September Luxe Review: Handmaiden

Picture yourself walking thru a cobbled street lined with old town market vendors, or you are strolling through an Italian Vineyard. Imagine the smell of sunflowers kissed by the sun at dusk with dew drops still clinging to the petals. That is what we imagined when we first saw this month's Luxe yarn from Handmaiden Fine Yarns. I literally scampered across the office with glee when I saw the colors in real life. They were all so vibrant and delicious! And the extras this month was like an early holiday present.

This shipment of Luxe contains two bellissima skeins equaling 656 yards of Hand Maiden "Camelspin". Each of these super saturated colorways is reminiscent of the colors of Tuscany. The 75% silk in each skein absorbs the color and gives it a sheen like the sun off the coast of Portofino. And the 30% baby camel gives it a softness like a new pashmina in the markets off the Ponte Vecchio.

                       

Colors (left  to right)

Cezanne - Bright/ Warm
Renaissance - Bright/ Cool
Forest Fairie - Muted/ Cool

Walnut - Muted/ Warm

My absolute favorite was "Renaissance" when it was in the skein and it is gorgeous knit up! Until the designers pieces came in and I had to change my favorite to the Forest Fairie, the fuscia nest to the teal and chartreuse are so beautiful together.

Our two designers for this box have given us some amazing pieces that you will sure be the envy of all the fashionistas of Milan! Kathryn Clark designed a carino shawl, hat and brooch set in her "Autumn Jewels Accessories" collection.

          

Our knit designer Lori Law made for us "Montepulciano Capelet" a teardrop shaped, asymetrical poncho in a delicate lace that is so versatile and easy to wear. Great for keeping the chill off your shoulders rain or shine. Yes, that is yours truly as the lovely model. I had a really great time taking these photos. I even had my partner, who helped with taking the snapshots of me, try on the piece. If I had kept them, (I promised to delete them) you guys would have loved it. He wore it like dracula's cape and gave me the fang face. 

THE EXTRAS!!!

Use the included ornate scissors to trim your tails. These snips by BambooMN are so bella they remind us of Ghiberti's famous bronze doors, the 'Gates of Paradise', on the Baptistery to the Duomo in Florence.  Also included we have a spiral metal shawl pin from Dill buttons that are evocative of traditional Italian scrolling metalwork you find in homes across much of Italy from ostentatious fireplace grates to ornamental garden gate doors to rococo handrails that line the stare cases of many of the public walkways in Siena. 

I studied abroad for a semester in Italy and really fell in love with renaissance art. It is still to this day one of my favorite places on earth that I have seen so far. This box was a lot of fun to put together. Italians have an old world class and style that we are molto felice to deliver to you as a taste of Tuscany in this September's shipment of Yarnbox Luxe. 

Join us on Ravelry where our members are working these and other patterns.  

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