to be adorned is one!

Photograph: Lee Niel Photography

It's my birthday today, which also means it's one year since my To Be Adorned shop went live! Happy birthday to us.

And what a year of milestones and firsts – it's been a whirl of non-stop crochet, vintage lace snipping, precarious hot gluing, craft shopping, Instagramming, sewing machine wrangling, Etsy meet-ups, wedding events, 'I've made/sold a thing' happy dances, post office runs and impromptu photoshoots.

And (full disclosure) along the way there have been tears, very little sleep and a LOT of hard graft. Trying to balance full time work, growing something new and all of life's other commitments has been a whole new kinda challenge. Any and all tips welcome. I have no idea how people do these sorts of things AND raise a family, too. If this is you, you're basically a superhero.

But, having a creative thing that's all my own gives me so much joy, and I've met some amazing people along the way.  The real highlights for me have been meeting brides-to-be, dreaming up new designs and working on special custom headdress and wedding garter orders.

I wanted to say a BIG thank you to everyone who's been cheering me on this year (Mr P has been a positive saint), placing orders, sharing pics and saying hello at events - you're the actual best. That's the kinda stuff that keeps me going and helps me quiet those niggling, doubting voices that I think all makers have.

So, if you've been wondered why the blog's been so quiet for a while, it's because I've been hustling elsewhere! I'm planning to start sharing more of what I've been up to in this lovely space again, and in the mean time you can find me 'grammin like a mad thing at @tobeadorned and sharing on Facebook, too - I'd love to see a few more familiar faces cropping up!

To celebrate this exciting first birthday, and also by way of a thank you, I'm throwing a discount party! If you wanna join the To Be Adorned fun and help me celebrate, you can get 10% off absolutely everything in the shop (it's not just wedding stuff) this week with the code BDAYLOVE

Photograph: Viktoria Kuti

Photograph: Jacky Badenhorst photography

When Becca met Julie (Knitted Bliss)

Have you ever met an online pal IRL?

When the lovely Julie from Knitted Bliss posted on Instagram that she was in Bristol this summer, I said a quick hello, which resulted in a lunch hour meet-up full of stitchy chat. How often does one of your fave knit bloggers from Canada visit your city, right? It had to be done.

We talked yarn, blogging, Netflix and multitasking over hot bowls of pho, before a quick pit stop in the Simply Crochet/ Simply Knitting office to say hi to the team.  Julie was rocking her fresh-off-the-needles Golden Hour jumper (SO pretty) and sent me these pics so I could share a bit of our conversation with you. Thanks Julie! Be sure to check out her Knitted Bliss blog to see what she's been working on lately.

What are you making right now?

I'm knitting two tops at the moment, Rie (from Knitpicks) and Gesture Sweater (from We Are Knitters). They are both completely different, but I'm loving everything about them! Rie is very much outside what I typically knit or wear, so it's a bit more of an experimental knit for me. The Gesture Sweater is something I adore wearing- toasty warm cabled sweaters. I feel like it's going to be my favourite fall sweater. 

Have you bought any yarn on your England trip?

I did! I tried to keep it really manageable, I bought a skein of Hedgehog Fibres Skinny Singles in 'Boombox', which my daughter picked out. She wants me to knit her a little scarf. And I bought two skeins of of La Bien Aimee in 'Interstellar'. Not sure what I'm going to knit with those, but definitely something for myself. 

What's been inspiring you at the moment?

The intricacy of the colour grey has been inspiring me recently. It is quickly becoming my favourite colour, because it usually has so much range and depth. Very rare to see a flat grey, and I find that quite interesting. Plus, it goes with pretty much everything, making it such an easy to wear neutral. I've been thinking a lot of what it takes to have handknit classics in one's wardrobe, and colour choice is paramount. 

Any new designs coming up?

I have a new design coming in a future installation of Knitty.com, and I'm working on a couple of things that are still hush- hush. 

Current guilty pleasure (food, yarn or otherwise)?

When in England, gooseberry yogurt. You can't get that in Canada. When in Canada, Netflix is my guilty pleasure. 

Any favourite Bath/ Bristol treasures?

Photographs are my favourite treasures, the way they so perfectly conjure up a fragment of the day. But I also love the little Christmas store in Bath, and letting Lila pick out a new Christmas ornament for the tree. And in Bristol, I love combing the bookshelves of every book store I come across. I like finding new book by authors I haven't heard of before.

off the hook: over the rainbow crochet blanket

It's no secret – I've been AWOL for some time because I've been busy making all of the things ever. One of which is this crochet blanket. The fab news is, not only is my latest blanket off the hook, I designed it and the pattern is in the new issue of Simply Crochet magazine! Wahoo! Grab a copy of issue 56 if you fancy making it (shameless plug). 

Blankets are always a bit of commitment. They're a labour of love, really, as they take such a long time to make. But when I first clapped eyes on these fantastically over-saturated, Crayola-esque colours, I instantly felt a crochet blanket coming on. Have you ever had that feeling? When you discover a new yarn and it just shouts it's intentions at you? Sometimes it's "I NEED to be a cardigan!" or "I'm a shawl! I'm a shawl!", but it could equally be "Keep me in your stash and squish me". In fact, most yarns seem to say that to me. 

Not KnitPicks Shine Worsted, though. These babies were destined to become a rainbow crochet blanket and no mistake. Zig-zagging ripples were the order of the day, so I played with a few different stitch combos and settled on this repeat with clusters and back loop details to highlight the colour changes in the stripes. The texture and colour changes are what kept things interesting through this project. I just couldn't wait to see how the pattern would look in the next shade of yarn, and the next, and the next. Colour is very exciting, you guys. 

Naturally, I fell head-over-heels for this yarn during the process. The sheen, smoothness and depth of colour in KnitPick Shine Worsted is amazing, and it's loosely plied without being splitty at all. I'm currently plotting what to make with the leftover scraps. Maybe some granny squares for a rainbow cushion? I'll keep you posted.

Mr P kinda loves this design too. He keeps asking when we'll get the sample back and we've decided it'll take pride of place on the sofa for lap blanket duties. I often joke that I'm never happier than when I'm in a blanket, but in a rainbow crochet blanket of my own design I'm sure to be ecstatic. 

the shop is open!

Guys, I did a thing. Last week I launched my To Be Adorned Etsy shop!

Yep, this is one of the things I've secretly been working on for ages. It's been one of my goals since about 2010 to create my own collection of bits and bobs and launch an Etsy shop. And I've finally done it!  

Inspired by antique jewellery, vintage fashion and my own love of crochet, I've designed a mini collection of handmade accessories with decadent details. Some of the items are wedding focused and some of them are just for feeling a little bit more fabulous! I'm absolutely bursting with ideas at the moment and getting creative in this new way has brought me so much joy, so I'm thrilled to finally be able to share this with you. 

To Be Adorned is basically a newborn right now and I know I've got a lot to learn and a shed load of hard work ahead of me, but here goes! 

I'd love to know what's inspiring you and bringing you joy at the moment. 

off the needles: Miette

Ta-da! She is finished!

I started Miette last Christmas as part of Andi's Selfish Sweater KAL 2016 and now the cardigan is FINALLY off the needles and on my back. Okay, so it took me a grand total of nine long months to finish, but what a journey! 

This is my first ever adult-sized knitted garment and I'd definitely recommend this pattern to anyone contemplating such a feat. I'd long admired Andi's Untangling Knots cropped sweater designs and initially I was seduced by the vintage, 1950s vibe of Miette, (and the fact that it's a free Ravelry download – let's be real), but I fell even more in love with the pattern as I stitched. It's easy to follow and the seamless top-down method meant not only could I try it on as I went along (cue jubilant mirror prancing at every stage), but I didn't have to do any sewing up at the end. Hurrah!

The zigzag lace sections look fancy when they're blocked but are simple to do and I don't think I had any points in the project where I got totally stuck. It's just a really wearable, flattering design.

My version of the cardi is knitted in Drops Nepal – an aran-weight alpaca mix yarn. Deliciously soft, really cosy and smooth to stitch with – I'm a fan! It was one of the suggested yarns for the project on Ravelry, and as it's so reasonable and I'm a sucker for alpaca, I knew it was the one. There's a great colour range, too (I shopped at Wool Warehouse). I'll be interested to see how it wears over time. Have you used it before?  

And obviously I've already decided on the garment I want to knit next. It's this sausage dog jumper by Amanda Jones, in mustard yellow of course. What on your needles at the mo? 

Cardigan: Miette; Gingham dress: old H&M (charity shopped); Bag: charity shopped; Boots: Clarks Originals (hand-me-downs)

Sorrento and switching off

Marina Grande, Sorrento

At the beginning of the month, we finally escaped and headed off on holiday for a couple of days. Sorrento was our destination. Abundant with lemons, impossibly blue waters and pretty painted tiles, it was an utter delight to visit. I enjoyed spending some proper time with Mr P, topping up on vitamin D and swimming in the sea. We'd never been to Italy before, but it did not disappoint. We seemed to meet only warm, friendly and super laidback people, the sunshine was a constant and the food positively dreamy. If you've not been, add it to your bucket list immediately. 

Tiles for days!

I kid you not - the sea around Capri was ACTUALLY this colour

Seeking shade in Pompeii

Shameless souvenir shopping - bought a lemon tea towel

Bagni della Regina Giovanna, Punto del Capo - amazing spot for a swim

Finding greenery in Pompeii

Dinner by the sea - gnocchi like no other

Yep, it was pretty magical. It's just the whole relaxing and unwinding part that alluded me a little bit. I discovered that I'm quite an anxious traveller. That paired with my new-found inability to unwind made an interesting cocktail, but not insurmountable. I would love to know if you have any wisdom on switching off and taking a break. Do you have 'unplugged' time where you swear off social media, or do you like to stay connected? How do you unwind? I think a longer, quiet break closer to home might be a good idea in the future. 

Travel blogging isn't really my thing, but if you'd like any specific recommendations about places to eat in Sorrento or the lovely airbnb we stayed in, tweet me or drop me an email - I'd be happy to have a natter about it!

Oh, and if you're a bit of a heat wuss like me, I'd recommend wearing an enormous hat if you must go in August. It was HOT. Like, really really hot. 

hometown tourist: Upfest 2016

 My eyeballs are still reeling from the weekend, in the best possible way. 

Upfest, a live street art festival (apparently Europe's biggest), was right on my doorstep in Bristol so I took a wide-eyed wander round. 

Saturday afternoon, the sun was blazing, ice cream vans were out and so many artists were busy creating. There's something pretty magical about seeing beautiful things progressing right in front of you. I love gawping at people's WIPs (hello, Instagram) any day of the week, but one dedicated weekend where it all happens live? That's pretty cool. Count me in.

I'm a real sucker for illustration, so I enjoyed seeing this mind-boggling Russian doll by Liz Clayton materializing. Note: she wasn't the only one whose outfit coordinated with their work! 

Add of course I tracked down some yarn. Can I say life goals? This embroidery in the wild by Danielle Clough is the best thing ever. I'm so pleased I came across her work. She stitches seriously beautiful stuff. Makes a girl wanna pack up her own suitcase full of yarn, right?

Some of the other enchanting things I spotted included pugs, children spray painting a car, Skeletor riding a banana (a painting) and an IRL glitter beard. I mean, am I the only one who thought they just didn't exist outside of Pinterest? Sadly no pictorial evidence of said be-sparkled facial hair was obtained - we chickened out of asking for a pic!

So much colour, vibrancy and inspiration. I basically know nothing about street art, so I'll let the pictures speak for themselves, but I will say that I'll be back next year for more colour-fuelled gawpings. With bells on. Nice one, Bristol. 

Have you encountered anything awesome in your hometown lately?

learning to look

Photography isn't my thing. 

I mean, I LOVE Instagram with all my double-tapping heart, but light, lenses and fancy cameras? It's like a foreign language to me. So when I attended Kate of A Playful Day's blogging and photography sessions at A Yarn Story in Bath last month, it was pretty eye-opening stuff. 

I donned my most Instagrammable sock and shoe combo (naturally), met some lovely blogger ladies, learnt heaps and got all nostalgic about Bath (we don't live there anymore - sob!).

The day started off in a yarn store (as the best days do), where Kate lead us through a session on Telling Your Story Online. It was refreshing and challenging. The focus was really on inspiration and creating connection, rather than getting bogged down in the numbers side of things. I came away with a lot to think about. I'm still letting it all percolate and figuring out what I want to put in place or try. My view on blogging is a little different to some as I don't make money from this space and don't have a business tied to it. That doesn't mean I don't want this space to flourish, though. Food for thought. 

Later, we headed out on a photowalk. Yep. Armed with only our phones, it was an exercise in learning to look and getting the best of the light. When we headed out, the daylight was really fierce overhead and kinda yucky – and I totally wouldn't have known that before this session! Honestly, I had heard of golden hour (when IS it again?) and knew that natural light is best, but that was about it. 

We made our way to Owl in the Ivy, otherwise known as Bath's most Instagrammable shop, to snap away to our heart's content. I took all of these pics on my phone during the walk. While I'm not crazy about the quality of them and none of these things are my usual subject matter (I couldn't bring myself to photograph any succulents), it was good to give myself the freedom to just play with it.  

Things I learnt 

1. The phone on my camera takes pics that are fab for Instagram, but not a lot else! It doesn't have that all-important square view setting in the camera. BUT, having said that, it's not too bad. It's best for daytime, indoor images. I tend to use the iPad or digi camera for bigger blog pics anyway. 

2. Fantastic, thoughtful images are everywhere, you've just gotta capture them. This is best done by engaging your eyes and mind, looking out for lovely moments as you go about your business. A bit of lichen, flaky paint or fallen leaf, captured with your unique eye, can be beautiful. I mean, I'm still all about the yarn (let's be real), but if I see something that looks interesting, I will snap a pic now. 

3. Light. It can make or break a picture. Don't all the naturally lit, indoor pics here look much better than the glare-tastic outdoor ones? 

That moment when your sandals match the local flora.

Thanks to Kate for her wisdom and refreshing approach to blogging. I really did learn a lot. 

I'd love to know if you have any novice-appropriate photography tips, for phones or otherwise? Do snap away when you're out and about? How big a deal is light for you?