Modern Baby Bonnet : Free Pattern (limited)

It seems as this last week in New York was the start of winter as the temperatures have dipped down into those brisk single digits that are hard to ignore. Brrr! Apparently we might see our first snow this weekend so there is no time to waist knitting mittens and hats to keep little ones snug and stylish.

Good timing that the winter issue of Small Magazine was released this week which not only features the most gorgeous fashions, inspiration and art for little folk but I am honored that one of my knitting patterns was selected as this issues Small Project. The Modern Baby Bonnet Pattern from my book Vintage Knits for Modern Babies is available as a free PDF download for a limited time only! There are some lovely yarns to knit this cap with and some of my favorites are the Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk DK, Classic Elite Yarns Classic Silk as well as Debbie Bliss

Cashmerino DK. See what other yarns the Modern Baby Bonnet can be knit with on Ravelry.com.

Magpie Patterns

As the cooler Autumn temps are settling in on us here in New York, I am suddenly itching to knit and I have about a years worth of knitting projects in the queue. (just as well because I am in the midst of an almost perpetual winter since leaving the Southern Hemisphere for the Northern).

I have been browsing the book shops and knitting stores here in New York and I realize there is no shortage of patterns and projects but for me it has been an overwhelming experience. When I get overwhelmed, I run home and log onto Ravelry.com to help me figure out which pattern is best. Ravelry is great but still, there is a lot to weed through.

Then along came Magpie Patterns which has a lovely (and growing) selection of independent needlework patterns including knitting, crochet, embroidery and sewing all displayed by the well curated eye of its owner. In addition to individual patterns there is a beautiful selection of all my favorite craft books as well.

Over the years I have had many requests for a baby cardigan pattern that is knit all-in-one piece. I finally found one on Magpie Knits! Manda Ruth, a little hooded cardigan by Jane Richmond, is knit from the top down and is virtually seamless. Seed stitch adds texture to this raglan sweater and worsted weight yarn makes this project fly off the needles. How cute?

Wanted: knitting memories

I have been busy the last few weeks putting together a book proposal to a publisher in California! Woo Hoo! I can not even define how excited I am about the idea for a knitting pattern book and I am already cracking away on some designs that *almost* make me want to have another baby. It is so much fun!

Part of my book will include quotes and stories from women who recall their earliest memories of knitting. I would like to capture some of these stories from your mother and her mother so I can document the changes knitting has gone through in the last few generations. To do this, I need YOU!

Do you have a knitting Grandmother? Where did she get her yarn? What did she knit? Did you save any of her creations to pass down to your family? Are there photos of her knitting? Why does she love knitting? I want to hear from her (or you can tell me her story).

All contributions will be considered for publication in the book. Please send me your submissions via email or post to this blog. Time is of the essence!

Back in the saddle

Well, here we go again. I started this blog in, um, July of last year for goodness sake. I am a pathetic excuse for a blogger. 8 months later I have been struck with inspiration once again. I have made some changes this year to shescrafty.com and the big idea now is that I have no time to run a business that requires 100% of my time and energy. I would love to do it if I didn't have 2 gorgeous boys that were a billion times more important than a silly 'ol website. That sounded fake didn't it? Well the truth is, my darling boys won't ever leave me alone for 2 seconds. I love them. Feel the love. But I am struggling to remain sane after 7 years of not having any time to create and make and design. Shescrafty.com has been bigger than I ever thought it would be and I love it immensely still. I just can't manage to sell the actual knits anymore. This was a huge decision for me because it is the first time in my life I have to turn down work. I have decided to continue designing patterns. It's basically keeping me busy and I'm still in the game. I still have excuses to go buy more yarn. Not making the knits anymore has actually been really freeing. I can now venture off and design other things and I'm not limited to the sad selection of yarn here in New Zealand. But that is another story...

I have just finished a new girls beret pattern that I finally got to see on a real live girl last week when Jasper's friend Edie came over to play. I love this veregated perendale from my stash and I think Edie looks quite cute in her new hat. This is what I can do now. I can knit with other wools. It is a whole new exciting world!


Like most of my patterns it is knit with a semi-worsted wool. Now I need some testers! Anyone out there want to to be a beta knitter for me? Pretty please?