Knitted and Bejeweled Shamrock Tutorial

St. Patrick's day is on it's way so why not knit some Irish luck in the form of these handmade bejeweled shamrocks developed by Vickie Howell. These lucky shamrocks can be used as a pin or an applique for shirts, pillows, tote bags and much more.

And better yet you can use left over yarn scraps to make these lucky leaves! To view the instructions for the Knitted and Bejeweled Shamrock Tutorial, click here.

Handmade Life: Knit Tagging

This image caught my eye on flicker last week. Behind this lovely and random act of knitting is Whodunnknit. The blogger summarizes her/ his act in a recent post as a type of memorial to this lone phone booth that stands waiting for a dead cell phone battery in an age when its purpose has become almost obsolete as modern technology has trumped time. The blogger continues to describe the tag as a "...healthy green shoot along the telephone chord." The act calls out to those street friends, urging them to grasp the old and cease their texting if only for just one minute.

This is just one of many in a growing wave of knitters who "tag" various ugly and banal urban staples with their colorful and soft bursts of poofy fiber in an effort to nudge a laugh, beautify, soften, feminize, and even to break a passerby of his everyday swimming thoughts to stop and realize his environment once again.

I started thinking about knit tagging a month or so ago when I bought Handmade Nation: The Rise of DIY, Art, Craft, and Design. The book featured Knittaplease a group out of Huston, Texas with similar goals.

When asked the question, "What are you trying to say?", Poly Cotn (giggles) replies, "Well, not necessarily anything extremely verbal or political. Sometimes it's just that there is a lot of cement and steel that we are not comfortable seeing on a daily basis." Purl Nekklas says, "I like to feel like we are wrapping things with love. It's humanizing."

I'm hoping that one of these happy sights crosses my path soon. If not, perhaps I could create one myself?

Written by Nancy

Book Review: Fitted Knits by Stefanie Japel

I am a knitter with middling skills, but every time I try to find something to knit more involved than a rectangle, I get unmotivated by all the patterns I see for shapeless baggy sweaters and dowdy-looking sweater vests—you know, the ones that smell like mothballs right off the page. I wanted a book that would inspire me by including patterns that are modern but still accessible.


I came across this book, Fitted Knits and decided this was a knitting style I could get behind! Stefanie includes great designs for knitted tees, cardigans, vests, dresses, and much more—all of them with a tailored, flattering line. I got started right away on a v-neck and can’t wait to begin my next project, which will be this cap-sleeved tee. Look at the great neckline detail!


Once I get up my nerve, I hope to work my way up to pieces like this dress, which is marked “challenging”, due to the lacy detail on the hemline and neckline.


Check out this book if you need similar inspiration!

Post written by BennyAndHeidi

Favorite Seller: Silvia66

As the days become cooler, especially in the mornings and evenings, I crave nice warm accessories. One of my favorite Etsy shops is Italian designer Silvia66. She creates wonderfully original scarves, capelets, neckwarmers and more. Luxurious materials are used such as Merino and Wool and Mohair, with interesting embellishments like buttons and hand knit flowers. Best of all, it's all made in Italy, which makes it even more special for me. Don't be surprised to see me wrapped up in one of her creations this fall.