back to basics

It's no secret that I love to knit circle scarves - there's something about the rhythm that you get into when you knit in the round and you never have to stop to flip your needles.  But every now and then, it's good to cast on to a pair of straights and knit a basic winter essential.  The three basics - each with its own twist - pictured below hit the shop today, and I can't wait for someone out there to wear them. 

wedding pins/yarn love

We have attended quite a few weddings recently, so I guess it's no surprise that it has been on my brain a little more than usual.  Seriously, 2 last year, 3 so far this year, one next month, and two more that we are saving the date for next year.  Whew.  

Until recently, I did not think that I would have more than a courthouse wedding and a dinner out with friends afterwards.  That may have changed.  And it's not (*just*) because I'm feeling inspired by/envious of some of the great nuptials I have witnessed as of late.  But the reasoning is a long story, so I won't go there.

Anyways, whenever it's time to say "I do", I know one thing for sure: yarn will be the star of the show.  Check out these pins from my daydreaming board that I have been obsessing over:
 

back from the coast; do the twist

Well hello, everyone (and happy Labor Day)!  We just returned from a relaxing week at the beach followed by a whirlwind of wedding activities (not ours) and visits with friends over the weekend.   Whew.  

Vacation was wonderful, if a little weird.  I'd had all kinds of plans for the week - pictures on the beach, modeling some new things for the store, biking on the island with my boys - but we all decided to pass a head cold around and there was a bit of bad weather from Isaac that kind of threw a wrench in things. C'est la vie.  We had an awesome time with the family, ate tons of amazing food, got Henry his first hermit crabs, found some cool shells, met some giant turtles(!), and even managed to squeeze in a date night just for us.  Check out some instagrams below (the real camera never made it out of the bag all week, but I'm not sorry.) 

I miss the ocean and the laziness of the trip, but I'm not gonna lie - I'm happy to be home.  Now that we've returned, I'm back to work updating the store for fall.  Check out this Wool Twist Cowl - I love the fullness of it, and I'm hoping to make more in the near future. 

fall knits, and to the sea we go

We arrived at the beach for our annual pilgrimage to the North Carolina coast yesterday around lunch time, and I couldn't be happier. I am currently on my second consecutive week off from the day job, and am finally able to relax oceanside. :)

Before we left town, I was able to snag a few product shots for new fall knits that have already started appearing in the shop. A couple of my favorites are pictured here ...

You can find this incredibly soft wool cowl here.  It's knitted with the most incredible wool from Wool and the Gang, and I used moss (or seed) stitch for the pretty texture.

This alpaca cowl just hit the shop today, and I will almost be sad to see it go (though very happy to think of someone out there wearing it.)

Last but not least, one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite people:

dana barnes studio

My Stumble Button loves me (or, at least, it knows I love yarn.)  A few days ago, I stumbled upon the website for Dana Barnes Studio in New York.  I would almost be ashamed of the way these images excited me, but I was too excited to care.  I get all tingly whenever I look at them.  I need to visit/work for/live in this studio!  Here is an excerpt from the website, and please take your sweet time drooling over the pictures below:

creative space - work in progress

I think I mentioned once in an earlier post that I have been working to create a studio space where I can work on projects and photograph them.  I love our apartment and the office/knitting room, but I don't have a good space here that I can designate for product shots.  This is where the little corner that I like to call the "faux loft" comes in.  It's really a basement space, but the exposed pipes and beams and deep cement window sill lend themselves to an industrial loft feel. Plus, the window has magical light (the orchid below was dead before we put it there.)  I whitewashed the walls and painted the radiators, and now all that's left is to lay a pickled white wood floor.  Once the space is finished I'll be able to leave my tripod and fill lights permanently set up.  I can't wait!  

life goes on

... And time flies.  It's hard to believe that it is nearly August and I can count the number of posts I've made this summer on my fingers.  I always intend to launch new styles for spring/summer and use some of my free time to blog about the projects I'm working on, but it never happens. C'est la vie, I suppose.  I am keeping myself busy with family, friends, and a new obsession with going to the gym.  Yeah, we'll see how long that one lasts ...

Anyway, I couldn't let too much time go by before I posted about what I have been working on: new knits for Fall.  Even though I never got around to making/posting summer knits, I have been knitting scarves like crazy.  And I'm toying with the idea of knitted garland for kids' rooms.  Check out these snapshots from my summer knitting frenzy, and keep up with my projects on instagram @marionglass. 

And of course, I can't make a whole post without a picture of Henry. Here he is in his Selima Optiques, such a ham:

poolside birthday

Henry's fourth birthday finally rolled around last week, and I am just now getting around to looking at/posting the pictures.  I can't believe that I am the mother of a four year old!  Life is nothing like I thought it would be, and I'm happy.  Henry makes everything worthwile.

The birthday party was a huge success.  It rained off and on that day, and I honestly didn't know if we would have the party or not.  Because I had a lot of last minute projects that wouldn't be good left over, I had to put a lot of things off and give up on some of the stuff I wanted to do.  But it didn't matter.  The weather cleared up and we headed for the pool to party.  The decorations were cute (if I do say so myself), the atmosphere was laid back, and the kids (we had 9 there this time, thanks to preschool buddies!) had a blast.  Henry was thrilled, and that's what matters most. :)