Back in the Swing of Things

I've had a bit of a hiatus due to a very busy schedule at the home front and some travel, but that doesn't mean that I haven't been working away on new items! 

Recently I was lucky enough to visit lovely Portland, OR -- complete with good weather.  While out there I went to the seashore, wineries and downtown Portland.  The lovely seashore colors inspired a new scarf, which I created mostly during the graduation ceremony for the Lincoln High School class of 2011 -- Congrats to all of you!

This scarf is destined for the fall/winter KnittenKaboodle collection. 



A simple scarf of luxury silk and mohair - feathery light and soft.  The light and dark tones create a new heather color that reminds me of the colors of the rocks and sand in the photos below.





Beautiful blues and sandy tans are calm and inviting





Sea Stacks at Oceanside, OR



Spring Arrives! KnittenKaboodle at Tait's Harvest Shop Open House!

New Spring Items: KnittenKaboodle at Tait's

Lavender Infused Trivets:

Incorporating dried lavender from Tait's own harvest, we've come together to create a new seasonal variation of the very popular spiced trivets of the holiday and cold seasons.  The lavender is harvested and dried at Tait's, then incorporated by me in these inviting trivets.  Perfect for setting warm teapots or dishes hot from the oven, or just give a little crush to get a waft of that wonderful lavender scent.

From the wide selection of prints, there is bound to be one or two perfect for your table or inclusion in a gift basket of goodies. 

Find them at Tait's Harvest Shop, located on US 322, just east of State College (Penn State University)

http://www.taitfarmfoods.com/harvest.html





Fresh spring prints are the inspiration for new items for the season; the first items now available include aprons and special herbal infused trivets.





I couldn't resist adding these butterflies!



Aprons:

Spring has finally arrived in Central Pennsylvania and we are celebrating the arrival of green grass, early flowers, budding trees and bright skies.  Those influences translate into fresh prints for the special aprons we make for Tait's Harvest Shop.   If you are in the area, stop in and check them out!

These butcher-style aprons feature two neckties for flexible sizing, good coverage, 100% cotton fabric (pre-washed and pre-shrunk), pocket and pretty details such as contrasting fabrics and designs







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Inspiration from Life and Travels

Back home again, leaving behind spring for only the promise of spring ...  but a change of scenery and location always helps to inspire me.  Going from temperatures in the 40's to temps in the 80's really got me into gear for readying our boutique for the warmer temperatures.  New items will be added over the weeks to come, and quite a few projects are underway. 

Where do the ideas come from?  If you ask 10 different people you will get 10 different answers.  For me, I have to give the stock answer we were taught back in business school:  'it depends'.  Sometimes the yarn or fabric calls out to be made into something in particular, sometimes I see an outfit that I think would really look great with a particular accessory, or sometimes nature or scenery inspires me. 

While in South Carolina, sitting poolside (which is also ocean side) my imagination was caught by the wonderful colors of the shimmering pool. It was warm and I happily knit and listened to an audiobook (a guilty pleasure). The warm glow of spring and scenery gave birth to a soft and flowing accent scarf, knit from a fabulous yarn of silk and bamboo -- which will hold a lovely drape without unwanted bulk and warmth.  It is easy to imagine being here!



Westin Resort at Port Royal Plantation, Hilton Head Island



Westin Resort, Hilton Head Island






Silk-Bamboo South Carolina Scarf

 This scarf will be available very soon under 'Hand Knits' at http://www.knittenkaboodle.com/ . 

Spring Break at KnittenKaboodle

It is that time of year when we take a little break from the wind and roller coaster thermometer -- yes, Spring Break!  No, I'n not talking about partying in Fort Lauderdale with the college students, but we are heading South to the lovely South Carolina coast for sun, warmth and ocean breezes.

Also, we'll be scouring the yarn and fabric shops all over the region, searching for new inspiration and materials. I'm looking forward to using new materials and sharing what I find there as I get the warm season items ready for you.  Expect lovely accent scarves of fibers such as silk, bamboo, and cotton;  easy to wear wraps to throw over bare shoulders; and bright summer-time prints for aprons and table top accents.  KnittenKaboodle will also have seasonal items at Tait's Farm Harvest Shop (Route 322 east of Penn State Univesity) in time their Mother's Day Open House! 


Visions of North and South: 

"Quacker" anticipates the arrival of Spring



South Carolina ocean front - spring is already here

 Cheers!  

Not Spring Yet!

Although some parts of the country may be experiencing the first touches of Spring, here in the Northeast, we are still feeling the cold grip of winter.  Surely Spring is on the way, but until then we still need to bundle up and wrap up as we shovel, chip, and slog across windy and frozen parking lots. 



This time of year we see the emergence of the pussy willows, full of little fuzzies.  They remind me mohair, which is wonderful for this time of year -- warm, soft, and feathery lightweight.  A mohair piece will go with you easily from winter to first thaw and chilly mornings in early Spring (I can't wait!!).  Please check the wonderful pieces still available at the KnittenKaboodle eBoutique.  Here are just a few:



Neutrals that work well with outerwear or indoors




Elegant blocks of white, black and burgundy for day or evening




Color, warmth and softness anticipating the return of color

http://www.knittenkaboodle.com/

Happy Valentine's Day!



Betsy Salomon's Felted Heart Bag
Learn more about Betsy and her lovely and colorful works in earlier posts and by visiting KnittenKaboodle.com!



The Creative Process Continues - Back from NYC



Back at the workshop, returned from a great trip to Vogue Knitting Live in NYC.  There is a lot of snow out there and I'm happily back in the workshop brimming with ideas and inspiration.  I was able to take two very different workshops from two very different, but enormously talented people.

The wonderful and bubbly Judy Pascale http://www.judypascale.com/index.htm taught a day-long seminar in the art of Japanese water-felting, called Nuno Felting.  This painstaking process of imbuing wool and silk fibers into a silk (or other fine woven natural fabric) base yields an amazing new fabric, which is soft and strong and lovely.  I am not so sure about my first attempt, although kind people close to me say it is lovely.  Over the months to come I plan to work a lot more on Nuno felting, and hope to have some lovely offerings in the future.

  

My first Nuno project - 'Mountain Trees'



From Vogue Knitting Fall 2010





The second workshop I was lucky enough to get into, was with the talented Brooke Nico of Kirkwood Knittery in St. Louis http://www.kirkwoodknittery.com/ .  She is an avid lace knitter with many published designs in knitting magazines, who shared her knowledge on how to design and document lace shawls and scarves.   Although KnittenKaboodle will not ever create and sell these patterns, they are inspiration for future original ideas and projects and beautiful examples of what is possible in the world of couture knitting for the intrepid knitter!



From Knitters Magazine Fall 2010