KyleAnn Williams is a good friend and fellow knitter. She happens to be a designer in her own right, as well as a knitting teacher. And that is why I am particularly flattered that she became so enamored of the Peggy’s Shawl I had designed.
Peggy Shawl in Kid Merino knitted by KyleAnn Williams
I’ve lost count of how many Peggy Shawls that KyleAnn has made. They all are always lovely, but I think this one that KyleAnn knit in Crystal Palace Kid Merino in a strawberry-lime color will always remain my favorite.
You can read more about KyleAnn’s making of the Peggy Shawl in her own words here.
KyleAnn Williams
I am really fortunate to have had KyleAnn assisting me at the TNNA Shows held in Columbus, OH each June. When TNNA changes its venue in 2013 to a different location, I am not sure what I will do. We have so much fun together. I just wish we lived closer to each other!
This week’s featured Friends of HeartStrings Gallery are Amanda Allen, manager at Lorna’s Laces Yarns, and her crewe of mannequins at the TNNA Show last month. For display at the show, Amanda had told me she was having my HeartStrings Eyelet Ribbed Sweater knit in one of their new colors. I wish I could have gone to the show. Maybe some of you saw it there? So I had not seen what they had done until this week in a photo taken of their show booth.
You can see the Eyelet Rib sweater to the right in this photo. It is knit with Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sport yarn in the new color called Hullabalo.
Lorna's Laces booth at TNNA Show (HeartStrings Eyelet Rib Sweater is on right - click picture to enlarge in a new window)
Aren’t these mannequins just too cute showing off new Lorna’s Laces colors? Amanda wrote to me, “I just thought you might like to see how the Eyelet Ribbed Sweater turned out for our booth at TNNA. I think it was just perfect for the color”. I think it is wonderful, and love the color name, too. I think Beth Casey, owner of Lorna’s Laces, and her folks there have as much fun coming up with the names as they do in creating all those gorgeous colors.
Lorna’s Laces is a full-line dealer of HeartStrings patterns, including Eyelet Rib Sweater. For yarn shops, this means convenience of ordering HeartStrings patterns at the same time as placing your order for yarn. I really appreciate Lorna’s Laces and my other dealers who help me get my HeartStrings patterns out to the stores and into the hands of knitters. I appreciate the help of Ms. Mannequin, too, in showing off the sweater so nicely.
p.s. For a fun read about the mannequins: A Fresh Look at the Lorna’s Laces blog.
For the blog category “Friends of HeartStrings Gallery”, I’d planned to set aside one day each week to feature someone else’s creative talents. You might have noticed that over the last few weeks. (See “Joy Cyr’s Beaded Winter Wonderland Socks“, “Layering against the cold”, and “Priceless because they just grow up too fast”.) My original intent was that it would be someone who had used a HeartStrings pattern as inspiration or a jumping off place in their own creations. This week’s talent deviates from that a bit, but still deserves a “heart” place in the HeartStrings Gallery. This week I proudly present my sister Carolyn and the Hearts Quilt which she made from her original design.
I have two sisters and they both are the best in the world. You might remember last week that we were getting together. (See “A small(-er) family reunion“.) We had such a good time, but as always, much too short. My sister Carolyn brought a quilt to show us. She had recently made and entered into a prestigious competition. You know how I love hearts, anyway. But this quilt is even more special than just that, because I am so proud of my sister for making it her original design. And she got a blue-ribbon in the competition, too!
The blue-ribbon-winner original quilt design by Carolyn Bailey
Here were some quick, candid photo shots I took of Carolyn holding her quilt. She told us how surprised she was that her quilt earned the first place blue ribbon, as there was fierce competition with more elaborately designed quilts. I expect that the simplicity and superb execution of Carolyn’s work had won the judges’ hearts. 🙂
As always, photographs don’t really do it justice, and obviously the informal setting did not contribute very good lighting either. But I think that you can get a sense of appreciation for it if you know anything about quilting. And even if you don’t, I think it will win your heart, too.
Here is a photo that Doreen sent in to share of a HeartStrings Dolly Faroese Shawl pattern she made for her precious granddaughter. As you can see, the shawl is modeled on gd’s teddy bear. Isn’t this just too cute?! Thank you Doreen for sharing.
HeartStrings Dolly Faroese Shawl knitted by Doreen for "Bear", her granddaughter's teddy bear.
I wouldn’t get out on a motorcycle in the snow like some parts of our country are dealing with now. But in other parts of country the weather is still doable, albeit very chilly. That is where fashionable layering against the cold can sport a lovely hand-knit such as Filigree Lace Neck Warmer made by Denise Kinley. Doesn’t she look cozy and ready to ride anywhere?
So even if you are chillin’ off your bones now, this might inspire you to pick up the needles and make one of these for yourself. This pattern is quick to make up and doesn’t take much yarn, so it can make a good gift for a friend or riding companion, too.
p.s. For more layering against the cold options, the HeartStrings #A135 Filigree Lace Neck Warmer pattern also comes with instructions for a coordinating hat and two styles of hand/wrist warmers.
Related Images:
Behind the scenes with Jackie E-S and life at the HeartStrings FiberArts studio.
