Good morning friends! Have you been enjoying the subtle chill of an Australian Autumn creeping into your mornings? Are you ready to welcome our Designer of the Week, Sarah from Cosy Knits, creator of handmade woollen cuties? I sure am!
Landing in my mailbox this week and then delicately making its way over the head and around the shoulders of Little Miss 2, who has strawberry blonde hair and a cheeky smile, is a hand-knitted pinafore top in lime green and luscious raspberry. Big sister (Miss 5) exclaimed, “I want a cupcake top too!”
This delightful little pinafore sun-top is made from a soft blended yarn. The thing that I love about this top is its offbeat, retro vibe. It can be “classically” styled, or you can funk it up with layers. We paired it with a puff sleeved tee and a pair of roll-up raspberry chinos. Miss 2 then decided to accessorise with lip gloss, and Mum’s handbag.
The Verdict… Eccentric, Retro, Cool
Cosy Knits began its journey in early 2011, when Sarah worked up the courage to register her business name after 6 months of soul searching. Her Mum had made her some beautiful knits when her daughter Lisa (now 5) was born, and when it was time to shop for her second child, Pip (now 2), her desire for cosy, colourful knits was renewed. Sarah joined forces with her Mum, who also taught her how to knit, and they knitted up a storm! Soon they were sharing the woolly love with the world through newly founded label Cosy Knits.
Sarah describes the process behind choosing her business name… “Being a children’s label, I wanted a cute, silly name. I toyed with dozens of names like mi-minoo, mini-mo and what not. However, being a largely “no-nonsense” character, I wasn’t really happy with any of these names. I wanted a label that clearly and quickly told its story, and Cosy Knits did just that. Hence the grown-up name for a children’s label!”
Sarah grew up wearing knits that her Nanna had made for her, and her kids are growing up wearing knits that their Nanna makes for them. Sarah’s aim is to keep this nostalgia of traditional patterns and knitting techniques alive and accessible to everyone.
She is inspired by bright, playful colours that truly reflect the joy that kids experience in every little thing that they do. You won’t find any greys or browns in the Cosy Knits family, and certainly no grown-up fashions!
Here’s three fascinating facts about Sarah (in her own words)…
- I started off as a Microbiologist, moved onto being a .Net consultant, and now on to being a mumpreneur! I have always been “all-over-the-shop” so to speak.
- I love colours (almost to a fault), and I love all sorts of music.
- My ideal “loosen-up” day would be sitting in a lounger with a book and a never-ending mug of coffee… an espionage thriller please!!
Reading all this, I sound scarily close to someone with a “Multiple Identity” thing going on… if there really is something like that!! But trust me; I am just a romantic at heart with a love for seeing all the adorable little folks in our lives in vibrant colours!
All items in the Cosy Knits range are made by hand. Sarah and her Mum work with a bunch of lovely ladies to create patterns with lots of crazy, playful colour combinations as part of their knitting group. The Cosy Knits infant range is made from Pure Merino, or Pure Cotton yarn, which best cares for the delicate skin of infants. For toddlers and older kids, a soft blended yarn is used in a wide spectrum of playful colours.
Great products! There is warmth even in the name! Appealing!
Wish I had these for my grandchildren when they were little.
Best wishes!