Tried and true

While I love experimenting with different yarns, buying yarn from local yarn stores whenever I visit a new city, and while my parents have made it a tradition to come back with new yarn for me whenever they go somewhere, I also love relying on tried and true yarn that I have used milions of times and that I know and love.
This 100% cotton yarn that you can see in the pictures below (sneak peeks of a new item that is almost finished!) is the perfect example. I have used it bilions of times and it comes from my lovely local yarn store. This is a company and store located in the city center in Torino, that according to it's website, has been in business since the forties producing and selling quality yarns, and where I have been going for over ten years.

Per quanto io ami provare diversi filati, comprare lana e cotone in negozi che scopro in giro per il mondo, e anche se i miei hanno da tempo iniziato una tradizione di portarmi a casa dei filati nuovi ogni volta che vanno in viaggio da qualche parte, mi piace anche affidarmi a filati che conosco da anni, che ho usato un sacco di volte e che conosco molto bene.
Questo filato 100% cotone che vedete in basso (usato in un capo che ho quasi finito!) ne è il perfetto esempio. Proviene da un'azienda/negozio localizzato nel centro storico di Torino che produce e vende filati di qualità dagli anni quaranta (potete leggerne la storia sul sito), e dal quale mi rifornisco ormai da più di 10 anni (va bene che ho iniziato presto a lavorare a maglia, ma questa affermazione mi fa sentire vecchia!).

This is a lovely cotton, it's fresh, slightly shiny, and has the perfect drape to it. Here are a few examples of items I have made using this yarn over the years...

Si tratta di un cotone fantastico, fresco, leggermente lucido, e che produce, una volta lavorato, un tessuto che "cade" bene, con un bel drappeggio. Ecco alcuni esempi di capi che ho realizzato con questo filato negli ultimi anni...

 

Hand sewn in Alabama

One site I have been spending way too much time on lately is Alabama Chanin. 
This is a company founded by Natalie Chanin that produces high end hand sewn organic cotton garments in Alabama. And by hand sewn I literally mean...by hand...no machine! I found out about this company through these two videos on etsy (these videos have been there a while but I only discovered them quite recently):
- https://www.etsy.com/community/online-labs (for some reason I couldn't link the exact video, but it is in the Hello Etsy section, and the speaker is Natalie Chanin).
- https://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2012/alabama-chanin-a-cottage-industry-success-story/
I really suggest you take a look at these two videos, they are so inspiring!
I love everything about this brand...the aesthetic and style, the fact that the company functions through a cottage industry method with local artisans, the attention to sourcing the materials locally, the focus on quality and durability, the attention to detail and great craftmanship and the desire to create pieces that are heirlooms...
These garments are not cheap, they are an investment, but I think they have so much value in them, and as I have already mentioned before all of these aspects have become more and more imporant to me over time, it's these values that I try to incorporate as much as possible in the things I create...durability, craftmanship, quality.

Un sito sul quale ultimamente sto passando troppo tempo è Alabama Chanin.
Alabama Chanin è una ditta fondata da Natalie Chanin che produce abbigliamento di lusso cucito interamente a mano in cotone organico in Alabama. Ho scoperto questa azienda attraverso questi due video su Etsy (video che in realtà esistono da parecchio tempo ma che io ho scoperto solo recentemente):
- https://www.etsy.com/community/online-labs (Per qualche motivo non riesco a linkare il video esatto ma si trova nella sezione Hello Etsy, ed è il video di Natalie Chanin).
- https://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2012/alabama-chanin-a-cottage-industry-success-story/
Consiglio vivamente di dare un'occhiata a questi video, sono molto intessanti!
Mi piace tutto di questa marca, l'estetica, lo stile, il fatto che i capi siano prodotti da artigiani locali esperti, l'attenzione per la qualità, per l'utilizzo di materiali acquistati localmente, il desiderio di creare capi che siano durevoli e che possano essere passati da generazione a generazione...
I pezzi sono estremamente costosi, si tratta di un investimento, ma penso che abbiano un grandissimo valore intrinseco, e questi sono valori a cui sto dando sempre più importanza ultimamente, e che cerco di incorporare anche in quello che produco io.
 

Image via.

The company's blog, which I linked above, is a constant source of inspiration with articles about the company and how it functions, about the new collections as they come out, but also about a number of other things, for instance the southern lifestyle and cuisine (makes me want to go back there!), about other interesting and like-minded brands, about living a sustainable lifestyle etc.
What I find interesting about Natalie Chanin and her brand is that she seems to combine two aspects, luxury and simplicity, perfectly and seamlessly.
The luxury is reflected in what the company produces... not everyone can afford the garments and they kind of remind me of the kind of luxuries kings and queens would buy in the XVIII century where they would choose the best of everything from the best artisans available (porcelain from China, lace from Flanders etc.).
The simplicity on the other hand is reflected in the values of the brand and in the simple lifestyle that is promoted on the blog, which is very interesting because it also focuses on the history of the local traditions of the area.
Very, very interesting read!

Il blog dell'azienda, che ho linkato sopra, è molto interessante, con articoli su come vengono prodotti gli abiti e come funziona la ditta, sulle nuove collezioni man mano che escono, ma anche su una serie di altri argomenti come lo stile di vita del sud e la sua cucina (mi fa venire voglia di tornarci!), oppure altre aziende con valori simili, o come vivere una vita semplice e sostenibile ecc.
Quello che trovo affascinante di Natalie Chanin e della sua azienda è che riesce a unire perfettamente lusso e semplicità.
Il lusso è rappresentato da ciò che produce: capi esclusivi e dal costo molto elevato, che in un certo senso mi ricordano ciò che compravano i re e le regine del XVIII secolo, quando selezionavano il meglio di ogni cosa, andandolo a reperire dai migliori artigiani disponibili (porcellana dalla Cina, pizzi dalle Fiandre ecc.).
La semplicità invece è percepibile dallo stile di vita che promuove sul blog, che fra l'altro è molto interessante anche perchè si sofferma sulla storia dietro le tradizioni locali dell'Alabama.
Lo consiglio!

Nine Brushstrokes

I haven't mentioned it on the blog yet, but since July 2013 I have opened a new Etsy store called Nine Brushstrokes where I sell watercolor paintings, sketches and digital prints of my work.
I've been painting for years but have always been a little shy about my work, but one day last summer I decided to give it a go on Etsy, and it's been fun!
It's interesting to see how the watercolors look when placed together...it's almost like having a mini gallery online!

Non l'ho ancora scritto qui sul blog ma da luglio 2013 ho aperto un altro negozio su Etsy, Nine Brushstrokes, dove vendo i miei acquerelli e disegni e stampe digitali degli stessi.
Sono anni che dipingo ma son sempre stata un po' timida a mostrare quello che faccio ma dalla scorsa estate ho deciso di fare un tentativo su Etsy, e come era prevedibile mi diverto molto...è interessante vedere come stanno tutti gli acquerelli assieme...è un po' come avere una piccola galleria online!

F.O.: The chunky light blue scarf

And here is another F.O....I knit this chunky scarf in a beautiful wool, acrylic and alpaca wool that has a quality I love in this kind of yarn: it is chunky and warm but very soft and light, so it isn't "stiff" when you wear it around your neck.
I used a pretty textured lace pattern that I made up as I went with irregular squares in contrasting stiches and I love the light blue of the yarn combined with this simple stitch.
As always, details on my etsy page!

Ed ecco un altro pezzo finito...questa è una sciarpa di lana grossa per la quale ho usato un filato bellissimo, un misto lana, acrilico e alpaca che ha una caratteristica che apprezzo molto nella lana grossa: è spessa e calda ma al contempo morbida e leggera, quindi ne risulta che la sciarpa non è "rigida" quando la si avvolge intorno al collo.
 Ho usato un punto a quadretti traforati che ho inventato man mano che lavoravo e che trovo stia molto bene col colore azzurro chiaro della lana.
Come sempre, dettagli sulla mia pagina etsy!

F.O.: The heather gray mohair blend lace shawl

 

And here is a new item in my store...
The idea behind this shawl was to make something convertible that you can fasten with a pretty button in a number of different ways depending on what you need...a shawl, a scarf, something casual, something formal etc.
I used this amazing mohair acrylic blend I've used before already in a lovely heather gray color...I think this combination of airy lace pattern, soft fluffy wool and light color works perfectly together, the last time I used this wool I had made a scarf and hat set in a similar lacy pattern and in the same exact color... it just works.

 Finalmente son risucita a fotografare e postare un nuovo pezzo...
Per questo scialle l'idea era quella di creare qualcosa che si potesse utilizzare in mille modi diversi a seconda di ciò che serve, (sciarpa, scialle, elegante, casual), il tutto con un bottone decorativo col quale lo si può allacciare in punti diversi.
Ho usato una lana bellissima che avevo già usato altre volte, un misto mohair e acrilico morbidissimo e impalpabile. La combinazione del punto traforato arioso, la lana soffice e puffosa e il colore chiaro chiaro secondo me è perfetta, infatti l'ultima volta che avevo usato questa lana avevo fatto un cappellino e una sciarpa con un punto simile e nello stesso identico colore.

UPDATE: this item is no longer available, sorry!
AGGIORNAMENTO: questo pezzo non è più disponibile!

A dreamy rainy evening

Last Sunday was almost a complete failure. My boyfriend and I had plans to do lots of things but managed to do almost nothing  and what we did manage to do was a bit disappointing. I was feeling a little sad, since I work shifts and he has a regular schedule it is rare for us to have a day where neither of us is working and I had a depressing feeling that we had waisted this rare opportunity... some things we couldn't do because what we wanted to visit was closed, others because we got there to late, others because they were too far away...we were in the pretty medieval town of Saluzzo and were about to get into the car and leave but I decided I didn't want to give up. It was starting to get dark but I decided I was going to see what the town had to offer at that time of day. It didn't really make much sense, it was just starting to rain but I just felt so sad (probably more than I rationally should have) and just wanted the satisfaction of having seen at least one thing that day. So I got out of the car, went to the tourist center and asked. First we ended up in a historical building, the bishop's palace, where a few old people were listening to a conference on ancient ways of measuring time. Not exactly the most exciting of things but it was really more of a question of principle by then, I just wanted to do and see something.
The building was interesting but really nothing incredible but a sweet old man walked up to us and showed us around explaining those very few artifacts that were displayed in the rooms. That sweet gesture started to change my mood around. It was one of those small things that can warm you up inside when you're feeling a little unhappy. I then asked him about a church that was apparently beautiful but that we had walked right by when returning to the car. The church was on top of a hill we had just walked down and while we ignored it thinking it was closed like everything else, once I got in the car I read that it was open till later in the evening and really worth seeing. He confirmed it was worth it and told us how to get there, telling us we better hurry because it was going to close soon.
So we hurried up the hill (my boyfriend wasn't really too happy about this if we're being honest), under the rain, with no umbrella or hood in my case and, of course, by the time we got there the church was closed. The thing is, we were under the rain, it was cold and I was soaking wet, and I was suddenly in a good mood again. I don't know if I am crazy, but the medieval old town on the top of the hill, under the rain, with the street lights reflecting on the old stone pavement, with hardly none around and the only sign of life coming from a small bar which was playing a melanchonic song...it was just so dreamy that that tiny moment made up for the whole day. I probably am a little crazy, I just wrote a whole paragraph about almost nothing, but it's poetic little moments like these where out of the blue you feel like you're in a movie and everything feels perfect that I tend to remember and cherish.

This is beautiful

Montauk cardigan, by Véronik Avery. Via Brooklyn Tweed. I love everything about this sweater, from the color chosen for the sample, to the A-line shape which has the perfect drape and is very flattering, to the intricate pattern on the border to the gorgeous detail of how the cardigan closes around the neck. Just beautiful and very inspiring. (For the knitters out there, you can download the pattern for 7$ from the site I linked above).

Sul sito Brooklyn Tweed ho trovato questo cardigan stupendo: Montauk di Véronik Avery. Mi piace tutto di questa maglia, dal colore scelto per l'esempio, alla forma scampanata ma non troppo larga, al punto complesso e bellissimo lungo il bordo al modo interessante in cui si chiude intorno al collo. Stupendo. (Per chi potrebbe essere interessato, si può scaricare il modello (in inglese) dal sito che ho linkato sopra per 7$).

All images via Brooklyn Tweed.