Peace on Earth, Goodwill to All!

Gearing Up for the Holiday Season!

The Creative Process Brought to Market!

Is it too early???  For those of us shopping for groceries and running errands in stores, it may feel too early to hear the music and see the glittery displays, but for artisans and craftspeople, we have been working on the holidays for many months now.  

This year, I am so lucky to have lots of my items carried in two special shops that feature artisan foods and works, with an emphasis on local/country suppliers and artists. 

Concept:
I thought I would spend a few minutes talking about what goes into the works I create; the materials and process.  I create high quality, artisan hand knitted and hand sewn accessory items, that are beautiful and fit into a modern lifestyle. I think nothing is more frustrating that buying that hand crafted item and later realizing it was just not all that wearable. My items are unique and luxurious, but are made to be worn happily for many years. 

Fabrics and yarns are selected keeping in mind trends in fashion and home decorating, as well as input from the merchants to coordinate with their shop and holiday themes. And sometimes I make something just because I like it!


Materials:
All through the year, every where I go I search for interesting fabrics and yarns. I also benefit from wonderful friends who keep a lookout on their travels as well.  I've made several purchases via the help of talented (and tasteful!) friends and the modern miracle of picture messages on the cell phone. 

Knit goods use fine yarns of desirable fibers such as merino, silk, alpaca, and mohair to name a few. I create pieces of all sizes and shapes, but primarily send neck warmers and scarves to Tait's Harvest Shop for the winter holidays and season. Texture, fiber and embellishments are key design decisions, but the focus always remains on wear-ability and functionality.

Process:
I'm not a mass production shop; knits and aprons are unique. Each piece starts with a decision about style and then fabric/yarn choices and combinations.  New body styles are frequently added, and popular body styles are used and/or adapted as customer response continues to grow.  I try to use a variety of widths (body coverage) so there is something for everyone. Some ties wrap around once or twice, and most all neck ties are adjustable for maximum sizing flexibility. When you buy a piece, it is unique. Sometimes a concept is selected again, but it never comes out the same way twice.


Result:
Anyone local in Central Pennsylvania can drop in at Tait Farm Harvest Shop,  Rt 322 just east of State College and Boalsburg;  and those of you in the Washington, DC area drop in at  Smucker Farms of Lancaster County  at 14th and U, NW. 

KnittenKaboodle Website:
The website also carries items not found in the shops as well as some wonderful pieces from a few other select artisans, which you are encouraged to try out as well.  
The website is a gallery-style offering of one-of-a-kind hand knit and hand sewn items from me and a few other artisans. At the time of this writing it is undergoing some updates, including revised postage rates (improved!). 



The spoils from a recent trip to Canada and NY Finger Lakes region.




Aprons ready for selection by Betty and Eli Smucker for their 14th and U Street shop in Washington, DC (they took the all!!)



Yummy Madeline Tosh yarns, waiting for a worthy project.  Each are hand dyed in small batches of 3. Colors are amazing in both hue and variation.



That In-Between Time

Summer is fading away rapidly, but fall color is not yet upon us here in Central Pennsylvania.  Harvests are in full swing and we are still enjoying fruits and vegetables from the local farms.  I just dropped off a fresh shipment of aprons and a few totes (more to come in weeks ahead) at Tait's Harvest Shop . 

Coming soon:  holiday workshop..... although we are not ready to think about the holidays, I have to start now to have a great selection of holiday favorites available.  More to come on some of the wonderful fabrics and knitted items I've already got in the workshop. 

What did I do this summer??

No, I didn't fall off the ends of the earth, but it seems like it from my absence of posting!  It now Back to School here in Central Pennsylvania and of course thoughts turn towards the cooler weather to come.  I've been shopping and planning for Holidays already, but for now, let's take a look at the summer almost past:

As a child, it was a regular first assignment on the return to school to write or make a presentation on 'What I Did This Summer". 

1. Created some new classes that are offered through my local yarn shop Stitch Your Art Out and Smuckers' Farms of Lancaster, Washington DC Store



My own "Swirly Scarf", which I can't wait to wear this winter (I made a cotton version for a dear friend living in Florida, where it it never cold enough for this wool-silk blend)



The wonderful Clara Parkes "Scaruffle" in silk-mohair.  Perfect for holiday gift giving.




An adaptation of the Noni "Bedouin Bag", to encourage students to experiment with sizes (and don't be afraid of math!!), colors, and embellishments



2. Took some course work to learn more about the 'entrelac' technique, which looks woven.



3. Continued to create in one of my favorite yarns, silk-mohair blend.  This is a square scarf with a contrast edging that has a very slight ruffly effect.  



4. I had to join in the color-work craze and made the ever popular 'Pendulum' by Amy Miller.  I was captivated by the working the colors such that the colors ebb and flow across the knitting canvas.





5. Continued to sell aprons and fiber arts items at Tait's Farms Harvest Shop and Smuckers' Farms, Washington DC



6. Planted a new garden and did quite a few long overdue home repair projects.







Of course there are other highlights such as a lovely family wedding and family reunion party, visits from family and friends, and enjoying the summer festivals and local venues. 

Spring Has Sprung!

Welcome to our newest customer, Smucker Farms of Lancaster County: Washington, DC .

They added our aprons to their newest shop in March, and already sold out of full length aprons!  These pretty little numbers arrived at their 14th and U Street shop last weekend.  Stop in and see them if you are in the neighborhood. 



A variety of shapes and body sizes














 Colorful prints with lovely accents





The newest arrivals are now available at Tait's Harvest Shop also!  It is time to forget about winter and bring the bright and cheery into your kitchen.  Perfect hostess to take along, or just bring home some color for yourself.

New features/styles added: reversible shorty, kangaroo pocket, rufflels

Just added:  2 more of the very popular Garden/Hobby apron.  Sturdy with deep utility pockets.
The cute veggie print is hard to resist (found it and other fabrics uses at Stitch Your Art Out )



COMING SOON:  New aprons will be added to our KnittenKaboodle website! They are in the workshop now. 

Every Little Bit Counts

Waste Not, Everything Has Use!

Since I began KnittenKaboodle, I've made many, many aprons, totes and other miscellaneous items (and I have an assortment of spring items in process as I type here).  Cutting shapes from fabric leaves quite a few small pieces of fabric, many not more than two to five square inches.  What to do with them? 

Here in Centre County (PA), there is a group of women that make quilts and blankets for charity donations at local hospitals.  They've been bringing cheer and comfort to many people for years now, using the their talents and love of crafting to do so.  Local quilter Peggy Bierly happily takes my fabric scraps and creates small format quilts with them.  Once the quilting cover is completed, she uses her own batting and backing to complete the quilts.  To date she made four! 

I never cease to be amazed at the generousity and love so many share, using their talents to touch the lives of others. 

For the Love of Handcrafted Fiber Arts

It is the new year now, and we are in the heart of winter.  Last year was a good year for KnittenKaboodle: we grew our place at Tait's Harvest Shop here in Center County and added a new venue at the holidays with Gasper's Home and Garden.  Sales continue to grow and repeat customers are looking for our items! Thank you to everyone for your continued support. 






What do you Love for Valentines Day?

At this time of year, I turn my energies to studying the marketplace, learning new techniques, and planning the business for the year to follow.  I love spending time with my knitting friends, and we recently went to the Vogue Knitting Live show in New York City, where I bought lots of books and viewed many shops and vendor booths. I now am officially a collector of 'stitchonaries' - visual dictionaries of stitch patterns. I love learning more and refining my skills, so  I am taking some 'serial' classes where we study the teachings and techniques of knitting masters Elizabeth Zimmerman and Nicky Epstein.  Many of these concepts will find their way into new knitted items for next fall and winter.  I love sharing my passion for knitting, so I am teaching a few classes in lace shawls at my local yarn shop,  Stitch Your Art Out, later this spring. 

I love making aprons, which I hope brightens hearts and kitchens.  Fabrics are carefully selected from high quality materials, and coordinated to fit into modern households and lifestyles. I started with holiday aprons, which were successful, and was asked to create aprons for Mother's Day.  Then I added autumn motif aprons.  And now, for the first time ever, I made aprons for Valentines Day!  I had a blast playing with the cheerful colors and adding contrasting black & white motifs to the set.  Stop by Tait's (814-466-3411) to see them!



Take a break to dream of Paris or have a cuppa



Cheerful colors to ward off winter gloom





Fresh crop of little zip bags, and the interiors are fun, too!

As winter isn't over yet, we still have some lovely knits available, including exciting pieces from participating fiber artisans on our website . At Tait's I just added some new fleece scarves and a few new items.




Merino wool, wool alternative blends and soft fleece scarves at Tait's



Happy New Year

Wishing everyone a Peaceful and Prosperous 2012.