Red and White Retro

Retro Red Acorn Hat

Someone just referred to this as an acorn hat and that does seem to describe the style.  So, thank you, Marianna, for that name.

Recently, I was watching a movie set during WWII and was thrilled (yes, actually thrilled!) to see a young woman wearing this very style of hat.  Hers was a plain black version which she wore tilted back on her head rather than straight up.  She wore bobby pins at the sides to secure it.
 
This is a view of the right side of the back.  As you can see, this is not a symetrically embellished hat. 

The hat body is of Icelandic wool.  The flowers are made from fur brushed from an angora rabbit mixed with tussah (wild) silk.  Each flower has a freshwater pearl in the center.  






And here is the little bird that sits on the back of this red acorn hat.





Beginning soon, selections of my hats will be available at Edenside Gallery in Louisville and at Anne Sawyer (Hats) in Lexington. Others may be purchased directly from me. For purchases, special orders or questions, please e-mail me. My email: marylarue@bellsouth.net My blog: http://marylaruedesigns.blogspot.com

Blue and Cream

Today's posting includes more of the knitwear I've been working on this summer. And again, Sarah is my model.

            Silk, Merino and More

In this picture, Sarah is wearing wrist warmers rather than mitts, so there is no opening for the thumb.  They can be worn indoors, tucked under the cuffs of a sweater.  Or they can be worn as outerwear to keep your wrists warm at that spot where your coat sleeve and gloves sometimes just don't quite meet. 

The wrist warmers, along with the matching hat, are made from a yarn that is a mixture of 52% mulberry silk and 48% Merino wool.  The yarn, which is made in Peru, is spun loosely and has a high loft.  The feel is particularly soft to the touch.

The long scarf is loosely knit in a basket weave pattern and made from multiple strands of yarn.  The fibers include wool, bamboo, silk kid mohair and rayon chenille.  There is also one thin strand of an opalescent metallic thread that reflects the blue yarn and adds a bit of shimmer. 

Cream Baby Alpaca

This hat is made from three strands of baby alpaca.  One thick and one thin strand are a natural cream color while one thicker strand is a soft camel color.  For the scarf, I added a strand to mohair to the mix, giving it a slight halo effect. 

The scarf is 66 inches long and can wrap twice around the neck.  The cable pattern is double sided so the scarf looks good no matter which side is showing.  Because of the yarns used, all of the pieces are very soft to the touch.







Freshwater pearls are sewn around the bottom edge of the hat which is made to be loose and worn low.  This is a hat that will be warm but won't be so hard on the hairdo since it is not form fitting.

For purchases, special orders or questions, please e-mail me: marylarue@bellsouth.net

My blog: http://marylaruedesigns.blogspot.com

Luxury Knitwear

While it was excruciatingly hot outside in July and early August, I kept indoors with my stash of luxury yarns and knit away the days.  With audio books to entertain me, I had quite an enjoyable month.  I discovered Laurie R. King's Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes books and especially enjoyed knitting as those played.

I am including a selection of my new knits here.  You'll see many being worn by my young friend Sarah who is a wonderful model and was kind enough to pose for me today.  Pictures of other new pieces will follow in the next posts.

This rose colored cowl and hat are made from a bulky weight Merino Bouclé.  The designs are simple.  It is the texture and color variations in this fine Italian yarn that add interest.  This cowl is designed as a mobius strip and is wrapped around twice.


The yarns I chose for my new knitwear pieces are made primarily from mixtures of baby alpaca, mulberry silk and Merino wool. When I went to the second annual Kentucky Wool and Fiber Festival in Lexington in May, I was lucky enough to find several large cones of 100% rayon chenille being sold by a weaver. This chenille is from the former Churchill Weavers in Berea, KY and is wonderful yarn. I have incorporated the white, natural and black chenilles into some of the pieces I have been knitting this summer.

This is the same basic mobius strip design as the rose colored cowl.  Again, a simple design with wonderful yarn adding texture.  For this, I used one strand of baby alpaca yarn and one strand of looped (curly) baby alpaca.  Both are bulky weight yarns so this is a substantial piece.  It is finished off with an edging of baby alpaca in a soft camel color.



For purchases, special orders or questions, please e-mail: 
marylarue@bellsouth.net
My blog: http://marylaruedesigns.blogspot.com

Purple with Yellow Flower

Purple & Yellow

Lately, I've been watching the old British television series starring Agatha Christie characters Tuppence (Prudence) and Tommy Beresford. The setting is 1920s England and Tuppence, with her bobbed hair, is forever buying a new hat. Most are close fitting cloches. No doubt, this inspired me to make a close fitting hat as my first for the upcoming winter season.  

This purple hat is made with Icelandic wool which is substantial and makes a firm hat body. Still, the hat is light weight and easy to wear.

The yellow flower is made from wool and hand dyed bamboo roving and silk noil. The leaves are made from bamboo which imparts a sheen to them as well as to the flower. In the center of the flower sits a large fresh water pearl.

On the back of this hat, I have felted my first bird.

Selections of my hats are available at Edenside Gallery in Louisville and at Anne Sawyer (Hats) in Lexington during the winter season.  At other times, all items may be purchased directly from me. For purchases, special orders or questions, please e-mail me: marylarue@bellsouth.net   My blog: http://marylaruedesigns.blogspot.com

Wedgewood Blue Hat with Flowers

Wedgewood Blue

The yarn used in this hat provides a lovely halo effect after knitting and fulling.

The flowers and leaves are made of merino wool and tussah (wild) silk roving.  There are leaves all around the edge and a freshwater pearl in each flower center.



I've included a ladybug on a leaf at the back of the hat and a small flower on the top.

Selections of my hats are available at Edenside Gallery in Louisville and at Anne Sawyer (Hats) in Lexington. Others may be purchased directly from me.

For purchases, special orders or questions, please e-mail me.
My email: mailto:marylarue@bellsouth.net 
My blog: http://marylaruedesigns.blogspot.com/

Fuchsia Aplaca with Black Veil

Fuschsia Riding Hat



The alpaca yarn used in this hat has long fibers which lie flat on the hat, giving it rich texture without a halo of fiber.  The yarn is slighter thicker than I usually use so the hat is slightly more structured than usual.  I like the entire effect.  Unfortunately, this yarn is no longer manufactured.



This reminds me of a Victorian lady's riding hat, something that would be worn with a full riding habit.  No doubt, her skirts would be voluminous and she would be riding side-saddle.

The fuchsia flower has an Austrian crystal in the center.  The hatband and poof are of stretch velvet.  With the flower in the back, the veil can be pulled down to cover the eyes for a glamorous look.  Or it can be left sitting on the brim and the flower can be worn at the front, but off-center. 

Selections of my hats are available at Edenside Gallery in Louisville and at Anne Sawyer (Hats) in Lexington. Others may be purchased directly from me. For purchases, special orders or questions, please e-mail me.

My email: mailto:marylarue@bellsouth.net

My blog: http://marylaruedesigns.blogspot.com/