​Introducing Sprung, a decadent pair of fingerless mittens to welcome Spring in the warmest, most prettiest of ways. The inspiration for these mittens started with a humble skein of yarn. Well, perhaps not so humble. Baby Alpaca plus Silk plus Camel plus Cashmere. OMG, are you kidding me?

Seriously....have you ever held a skein of The Fibre Co.'s Road to China Light in your hands? It's beautiful. Like, dangerously beautiful. Really, there should be some kind of warning. Because once you lift that gorgeous silky skein off that lucky yarn store shelf, your ability to think rationally will go right out the window...your brain rendered totally and completely powerless against the force of extreme squishability. Well, that's what happened to me at least.

This skein of Grey Pearl...the one used to design/create Sprung...was my very first. Now, I am in love...and not ashamed to admit that I went back for Carnelian pink, plus half a dozen skeins of the warmest, most glowiest shade of yellow. Yes, I made that word up.

To touch a skein of Road to China Light is to understand the desire to never stop touching it...so making fingerless mittens was an obvious design choice.

For Sprung, I chose a minimalist design with clean lines to showcase the natural perfection of the yarn...no need for fussy patterning. Then, in classic Alexis Adrienne style, I embroidered the living daylights out of them.

Basic or blossomed, the choice is yours. The pattern is now live on Ravelry, just in time for the first knitting weekend of Spring. Happy Spring Knitting, friends! 

The Frosted Lily Hat was inspired by the hope and beauty of light. The lustrous sheen of silk. The subtle sparkle of a glass bead as it catches the light. Designed for the frosty days of early Spring, this light-weight, feminine beanie features a timeless Lily-of-the-Valley motif, plus a delicate seed border to remind that frost is not an end, but simply a rest...followed by the light of new beginnings. 

I'm pleased to announce that The Frosted Lily Hat pattern is now available for your knitting pleasure on both Ravelry & Etsy...woohoo! 

Without a doubt, this hat is my new favourite. Delicate and feminine, yet equally at home with a pretty dress & heels, or jeans and a classic tee (a.k.a. my uniform of Life). 

I thought it would be nice to provide a little surprise February pick-me-up, so guess what? The pattern is Free on Ravelry **all day long! Happy Fri-yay! 

**When I say "all day long", I mean until 11pm EST 02/09/17, because 11pm is my pathetic sorry-ass Friday night bedtime. Just like this hat, I'm a bit of a delicate flower ;)

I hope they don't revoke my "Canadian" status for saying this, but here it is: "I'm sick of winter".

Normally, I'm a big fan of the season (cold snowy weather + warm cozy hand-knits = a match made in heaven), but for some reason January 2018 is kicking my butt, and I can't help but find myself longing for the freedom of brighter, warmer days. Not coincidentally, this longing seems to be showing up in my most recent designs.

The Winter Wonderland Collection (December 2017) was inspired by some of the best things Winter has to offer--Winter markets, snow days, rosy cheeks and pure, 100% coziness. But now, I'm dreaming of Spring, and dreaming up new designs inspired by some of the best things Spring has to offer--buds, blossoms, rainy days, and new beginnings. I've got three new patterns nearing completion; here's a sneak peek at one of them...

These soft and silky fingerless mitts were knit from two skeins of The Fibre Co.'s Road to China Light, a uniquely indulgent blend of baby alpaca, silk, camel & cashmere that just begs to be touched (um, constantly).

The pattern will be available in the coming weeks; follow @coldcomfortknits on Instagram for the most up-to-date info on all pattern releases/promotions :)

The Serotonin Scarf is not just a joy to wear (soooo soft and warm), it's also a joy to knit! I could wax poetic about Malabrigo's "Merino Worsted". If you've knit with this yarn, you know what I mean. If you haven't, consider this your "prescription". Seriously...go get some now. You'll feel better immediately!**

**This prescription should not be filled by knitters sticking to a strict yarn diet (self-imposed, or otherwise). Nor should it be filled by knitters who are following any other type of rigorous de-stashing program.** 

If this includes you, I've got great news: The Serotonin Scarf was designed to easily accommodate any de-stashing expedition. Simply select approx. 570 yards / 270 grams of any worsted weight yarn, in any colour palette that makes you smile (I used eight colours in the sample), then simply add or remove stripes in 2-row increments to create your own stash-busting superstar!

Speaking of things that are hard to believe, I published fourteen patterns this year, and more than half of them made Ravelry's Hot Right Now Top 20! Now that's expansion.

2017 wasn't just about designing and volunteering. I also created 60+ luxury natural-fibre hand-knits for cold comfort, enjoyed a new retail partnership, and participated in two festive holiday handmade markets. It was a wooly good year!

And, finally, the elephant in the room. When the year began, I was part of the staff at my LYS, and now I'm not. The third staff member to resign in as many months, I worked my last shift just two weeks ago.

​I will miss helping customers choose the perfect yarns for their dreamy knitting projects, and being the "rescuer" of dropped stitches (new knitters are the cutest!). But, after learning some valuable lessons about trust and loyalty the hard way, through disappointment and empty promises, it's now time to move on, with a conscious decision to embrace an attitude of gratitude, for the opportunity to become a stronger, wiser person, and an even more passionate knitter and designer.

A million thanks to everyone who chose to support a teeny tiny maker like me by purchasing a cold comfort hand-knit hat (or cowl, or gloves!) this season. Your support and encouragement allows me to live with a disability and create a meaningful life...plus a whole lot of hats!!! I am sincerely grateful for every purchase, and every kind word.

--Alexis Adrienne

I'm so excited to announce my new retail partnership with Bogart Home & Decor! This independently owned an operated shop, right in the heart of Bronte village, is the perfect place to #shoplocal #shopsmall this holiday season...and all year round! cold comfort knits + Bogart's, spreading the knitty love! 

A curated selection of cold comfort knits is now on display at Bogart's, including many of my most popular styles: The Lakeshore Toque, The Lighthouse Hat, The Trafalgar Hat, and many more...plus some funky cowls, too!

So why not take a stroll by Lake Ontario, pop into Cafe Colombia for a cuppa--or the Harbourside Cafe for something more substantial (they make a mean butter chicken poutine!)--then head over to Bogart's for some cold comfort, and whatever other treasures strike your fancy! You won't be disappointed.

So it seems like y'all kind of liked this little pattern of mine, eh? #iamcanadian LOL.

Just last week, after soaring to #1 on Ravelry's Hot Right Now Top 20, The Trafalgar Hat has now reached 4800+ likes, and is being knit the world over!

​In fact, just a few days ago, a customer at the yarn store where I work asked me if I knew that The Trafalgar Hat was super-popular in England! She had been talking to her daughter, who's currently living 'across the pond' and, apparently, this pattern is making the rounds there, too!

Well, blimey! Someone put the kettle on. I think I need a spot of tea. Honestly, my Basingstoke-born grandmother would be so proud. This one's for you Granny!

​

This post is a follow up to my last post "karma". Like most of my posts, it's a bit of a read, but here's the short version: We're still BFF's. ​

The longer version goes like this...

Just three short weeks after the crazy-fast turn of events that made The Glen Abbey Hat and The Elm Road Hat "Hot Right Now", it happened again!

This time it was The Lighthouse Hat and, honest to goodness, my phone almost exploded from all the "love". Related to the near-explosion: I learned a valuable lesson about sale settings on Raverly...but that's a story for another time ; )

The funny thing is, I wasn't even planning to publish The Lighthouse Hat on Raverly. The same unpleasantness that caused me start moving my patterns there in the first place had also worn me down a bit. And, despite the unexpected success I'd had moving the first two patterns, I'd become anxious about moving any more. 

What changed my mind? A fellow knitter; she tagged @coldcomfortknits in an Instagram post of a beautiful hat she'd made from The Lighthouse Hat pattern (originally published here). She had lovingly hand-knit each stitch from a soft, warm, hand-dyed yarn--the finished hat was now ready to be gifted to a friend who was about to start cancer treatment--her first chemo cap.

I published The Lighthouse Hat to Ravelry later that same evening. The next morning it was #1 on the Hot Right Now Top 20. In the following days it went on to receive more likes than my previous two hat patterns combined. As an aspiring designer, that's the stuff knitty dreams are made of. A wonderful moment, to be sure. 

But as a human being, I realized that only one number truly mattered: One. One person in need of comfort. One person knitting a heartfelt gift. 

What more could there be?