Whit's Knits: Super Easy Lap Blanket

The Super Easy Baby Blanket has become something of an institution here at the Purl Bee. We love how accessible this pattern is to knitters of all levels, and even more, we love the opportunity to play with gorgeous palettes of color!

I knit up the original Super Easy Baby Blanket four and a half years ago in Alchemy's gorgeous Temple superwash merino. Later, Faye knit her own interpretation with Koigu's Kersti Merino Crepe. With its ocean and sunshine colors and a squishier feel, her New Super Easy Baby Blanket was such a smash that we made it into a super easy kit! And most recently, we used our own Super Soft Merino for a bigger, even cushier version that we call the Super Easy Crib Blanket.

And now here is our biggest version yet, the Super Easy Lap Blanket! Knit out of Manos Del Uruguay's amazing Maxima, this one is cozy soft, decadently toasty and looks absolutely stunning in kettle-dyed, hand-spun 100% extrafine merino wool.

The Super Easy Lap Blanket is perfect for drafty winter evenings on the couch and chilly mornings at the kitchen table. And in colors that meander from rich Mahogany, through the land of pinks and blues, to finish in deep Dark Chocolate, this version has a sophisticated drama that will light up any room!

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Laura's Loop: Sweater Shawl

From a seaside town in Italy, the Serra-side of my family has always sparked my imagination. I grew up poring over old family photos of women promenading arm in arm, weaving in and out of little alleyways. So, when last year, I found myself in that same seaside town ringing in the New Year with a warm and boisterous group of Serras, I harbored secret hopes of living out those images I had so long adored.

According to the old photos and confirmed by my own experience, it seems that no Serra woman has ever left the house without tossing a sweater across her shoulders as a shawl. It’s a style I'd grown accustomed to seeing on my grandmother (a true lover of knitwear), but it never felt more right than in that seaside town.

This Sweater Shawl is my interpretation of a classic Serra sweater, the one you want to drape over your back but have no intention of actually wearing. With “sleeves” for crossing, wrapping or tying and a back placket for keeping warm and looking very Italian, this piece is half sweater, half shawl!

I knit it up in a lofty brioche stitch, using Anzula's very lovely For Better of Worsted. This hand-dyed merino-cashmere blend has a graceful drape and a cozy weight that hugs your shoulders beautifully!

The Sweater Shawl has been in the making for a year (or maybe a lifetime!), and now that it’s done, it has become a staple in my wardrobe. Over a coat, a buttondown shirt, a long sleeve T, I've worn it every which way. My favorite, of course, is over another sweater, because after all, I am a Serra, and for us, the more knits, the better! -Laura

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Light Up the New Year!

Elegant, graceful and totally lovely, Purl Soho's new Tapered Candles bring something very special to the table! Their warm and peaceful glow is the perfect companion for dark winter evenings and cozy dinners by the woodstove.

Each pair of these extra-long candles is lovingly created by the family-owned Danish company Ester & Erik. Rooted in the proud tradition of Denmark's candle manufacturing history, Ester & Erik chooses the finest supplies to thoughtfully shape the most gorgeous candles we have ever seen! They burn with a clean, steady flame that doesn't drip or smoke and that lasts deep into the night.

Hand-colored and lacquered in a stunning rainbow of colors - snow white and panther black, butterscotch yellow and cloudy flax- pick up the color of your plates, your walls, your flowers, your food! Or add a new pop of just the thing that's missing!

Crafted with such care, Ester & Erik Tapered Candles appeal to our love of integrity and beauty. And so, a room lit with their gently flickering light is our idea of a happy New Year! Choose your favorite color right here and have a very happy 2013!

The Purl Bee's Best of 2012!

We had another whirlwind year here at the Purl Bee! Two thousand and twelve proved to be not only our most productive year yet, but also our most inspired. Always hoping to design the very thing that would spark your creative fire, our imaginations traveled far and wide this year. From waddling penguins to sophisticated cowls, here's a look back on some of our very favorite projects...

Top row: Windowpane Wholecloth Baby Quilt, Cap Sleeve Lattice Top, Brioche Cowl, Liberty and Wool Lap Duvets

Second Row: Lavender Sachets, Men's Mini Herringbone Scarf, Purl Bee Penguin, Easy Pullover for Babies, Toddlers and Kids

Third Row: White Caps Cowl, Infant Mittens, Whisper Wrap, Broken Dishes Baby Quilt

Bottom Row: Bear's Rainbow Blanket, Reversible Sashiko Placemats, Forty Minute Tote, Little Cable Knee Highs

This year also brought the exciting arrival of Purl Soho's very own yarn, Super Soft Merino! Its sumptuous depth and vibrant palette brought out the very best in our creative energies. One-skein hand warmers, hats for the whole family, and even a Giant, Giant Granny Square Blanket that truly lives up to its name, Super Soft Merino inspired our coziest designs of the year!

Top Row: Garter Gaiter, Chevron Baby Blanket in Merino, Snowflake Scarf

Middle Row: Hats for Everyone!, Super Simple Super Soft Merino Baby Hat, Super Easy Crib Blanket

Bottom Row: Super Soft Merino Hand Warmers, Fluted Cowl, Giant, Giant Granny Square Blanket

And this year's best addition to our online store? Hands down, it had to be our Shop By Color feature! Since we love color as much as you do, we understood that being able to filter products by color would be a very welcome improvement to the online experience. And so, we put the rainbow in your hands, making every color as searchable online as it is on a shelf. Amazing!

Did we forget anything? Let us know if we missed your favorites! And have a very warm and happy New Year!

New Year Meringues- Happy Holidays from The Purl Bee!

Making cookies together is a holiday tradition that many families share, and it’s become a Purl Bee “family” tradition as well! (Click here, here, and here to check out our cookie posts from years past.) This year we’re thrilled that Joelle and Jen’s little sister, Sara Hoverson Espina, is getting in on the fun with her beautiful New Year Meringues.

Sara is the chef behind Three Blondes and a Tomas, a food blog where Sara shares her (mostly) gluten-free recipes, along with tales of life with her husband Tomas and their two dogs. Since meringues are, by nature, gluten free, we knew Sara was the right person to help us make these holiday favorites. Gluten-free or not, your friends and family will love these festive and tasty New Year Meringues!

From the Purl Bee family to yours, we wish you very happy holidays!

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