The Knitter's Year

 The Knitter's Year

Sometimes you just need a quick project.  

Last night The Knitter's Year by Debbie Bliss came to my rescue.  Debbie's book is filled with 52 projects for every week of the year.  The projects are perfect for quick gift knits or seasonal knits for yourself.  And the best part is...all the projects are designed to make in one week or less.  

Striped Baby Hat

So, last night I "whipped out" the adorable Striped Baby Hat in the book.  The pattern is written to knit flat with seaming.  I chose to knit it "in the round" with jogless stripes so it knit up even faster.  It's now one of my favorite baby hat patterns!  

I'm so glad I had The Knitter's Year on my book shelf and highly recommend this book.  

Hey Bidder, Bidder!

 Silent Auction 

Benefiting Macmillan Cancer Support

My Silent Auction is in full swing now 

at Knitique, A Yarn Boutique in Elk Grove, California. 

Together Danielle, the owner of Knitique, and I are raising more funds for Louisa Harding 

while she is on her Team Macmillan Nepal Hike
through November 11th, 2012. 

All auction proceeds will be donated on Louisa's Just Giving Site 

benefiting Macmillan Cancer Support. 

There are so many fabulous goods to bid on that were donated 

all the way from England by famous British designers
and Louisa's friends.  

Don't by shy to bid.  You can even place telephone bids over the phone and we will be happy to ship your items to you.

Here's a look at the Silent Auction:

Snowy Snowflake Scarf

& Flower Brooch

by Designer Nicky Thomson

British Designer Nicky Thomson donated her gorgeous Snowy Snowflake Scarf and Flower Brooch in color Royal Azure.  I've been a fan of Nicky's for quite some time now.  

I have several of her wool scarves and flower brooches and always receive compliments when I wear them.

Nicky has developed a unique way of gently felting her wool designs and is a supporter of the UK's Campaign for Wool.  I love that she recycles and donates her wool scraps to local schools for children's arts and crafts projects.

When I contacted Nicky about a donation she told me:

 "I have actually always supported Macmillan Cancer Support.  My mum runs quite a number of events here in the UK.  It is such a good cause."

Thank you Nicky for your lovely donation!

Debbie Bliss Books & 

Emma Bridgewater Polka Dot Mug Set

Knitting Fever 

(Louisa Harding and Debbie Bliss' American Yarn/Book Distributor)

generously donated the Louisa Harding Thistle Yarn for my charity event also sent two Debbie Bliss books for my Silent Auction.  Debbie told me in an e-mail, that she wished she was in the US so she could sign the books for us!

Another fabulous British Designer, Emma Bridgewater donated an adorable 2pc Polka Dot 1/2 Pint Mug Set all the way from the Potteries in England.  The Emma Bridgewater company is a strong supporter of Macmillan Cancer Support and has regular events at their factory and retail stores to raise money for Macmillan.  

 Rowan Books

Louisa 's knitwear career actually began with an internship at Rowan so naturally Rowan wanted to donate for the auction.  Rowan sent three of their latest books for the auction:  Sarah Hatton Knits, Parisian Nights and Kidsilk Haze Trio.  

 Sardi Hat

You can even help raise funds at the auction even if you're not a knitter!  I have donated my Sardi hat that I knit as a sample for my Himalayan Hiking Hat Kit fund raiser.

The Sardi hat is Louisa's pretty heart cable design and it's knit in Louisa's Thistle yarn which is a luxurious blend of Merino Wool and Baby Suri Alpaca.  

I wonder who the lucky winning bidder will be?

Kim Hargreaves Books

(Autographed by Kim!) &

Nicky Thomson Flower Brooch

Louisa and Designer Kim Hargreaves have been wonderful friends for over 20 years.  Kim graciously sent her two latest books, Quirky and Enchanted, from Yorkshire England and even autographed them for the auction.  This is such a treat for Kim's American fans because I don't believe Kim makes many (if any) public appearances in America.  

Also in the photo above is a darling Nicky Thomson wool flower brooch in Bluejay Khaki up for bid!

So please don't be shy to bid.

If you live out of the area, you can place a telephone bid by calling Knitique and we will gladly ship your winning item/items to you with just the cost of the postage added to your winning bid.  

This is all really for such a wonderful cause and such a fun way to go shopping for fabulous British goods that are often not readily available here in the US!  

For telephone bids:

Knitique, A Yarn Boutique

(916) 714-7719

Hail Britannia!

 Hail Britannia!

You don't have to be a Brit

to be excited about the 

Queen's Diamond Jubilee!  

I'm quite excited and plan on celebrating

 with tea parties and luncheons

all Jubilee Weekend long!

I had planned on knitting Debbie Bliss' Union Jack flag

and her retro Tea Cozy  for my Jubilee tea parties.  

Unfortunately due to my ganglion cysts and hand surgery, my knitting projects of the last six months have been put on hold. 

In the meantime, 

since I'm not knitting much,

I have enjoyed seeing the Diamond Jubilee 

patterns that have debuted in the past few months.  

I thought I would share a few of my favorites. 

Here they are:

 Diamond Stole

I adore lace 

and love Susan Crawford's Diamond Stole. 

It's one of 14 designs in Susan's Coronation Knits 

collection featuring designs inspired from 

Queen Elizabeth's 1950's Coronation era.

Jubilee Bunting

No Jubilee celebration is complete unless you have bunting!

I love this Jubilee Bunting pattern

 by Gemma Atkinson 

for Rowan.
And, it's a free pattern!

Jubilee Placemat

Naturally, the British knitting magazines have special 

Jubilee projects in them. 

I love this Jubilee Placemat 

from the UK's The Knitter, Issue 45.  

I love the placemat's photo styling, too.  

I would love to sit down at that table for an English breakfast!

Knittania!

And, in case you're wondering about my adorable 

"Knittania" Union Jack tea mug...

my Ravely pen pal Jo sent it to me 

all the way from England

 to "cheer me up" after hand surgery.  

If you love knitting and Britain like me,

you can find the Knitannia tea mugs by Mason Cash

 at Lakeland. 

Hail Britannia!

(Photo Credits:  Diamond Stole/Susan Crawford, Jubilee Bunting/Rowan 

and Jubilee Placemat, The Knitter.)

(In the photos:  Brick Stitch Tea Cozy hand-knit by me and Union Jack bunting by Betty and Barclay. 

Sheer Bliss!

Debbie Bliss Magazine

Spring/Summer 2012

My Emma Bridgewater mug says it all...

Happiness is a cup of tea 

&

a new magazine!

I just picked up the new Debbie Bliss Magazine

and I've been enjoying it with a cup of tea.  

Here are a few of my favorites from this issue:

Nell's Oat Cakes

One of my favorite features of Debbie's magazine 

is called 

The Blissful Life.

I always dash there to see what recipe 

Debbie's daughter, Nell will have for us. 

This issue she features a recipe for Canadian Oat Cakes 

inspired by her and her "mum's" trip to Canada last year.

I'm thinking those biscuits
would be perfect with a cup of tea!

Rosa's Dress

Oh my gosh,
I love this adorable dress with its knit bodice 

and Liberty of London print skirt!

Debbie says it is, 

"Inspired by the beautiful dresses worn by Spanish children."

I'm so excited that the pattern is in the magazine.

I even have the same Liberty of London print 

(as the model's)

that I purchased at Liberty of London 

in London last year.

Fair Isle Cardigan

In her Editor's Letter,

Debbie tells us 

"I love the seaside 

so I didn't need much of an excuse 

to introduce features with a nautical theme in this issue."

You can see her love for the seaside with her patterns in the sections named 

Simply Stripes and Kids Ahoy.

I like her Fair Isle Cardigan (above)  featured in Simply Stripes. 

I think it has a bit of a "retro"
or "Cath Kidston look"
and is worked in six shades of Baby Cashmerino.  

I also adore the cute seaside cottage 

and all the vintage props they used for the photo shoot!

Chevron Stole

Who wouldn't want to snuggle up at the beach in this?

I have to say,

this Chevron Stole and its color combination

reminds me a bit of 

Missoni's 

collaboration with Target last year. 

It's knit in a combination of Debbie's Bella and Angel yarns
which is a much nicer yarn range
than the Missoni for Target,
acrylic items. 

Lace Shrug

This lacy shrug is probably my favorite pattern in the magazine.

It's knit in Debbie's new Party Angel yarn 

that has a gold or silver lurex thread combined with the mohair. 

It's knit in one piece and without any seams.  

Love that!

Oh, Baby!

There are a few new additions in this issue.

In Nell's Diary, 

Nell writes about her and her mum's experiences on their trip 

to Canada last year.

There is also a new column called Focus on Fiber by 

industry expert, David Watt.

And of course,

it wouldn't be Debbie Bliss 

unless there were some adorable baby designs like the 

little beret above! 

It's another great issue

 and it really does get you in the mood

 for spring and summer knitting!

Missoni Inspired!

 Knit a Missoni Scarf

Now that the "Missoni Madness" at Target is over...

I'm re-evaluating my Missoni For Target purchases. 

Don't get me wrong, I'm still mad for Missoni style...

I'm just not that crazy about the Target quality and colors of the scarves.

So, what's a knitter to do but get her needles out and 

 knit her own Missoni style scarves!

Missoni For Target

I've wanted to knit a Missoni "inspired" scarf for about a year now. 

With all the Missoni madness going on, now seems like the perfect time to get one started. 

I've been planning on knitting Joelle Hoverson's Chevron Scarf

in her book Last Minute Knitted Gifts.  I even have the Koigu Painter's Palette Premium Merino

yarn already in my stash that I purchased last year from ImagiKnit in San Francisco for my scarf.

Then I had to go look on Ravelry...

 ZigZag Stripes Scarf

There are a lot of Missoni "inspired" patterns on Ravelry. 

A few of my favorite chevron scarf designs are:

Sock-It-To-Me in One Skein Wonders

Chevron Scarf by Jo Sharp

Ripple Scarf in Luxury Yarn One Skein Wonders

Striped Scarf by Vogue Knitting

Zigzag Stripes by Debbie Bliss

Hmmm, now which one to knit?  I'll probably stay with my first choice in my Koigu yarns

but can't wait to try a few other patterns for more Missoni style!

I hope I've inspired you to knit up your own
Missoni-style scarf

in your favorite colors and yarns...

because you know you...
won't find that at Target!

Bliss!

 Debbie Bliss Knitting Magazine

Fall/Winter 2011

I'm ready for fall...

and Debbie Bliss' new fall magazine is enticing me
 to pick up my knitting needles
and start some fall and winter projects!

Here are a few of my favorites from Debbie's new issue:

 Fair Isle Cardigan

I'm a Fair Isle fan so I love Debbie's feature on Fair Isle knits called
The New Palette...The Bold Standard.

Debbie says it's time to "rev up your needles for a new approach to sweater weather." 

I love how she changed up traditional Fair Isle color work to a new palette of black and white.  Her Fair Isle designs are striking in this color palette and have a much more modern twist!

This snowflake crew-neck cardigan in varying shades of blacks, greys and silver is knit in Debbie's Baby Cashmerino.  I love how it is styled in the magazine with a black skirt. 

 Wristwarmers

I love small Fair Isle projects so I love these diamond pattern wristwarmers.

I'm not really a sweater knitter so this Fair Isle pattern is perfect for me and fellow knitters who want to tackle small Fair Isle projects.

They are also knit in Debbie's Baby Cashmerino. 

 Fair Isle Sweater

I love classic fashion

and this Fair Isle Cardigan is bound to become a classic!

With its snowflake motif....

I think it's perfect for hitting the slopes

or some apres ski parties!

It's knit in Debbie's Rialto 4-ply extra-fine merino.

 Basketweave Wrap

It's no secret that I love scarves.

I love to wear them and I love to knit them!

The cover Basketweave Wrap scarf is my favorite pattern in the magazine. 

It's knit in Debbie's new bulky (color changing) yarn Riva.

Admirers are asking "what's that color way on the cover."

# 02 Heather.  Now you know.

Debbie also has a new pattern book for fall called Riva
which was photographed in the British countryside. 

I can't wait to get my copy!

Party Girls!

Of course, the magazine wouldn't be Debbie Bliss
without some knit designs for "little cuties"!

There is an adorable feature called Party Girls
filled with "girlie" lacey party knits. 

This is another wonderful issue by Debbie and her team. 

I hope you find your copy soon...
and it inspires you,  like me,
to start up some fall knitting projects
and
make Debbie's daughter Nell's
Flapjacks recipe in the issue,too. 

A Blissful Day!

Debbie Bliss Magazine

Fall/Winter 2011

It's a blissful day whenever I pick up the new
 Debbie Bliss magazine.

The magazine's official delivery date isn't until September 6th.  For those of us "in the know",

the magazine usually arrives at Local Yarn Stores before the "big-box" chain stores.  I make it a habit to always dash out to my LYS the moment it arrives.

As for knitting, I don't knit much during the hot summer months here in California.  Debbie's new issue though is already inspiring me to pick up the needles again. 

Before I pick up the needles though...

I couldn't wait to bake Debbie's daughter Nell's Sweet Oat Bars (Flapjacks)

 recipe in the magazine. 

 My favorite feature in every issue is The Blissful Life.  I love that Debbie shares with us her favorite things and features a recipe by Nell in every issue.

Nell's Sweet Oat Bars

Nell's Flapjack recipe is a keeper!  

They taste just like the yummy flapjacks my husband and I love having in England. 

I'll be back soon with a sneak peek of my favorite designs from the issue. 

I'm off now to enjoy a cup of tea,

 a flapjack and my new Debbie Bliss magazine! 

It's a Blissful Day!


(In the photos:  Emma Bridgewater pottery.)

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!

Falling for Fair Isle!

Fair Isle Scarves

I fell for Fair Isle a long time ago. In fact it was back in the 1970's when I was just a teenager. I still even have my vintage Esprit Fair Isle vest to prove it!

I'm still falling for Fair Isle today and love it even more. Now that I'm a knitter, I love the history and the tradition of Fair Isle knitting.

Did you know that it was Edward, The Prince of Wales back in 1921 that made Fair Isle fashionable? He wore a Shetlands hand knit Fair Isle sweater on the links at St. Andrews, Scotland for just one hour and started a fashion revolution.

Thanks to fashion designers like, Ralph Lauren Fair, Isle continues to be a classic.

Knitting designers are keeping the Fair Isle craft alive,too. Just check out the fall Debbie Bliss Magazine to see Fair Isle updated with her Scottish Eccentrics collection.

Book of Fair Isle Knitting

by Alice Starmore

I've wanted a Fair Isle scarf for a few years now. Every fall I start shopping online to see if I can find a Fair Isle scarf that is wool and well made. There are a few Scottish fashion houses that have them but I have never really fallen in love with one online yet.

I've even thought about knitting a Fair Isle scarf. This could be quite a task since I'm a newer Fair Isle knitter, an English thrower and knit Fair Isle with only my right hand. I think it would take me a long time to knit a traditional Fair Isle Scarf.

When Alice Starmore's The Book of Fair Isle Knitting was reprinted, I purchased it immediately for the day when I really want to master Fair Isle and maybe attempt that scarf. Serious knitters know, it is the reference book for Fair Isle.

Fiona Ellis Fair Isle Workshop

To help my Fair Isle scarf quest, I not only bought the right books I also started taking classes. Earlier this year, I took a fabulous workshop Experiment With Color & Fair Isle from Designer Fiona Ellis at Stitches West.

After the workshop, I had more confidence and did start dabbling a bit at Fair Isle knitting with my Katie beret. As much as I love Fair Isle though, I often wonder if I have the patience and desire to knit a traditional Fair Isle scarf?

Jane by Louisa Harding

Now Louisa Harding's Jane scarf is a Fair Isle scarf that I do plan on knitting one day. Louisa designed just enough Fair Isle in the border to challenge a knitter like me. I know this is a scarf that I will enjoy knitting because it won't take me forever to knit.

I still do want that classic Fair Isle scarf though. I always thought I'd have to go back to Scotland to get one. Well, that was until yesterday.

Fair Isle Scarves by Tarnish

Yesterday I stumbled upon some fantastic Fair Isle scarves at Nordstrom.

For all you knitters, yes, the scarves are machine made, 90% wool and Made in Italy. I think their quality is very good. Good enough for Nordstrom and good enough for me.

So, now I am asking myself when is it okay not to knit? I think in the case of this type of Fair Isle design it is perfectly okay to buy a ready made scarf. So I succumbed yesterday and bought Fair Isle scarves at Nordstrom. Lucky for me, they had just arrived so I had my choice of colors. There are at least seven color choices ranging from classic to fab and bright.


I love Fair Isle!

So if you're like me and have fallen for Fair Isle, check out these scarves at Nordstrom.
They are currently only in stores and not online.

Pure Bliss!

Debbie Bliss Fall/Winter 2010 Magazine

I've been counting the days for the new Debbie Bliss magazine to arrive. Lucky for me and other knitters the magazine has arrived early at many local yarn stores.

The moment I arrived home today to enjoy my new magazine, I put the kettle on for some PG Tips tea...Debbie's favorite "cuppa"!

As my British Emma Bridgewater mug says above:

"Happiness Is A Cup of Tea & A New Magazine!

Scottish Eccentrics

I've been eagerly anticipating this issue ever since I saw it's preview on the Debbie Bliss Face Book fan page. I couldn't wait to see the Scottish Eccentrics collection that was photographed in Scotland.

For the record, I'm not Scottish (perhaps a "wee" bit) but I love Scotland. My husband and I were married in the Scottish Borders at Duns Castle in Duns, Scotland. I love Fair Isle, Tartan, Argyle, Shortbread and Scottie Dogs so I just knew I would adore this issue!

Mad for Plaid
Debbie's Editor's letter says it all:

"What better way to greet the new season than with a burst of color!This issue is certainly filled with color along with a modern spin on traditional Fair Isle. The colorful Fair Isle designs are refreshing and, to me, look like they just came off the catwalk.

I was so fortunate to meet Debbie Bliss in person earlier this month at a Trunk Show in Portland, Oregon. Debbie brought quite a few of the Scottish Eccentric garments with her. One of my favorites was the Tweed Jacket above. I just love it's Tartan pockets and elbow patches along with it's eclectic mix of buttons. It's moss stitch body is knit in Luxury Tweed and it's plaid pieces are knit in Rialto DK.

Tartan WrapI love this Tartan Wrap. It has such a British look to it. It reminds me of London High Street fashion brands like Burberry!

The Tartan Wrap is knit in three colors of Luxury Tweed Aran.

According to the magazine:

"Lovely lasses of any age can pull off these looks...
so cast on and join the clan!"

Fair Isle BeretThis adorable Tam-O- Shanter (or Beret) is going to be my first project from the magazine. I was brave today and selected six shades of Rialto 4-ply in playful bright colors like the Fair Isle sweater on the magazine cover. That colorful cover sweater really grabbed me. Since I'm not a big sweater knitter, I thought I could get that look in my wardrobe by taking a cue from it's colors. I think Debbie would approve!

Glen
Debbie's magazine is filled with so many fantastic patterns (34 in all). Besides the Scottish Eccentrics collection there are other pattern themes too: Casbah Chic, Nursery Knits, Nordic Christmas and Rural Retreat.

The photo above features a Snood and a Cabled Scarf both in Debbie's new yarn Glen. I am currently knitting with the Glen yarn and can tell you, it's a dream to knit with.

Not only do I love all 34 patterns in the magazine, I really enjoy the section in the magazine called "the blissful life". "The blissful life" gives us a glimpse into Debbie's personal interests and favorite things.

Lastly, it's always a treat to find a "tried & true" British recipe in the magazine, too. This issue features her daughter Nell's boyfriend's Granny's Fruitcake. Love that!


Looking Ahead....

Since I had the pleasure of meeting Debbie this month, I couldn't help but tell her how much I enjoy her magazine. ( Yes, I have every issue.)

I also asked Debbie, what can we look forward to with the next issue for Spring/Summer 2011? Debbie said it's theme will be "about lace and flowers". Ooh lovely, I love lace and flowers! She also said "the baby and home section of the magazine will have lots of color"!

Now I'm counting the days until it comes out!

I Met Debbie Bliss!

Designer Debbie Bliss

Debbie Bliss is one of the biggest names and brands in the knitting industry. Last week I had the pleasure of meeting the lovely lady and British designer behind the brand...Debbie Bliss!

I met Debbie at a Trunk Show & Talk August 4, 2010 at the Yarn Garden in Portland, Oregon. Debbie and her adorable daughter Nell flew out from London for several Northwest events. Debbie went on to Seattle the next day and threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Seattle Mariners Stitch N Pitch. Since I live on the west coast in California...I knew I couldn't miss this opportunity to meet Debbie in person.

My timing couldn't have been better entering the Yarn Garden for the event. Debbie and her daughter Nell were nearby when I arrived. I told Debbie that my husband drove me all the way from California to meet her. To help her understand the distance I told her that would be like driving from London to Edinburgh. Debbie in her lovely British accent said " Oh, I better be good, then!" I said "I know you will!"

And so began my evening with Debbie Bliss. The moment I met her I knew it was going to be a special night!

Presentation & Talk

First off, I just have to say that Debbie looked just like a top fashion designer. She looked so smart in her "little black dress", Ralph Lauren glasses, silver cuff and animal print "pointy" flats. Hard to believe she had just arrived from London with no signs of jet lag!

She began the evening with a slide show presentation and talk. She immediately told us the Debbie Bliss Brand is "incredibly still a hands on operation". She still does all the creative work and designs 90% of the brand.

Knit Flower for Liberty

She told us about how she started in the knitting industry back in the 1970's. I had no idea that her first work was knitting flowers and soft sculpture knits for Liberty of London. I am a huge fan of Liberty of London so I loved this story!

She next walked us through her design process. She visits the Pitti Filati show in Florence twice a year to select her yarns. 80% of her Debbie Bliss yarn line is from Italy. Her preference being smooth and classic yarns.

She says "the yarn has to speak to me". She doesn't follow fashion trends however when she adds new colors to an existing yarn line, she does follow fashion trend colors. One of her favorite colors is Burnt Orange which really makes other colors "pop".

One of the highlights for me was hearing how her Designer vision comes to life. After she selects her yarns, she swatches the yarns into knitted fabrics. This is where she sees the drape and nature of the knit fabric. Next are the garment sketches, yarn selections and then off to the test knitters.

Next her design vision comes to life in her pattern books. She herself determines the theme and photo shoot locations for her pattern books. She is involved in every detail including the photo styling to see her patterns and vision come to life!


Now Let's Meet Her Daughter Nell!

Nell Bliss
Scottish Eccentrics Sweater
Featured on the cover of the Fall/Winter 2011 Magazine

The moment I saw Nell, I couldn't wait to ask her about Fairy Cakes. In her Mum's Debbie Bliss Knitting Magazine Fall/Winter 2009 there is an adorable photo of Nell with her Fairy Cake recipe. Being an American I had to know...are Fairy Cakes the same thing as Cup Cakes? Nell cleared it up for me...yes, Fairy Cakes are what the British call Cup Cakes.

Nell was a delight to meet. (You'll probably recognize her since she's been a model in her Mum's books since she was a young girl.) She is currently on a break from her University in London. Nell and I chatted for quite a bit. We chatted about London, vintage shopping, Anthropologie (yep, they're in London now) and, of course, her Mum.

Thanks to my chat with Nell, I now know Debbie's favorite cuppa... PG Tips. I could have guessed that though...it's a favorite with most Brits.

Nell was such a trooper when I asked for a photo with her Mum's sweater from the Scottish Eccentrics collection. Yep, it's the fabulous Fair Isle sweater on the cover of the upcoming Fall/Winter 2010 Debbie Bliss Magazine. Wow... I got to see it in person! According to Debbie she just finished editing this issue two weeks ago. It will hit the stands in America on September 5th.

Now for the Trunk Show

Annie from the
Yarn Garden

Next came the fun of the Trunk Show because who wouldn't love trying on a Debbie Bliss garment? Debbie brought two very large suitcases filled to the brim with garments from her new Fall/Winter 2010 Collections.

It's no secret that I love everything British. Since I was also married in Scotland, I have a love for Tartan! I absolutely adore the cardigan that Annie from the Yarn Garden modeled (photo above).

I just love this tweedy cardigan with it's Tartan pockets and the cool mix of buttons. Sorry though...due to all the excitement of the evening, I do not know the name of this cardigan. Perhaps it is also from the Scottish Eccentrics collection in the Fall/Winter magazine?

Yes, I Met Debbie Bliss!

Lisette & Debbie

Debbie was so gracious and so personable. I told Debbie that I have never knit a sweater before. Before I knew it, she was personally assisting me trying on sweaters from her new collections. We both liked the Long Line Gilet sweater the best (photo above). It is from her new yarn and book Glen.

Debbie said the A-line shape is figure flattering for all shapes. Her fashion advice "feature the waist...skim over the hips"! So I purchased the Glen book and yarn to knit my first sweater. I plan on casting on this week..hey I can't let Debbie down now, can I?

By the end of the night I felt as though I was chatting with a school girl chum! I told Debbie how much I love her magazine. I mentioned how much I enjoy seeing the personal side of her (the designer) when she shares with us (the reader) her hobbies, interests and recipes. She said she struggles with that part of the magazine, being ever so humble.

I told her how much fun my knitting pen pal Ruth and I have comparing notes when each issue comes out. Oh, and how we both loved her Scone recipe in her Premier Issue. I told her that we, the readers, love those special bits in the magazine. Please keep doing them for us Debbie!

Several times throughout the evening Debbie said "what a privilege it is to be doing what I love".

All I can say is.... what a privilege for me to meet her, Debbie Bliss!