NEW 9/2012 - “Welcoming Home Baby the Handcrafted Way” wins the 2012 Benjamin Franklin Award for Best Craft/Hobby/How-To book, awarded by the Independent Book Publishers Association.

NEW 6/2012 - “Welcoming Home Baby the Handcrafted Way” is a finalist for ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year.

Recommended materials include:

• 1 ball Katia Ingenua in #29 Green - 3/25/11 - DISCONTINUED - Be Sweet Brushed Mohair is a beautiful substitute and comes in countless colorways
• 4 balls Be Sweet Ribbon Ball in Bouquet
• US 19 24-in (or longer) circular needles
• US 19 straight needles (optional; you can knit the blanket back and forth on circulars if you prefer)

There’s something decidedly celebratory about this light and airy little blanket - the brilliant contrast of the lime green wispy mohair against the festive ribbons in this hot pink loopy mohair is as stunningly pretty as it is unexpected, a joyous combination meant for a special occasion like heralding a birth.  The vivid colors, countless tiny bows, and cheery ruffle seem to sing “Happy Birthday” right from your needles. In fact, Tricia designed this for her own daughter’s arrival!

The decorative Ribbon Ball yarn, with its hand-tied satin ribbons and sparkly thread, is not meant for daily use and babies should not be left unattended with it. However, the basic pattern lends itself well to yarn substitutions (such as Farmhouse Yarns’ Trixie’s Loopy Mohair in Harvest with Blue Sky Alpacas’ Brushed Suri in Whipped Cream).

To purchase an author-signed copy of “Welcoming Home Baby the Handcrafted Way”, visit TrickyKnits.com.

NEW REVIEW 3/16/11 from Living Crafts Magazine, Spring 2011: “Some of the designs in this book are so unique and so perfect for a new baby that they seem commissioned by Mother Nature herself…”

NEW REVIEW 3/14/11 from Publishers Weekly: …“Drake, founder of TrickyKnits, captures a festive mood in this collection of hand knit baby gifts. Beginning knitters will welcome the explicit directions and speedy results; experienced knitters will enjoy experimenting with chunky knits for tiny newborns…The results appear deliciously complex, yet the designs are relatively straightforward.”