Winter break has really given me the opportunity to crank some poncho/kaftan/tunic pieces out! This is my latest and I am still going crazy with outfit options in my head! It could be belted, work as pictured, worn over a dress, you name it. Wanna see more?? Here is the listing. 

Introducing the indigo vertigo magical kaftan! It is an original design inspired by my previous pieces, and so fun to make! The open front and billowy back flows in the wind and hugs your silhouette when indoors with arms at your side. Super fun to wear and I can't wait to post about my upcoming project as well! One continues to feed into the other.

My first serious kimono/kaftan/amazingly fuzzy body blanket is completed! There is more where this came from but they will all be totally unique so if you're interested snatch it up quick and it's all yours! Inquiries? Let me know here via email, or in the comments section!

Roving baby, roving. I have fallen in love with this fiber that seems to 

have no ending or beginning, no individual strands, just collective spun fuzz that will disperse itself like cotton candy when pulled apart.

Want to know more? Here is a video of a lovely lady's demo of spinning yarn 

(both seated and standing, with a top whirl spindlde) with lots of valuable info.

It's kaftan city up in here !

Thanks to everyone who came by to poke around in the trunk last night at First Fridays! I enjoyed all the knitting conversations and stories. Thanks also to MOB, a VCU applied design studio, for hosting such a wonderful event. There is much talent all around us : )

My first hand-knitted caftan is finished! Foot-long fringe and all : ) Oh baby! I am excited to start cranking these out and selling them for some cozy winter babes this season.

I am all about the notion of stepping outside for a little inspiration, and photographer Victoria Sambunaris travels the United States for up to five months out of the year taking what she calls "photographic journeys". Her work evokes in me the feeling of a sense of optimism that is rooted in being completely and exactingly honest about ones's surroundings. Capturing warehouses and manufacturing plants, and sensing through them a hinting towards the future of landscape as manipulated by humans, she renders these scenes as stripped of any and all luxury.

Applying the final touches in preparation for Handmade Bags by Misti's debut at the December First Friday event at Middle of Broad, an interdisciplinary applied design studio, at 205 E Broad St!

White cowl shown above- $40, Rainbow cowl shown above and below - $99. 

Email me if interested at handmadebagsbymisti@gmail.com

The multi-strand knitting technique I posted about previously has really gotten to my head.. this cowl is quite possibly the most comfy (and colorful) cowl in the universe! Interested in getting your hands on one for yourself (priced at $99)? Let me know! (handmadebagsbymisti@gmail.com)

Sometimes you can't fight the mood to just crochet! This neon yellow baby blanket / throw is the product of just that. I am all for a creative excursion from creative excursion itself.

Looking for a way to check off some handmade holiday gifts early and downsize your yarn collection, making room for new projects (and more yarn shopping) for the new year? Minimize your shopping list to just a few new teas to try and cozy yourself up for some great, thoughtful, and locally-made ;) gifts. Consider varying yarn types, which can create different visual and textural effects. Different colors of similarly-textured yarn can read as a unique new color combo or, as I did with these two cowls, use differently-spun yarns with thin and thicker line qualities to create interest.

Want your man to look as insanely handsome? This gravely black and grey infinity scarf is a winter must for both sexes. It is as comfortable to throw on before heading out the door as it is functionally super toasty and easy to pair with any winter coat. This scarf is hot off the knitting needles and does not yet have a listing on my Etsy so shoot me a note at handmadebagsbymisti@gmail.com ($70) and it's yours!

For this inspiration post, I'd like to share with you the photography of German photographer, Andreas Gursky. Blurring every bit of the line between photography and painting, photos such as these of his have proven inspirational to me during creative blocks. His hyper-mediated photography focuses its lens on the architecture created by and because of masses of people sharing close proximity to each other and the patterns and colors that emerge.

A chilly day in the city means it's piecing day! Snip, snip, snip.

Eight new bags fresh off the line! Working in stages becomes a really rewarding method with moments like these. It is very rare that I take a bag individually from yarn ball to finished product, so that I can set aside a day for sewing buttons on to a group of bags, or a day for sewing magnets in, and doing all the things that are not as fun as knitting at once.

Say hello to this too-easy to throw on, ultra airy, fluffy cowl! It is made of 111 yards of beautiful white tweed, super bulky oatmeal yarn with neutral flecks. This style cowl will be making an appearance in my Etsy store at $45 ea. when I have bulked up its inventory, but if you'd like to grab one before then made select for you, just drop me a note either on the right sidebar of this page or at handmadebagsbymisti@gmail.com.

Nothing better than a night with some creative collaborative vibes with my boy as a send-off into the world for the comfiest cowl I have ever made for sale. Recently I have realized the beauty of over-sized needles and, though they are not the best for stashing in your purse or whipping out in a crowded waiting room, they really get stuff done! Keep your eye out for this guy (the cowl) in my next post!