Cooling Off Period

I've been hearing about "first frosts" from a lot of my family and friends over the past week... Brrr... I guess it IS that time of year for most of us though (although, it's pretty rare to get a hard frost here in the Valley of the Sun).  Cooler weather means it's time to start anticipating colder weather though - those days when you want to stay warm wrapped up in comfortable (and beautiful!) - accessories like hand knit or crocheted hats, scarves, shawls, earwarmers, legwarmers, mittens, and gloves.

Luckily for you, I know a LOT of knitters and crocheters who would love to have you as a customer!  Today, I'm sharing the work of some of my friends and teammates whose lovely work is perfect for keeping you warm on those frosty days - and perfect for upcoming holiday gift giving.  Without further ado, enjoy these fabulous accessory finds!

OakliesFashions is a great shop filled with a beautiful assortment of hand knit and crocheted fashion accessories and jewelry.  I love this "Winter Skies" Ruffled Scarf, but there are so many other great finds there, it was really hard narrowing it down!

I've known Anne Quinn of HatsByAnne1942 for a few years now thanks to Etsy.  A retired teacher, Anne considers herself an "Artist with Yarn".  Self taught in the art of crochet, she develops her own patterns and as you can see in this lovely orange hat and scarf set, she's still a very good teacher, even if she is her only pupil now!

You can tell that Christy over at PoppyandPurl likes to have fun with her hand knit hat designs.  While she offers a great selection of "regular" accessories, you'll also find some adorable fruit and veggie hats available in both adult and children sizes.

Don't like to wear hats, but hate having your ears get cold?  Worn by skiers for years, wide headbands like this Crocheted Sage Headband from MariesCrochetCorner are a great alternative. You'll also find a wide assortment of other crocheted accessories for everyone from newborns to grandparents and everyone in between.

Sometimes even when you're indoors and out of the cold, it's still a bit chilly - especially in those office environments that can be quite drafty. A stylish shawl is the perfect way to hold in some body heat! I came across this Olive Green, Blue, and White Shawl from Yarn Pumpkin - love the colors and the breathability of the weave. Prefer a different color or weave - you'll find a great selection of options at this shop!

I still love to wear mittens in winter weather, so when I ran across this lovely pair of Hand Knit Mittens in Aubergine from designbcb, I knew I wanted to include them in today's post. I think mittens are comfortable and cozy, and yeah, I just like the way they bring out the little kid in me!

How cute are these Santa Inspired Red Fingerless Gloves from SibelDesign?  So perfect for keeping your hands and wrists warm and your fingers free to do finer movements, these adorable gloves would be perfect to wear anywhere, and you'd be showing your fun-loving holiday spirit as well!

Legwarmers continue to be a fashionable accessory since they were introduced as a way for dancers and aerobics enthusiasts to keep their legs warm and prevent muscle cramps back in the 80s. These stylish red legwarmers by NATgirona combine knitting with crochet trim for a beautifully warm design.

Have a favorite team, business name, club, or nickname?  Now you can have it displayed proudly in a Custom Beanie by fibremom.  Wouldn't it be cool to have matching caps for that next family ski trip or that backwoods hike of your nature photography club? Of course you'll find a great variety of other accessories available there too!

Keep your look neat and tidy with a fabulous neckwarmer like this Hand Knit Cranberry Red Chunky Neckwarmer from FoxyGKnits. Stylish, comfortable and easy to put on, these are ideal when you want the warmth of a scarf without the length.






Of course this is just a small sampling of the wonderful variety of handknit and crocheted accessories you can find on Etsy, Artfire, or any of the other handmade marketplaces.  Buying handmade is a wonderful way to support small businesses and we all know how important that is these days!

Happy Shopping - and Blessings!