What is it about the fall? It feels like September and October are, hands down, the most crazypants months of the year. And all the awesome fiber festivals that seem to be going on everywhere! Somehow, it feels like it might even be busier than December- which is really saying something. Halloween is fast approaching, and the second that’s done, everywhere you look will be decorated for Christmas. it’s enough to make your head spin!
Name: Sweet Sheep Body Shoppe
What She is All About: Alicia makes incredible lip balms, lotion bars and soaps using all-natural and skin-loving ingredients like lanolin, cocoa butter, almond oil, vitamin E and mango butter. I’m addicted to her lip balms, and her new soaps are so amazing- I have a sheep soap that smells like heaven every time I wash my hands. And if you haven’t tried a lotion bar before you are missing out- they are so perfect for purses and knitting bags, without any liquid mess.
A Few of My Favourite Things, from Left to Right: Passionfruit Rose would be an amazing scent for a lip balm- indulgent and floral, like a little pick me up. Alicia’s new soaps are so amazing, and these Ocean Mist soap bars are made with aloe and goat’s milk, so it’s super gentle and moisturizing. And Sweet Almond is great scent for a lotion bar: sweet and desert-like, without being cloying. Perfect for this time of year, when we want comforting scents.
Name: Bijou Basin Ranch
What They Are All About: Eileen and Carl have a family Yak ranch in Colorado (doesn’t that sounds amazing?!) Working with the fiber from both their animals on site and speciality fibers from around the world, they sell amazing yarn, both 100% yak and blended with other fibers (like bamboo or merino) to lend strength and variety. Lately they have been partnering with some amazing indie dyers for unique and exclusive custom colourways, which are pretty spectacular. Plus- they are offering free shipping on all orders when you use the coupon code “KNITBLISS” at checkout!
A Few of My Favourite Things, from Left to Right: This yak and silk blend of laceweight in the stunning ‘Glacier’ colourway would be so perfect for a shawl. It’s even custom dyed by Lost City Knits, as bijou Basin Ranch has been partnering with indie dyers for custom colourways that you can only get here. Another custom colourway that is exclusive is Cinnamon Teal, a yak/bamboo fingering weight custom dyed by Lattes & Llamas. And then we have ‘Cenote’, a beautiful rich teal fingering weight that is a blend of yak and nyol, custom dyed by Miss Babs.
Name: Cold Springs Creations
What She is All About: Megan hand-dyes beautiful variegated and tonal yarns in a variety of fingering weight bases, as well as laceweight and DK. Lots of fresh, original colour combinations to be found in her shop, with some brights and some dark and mysterious. Use code KNITTEDBLISS15 for 10% off your order, big or small!
A Few of My Favourite Things, from Left to Right: This stunning 2 ply sock yarn in the Galaxy colourway is a blend of merino and nylon (for strength), a perfect moody colourway. Then there is the sparkle sock yarn for a little bit of glimmer in the Zanzibar Marketplace colourway that looks completely magical. And for a bright hit of fun, check out this merino/cashmere sock yarn in ‘Wonderland’, quite possibly the happiest rainbow yarn I’ve seen in a while!
Name: Knit Play Colour, by Louise Zass-Bangham
What She is All About: Louise has created a really inspiring collection (both as an e-book and printed book) of ten accessory patterns, all of which include a variety of techniques or ideas to alter them and make them entirely your own. If you have always wanted to try modifying knitting patterns but didn’t quite know where to start, this is the collection for you. It’s worth checking out the gorgeous projects popping up on Ravelry!
A Few of My Favourite Things, from Left to Right: Heart Deco is a beautiful cowl with a delicate heart motif, and can be worked in either fingering weight or DK. Flight of Colour is a stunning striped scarf that is perfect for destashing, or for using up mini skeins- you can use random colour stripes, or repeat two or three colours, as shown here. Shadowlines is a richly cabled wrap that increases the thickness of cables, and can be worked in any weight from DK to chunky.
Name: Lyudmyla Knit Designs
What She is All About: Lyudmyla designs cozy accessories with lots of texture for little ones, like hats and cowls and blankets; but her size range is very inclusive- almost all her accessories are sized for baby, toddler, children, and adults. And she has a coupon code for Buy 1 pattern, get one free- code: Buy1Get1Free .
A Few of My Favourite Things, from Left to Right: I’m loving this Geo Cowl, with great geometric cables that have a bit of an art deco feel. The pattern ranges from baby/toddler/teen and adult sizes, too! The Leave-Me-Not-Mitts are pretty garter fingerless mitts with a lovely leaf motif (I’m actually knitting these at the moment!), And then the Green Snake hat is full of stunning cables to keep you toasty warm, in sizes from baby all the way to adult.
Name: Fuzzy Mitten
What She is All About: Barbara designs some of the cutest stuffed toy patterns around, and has patterns for all sorts of clothing for them, too! They are great value, as every pattern comes with instructions for more than just the animal- there’s always something for them to wear, or an accessory or two. All are exceptionally priced, too- I doubt you’ll find anything cuter or as good a deal for knitted toy patterns. She is currently running a mystery KAL (which I have totally joined- and excited to figure out what the animal might be!)
A Few of My Favourite Things, from Left to Right: I love this bulky weight Big Teddy in overalls– you know knitting him up would be super fast, and I feel like those overalls would be awesome in stripes, too. This sweet little Beaver in a Sweater Coat is an awesome toy, and that sweater is prefect for using up leftover bits of pretty yarn that you know you have been hanging on to. And then we have this adorable Turtle, with fully removable shell, hat and boots- I knit one of these, and my toddler loves dressing him up and taking everything off!
I hope you saw some things that really intrigued you and are clicking through right now- I know I am! Some of them have had some recent shop updates and I’m off to check out the new goodies….
