wedding Tea, I fell in love with Debie Birkin's Royal Garden Party Tea Cosy. 

I just adore this tea cosy pattern.  I think it's perfect for a Royal Wedding Tea Party, Tea With the Queen or even an Alice in Wonderland themed Tea Party. 

Debbie's a brilliant British designer.  I love all her adorable tea cosy patterns available at Debi Birkin Designs.  I also love her photo styling.  

Her Royal Garden Party Tea Cosy photo looks like it could be out of Country Living, one of my favorite British magazines.  I can tell, she is a fan of Cath Kidston ,too.  I couldn't help but notice the Cath Kidston English Rose Tablecloth she used in styling her photograph.  Love her styling!

A BIG thank you to Debi Birkin for permission to use her photograph.

And, if you're in need for a tea menu for a
Royal Wedding Tea Party,

check out my menu ideas on my other blog

 Tete-a-Tete.

Fleurs

Sophie Digard Fleurs

Spring has sprung

and there are flowers everywhere! 

There are even flowers to wear. These beautiful blossoms are by Parisian textile artist and designer,
 Sophie Digard. 

Sophie Digard Colliers

I spotted these adorable Sophie Digard floral colliers (necklaces) recently at Piccolo,

one of my favorite boutiques in Carmel-by-the-Sea.  

Sophie's hand-made flowers are created out of soft merino wool, mohair, velvet and linen.  Most of her designs appear to be crochet but these floral necklaces seem to be crafted in a variety of needlework techniques.  Her necklace flowers are strung on a cord and are moveable so you can position them how you like.  Pretty crafty!

I admire all of Sophie's clever designs.  If you fell "head over heels" for her scarves...you'll probably love these,too. 

I'm heading over to Paris next month and I can't wait to see how many Sophie Digard Creations, I can spot in Paris.  I'll let you know!

Springtime Bliss!

 Spring & Summer Bliss!

Spring has sprung...

 and my favorite new magazine of the season,

is the Debbie Bliss spring/summer 2011 knitting magazine. 

Here's a look at some of my favorites from Debbie's magazine:

 Nell's Banana Muffins

One of my favorite features of Debbie's magazine is,

The Blissfull Life. 

Each season, The Blissfull Life is filled with Debbie's hand-picked selection of vintage collectibles, crafty treats and baked recipes.  This issue features her daughter Nell's Banana Muffins.  I love making Banana Muffins and can't wait to try Nell's which have chocolate chips and icing.  Yummy!

I had the extreme pleasure of meeting Debbie and her daughter Nell last August on their Northwest tour.  In chatting with Debbie she was so humble about her Blissful Life section.  I told her how much we knitters love that glimpse into her Blissful Life!

 The Rose Cardigan

The magazine says it best "Spring is in the air"!

I love flowers and pretty floral knits so I just love the issue's Fabulous Florals.  

The Rose Cardigan above is knit in Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino with intarsia roses.  Wouldn't this be perfect to wear to a tea or garden party? 

 Crew Neck Rose Cardigan

The intarsia rose motif and mother-of-pearl buttons give this classic crew neck cardigan such vintage-flair.  It's knit in Debbie's Rialto yarn, an extra fine merino. 

This is a cardigan I would like to knit someday!

 Lace Stole

If you're in love with lace, you'll love the feature called,  A Fine Romance.  These pretty lace patterns feature Debbie's new kid mohair/silk blend yarn, Angel.  I can't wait to knit one of the lace designs, like the leaf lace stole above and try her new Angel yarn.

Lace Capelet

The lace capelet (on the cover) is perhaps my favorite pattern in the magazine.  I love knitting capelets.  This design can be knit in 2 to 3 balls of Debbie's Angel yarn.  It's in my knitting que!

There are so many wonderful features

and patterns in this magazine..

aww...Springtime Bliss!

Fade to Grey

Fade To Grey

Spring is just around the corner and I'm still knitting as fast as I can from my favorite fall and winter books. 

Fade to Grey by Louisa Harding has been my favorite book from this fall/winter season.  Fade to Grey is filled with 14 pretty projects all knit in Louisa's luxurious Grace and Grace Hand Dyed yarns. 

Wondering where Louisa's inspiration came for this book?  I was curious myself so I asked Louisa.  Louisa told me...

"The title is taken from a song called Fade to Grey by a UK pop band "Visage" which was released in 1980.  The song conjures up memories of my teenage years."

"I wanted the book to be about that teenage spirit."

I certainly think Louisa captured that youthful spirit with Fade to Greys pretty "girly" projects.  Louisa hopes this book appeals to knitters of all ages and all abilities. 

Sophie Gloves

I adore all the projects in Fade to Grey.  My favorite is the Sophie fingerless glove pattern.  Mine are knit in Grace Hand Dyed, color 17.  I receive rave compliments anytime I wear them.  I am so proud to say that I knit them because they really look like they came from a fashionable boutique. 

This is a pattern, I will be knitting over and over again.  I just love them!

Rosette

I love Louisa's trademark rosette. 

I actually learned how to make my first Louisa Harding rosette from Louisa herself!  (How lucky am I?) That was back in January 2009 when I met Louisa and took her Juliet scarf class, here on the West Coast.

I love that the Sophie gloves and Millie beret feature a Louisa rosette adorned with buttons.  I always have so much fun going button shopping for my Louisa projects. My Sophie glass buttons have a vintage patina but are actually new buttons.

Grace Hand Dyed

For a Louisa Harding fan like me, it is hard to select a favorite yarn of hers.  I really love them all.  Right now though my reigning favorite is her Grace and Grace Hand Dyed yarn.  It's silk and wool fiber combination is a dream to knit with. 

My next project to cast on is Louisa's Millie beret.  I better get going on it because I know there will be so many more projects that I'll want to knit in her new upcoming spring/summer books!

I'm knitting as fast as I can and I just can't keep up with the fabulous Louisa Harding!  How about you?

Be Sweet

 Be Sweet Trunk Show

I love Trunk Shows! 

Last month I attended a Be Sweet Trunk Show at Knitterly in Petaluma, California.  It was a fun night complete with lots of sweet treats:  Be Sweet yarns, Be Sweet patterns, Mielie bags,  pink cupcakes and candies, too. 

The best part of this sweet affair though was meeting Be Sweet's owner, Nadine Curtis! 

 Nadine Curtis

 (Wearing the Au Natural Poncho )

Nadine was just as sweet as could be!  I was awestruck at just how young she is as the founder of such a wonderful and amazing company, Be Sweet.

  I love the Be Sweet story.  Nadine founded Be Sweet in 2003 while living in South Africa, with the principal of being kind to others.  Be Sweet works with job creation programs in South African communities and donates a portion of its profits to educational programs. 

Attention knitters, this is written on the Be Sweet yarn label: 

"Enjoy this beautiful product knowing that you have brought hope into a South African community and that a portion of your purchase is helping support the local school!" 

After chatting with Nadine and knowing  "the world of good" she is doing, I couldn't help but ask Nadine, "why haven't you been on Oprah?"  The Be Sweet story would certainly touch Oprah's heart.  Hmm, maybe there is a way to get Nadine and Be Sweet on Oprah's last season? 

 Try me, Try me!

 I first discovered Be Sweet yarns in 2006 "across the pond" at Loop in London.  I fell in love with Be Sweet's Magic Ball and beautiful mohair yarns.  It was fun to discover later that Be Sweet is now based in my home state of California! 

The Magic Ball is still Be Sweet's most popular yarn.  It was such a fun night at the Trunk Show seeing all the new and exciting products that Be Sweet offers.  Be sure to check out their web site and blog for inspiration and even free patterns.

 Sonoma Scarves

My favorite pattern at the Trunk Show was the Sonoma Ruffle Scarves.  I think they look quite Parisian!  They're knit in Be Sweet's Extra Fine Mohair. I'll be knitting the smaller scarf in the color Sea Green. 

Nadine & Shelli

What a treat to meet Nadine Curtis and discover more of the Be Sweet products in person.  I even wore my Frilly Wrap that I knit with Be Sweet's Magic Ball and Nadine loved it! 

Thank you Nadine and Shelli for another fun filled night at Knitterly!