Fall is right around the corner!

Happy Tuesday!!! Hope your week is going great and you have had some time for your favorite craft!
Thank you, thank you to ALL who have purchased and continue to purchase my AT Last Shawl pattern on Ravely! I can't wait to see ALL you finished Shawls! Please make sure you post your finished or in progress shawls on the pattern page so we can all see! I will be posting a picture of a larger version of the At Last Shawl to the pattern page in the next couple of days...it's blocking right now! I knit the larger version out of Fleur de Fiber Atlantis yarn in the Dragonfly color way. The fabulous skein was gifted to me last Christmas, by my son and his lovely wife and it is AMAZING! I never thought Rayon and Nylon would be so luscious! If you are one of those who are allergic to wool this yarn is for you! With 710 yards a skein and some beautiful colors, see if it is still available! Wait till you see, but trust me on the feel and drape of this one!

ETSY SHOP: The NEW Knitting Ditty Bag has been a huge hit and the Large size actually sold out! Now the Large size is back in stock for a limited time in the Jolly Farm UK fabric, so get yours! However if you are a sock knitter or shawl and accessory knitter/crocheter, the small and medium size is in the shop and available for immediate shipping! At a reduced price, but with wonderful features, this new design to the shop has been a hit. Customers are also loving the options section of the shop and there is already feedback for the internal zipper option! YEAH! It's wonderful to be able to create a project bag that is made special just for you! Get ALL you want or no extras...but get it your way! You can add options to the Large Zippered Project Bag Build a Bag or the Large Knitting Ditty Bag!

If you have been to the shop lately or follow MariaElenaBliss on Facebook, you have noticed some clear crisp new photos for some of the shop's project and notion bags. I was lucky enough to have a professional photo shoot for the project bags with product photographer, Mandy Bennett! Mandy was the photographer for the At Last Shawl and I feel so lucky to have been able to secure her services for the Etsy shop. Now you can see sharper pictures of the shop's project bags which will help MariaElenaBliss customers make a more informed purchase decision.

The Shop's XL Macaroons have been very popular! More and more of you have been discovering the charm and solid construction of this accessory! Make sure you add one of these to your project bag order and see for yourself what a piece de resistance this charming XL Macaroon truly is...two sizes available and two different price points!

EVENTS: Last weekend I was lucky enough to attend an amazing sweater design workshop with non other than Carol Feller! The class was in Sarasota at A Great Yarn yarn store and was so well attended! Carol is a wonderfully caring, informative and lovely person, but as a structural engineer, she is the perfect teacher for this topic. It was great to see Carol again and if you ever have the opportunity to attend a class given by Carol, don't hesitate! If you want to have the benefit of having Carol in your own living room, make sure you sign up for one of her Craftsy classes! She even has a FREE Short Rows Craftsy Class! Get her free Craftsy class and you will fall in love with her Ravi Sweater she wears to record this class...I have knit two already!!! It is a great sweater and interesting design. There is even a Ravi Junior. pattern available which I will be knitting for my brand new, granddaughter, Mia! Carol has also just released two new shawl patterns which are gorgeous, so check out her Ravelry shop or her blog, Stolen Stitches, to get the latest news on both of these available patterns.

LIFE: Well, for many of us, school is in session! This means, crazy schedules and a lot less time for the crafty life we love. I hope you find the time to work on new projects as well as those you have on your needles. Be good to yourself first! 

For my US customers, this weekend will be Labor Day. I hope all of you have fun plans for this much celebrated holiday, or are looking forward to spending an extra day with your family and friends. Maybe even some knitting/crochet/spinning/sewing time will be in the near future! How ever you plan on celebrating, please be safe! I look forward to blogging with you next time. And as always, thank you for finding my Bliss!

Maria

The At Last Shawl is LIVE!!!

Good Morning and Happy Monday!

My first shawl pattern is posted on Ravelry and the At Last Shawl pattern is live! For a limited time (thru 8/31/14) get your copy of this design for 50% off the $4.00 regular price with coupon code:atlas50!

Thank you to my lovely model and amazing photographer, who both helped to make this pattern more professional than I could have hoped!
Hope you enjoy this knit and love the shawl as much as I do! Click here to purchase.

Welcome!!!

Hello and Welcome, to the first post on the MariaElenaBliss...knits and snips, blog! You can also find me on Etsy, Ravelry, Facebook, Instagram and even a Monthly Newsletter! All links are on the blog, so visit all these often, but especially my Facebook page, where I post, sales and new designs for my Etsy shop regularly. Please "like" the Facebook page to make sure you don't miss a thing!

My vision for this blog is to keep you informed not only about my new designs but about knitting and sewing in general. I plan on having sewing and knitting tutorials which may expand your sewing and knitting adventures, depending on your current knowledge of both of these crafts and your desire to learn more.

One of my knitting passions is Lace Shawls! I have been knitting lace for a few years now, and have continued to challenge myself with every shawl and lace project. I am so excited to be releasing my first Lace Shawl design on Ravelry in the new week and am offering a 50% off code for anyone who would like to try my At Last Shawl.  When the design goes live, please use code:ATLAST on Ravelry to get your pattern for the reduced price.
Here is a "sneak" preview of the pattern!

RAVELRY: my id is Mariaeb and there is also a Bag Bliss Group on Ravelry which I would Love for your to join! I have already had a bag give away for the first 50 members and am planning on a pattern give away once we reach 100 members in the group! So, please join and introduce yourself, and also respond to one of the other threads in the group. Let the other members about project bags and project bag designers you LOVE. It doesn't have to be a MariaElenaBliss Project bag, as this group was created as a forum for ALL project bags and project bag designers, but mainly to share our love and passion of project bags.

ETSY: New to the shop is a Knitting Ditty Project Bag in three sizes! The Large size of this bag is customizable and you can even personalize it with your or a friend's monogram! Now there is a project bag in the shop you can gift and make it truly special. The NEW Knitting Ditty Project Bag is at a new price point in the shop and still has that same ability to stand on it's own! Check it out!
Also, NEW is the Build a Bag Project bag! This listing allows you the ability to create your own project bag, just the way you want it! The same interfacings and substantial qualities offered at MariaElenaBliss will always be included, but now you have the option to include or not include any features you feel will add to your knitting/crochet/fiber projects through your project bag. So...if you have always wanted to try a Large Zippered Project Bag in the shop, but don't care to pay for a padded detachable handle, or an interior divided pocket, or an interior tab with a lobster claw clasp...why pay for it??? Makes sense, right??? Now is your chance to get a project with your personal touch, one truly made for you! How, do you get started, you ask... here's the process:
1. go to this link and choose one of the many fabrics offered for the exterior of your project bag.
2. go to the "add an option" section of the MariaElenaBliss Etsy shop and add which ever options you would LOVE in your project bag...OR NOT!

Maybe you don't want any options at all, in this case you can bypass the second step in this process and you will receive a Large Zippered Project Bag with your choice of exterior fabric, a matching lining, a 4" gusset, and a long pull zipper which extends beyond the bag for easy and extra visibility, all for the basic bag price of $31.00 (US) plus shipping! WOW! Where else can you get a Large Zippered Project Bag for $31.00?

Or maybe you have purchased one the shop's quilted bags and you already know how substantial and wonderful it is to have a fully quilted exterior on your project bag! So, if you would like your Large Zippered Project Bag with a quilted exterior...add that option! What if you want this same project bag with ALL the extras? Just keep adding options to your cart, once you choose your exterior fabric and rest assured your project bag will be AWESOME!!!  And your very own! Don't forget to add one of the shop's Clear Zip Notion Bag, for an extra "pocket" you can remove and use with your other project bags, or for a true indulgence, a Macaroon!!! My Macaroon customers, cannot get enough of this truly unique notion accessory!

You can get the Bag Bliss...UP TO YOU! New August issue of the Bag Bliss Newsletter which explains the new shop options now. Please subscribe to the Newsletter, even if you receive it now, and you will be given a 10% off code to use in the shop! The link to the Newsletter is below.

TO COME: I am also planning on starting a podcast, so keep posted for ALL the new things to come!
Thank you for finding my Bliss and please share the shop, the blog and the Bag Bliss Newsletter with your friends and family!

Have a wonderful week and I hope to see you in a couple! Best Always, Maria