It is the eve of the vernal equinox, and so tomorrow is officially Spring ! My niece, Miss Nineteen, is on break from college, and so we met at the Calistoga Roastery, then went of course, to the castle… I … Continue reading
I met my niece . . . Miss Sixteen . . . at the castle yesterday,
so she could model my latest lace collection Aria With Variations.
She was absolutely spectacular. I think she has really has mastered what is essential in modeling, having developed her character that is genuine and honest . . .
So natural, with a hint of bashful, and a lot of charm.
Here she is wearing Aria stole, in rose UnSpun 1100, in size 1,
and Variation One stole, in light grey UnSpun 880, in size 2.
Really there needs to be nothing else said, because she in her lovely way, she says it all!
( just click first image in mosaic to see the whole slideshow)
All posts in series Veils & Variations.
Yesterday I met my nieces in Calistoga at the Roastery, we had a little catching up over coffee & tea, then they put on their new Hillwalker sweaters, and this time we headed straight down to the Castle in St … Continue reading
First day of summer vacation for my nieces & a photo shoot of the most recent “Camino Inca” designs at the castle, and here they are, Miss Seventeen & Miss Fourteen….
Shown here is the small-size Ponchito, which is more of a large cowl draping around collar area & sits on top of shoulders for a kiss of warmth.
And the largest size, A-line silhouette with three tiers of colorful shaped sections with bobbled bands edging each section.
It envelopes shoulders & neck for a sensual & cuddly bliss!
I love the way the Camino Inca Ponchito sits snug across & over shoulders while loose and draping around the neck.
The ponchito is not unlike Peruvians’ traditional wool shoulder wraps pinned at the neck, and I think the Incans would approve, as it is a practical neck & shoulder garment that both women and men would look & feel brilliant wearing.
It really pulls together an outfit!
Oh, and almost forgot… in addition to three sizes of ponchito, there is the straight cowl option that comes with the pattern too…
Camino Inca Chullo is a classic Peruvian style hat (these with very modest pompoms) and is just fun & full of whimsy !
For any age, male or female, this hat can be made simplified, or exotic & costume-like, with motif charts & embellishment suggestions galore.
You can see all posts relating to Camino Inca design and the inspiration behind it, (including this one) HERE.
Details for Camino Inca Ponchito on Ravelry HERE,
and Camino Inca Chullo HERE.
Another sweater success! We fell out of tradition this time not photographing in Calistoga, but at our new favorite, the castle! Few words this post, but the cardigan pattern is almost ready, and will post soon!
All Sweater Successes Past & Present / Ravelry project details here, and here.
My latest design “Highway 29” is named after the main road running through Napa Valley from Napa to Calistoga. This old highway is dotted with wineries and famous restaurants enough to make you dizzy, plus some added hot-spots where we locals frequently go, beginning in the north end of the town of Napa getting sweet around Yountville, then Oakville, Rutherford, St Helena, and continuing clear on up to Calistoga. As a local, coming down off the mountain from Oakville Grade when I am going upvalley, I often stop at the very unique Oakville Grocery , founded in 1881, just an old rural ‘backroads’ grocers of a bygone era, is now a highly trafficked stop-off for locals & tourists alike, with an exceptional coffee bar & deli for drinks, gifts & goodies-to-go.
After Oakville you pass a bunch of wineries, and then of course, St Helena where I often knit-in-public or meet friends at Napa Valley Coffee Roasting Company, as its the coffee shops I seem to be most familiar with, loving to knit and visit with friends. After that it’s a stretch of countryside to Calistoga with places such as Bale Grist Mill, founded in 1846…
a working renovated grain mill which is popular for historic reenactment parties and has old-time live music often (one of the bands is my brother & sister-in-law, my nieces dad & mom) , offers tours & grinds corn to sell. It is in front of the entrance to the Bale Grist Mill where these photos were taken for Highway Halter, on the old wooden fence,
Ah, but it is here at ‘ The Castle ‘ where you’ll recognize the stone from merely the carriage house where we actually have many of our photo shoots…
Right off of Hwy 29, this carriage house is at the entrance to the castle gate, erected more recently I think to use some left over stone & brick perhaps, and it houses the ground-keepers tools & provides a place for the chauffeurs to park, and I think some offices devoted to castle business. Here some shots from this spot…
Passing more breathtaking scenery, one finally lands in Calistoga as if by accident.
This is the town from which you may recognize many backdrops to my nieces & my photo shoots. But there are many photo memories of Calistoga and not enough room to post. Anyway, enough of all of this Highway 29 – turned to- Memory Lane, and all the treasures found along the way… and now it is time for Highway 29, a halter which I’ve just knit for my nieces and written a pattern for! In previous post I talk about the significance of naming the latest design “Highway 29” , which really is a possibility to start a collection…. I mean, if I’m going to really go through with it… anyway, my nieces seem to think we should. If not the name-sake for the design will stand on its own. We will just have to see what comes.
You can find the pattern for this design on Ravelry HERE .
Spring sweater success! We decided to photograph not in the town of Calistoga this time, but again at the castle. Late morning brought very bright sun and was very warm after weeks of cool rainy days. Oh, and great news is … Continue reading
Well folks, the pattern has been submitted, available for download on Ravelry HERE ( matching Mitts pattern HERE ) and I am happy to finally show you the lovely photographs taken last month at our castle, of my nieces modeling … Continue reading
We discovered a castle !
That is, part of a castle, more the entrance of the castle. A gothic brick & stone building at the gate of the Castello di Amorosa.
Which was actually quite perfect, for nobody was about and we could just be creative with the knitwear. . .
We did actually drive up to the castle, but there were hundreds of people swarming about, and that was less than ideal for photographing. But we did get a shot of Miss Fifteen standing through the sky window of my car, with the castle in the background …
It was a GREAT discovering this new favorite photo place, all three of us were very taken by the gothic feel of iron & brick & stone & arched windows, and all agreed it should be the new design image for us. Modelled in photos are holiday & birthday presents from me; a pair of Una Cosettina mitts and accompanying infinity scarves “Una Cosettina Sciarpa Infinita” which is all upcoming… we just had to give ‘er a test run here at the castle today !
Here are a few more of the shots…