Knitted Slipper Pattern for Real Men

Have you made felted slippers for men?!

This was an exciting new adventure for me. I searched and searched, knitted and crocheted and could not find men’s slipper that was really a man’s size. I purchased many patterns and they were too narrow, not big enough so I finally came to the conclusion that I had to make up my own. I also figured out how to make a slipper for someone whose foot I do not have to measure.

After a little trial and error I finally came up with one!

These can be worn with the cuff up or down and think of the ways it can be embellished! You could needle felt a design on it, attach appliques, embroider, bead embroider, use school or favorite sports team colors. You could put soles on the bottom or use the traction trick I am using.

They only take an evening to knit up (each) and they are made all in one piece so no sewing together once you are finished!

These are knit with one strand but for a really thick pair you could use 2 strands. I can get nearly 3 slippers out of a 476-yard skein of yarn so they won’t break the bank either!

These are still wet so I can’t do anything yet.

The pattern and all the information about how to size them will be available soon! I have to work out the women’s size first.

My Knit Slippers for Real Men pattern will be available soon at Divella Delights!

Handmade Jewelry sale

Good-Bye 2009!
In just a couple of days we will have the final monthly drawing for 2009. You only need be on the e-mail list to have a chance at a very special free gift. Here are just a few of the free gifts this year and this month there is going to be something extra-special!
There are some changes in the works at Divella Delights for 2010 so stay tuned in January for some updates. I am trying to get it all together now so I can just send out one e-mail with all the new information.
Did you know that we now offer Gift Certificates at Divella Delights? Did you realize that they never expire? You can also set up a specific day to have your gift certificate sent. If your life is as busy as mine this feature can come in very handy!
There is a sale beginning NOW at Divella Delights with earrings, bracelets, necklaces and even the Crochet Hats by Jessy from 30%-50% off regular prices. Some of the designs will not be coming back so if you have seen something you like, now might be the time! We also have the new "Under $25.00" category. Come by and check that one out from time to time.
I extend my wishes for a very happy, fulfilling and joyful 2010 to all my wonderful customers…see you all next year!
Dianne
Divella Delights

Wool Flapper Hats

Wool Flapper Hats are here!
The new wool felt hats by Divella Delights are going fast. It takes 3 days to get them finished and they are selling faster than I can make them! I will have more in a couple of days so come see me at Divella Delights!
When I make my hats I use high quality fibers and fun embellishments. Most are in the style of the 1920s but I do have some more modern funky styles too as well as some good old-fashioned crochet beanies. I also have (or can make you) scarves to match. The scarves I make are 16X4 or so inches and have a 2-button closure so they don’t get al tangled up in whatever you are doing. They are especially nice for those who are involved in winter sports and they make your fun a little safer.
Special orders can be made after the Holidays to create something that is uniquely your own.
Come see the beautiful new wool flapper hats at Divella Delights!

Flapper Hat and Scarf

Sweet romance. My Flapper hat design that sold so well last year is coming back by very popular demand in both the old and new colors. Fashioned after the hats of the 1920s, these hats are crocheted with a variety of fibers (wool, lambswool, angora) and acrylic yarn to be warm, soft and stylish. The flowers and leaves are knit (and sometimes felted) and sewn on. The matching scarf has a 2-button closure and is hand knit from the same fibers.These scarves are wonderful because you do not have to worry about them coming untied, unwrapped or getting tangled up.One customer said it was the softest hat she had ever worn! Please see what my customers have to say in the feedback/guestbook section. Remember, the shipping is always free to the US and Canada.

Many more to be seen at Divella Delights

Monthly Drawing Winner

Congrats to Leslie who was the Divella Delights monthly winner for October!
Remember that you have to be on the e-mail list to win so sign up now if you have not already! You will not get a bunch of e-mails from me. I send them out to notify my customers of sales or contests. I will be having a customer only sale soon. E-mails will go out to notify those on the list with a special password to get the hot deals but if you are not on the list you'll miss some great pre-holiday deals.
Just go to the home page of Divella Delights and scroll down to the bottom.
While you are there take a look at the guestbook and see what my customers are saying! Her are a couple of examples of what you will find in my shop.

Great Gift Ideas

What a great idea, thanks Marsha!
Do you give gift cards, or want to but think it might not be personal enough? Check out these great little handmade felted bags just the perfect size to slip a gift card, or even cash into.
They are hand knit then felted to make a beautiful, thick durable fabric. Once dry (takes about 3 days) I embellish them in a variety of different ways and no 2 are ever alike. There are a few different sizes of the small bags and then of course the beautiful clutches are back this year.
The clutch is perfect for a night out, especially all those Holiday parties that are coming right up. It holds the essentials but does not overpower your outfit and they are quite elegant and feminine.
These little bags would make wonderful gift bags for a nice piece of jewelry too!
Some of the uses that have been suggested are:
Coin Purse
Gift Bag for jewelry,
gift cards and moneyCredit Cards
Business Cards
Eyeglass Case
GPS case
Digital Camera Case
All this and more can be seen at Divella Delights.

A New Style for a New Season

A New Style for a New Season.
Last year’s Ella’s Flapper hat did very well and I will be doing those again this year. I have created a new style for this year with a bit of youthful appeal and I am calling this one the Diva Flapper. Diva is the youngest of my twin granddaughters while Ella is the oldest of the pair. This hat is made with the same wonderful fibers as the Ella Flapper (lambswool, wool, mohair, acrylic and blends) but in a slightly different style. These are not quite as thick but perfect for those who live in a more temperate climate or who tend to get hotheaded!
As with all my hats they are crocheted by hand and by me. The embellishments are either hand knit or crochet, or perhaps beaded…again by yours truly. They are made " one size fits most" but can be made larger or smaller. Last year, one hat (out of 173) came back for sizing so they truly do fit most women from teen to adult. You can see the Diva Hat and mony other hats, scarves and jewelry items at Divella Delights

Wool Allergy?

Do you have a wool allergy or just don’t need quite the warmth of wool hats? Perhaps you live in a more temperate climate and don’t really need the wool.
The hats I usually make all have some sort of wool in them. I use mohair, angora, lambswool and a variety of wool blends. A couple of months ago I had a request from a Boutique to make some without the wool as they have quite a clientele who are allergic to wool. I put together some of the same beautiful Flapper hat that was so popular last year only I made them using only acrylic yarns. They still have that same great appearance, just no wool. Here are some photos, some with wool and some without. You can see more at http://www.divelladelights.com/

Divella Delights goes to Oregon

Divella Delights is very pleased to announce that the popular Flapper Hats are now going to be in Bonnet Boutique in Portland, Oregon come Fall! They are located at 412 NW Eleventh Avenue in the beautiful Pearl District so stop by and say hello if you happen to be in the area. If not, you can check them out here http://bonnetboutique.com.
The first order goes out in October and there will be 24 delicious items to choose from. The new hats on the website will be coming out soon so stop by every now and then.
I am always happy to take special orders, I did a lot of those last year so if there is a special color combination you have in mind, let me know.

Hand-Made Hostess Gift

Hand-Made Hostess Gifts:
Sometimes coming up with an appropriate Hostess Gift is difficult at best. If they drink wine I can make some of those adorable wine glass charms with a theme to match a home or if it is a single woman I can make some sort of jewelry. If however, it is a couple and they don’t drink wine, as is the case with my brother and sister-in-law then those gifts are not appropriate. I wanted to come up with something for the home and I wanted it to be hand-made.
My sister-in-law is big on Victorian so has lots of pinks, creams and such in her décor. I make knitted hats and fulled bags in addition to my jewelry and had recently made a piece of fabric using some wool left-overs to cut flowers out of for my bags. This sparked an idea for the Hostess Gift I wanted to make.
When I got home I went to the yarn store and found some really pretty vintage rose colored wool and knit up a large piece and fulled it. I bought some creamy natural roving (unspun wool) for the needle-felting portion of the project. I thought about putting a little jeweled charm on the corner of each but decided against it because I was afraid it might scratch the wood on the tables. While the large piece was still damp I cut into 4" squares then let it dry completely.
I wanted to make them match but not exactly as is the Victorian era theme so I needle-felted hearts on each one with the cream roving making them each a little different. Then i just tied it up with a pretty satin ribbon...et voila!
I hope you like the outcome.
If you are going to make items such as these remember when you are knitting to allow for shrinkage. Generally speaking you are going to lose about 25%. The formula for that is to divide your finished size by .75. For example I wanted 4" square so I knit the fabric about 10 2/3 X 10 2/3. That gave me enough to get my coasters and trim them square. Or you could knit them at 5 1/3 each. I use a rotary cutter, which was a little pricey. If I did not have one of these I would probably make them one at a time, as scissors don’t really do a very good job.

Addict? Me?

People keep saying to me that I should not take any work on vacation! What on earth could they be thinking? My work is my passion. I often spend all day in my studio, knit and crochet while hubby is home in the evenings and then back up to my studio after I tuck him in.
Most of my ideas come to me as I am drifting off to sleep so I have to get up, make some notes, perhaps gather some materials together to recall that creation that surfaced in that half conscious state when the vision appeared.
I love to do things outside the "norm" although I am happy as an artist to see that the line between normal and not is getting grayer by the day.
I think the most boring commissioned pieces I have had are plain, simple just strung requests. I like to be challenged. Can you draw it, explain it in detail? If so, I would love to attempt it! The most wonderful requests I have had have been from the local jewelry store. She will call me and say "I need something with Carnelian and Pearls". We have been working together long enough that she trusts me. She also knows if she does not like it I will sell it elsewhere and start over although that has not happened yet I am happy to say. I get to play and let the creative energy go wild. I love that!
The option of NOT taking work with me just terrifies me. I have a bag in the car with knitting always, always. I have a light in the car so I can knit while hubby drives at night. Ok, so perhaps I am an addict. I am however, a very happy one. How many of us are fortunate enough to be able to be so fervently dedicated to a profession they cherish? Every day I am surrounded by beautiful colors, luxurious fibers, ravishing gems, lustrous pearls and have a studio right upstairs.
So, what WILL I take on vacation…so many options!

Chemo Caps

I had a wonderful compliment from my sister about my hats; especially the Summer Flapper Hats. "Because they are made of soft cotton they make great Chemo Caps and are much more stylish than many others you see around."
I will be donating some to the local cancer ward here when I return from vacation. I had never thought of that I am sorry to say. I donate to children’s homes and such in the winter months but never thought of the need for something pretty and feminine during the summer months.
If you know of a cancer center that could use some, please let me know. I would be happy to donate a few. I can make children’s sizes as well.

My New Felted Bag

I wanted a cool new bag for my trip, especially since I am going a-marketing so I whipped this one up. It is large, has a beaded crochet rope handle and cool brass leaves attaching it to the bag. It has a magnetic snap and a crochet free form button made with all kinds of cool stuff. Neat huh? Here is is hanging with all y junk in it.

Morea about Merchants

I have a very small business I run out of my home, which finds me knitting, crocheting and making jewelry into the wee hours. I sell my jewelry to the local jewelry store that also imports all the gold, silver, diamonds you see in ever jewelry store in the country. For over 3 months the only jewelry sold was that which was handcrafted locally. It turns out to be a win-win for everyone involved. So why is it that all those folks, on say for instance Newbury Street in Boston does not buy handmade?
I recently went down there on the suggestion of many friends and the folks who own the jewelry store I spoke of earlier. Everyone seemed to think my goods fit in very nicely down there. What I heard from shop owners stunned me. I will give them one thing in Boston, they are quite honest! They told me and I quote…" We know the quality is not as good but it is cheaper and that is the bottom line" from one shop owner. " Wow, your merchandise is beautifully made but we can get it so much cheaper from China and because it does not last as long they keep spending their money here..." From another What amazes me is that people don’t even expect things to last very long and they would rather have something cheap and buy it 5 times. How did we become such a throw away society?! AND THAT IS OK?! Well folks, I can’t go along with that. I am convinced I will find my niche. I will not lower my standards, it has become my mantra! It would be so easy to pitch it all in, buy cheap materials, not care about the workmanship so I can sell cheap. I say easy but not really so. I want to feel good about what I am doing, the service I am providing. When someone makes a purchase from me I want him or her to be thrilled, not just happy. Furthermore, I want them to pass their treasures down to the next generation. So I keep plodding along with true hope in my heart. Speaking of hope, I know that word lately is like the word ‘love’ over used and abused. But that is another story…

The NEW Easter Bonnet

Easter Hats
A new design in Easter Bonnet, which is very similar to the cloche, derived from the 1920’s era Flappers. I also have some beanies, caps and bucket hats. I have a few for children and would be happy to make those on special order.
I have designed several different styles for Spring and Summer in 100% Cotton and Cotton blends. Some have mohair or wool embellishments but I have tried to keep them all cotton. Like my winter Flapper Hats, these still need to be hand washed to avoid shrinkage. I like to stuff mine with plastic shopping bags to dry as I can shape them while drying.
You can see them at www.divelladelights.com

Summer Flapper Hats

Summer Flapper Hats are here!
As promised I have come up with a couple of designs for some lovely summer hats. Both designs have an open weave to keep you cool and comfy. There are 2 different price points depending on the materials used. The higher end summer flapper hats use cotton fleece and/or mercanized cotton while the lower price point uses less expensive cotton. Both are lovely.
If you would like a special order in these, I would suggest the higher end as the color choices are much more varied. Also you may have them with or without the flower or motif. I am happy to do special orders in either.
Remember, at Divella Delights you can design your own hat and have me make it so just e-mail me at info@divelladelights.com and I will be happy to work with you to create your own Summer Flapper Hat!

Summer Crochet Flapper Hats

Summer Crochet Flapper Hats are here!
Made similar to my winter Flapper Hat, these are mode with high quality fibers, but these are cotton and cotton blended with silks and other fibers. I developed a more open weave pattern for the summer along with using lighter weight and cotton fibers. I use 2-3 strands like my winter hats so they have great shaping, are lightweight and cool, not to mention beautiful! I have an order placed for some really exciting yarns in beautiful colors so check www.divelladelights.com often for the new Summer Crochet Flapper Hats!

Handknit Felted Bag Clearance Sale

All my bags are hand knit using high quality wool then felted. Most are lined but there are few I did not get around to or that did not need it as I felted them 3 times for extra thickness. My hats really took off and are taking over my space so I need to clear out the hand knit felted bags and find them good homes. They start at $10.00 and are not small bags! So some on over to www.divelladelights.com and steal a handknit felted bag!

Flapper Hats with Gemstones!

For the woman who has almost everything!

Is there a woman on your shopping list who you just can't figure out? I am pretty sure she does not have one of these Flapper Hats with gemstone centers. This one has Lapis, Sky Quartz and Swarovski fine Austrian crystal. There are more to come with pearls, jade, turquoise, garnet, Sapphire, and the list goes on! These hats have been selling like crazy without the gems such as the others posted here. You can also order the scarflet to match. Come on by and check them out at http://www.divelladelights.com/ I ship every day so there is plenty of time for the Holidays. Get that hard to shop for gal on your list a Flapper Hat with gemstones!

NEW BABY AND TODDLER HATS

Brand new in time for the holidays are the new Baby Flapper hats. Designed just like the Lady's Flapper Hat, these are made with Homespun and lambswool for ultimate softness and warmth. I only have one so far but am most happy to take orders for any age infant or toddler...or for Mom for that matter. I have had wonderful feedback on these hats from customers on the construction and softness of hats which are now very much in style if sales are any indication.