Pumpkin on my mind...

Autumn...it's my absolute favorite time of year. I love the leaves changing color on my huge maple tree right outside my front window. I love seeing pumpkins everywhere and smelling seasonal scented candles of cinnamon and spice. Now that I work at the best tea shop in the country, SereneTeaz, I love drinking our Cinnamon Toffee tea, and our Harvest Chai Mate and our Pumpkin Harvest tea. I'm also concentrating my love of the season into my knitting styles. Here are a few of them:

Autumn Knit Pumpkin Capelet

Chunky Spice Orange Cowl

Pumpkin Cabled Hat

And here is an easy Spiced Apple Cider recipe to warm you up this season:
1 bottle Apple Cider (64oz.)
3 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon whole allspice
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1/3 cup brown sugar
Directions: In a large pot or a slow cooker, combine apple cider and cinnamon sticks. Wrap allspice and cloves in cheesecloth, tie up and add to pot. Stir in brown sugar. Bring to boil and then keep warm until serving time.
Enjoy!

Treasury Feature Friday

'Pretty and Pink' by honeyteathyme

adorebynat $3.33	GoldenSection $30.00	theYarnKitchen $35.00	WindyCityKnits $16.00
JPwithLove $15.00	trekkerjen $30.00	WinsomeGreen $4.50	PetiteSophisti... $169.99
reneabouquets $7.25	PaperPolaroid $18.00	PenelopesFineY... $7.03	ILUVMYTUTUBYGG $20.00
buttonsoupjewe... $7.50	StradMuffin $2.50	maryjudy $85.00	thriftwhorevin... $10.00

Happy Friday and wishing all the moms out there 

a wonderful Mother' Day!

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio

It's a Free Pattern Day!

A FREE pattern for hand warmers/gauntlets/finger-less gloves...whatever you'd like to call them. They're cute and practical and have endless color combination choices. These are made using worsted/aran weight yarn. 

Color Block Hand Warmers/Finger-less Gloves

version 1

Materials: size 7 double pointed needles, 2 colors of worsted/aran weight yarn

Directions:

Cast on 29 stitches. (Needle 1: 10/ Needle 2: 8/ Needle 3: 11)

Get ready to join in the round, but first grab the last stitch you cast on and put it on the first needle and knit them together. (You will have a total of 28 stitches.This step makes the join smooth and even. You've just joined the round:)

Knit in Stockinette stitch (knit every round) for 30 rounds.

Switch to contrast color and knit around for 3 rounds.

Next round: k3, bind off 4 stitches, knit to the end of the round.

Next round: k3, using backwards loop method cast on 4 stitches, knit to the end of the round.

Knit in stockinette for 4 rounds.

Now you can get a little creative and choose how you'd like to finish the gloves. Version 1 shows a Moss stitch, version 2 shows a ribbed stitch, or you can just continue working in stockinette and you have a rolled edge, the same as the cast on edge.

Whichever stitch you choose, work as follows:

Knit in your stitch of choice for 10 rounds. 

Bind off loosely, or bind off in ribbing for extra stretchy-ness. 
Weave in your ends and make the second glove exactly the same way.

Ribbed Edge version

ENJOY!

(This is a free pattern for personal use.)

A Basket of Knits for Baby A

As soon as I found out my dearest friend was expecting, I started knitting. I couldn't help it, I am just so excited. I know she will make an awesome mom and I can't wait to meet little A. For the baby shower I filled a big basket with hand knitted baby things...a baby blanket, a baby beret, Mary-Jane style booties, and a stuffed bunny. I also included 2 of my favorite children's stories, a Beatrix Potter collection and Winnie the Pooh. I loved Winnie the Pooh when I was a child, in fact I loved it so much that my artistic painter mom painted a mural of the whole gang on my bedroom wall. I wish I could paint like she did, but I channel my creativity by knitting instead.

The patterns I used are:

"Wave Blanket" from Craig at Loopknits.com

"A Beret for Baby" from Pamela W Allen

The bunny from "Lovable Toys" published in "Last Minute Knitted Gifts"

(I also included the pattern names on the little brown tags in the basket because baby A's mom is a knitter.)

Treasury Feature Friday

My Cabled Cowl Scarf is featured in this wonderful collection today. I just love the title. Thanks Peg!

'Keys to Happiness' by abacusbeadcreations

I Touched The Blue Sky ... TammieBowdenPh... $28.00	XL Tote Bag, Beach Tote... bluecalla $80.00	Doodles from my Sketch ... JessicaIllustr... $22.00	Aventurine and Antique ... JemsbyJBandCom... $18.00
Windy City Cabled Cowl ... WindyCityKnits $32.00	White clock EKSI ArtmaStudio $89.00	Lampwork Bead Coral Ron... stoutdg2 $29.00	Keys to Happiness 1955 ... sorrythankyou7... $14.00
Spring Fever Unique Tri... everydayapromi... $27.00	Owl head brooch- Coral HandyMaiden $28.00	Geometric Cuff Bracelet... PaperdollAcces... $12.00	Small ceramic pitcher i... SCAVENGENIUS $18.20
Cottage chic teal lette... VellaMade $22.00	new. Soft leather balle... thewhiteribbon $70.00	Business Card Vintage S... TheCuriousCase... $17.50	Coral, Turquois Skirt a... KikaHewel $75.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio

What are your keys to happiness?

Have a wonderful weekend!

1st Day of Spring!

I'm sitting here in my living room with my patio doors open, a beautiful breeze coming through, 

and listening to my backyard full of birds tweeting. 

The most perfect first day of Spring!

I made some homemade yogurt yesterday and used it to make a delicious smoothie this morning. 

I will be sharing the recipe and instructions this Thursday over at 

Indie Style Guide to Vintage and Handmade

I'm working on some new projects using that beautiful Spring cotton yarn I ordered 

and a new pattern I've created that will be available in my shop soon.

Hope you are enjoying today!

xoxo,

Angela

Knits in the Springtime

Springtime knitting inspiration!

kayclairgoodies

SunriseFiberCo

SeeJayneKnitYarns

OystercatcherYarns

Beatnik Update

Beatnik Sweater update. The front is finished! I'm about a third of the way done with the back. I've decided to make the back in plain stockinette stitch instead of the cable design. I think this is going to be one cozy sweater.

Spring Colors

I'm happy-dancing over here!

 I just got a yarn shipment and Spring has arrived for me!

Beautiful cotton yarns for shawls and organic cotton 

yarns for wash cloth sets. 

I'm gonna be one busy girl!

xoxo,

Angela