Knitting Pretty

Fact: No matter how adorable they are, cable-knit sweaters are not appropriate for Honolulu's balmy temps.

Yet somehow you're still trying to find ways to make them work—planning parties at Ice Palace, cruising the Foodland frozen aisle and constantly turning down the office thermostat when no one's looking.

Arriving with beads of sweat on your forehead is becoming your new signature look.

Finally there's a way you can rock the look without getting so heated. Snag a cute cable-knit clutch from Delilah Dale, the chic new handbag line from Kona-based designer Regina Tode.

An expert knitter, Tode wanted to take knitted goods away from their granny reputation. Her stylish purses offer modern touches, like pockets big enough for an iPhone, plus room for lip-gloss, cash and credit cards galore, and fun details like beautifully stitched linings made from pretty printed fabrics. Her classic kisslock closures—a nod to the kisslock clutch her grandmother carried on her wedding day.

And Tode recently added a few new designs to the mix, including woven styles made with ombre-dyed broadcloth and richly hued courdury fabrics, and a covetable fold-over envelope clutch. She even takes custom orders, ensuring you get the exact color and fabric combination you want.

So you can finally give those bulky sweaters the cold shoulder, while still keeping your knits about you..

Delilah Dale clutches are available at Pueo Boutique, 75-5695 Ali'i Dr., Kailua-Kona, 808.326.2055, and through the Delilah Dale Etsy store and blog.