🧶 It was 3 years in the making…

It was 3 years ago, at Vogue Knitting Live 2019.

That’s the last time that Gaye “GG” Glasspie and Adella Colvin (@lolabeanyarnco) were together in the same room.

For the past 3 years, nearly every day, they’ve talked, texted or gone live together on Instagram. But the pandemic - and life - have kept them from being together in person.

That all changed this weekend, at the Tulsa debut of our new Hot Loops project wall. 

Unbeknownst to GG…Adella, her husband Jimmy (@jimmythemodel), and their daughter Lola flew in to surprise and support GG at the reveal of the orange-forward Hot Loops Wall we curated in her honor.

Did we surprise her? You be the judge…

And then those tears turned to joy as GG saw her very own Hot Loops Wall in all its orange glory for the first time.

So now, we’ll share with you just a few of the new projects on GG’s wall...

When the time came to debut the wall, Miss Lola was not shy about choosing a favorite project: 100% cashmere, of course.

For years GG watched as Clinton Hill Cashmere became the go-to for Italian, 100% cashmere yarn and modern classic cashmere projects. Their cashmere comes from one of the most prestigious cashmere mills in Italy. Each spring, the herders gently comb each goat, gathering the delicate underfleece. The annual production of each goat is about 3 balls of yarn. Each small batch of sublime fiber is the result of hard work, patience and passion.

Only one problem: Clinton Hill didn’t have orange.

That’s when Shelley started scheming on another of her little surprises… 😉

And “Orange You Glad” cashmere was born! 

We’ve knit up two projects for our new Hot Loops Wall that elegantly combine neutrals with a pop of orange.

Our exclusive version of “Classon Triangle with a Twist” is made with 3 balls of “French Grey,” 1 ball of “Orange You Glad,” and one ball of “Passion Pink.” This simple 1-row pattern is quickly memorized, making it the perfect luxurious travel or Netflix knit! 

Pick up your “Classon Triangle” kit here.

For those who prefer a generous scarf over a triangle shape, “Country Wrap” is your project! 

Super-simple knitting alternates with just a touch of texture, and the orange packs a serious punch in contrast with the soft, warm neutrals.

Pick up your “Country Wrap” kit here (as shown), or create your own version by choosing colors from our expanded palette here.

We’ve been on the lookout for the *dream* cover-up knit. And huzzah! We finally found it!

“Shearwater” by Wool + Pine captures the rustic, homespun quality of slub yarn with a loose gauge and effortless drape. The gorgeous (easy to knit) lace pattern repeats across the entire shawl, then the rectangle is seamed at the shoulder according to your preference and left open at the arm to create a modern, alluring silhouette. “Shearwater” looks particularly luxe draped over the shoulder, seamed with a wide neckline and styled over your favorite swimsuit, sleeveless top or summer dress.

Together with GG and Rachelle of Moondrake Co., we curated a palette of exclusive colorways in Bubble Bubble, a glorious slub yarn that works up soft, light and airy in this design. 

Choose your “Shearwater” color here.

GG likes to say that orange is the new neutral. 😎

The truth is, anybody can wear orange. It’s all in how you style it, pair it, work it and wear it!

A great example is this “Migee” wrap by Ambah O’Brien. We worked it up in Magpie Fibers’ Swanky Sock base in “Iconic Orange Lady” plus two wear-with-all neutrals, “Harpoon” and “Adella is the Greatest.”

The result is an eye-catching asymmetrical wrap that’s the perfect accent piece to drape around your neck or casually knot. Easy garter stitch combines with simple eyelet stripes for textural interest. 

Choose from two kitted color combos here. 

Or, if you'd prefer to create your own color combination, check out our selection of Swanky Sock here.

xoxo

Whiskey-Orange Bread Pudding

This easy, boozy bread pudding from the New York Times Food site is a delicious celebration of orange! A perfect finale to a simple grilled meal of protein and veggies. YUM!

Ingredients:

•  Unsalted butter for baking dish
• 2 cups/480 milliliters whole milk
• ½ cup/100 grams sugar
•  Grated zest of 1 large navel orange
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons/90 milliliters Scotch whiskey
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 5 cups baguette (about 235 grams) torn in small pieces
• 1 cup/about 6 ounces/160 grams chopped candied orange peel (or slivered dried Turkish apricots)
• ½ cup/165 grams orange marmalade
• 1 8- or 9-ounce container/280 grams mascarpone 

Preparation:

1. Heavily butter a 6-cup square or round baking dish. Place milk and sugar in a saucepan, heat until it is about to simmer and remove from heat. Add orange zest and salt. Set aside until just warm, about 10 minutes. Stir in 4 tablespoons of the whisky. When the milk mixture is no longer hot, beat in the eggs.
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place the bread pieces in a large bowl. Pour milk mixture over them, add candied peel and let soak 15 minutes. Place marmalade in a small saucepan, add remaining whisky and heat to dissolve whisky in the marmalade.
3. Spoon half the bread mixture into a baking dish and smooth the surface. Cover with dabs of half the mascarpone. Spoon in remaining bread mixture. Place in the oven and bake 15 minutes. Brush with marmalade and whiskey glaze and continue baking until top is lightly brown and starts to become crusty, another 30 to 40 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and let cool at least 30 minutes before serving. Beat remaining mascarpone with a whisk or fork for several minutes to smooth and loosen it. Serve alongside.