Bertolette Craft Outfitting • Kim

It's WIP Wednesday, so here's a little progress update on my @kolibri.by_johanna #pierredress! I'm working a little out of order, having added the applied i-cord around the upper body edges and armholes after joining in the round – this is so I can ensure a more accurate fit when trying on as I go. The pattern notes are totally right about how small the project looks before blocking, so I can't wait to see the transformation of the lace and the drape of the fabric into the full-size final garment when it's finished. (But even pre-blocking, the fabric created by the @knittingforolive Pure Silk yarn - I'm using "rhubarb juice" from Philly LYS @_homesewn - is so soft and light. It will be perfect for summer.) — #knittingforolivepuresilk #handknitdress #slowfashionwardrobe #phillyknitters

🪡🌲 My Cerise test knit 🌲🪡 Today @laine_magazine revealed the patterns featured in their next issue, including the beautiful Cerise sweater by @joann.fil , which I test-knitted in secret last summer ☀️ The lace aspect gives it a nice breeziness for multi-season wear; it was perfect for my trip to Maine back in the fall. Swipe through for some photos documenting the magic of wet-blocking on this one, and be sure to check out #cerisesweater to see the other test knits for more color inspiration! 🗂️ Pattern: Cerise Sweater by Joanna Filip 🧶 Yarn: @bichesetbuches "Le Petit Lambswool" (100% lambswool) in colorway 'dark blue turquoise' — #bichesetbuches #lepetitlambswool #handknitwardrobe #slowfashion

After a loooong stay in my project bag of WIPs, my #teeno1 is off the blocking mats & into the wardrobe! The gorgeous navy blue color of the yarn is so elegant it's hard to capture on camera, so here it is in various lights (/ with my photo-crashing dog.) I even used the flash on one to reallyyy show off that stitch definition - I will say I am quite proud of my tension on this one 🙂 Now can it just be a little cooler than 90° in April so I can wear it...? ☀️ 🗂️ Pattern: Tee N° 1 by @myfavouritethings.knitwear 🧶 Yarn: @thewanderingflock "Cotton Lino" (35% organic cotton, 30% mulberry silk, 20% linen, 15% baby alpaca) in 'navy' – purchased last summer from @nina_chicago , the LYS of my sister-in-law who was kind enough to pick up the order for me! Thanks AG 🫶🏻💯 — #thewanderingflock #cottonlino #mftknitwear #handknitwardrobe

Say hello to my Frederic Sweater 🖤 I had this on hold with only one sleeve to go for several weeks, and finished it just in time for what is hopefully Philly's last cold snap of the season :) The pictures really do not capture how truuuuly soft this sweater is. And while that shouldn't always be the goal — "rougher" yarns make for incredible outerwear that performs & holds up beautifully — on a delicate, next-to-skin garment like this, it's everything. For a bold contrast between the airy fabric and the ribbing, I swapped out the mohair for denser yarns on the ribbed collar, cuffs, and hem - perfect for the more "winter" look I was going for (in April 😅) 🗂️ Pattern: #fredericsweater by @kolibri.by_johanna 🧶 Yarn: @knittingforolive 'Soft Silk Mohair' for the body and 'Merino'/'Pure Silk' held double for the collar, cuffs, and hem - in colorways licorice and coal. Purchased at LYS @_homesewn 💕 — #kolibribyjohanna #knittingforolivesoftsilkmohair #handknitwardrobe #garderobefaitmain

✨Vendor Spotlight✨ Bertolette Craft Outfitting is the nonprofit knitting atelier of daytime executive assistant / after-hours artisan Kimberly Bowers. Named in honor of her grandmother who taught her the craft while knitting donations for local charities, 100% of proceeds from Bertolette patterns and hand-knits are donated to mutual aid efforts in Philly. Offerings at this market will include reversible beanies, tote bags, knitting pattern kits, and consultations for bespoke garments. Come shop @bertolette.co and many other queer artists! 🗓️ When: Saturday, April 4th 🕛 Time: 11am-5pm 📍 Where: Wissahickon Brewing Olde Kensington 1526 N American St Philadelphia, PA 19122 🎟️ Free entry #shopqueerphilly #philadelphia #phillyevents #phillyartist #shoplocalphilly

It might be 77° right now, but the cold snaps ahead are a good reminder that spring can still be beanie season 🧢❄️☀️ Here are a few of the reversible, double-layer Musselburgh hats I'll be vending next month at the @shopqueerphilly Art Market, each knit using a different color combination of very fine @knittingforolive Merino wool. This is my all-time fav hat pattern to knit (its designer, @ysolda , thought of everything!) – not only is it fun to make and choose the colors for, it's also an incredibly hardworking staple of my own wardrobe. If you scroll through the photos, you'll see why: these are all pictures of the same hats, which can be worn brimmed, slouchy, and then reversed! I wear mine pretty much every day in cold weather, switching up the color combos to style with whatever I'm wearing. Maybe you could use one too. Come check 'em out in-person on Saturday 4/4 – 100% of the proceeds from your hat purchase will be donated to @homies.helping.homies and @seafarersmissionphilly 😎 — #musselburghhat #shopqueerphilly #slowfashion #phillyknitters #phillymakers

This time last year, my wife and I were in the midst of a two-week trip to Norway, knitting our way on planes & trains between Tromsø, Bergen, Flåm, and Oslo. We brought one backpack each, prioritizing some of our warmest & most versatile hand-knit sweaters and accessories (including what was then the newest addition to my hand-knit wardrobe, my #colouredcrosses sweater by Danish designer Anne Ventzel, knit using the Norwegian wool Rauma Garn.) They served us well, and were often a great conversation starter in the many, many yarn shops we visited 😊 Even without the unparalleled yarn offerings, between the jaw-dropping landscapes, incredible art scene, rich history, beautiful cities, and flawless public transportation, I would go back in a heartbeat. Maybe you're planning a cool trip to somewhere cold, and you need a custom sweater too? Or you've just experienced the past weekend's blizzard and realized you need a better winter wardrobe staple that works as hard as you do? (That's kind of the beauty of a timeless hand-knit – they're perfect for the everyday to the extraordinary, again and again.) If you're looking for a bespoke sweater or accessory of your own, let me know! My commissions are currently open, and all proceeds from your custom knit will be donated to local causes here in Philly. Just fill out the brief form at the link in my bio, or DM me! Thanks for supporting #slowfashionforgood 🧶🧡❄️ ~Kim — #handknitwardrobe #bespokeknitwear #phillyknitters

Introducing my first-ever knitting pattern, the BYO Bottle Tote! Using worsted weight cotton and minimal tools, this one-skein, zero-waste project knits up quick for adventurous beginners and seasoned crafters alike. All you need is a skein of @queenslandcollection Coastal Cotton (@loopyarn and @stitchcentral are local stockists here in Philly!) some DPNs, stitch markers, & a tapestry needle to weave in your ends. Bam - you've got two tote bags designed to fit a 750 mL bottle: • a shoulder tote for grocery errands & transporting your fav bev to BYO restaurants in style • a smaller gift tote that makes a thoughtful, handmade gift for a variety of occasions, from holidays & housewarmings to everyday gatherings. You can purchase the BYO Bottle Tote pattern for $5.00 on Ravelry at the link in bio – the .pdf includes written & charted instructions, as well as photo tutorials to help you. I will be donating all proceeds from the sale of this pattern to @homies.helping.homies , a collective mutual aid initiative here in Philly. PS - they're not just for wine! I specifically chose to release my first-ever pattern on this date in honor of my mommom, who would have turned 98 today. She taught me how to knit while making donations for local charities like the @seafarersmissionphilly , and famously did not drink. So when you finish knitting these totes, feel free to channel my grandmother and put something N/A in there! A swingtop of homemade kombucha! A bottle of infused olive oil! Two cans of soda stacked on top of each other! A tall mason jar with flowers in it! Candlesticks! Tennis balls! Whatever you carry in them, enjoy it in happiness, good company, and a spirit of generosity – it's what knitting is all about. Special thanks to @kimmy_coco for test knitting & lending finished tote photos, and to my family & friends whose appreciation of my self-drafted knits over the years motivated the publication of this pattern. Cheers, and happy knitting! ~Kim — #byobottletote #bertolettecraftoutfitting #zerowasteknitting #phillyknitters oneskeinproject

A top-secret knit I had the honor of gifting today: a #purlsohomacaronblanket for my sister who is expecting. It is truly the most delightful blanket pattern I've ever come across; a perfect gift for the kind, generous, and charismatic mom-to-be I am lucky enough to have as my sister. The pima Cotton Chirp yarn softness & color palette were perfect for this (as you can see, my dog also approved), and the shaping for the scalloped edges kept me engaged in the project throughout (critical on a throw size - which I make so that the parents might enjoy a nap with it, too.) Now I just can't wait to meet my future nibling who will get to showcase the yarn's machine washable and dryable properties! 🧺 🗂️ Pattern: the @purlsoho Macaron Blanket, designed by @mignonnegrise 🧶 Yarn: Purl Soho Cotton Chirp DK pima cotton yarn, in colorways pale celadon, yellow parakeet, heirloom white, glacial lake, winter sky, and golden honey — #macaronblanket #purlsohocottonchirp #handmadebabygifts #purlsohobusyhands

Latest WIP on the needles...a #fredericsweater I'm winterizing by replacing the collar, hem, & cuffs with merino & pure silk held double instead of the mohair. A real KFO sampler here, with yarn from nearby @_homesewn , showing off the gorgeous licorice & coal colorways 🖤 — #kolibribyjohanna #knittingforolive #handknitwardrobe #garderobefaitmain

🍾🪩💕Happy✨New✨Year!🥢🪩🧶 Will 2026 be the year I finally finish that basket of languishing WIPs?? Probably not (!), since I just finished swatching a #pierredress to cast on for a summer wedding outfit. Cheers to a new year of fresh projects, & the evergreen joy of making! — #newyearsknitting #kolibribyjohanna #knittingforolivepuresilk #handknitwardrobe

Delivered this supremely cozy Smilla Sweater to my sister the other week, just in time for the first wintry weather to hit the region ❄️ The worsted weight wool and laceweight silk mohair held double worked perfectly with the cabled texture, giving the pullover a beautifully weighted drape. While the sweater is already designed with positive ease, I made a few minor modifications to give it more of a maternity fit – including deeper vented hems, added length, and waist increases – for my expecting sister to enjoy throughout the season (and beyond! I tried it on as a non-pregnant person and it still had an ultra-stylish silhouette.) The pattern was a pleasure to knit and the result is I think one of my best FO's yet – it was hard to give away. (Maybe my sister will let me borrow it sometime 🙂) Pattern: #SmillaSweater by @anneventzel Yarns: @quinceandco 'Lark' (100% American wool) in colorway "Pea Coat" held double with @bichesetbuches 'Le Petit Silk Mohair' (70% kid mohair & 30% silk) in colorway "Dark Blue Black"; and @woolfolk_yarn 'Får' (100% Ovis Ultimate Merino wool) in colorway 42 for the cuff & collar linings. The latter two were both from my LYS, @loopyarn . — #anneventzel #quinceandco #quinceandcolark #bichesetbuches #lepetitsilkmohair #smilla #maternitysweater #handknitfashion #handknitwardrobe #garderobefaitmain #pulldegrossesse #umstandspullover #mammagenser #loopknits #loopknitsfo #phillyknitters #tricoteusesinstagram #slowfashion #maternityknitwear