Stormy sky

Well, it's actually denim blue, but stormy sky sounds so much better, right?:) Anyway here's something new: silk and alpaca lace wrap. Supersoft, warm and cozy, perfect for chilly evening, or really cold winter day.

Return of the Queen

Well, it's fall again, so the Queen is back. The Queen of the Forest, to be more specific. This time it's apple green and cherry red (I sense a fruit theme here;)) Both knitted with kidsilk, although from different producers. The green one is 25% silk, 75% kid mohair, the red one is 30% silk, 70% mohair. The first one is listed on Etsy, the second was made to order and is about to be shipped off.

Dzisiaj będzie jesiennie i owocowo: zielone jabłuszko i wiśniowa czerwień;) Dwa nowe szale wg wzoru The Queen of the Forest. Oba wydziergane z kidsilków, ale od różnych producentów. Zielony to 25% jedwabiu i 75% moheru, czerwony ma proporcje 30-70. Pierwszy trafił do Etsy, drugi już ma właścicielkę.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/110843453/big-triangular-kidsilk-lace-shawl-apple

I probably shouldn't be saying this, because this is my design, but I love this model.and I love combining it with kidsilks. It's big, cozy, soft, light (it's under 75 grams, and about 200x90 cm!). I could work with it all the time, so if you want to buy it in a different color, let me know. And if you are a knitter and want to make it yourself, the pattern is available on Raverly and Craftsy (links below).

Pewnie nie powinnam tego mówić, bo to mój własny projekt, ale uwielbiam ten model! Zwłaszcza w połączeniu z kidsilkiem. Chusta jest duża, miękka, lekka (waży mniej niż 75 g. a mierzy ok. 200x90 cm!). Mogę takie robić cały czas, więc jeśli ktoś ma ochotę, zapraszam do zamawiania. A jeśli ktoś ma ochotę na własny udzierg, to wzór jest dostępny na Raverly i Craftsy (linki niżej).

Queen of the Forest pattern:
Raverly: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/queen-of-the-forest
Craftsy: http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/knitting/accessory/queen-of-the-forest/8125

Fall is in the air

Here's a very autumnal shawl, hand-knitted from a nice blend of mohair and acrylic. You may recognize the stitch, it's classic feather and fan - great for variegated yarn, because it form great wavy pattern. The colors in this one are truly autumnal: rusty reds and oranges, muted greens, teal, different shades of golden browns - just like leaves in September. I like the result very much. The shawl is two meters long and 43 cm wide, it can be worn as a regular, cozy scarf or as a wrap over the shoulders.

Oto bardzo jesienny szal, wydziergany ręcznie z miłej mieszanki moheru i akrylu. Wzrór znany: klasyczny feather and fan, świetny przy cieniowanych włóczkach, bo wtedy dobrze widać na nim fale. Szal jest w typowo jesiennych kolorach: rudych brązach, słumionych zieleniach z odrobiną petrolu - zupełnie jak liście we wrześniu. Bardzo mi się podoba, co z tego wyszło. Szal ma dwa metry długości i 43 cm szerokości. Dobrze się spisze jako szalik XL albo chusta na ramiona (zanim zrobi się zupełnie zimno).

The shawl is available here:
Szal można kupić tutaj:  
https://www.etsy.com/listing/108992489/hanknit-long-lacy-scarf-in-autumnal


And now a teaser of something I'm working on at the moment:
A teraz zapowiedź czegoś, nad czym właśnie pracuję:

Looks good, right?
Wygląda nieźle, prawda?

Stuck on a pattern

Boy, when I like a pattern, I can't stop using it. This time it all started with a beautiful Echo Flower Shawl by Jenny Johnson Johnen. I was planning to make it for myself, but halfway through I realized, that the yarn I got wasn't exactly the one I ordered (easy to make a mistake, when you order milk and get white). And I knew I wouldn't be wearing it, as I have absolutely no use for a white shawl. But I finished it anyway and listed it in the shop.

Rety, jak tylko spodoba mi się jakiś wzór, to nie mogę się od niego oderwać. Tym razem zaczęło się od uroczego Echo Flower Shawl autorstwa Jenny Johnson Johnen. Zamierzałam zrobić tę chustę dla siebie, ale tak gdzieś w połowie robótki zauważyłam, że kolor, który mam na drutach to nie ten kolor, który zamówiłam (miał być mleczny, był biały). No i wiedziałam, że sobie w tym nie pochodzę, bo do niczego mi nie pasuje. Ale chustę skończyłam i ostatecznie trafiła do sklepu.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/103841192/white-lace-bridal-shawl-handknit-pure

The same motif is used in another beautiful shawl - Laminaria by Elizabeth Freeman. And since it's something I'd wanted to knit for a long time, I cast on some deep blue yarn and started. And this one is mine! I'm not giving it to anyone:) Oh, and I modified the pattern a bit - I skipped the first part of the shawl (the swatch chart).

Ten sam motyw został wykorzystany w innym fantastycznym wzorze o nazwie Laminaria autorstwa Elizabeth Freeman. A ponieważ jest to wzór, na który od dawna miałam chrapkę, użyłam go do wydziergania cieniutkiej chusty z granatowego merino. I ta chusta jest moja, nikomu jej nie oddam:) A wzór jest nieco zmodyfikowany - odpuściłam sobie początek (the swatch chart).

Shawl number three is another one that uses the same main motif, but I improvised the border. This one is quite impressive - it's big (200x110cm /ca.79x43"), knitted from a blend of merino and silk (75/25), very soft and delicate. A perfect one for a bride, but not only. It's easy to drape and can be worn in many different ways.

Chusta numer trzy jest kolejną z tym samym motywem, ale tym razem border wymyśliłam sama. To bardzo udana chusta - jest duża (200x110cm), zrobiona z mieszanki wełny merino z jedwabiem (75/25), bardzo miękka i delikatna. Świetny dodatek dla panny młodej, ale nie tylko. Układa się doskonale i można ją nosić na wiele sposobów.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/103881554/pink-bridal-lace-shawl-handknit-in

The motif you can see in all these shawls can be found in a book Pitsilised Koekirjad by Leilli Reimann. This book is a collection of many gorgeous Estonian lace stitch patterns.

Motyw wykorzystany w tych trzech chustach można znaleźć w książce Pitsilised Koekirjad Leilli Reimann. Książka zawiera też inne fantastyczne wzory na koronki estońskie.

 That's it for now. Another one will be... well, let me surprise you:)

To tyle na teraz. Kolejny szal to... niech to będzie niespodzianka:)

Busier than a beaver in a coffee lake

I have no idea who said the above words, but they describe my reality perfectly:) I've been working like crazy recently - but I'm happy with that. When you do what you love there is no other way:)

Before I show you my latest project, here's a quick update from the shop:
First of all I'm celebrating the Valentine's Day with a special sale

15% off with coupon code: VALENTINE

If you have never used coupon codes, have a look at this article: http://www.etsy.com/help/article/350 - it tells you how coupons work and how to use them.

Wait, there's more!

February 14 - March 14 

is the month of 

free worldwide shipping at KnitsDeLuxe!

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!



OK, now on to the new knits:)

First of all, let me show you a shawl I knitted with one of my favorite type of yarns: kidsilk. It's a gorgeous and luxurious blend of kid mohair (75%) and silk (25%). It looks very elegant and sophisticated; the finished product has a delicate silky shine and shows a subtle halo effect. I love this yarn, it's like a cloud, or whipped cream, - soft, delicate and light as a feather.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/92616168/kidsilk-lace-shawl-triangle-ecru

My next project is a scarf knitted with another gorgeous blend: alpaca, cashmere and silk. The yarn is hand painted, there are lots of colors available. The scarf is a modified version of the zig-zag shawl and is available as a made-to-order item in my shop.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/92355831/luxurious-lace-scarf-silk-cashmere

Last, but not least: back to my two favorites: kidsilk and Queen of the Forest.

I've decided to offer a luxury version of the shawl, again, as a made-to-order item. So if you want a luxurious shawl with leaf pattern, and in the color of your choice, have a look at this listing: http://www.etsy.com/listing/92974189/kidsilk-lace-shawl-triangular-hand

Plus, I'm currently finishing the same shawl but from an even more luxurious yarn (alpaca and silk), and that version will also be available on demand very soon.

That's it for now:) Back to work, back to celebrating:)

XO

New from the shop

As promised - two new items from the KnitsDeLuxe shop at Etsy.

Number one is yet another zig-zag - one of my favorite patterns this winter, this time-hand knitted from yarn with lots of shades of gray:) Warm and cozy, 170x53 cm, available here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/91321426/warm-winter-shawl-classic-hand-knitted
 

If you are interested in the pattern, it's a free download via Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lacy-zig-zag-shawl

The other shawl is blue - it's my Valentine project for brides:) A little something blue that will keep you warm. Hand-knitted in Estonian lace stitch pattern with 70% mohair yarn it's light, soft and cozy. I added ruffled edges for fun and for more draping possibilities.

The shawl is available here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/91633724/something-blue-lace-wedding-shawl

Coming up soon: a new hat pattern and another kidsilk shawl.

The Queen in Teal

Her majesty's here - finished and ready. It came out huge: 200x100 cm, but it weighs only 64 grams. Very light, soft and apparently non-scratchy (wasn't supposed to be anyway, but some people are extremely sensitive to some yarns; this was tested today by an objective tester, and proclaimed "very nice"). I'm happy with the result, though I still can't get the color right.

The yarn is a blend of kid mohair and polyamide. I used my own pattern Queen of the Forest, it's the large leaves version. (The pattern is available via Ravelry or at my other Etsy store - KnitInstructor.)

Here's the official color (sample from the yarn color card):

And the shawl itself is available for sale here: The Queen in Teal @Etsy

There are also other colors available: green (small leaves) and yellow/mustard (big leaves).

Thanks for dropping by!:) If you have any comments or suggestions I'll be happy to hear from you.

And come back soon - I'm working on something blue for Valentine's Day, so I'll be showing that (plus there'll be another version of zig-zag!)

I survived Christmas (and New Year, and the first week of 2012:))

Well, it wasn't that difficult, really:) But it was very busy, so today is really the first day when I'm starting to catch a break. First there were some gifts to knit:

This time I kept it to a minimum:)

Then I came up with a new cowl for the shop - close fitting hoody type of neckwarmer.

Blend of mohair and acrylic, available here: long cowl from KnitsDeLuxe at Etsy.

Then there was an order for one of my favorite models:

White Angel from Debbie Bliss - blend of super kid mohair and silk, great yarn to work with. I love this shawl, it's soft, delicate, big (usualy about 180-190 x 60 cm), and ultralight (less than 100 grams).
[Advertising mode on] available on demand via Etsy [advertising mode off] :)

And in the meantime, I knitted a quick "I-want-one":)

Now I'm working on a new Queen of the Forest shawl (pattern available here: Queen of the Forest at Ravelry or here Queen of the Forest at Etsy. This one will be big leaves in deep teal - great color, unfortunately one of those I can't seem to get right on camera. Anyway, here's a sneak peek:

Well, that's it for now. Time to go back to work:)

Merry Christmas Shawl

It's red, it's golden, it sparkles. I bet it's something Mrs. Santa Claus would wear:)

When I got this yarn I knew it would be perfect for knitting something especially for Christmas. But I didn't want it to be a seasonal garment, so I went for something subtle - a miniature trees that don't have to be trees:) On any other occasion they may be just some geometric lace pattern.

The shawl is incredibly light - only 43 grams (1.5 oz). Size: 160x85 cm (ca.63x33.5")

Available for sale here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/87303417/cyber-monday-sale-merry-christmas-shawl

(Cyber Monday sale continues: use code CYBERSALE to get 15% off the order).

Pre-Christmas knitting madness

There are not enough hours in the day!

For the past weeks I've been knitting like crazy, hence my silence. I'm making new things, dealing with special orders, organizing the shop - it's a total madness. But I'm enjoying it enormously. Here's a quick update on my recent project (all available in my Etsy shop - BTW, I'm running a special sale before Christmas, so look in the shop announcement for current discount codes).

Let's start with something I have made especially for winter. It's a shawl that can be a scarf , or a hooded scarf, or a narrow blanket. I knitted a similar one for myself and I'm wearing it almost all the time. It's long, wide, warm and cozy.

Next two shawls can be worn all year round - they're lace shawls knitted from a very fine kid mohair/polyester blend. Both remind me of the tree just outside my window; one that changed its colors from green to gold.

And now back to winter neckwear: a scarf and a triangular shawl. I absolutely love the colors on both, and the structure of the shawl.

There are more shawls in my shop, so come in, have a look - maybe you'll find something for yourself or for your loved ones. Happy shopping!