SockPixie

Love...

2011-10-25T09:56:00.003-05:00

It has been a really long time since my last post! Life has brought me a new little wonder, Mini Mr. SockPixie.

This new little wonder has kept me busy! But he has also been the inspiration behind my renewed interest in yarn dyeing with natural dyes, knitting and spinning.

Destash Day 4

2011-05-12T08:04:00.000-05:00

This is the 4th day of my destashing efforts! Today I am posting a couple of my hand-dyeds, and some gorgeous hand-dyed ribbons with iridescent edges by Judy and Co. I have used these ribbons as accents in my knitting, as the yarn for purses, and of course for ribbon embroidery(They used to retail at $35/skein.) I am offering them at super low prices.

All prices include shipping.

SockPixie Merino Tence Sock:$6

50% SW Merino, 50% Tencel

425 yards

7-8 sts/inch on US 1-2

SockPixie Merino Bamboo Sock Van Gogh: $12
900 yards
70% Merino, 30% Bamboo
7-8 Sts/inch on US 1-2

Judy and Co Luminesse Hand-dyed Ribbon Moss: $10
100 yards
100% Rayon

Judy and Co Luminesse Hand-dyed Ribbon Merlot: $10

100 yards

100% Rayon

Judy and Co Luminesse Hand-dyed Ribbon Tortoise: $10

100 yards

100% Rayon

Makalu Hand-painted Soy Silk: $6

100% Soy silk

186 yards

5 sts/inch on US 8

~~SockPixie Merino Sport: $6~~

100% Merino

250 yards

5-6 sts/inch on US 6

1 Skein Fiesta Yarns La Luz Multi: $8

Color SAFARI

100 % Silk

210 yards

US 6

Still Destashing!

2011-05-11T09:18:00.007-05:00

Here is some more yarn! I really have a lot of it. Today, I am posting some of my hand-dyes, some hand-dyed yarns by other dyers, and some commercial yarns. All prices include shipping! It has been nice to know my yarns will find new loving homes!

~~SockPixie Lace Cashmere and Silk: $10~~

250 yards

50% Cashmere, 50% Silk

~~SockPixie Merino/Bamboo Sock: $6~~

425 yards

70% SW Merino, 30% Bamboo

7-8 sts/inch on US 1-2

~~SockPixie Merino Sock Firy Night: $6~~

100% SW Merino

450 yards

7-8 sts/inch on US 1-2

~~SockPixie SW Merino Sock Amberina:$6~~

100% SW Merino

450 yards

7-8 sts/inch on US 1-2

~~SockPixie SW Merino Sock Lagoon:$6~~

100% SW Merino

450 yards

7-8 sts/inch on US 1-2

~~4 oz SockPixie Finnsheep Roving: $6~~

100% Finsheep

~~4 oz SockPixie BFL Roving~~

100% BFL

~~Schaefer "Anne" :$7~~
60% merino wool SUPERWASH, 25% mohair, 15% nylon
One 4 oz. skein - 560 yards
Fingering weight - 8 - 9 st/in.
Needle size: US #1

Koigu KPPPM: $ 4

100% Merino

175 yards

7 sts/inch on US 2

Makalu Hand-painted Soy Silk: $6

100% Soy silk

186 yards

5 sts/inch on US 8

~~Makalu Hand-painted Bamboo: $7~~

100% Bamboo

284 yards

5.5 sts/inch on US 6
100% Merino

SockPixie Merino Sport: $6

100% Merino

250 yards

5-6 sts/inch on US 6

1 Skein Fiesta Yarns La Luz Multi: $8

Color SAFARI

100 % Silk

210 yards

US 6

Destash Continued

2011-05-10T07:21:00.090-05:00

It seems there was a probem with the "Buy Now" buttons yesterday. I have reset the buttons. In casr it does not work, please send me a note at sockpixieATgmail.com etting me know which skein you woud like and I will invoice you. The first few skeins and the roving are SockPixie hand-dyes, the last ones in the list are lovely commercial yarns. All prices include shipping!

~~Alpaca Sock Forest: $8~~ SOLD

50% Alpaca, 25% SW Merino,25% Nylon

425 yards
7-8 sts/inch on US 1-2

Help Me Destash!

2011-05-09T10:17:00.005-05:00

I have started making room for the new baby. His room will be my crafts room, which means there is nowhere else to put my gorgeous yarns. So I need your help. The skeins I am listing today are all SockPixie hand-dyed yarns. I am offering them at super low prices. I hope they will find new homes with you. All prices include shipping. Just click the "buy now" button and Paypal will guide you through the process!

~~Superwash Merino Sock Turquoise:$12~~ SOLD

100% Superwash Merino

800 yards

7-8 sts per inch on US 1-2

~~5 Skeins Fine Baby Alpaca Earth: $15~~ SOLD
100% Fine Baby Alpaca

Each skein in 185 yards

Sport weight

5-6 sts/inch on US 6

That's it for today!

Crochet for Tiny Feet

2011-05-04T08:25:00.000-05:00

I worked on one more crochet project yesterday: the cutest little crochet booties! To make them I followed the wonderful pattern by Hook Candy Crochet.
I used some Encore Worsted. The buttons are really special to me, as they were a gift from Miss SockPixie. I knew I would find the perfect use for them!

I am almost done working on a matching little sweater.

One More Crochet Bombay Love Newborn Jacket

2011-05-02T06:59:00.000-05:00

I like the pattern for the Bombay Love Jacket so much, I made another one using more left over Cotton Fleece, this time in a periwinkle blue, trimmed with burgundy.

I found the cutest button for it. I know the button is a flower, and the baby will be a boy, but I just liked it so much!

I am going to sew little pants too. The fabric is simple mostly burgundy red, with simple dark periwinkle, and subtle orange stripes.
I am a little behind on my sewing though. I had better get started on them!

A Little Bit of Crochet: A Newborn Jacket

2011-04-29T07:36:00.001-05:00

I tried my hand at a little summer crochet jacket for Mini SockPixie. I found this great pattern: Bombay Love.
I thought it would be perfect for the early fall days, when it is a little colder, but not yet cold enough for wool.

I used some left over Cotton Fleece yarn I had sitting in my stash. Boy! Crochet is fast! I was done with the little jacket in a few hours. The whole project was so easy and relaxed, and the best part is, it is all in one piece. No seams!

For the button, I used a small wooden toggle. And look what I found at JP Knit and Stitch! A fun fabric that will make perfect little pants!

I have decided to have fun with this baby boy, and make colorful clothing for him. And who knows, maybe the love of color will stay with him when he grows up!

A New Seamstress is Born

2011-04-28T10:28:00.002-05:00

Little Miss SockPixie became a seamstress, and a dress designer yesterday! I am so proud of her. I gave her a little guidance on how to measure herself to size the simple rectangle of fabric that would be necessary to create her first dress, a simple sun dress.

She cut and pinned...

She worked, sewing the elastic thread, to create the stretchy gathered bustier...

She was so focused and determined...

And now she is so proud! Her first hand-sewn dress! She is ready to show it to all her girlscout friends this afternoon.

I have to say, I am impressed! She now wants to make an identical dress for her older sister, Miss SockPixie, so they can wear them together this summer, when Miss SockPixie comes back from France to vacation with us. I am afraid, with another dressmaker in the house, the fabric stash is only going to grow!

Crochet is for Baby Blankets

2011-04-27T06:57:00.001-05:00

I love crocheting, as much as I love knitting. And when it comes to baby blankets, nothing can beat crochet. Crochet is so fast that you can finish a good size blanket in no time. I started crocheting this blanket for Mini SockPixie before I knew he was a boy. I picked colors which I thought would appeal to either gender, would be contrasted enough to stir my little one's interest, and would have the vintage charm I love so much.

A blanket needs to be easily washable, so I bought some Encore Worsted for it. Encore is definitely one of my favorite wool/acrylic blend yarns to work with. It makes a very soft project, with a matte look, and no crinkly sound when you squeeze it.

All this knitting and crocheting for the new baby means I have been neglecting my knitting duties to my other pixies, and I have started hearing some complaints! I had better get to work before there is a rebellion!

One more Baby Sweater

2011-04-26T07:16:00.001-05:00

I just finished another baby sweater this morning. This time I chose a thicker yarn, Mochi, in a really nice variation on green colorway. I knit the sweater on US 8 needles, as I find the Mochi yarn a little too mushy for my taste. The end result is beautiful and will be so soft, and cushy for Mini SockPixie.

I designed the sweater to be seamless. It is knit from the bottom to the top. The sleeves were knit on DPTs and then knit onto the body of the cardi. I chose a raglan sleeve construction. The sweater is edged with seed stitch borders.

The ony thing I have left to do: pick buttons. I really have no idea what type to pick: blend or contrast. Buttons are so important. You'll tell me, "come on, it's just a sweater". I know, but I want it to be perfect for Mini SockPixie.

New Haircut

2011-04-22T08:49:00.001-05:00

A new haircut for me!

I look more and more like my great grand mother, and that makes me happy!

Traditional "pull marin": Done!

2011-04-21T08:30:00.000-05:00

I finished the little "pull marin" for Mini SockPixie yesterday. I had to make one of these traditional sweaters. We have all had one at one point when we were kids. My grandma would knit them for us, for our cold holidays on the Normandie coast, along the windy Channel.

I designed the sweater with raglan sleeves, and chose to make " chunky, masculine" decreases for my new little man. The sweater has a discrete buttoned opening in the back to allow for gentle pulling on and off. I used Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino in Navy Blue, and a creamy white. The sweater was knit to be seamless (my absolute favorite), so knit in the round, on US 3 needles.

I am going to knit a little hat to match with the left over yarns!

And then I could also sew some little pants from a light stretchy jeans fabric to make a complete little outfit! So many projects, so little time!

I love my new dress!

2011-04-20T09:01:00.000-05:00

I spent a few hours yesterday morning working on my dress. I started by sketching the dress, measured myself, and came up with some dress measurements that would look OK now, and at the same time would allow me to grow. I decided the high waist would be elastic and so would the gathered neckline. The shape would be a gentle A-line.

Once the pieces were cut, the sewing was a breeze. Before I knew it, I was standing in front of the mirror, liking the dress, relieved that I had not pulled a Lucy!

My favorite part of the dress is the top with its high gathered waist, the nicely fitted armhole, and the feminine gathered neckline.

I wore the dress last night when our friends came over. It made me very happy to wear it.

There might be some more sewing for me later on today, but first I must finish the little sweater I am working on for mini SockPixie.

Clothes for Baby, but what about me?

2011-04-19T07:46:00.001-05:00

I love being pregnant. Maybe because this pregnancy is likely to be my last ,(5 children is a good number, and I am unfortunately not getting any younger,) I am enjoying this particular pregnancy in a completely new way for me.
There is only one issue, what to wear. That may sound very trivial, but I am down to 2 dresses that I can for the moment fit in. I went downtown yesterday to try to find some maternity clothes. I did find some very very expensive ones, and some not so expensive ones, but truly blah ones.
I shared my thoughts with Mr. SockPixie at breakfast. His answer was: "Make them!" He said: "You have the tools and the skills, make the clothes yourself!"
I love how he trusts that I can do anything!
So this morning I rummaged through all my fabrics, and of course made a real mess in the process. But who cares about the mess, I have a mission: to make a dress today, that I will proudly wear tonight when our friends come over for dinner.
I am excited about the idea, but at the same time I have the image of Lucille Ball in my mind, you know in the episode where Ricky tells her she cannot spend any more money, and she has to make her dress herself, and perm her hair herself!

I might just pop an I Love Lucy DVD in while I sew this morning!

But let's be serious now. I have picked the fabric, a light cotton.

I love the colors and the patterns. Now I have to decide on a shape! Tomorrow, I'll let you know if I pulled a Lucy!

Baby sweater number 1

2011-04-18T07:17:00.001-05:00

Here is baby sweater number one! I designed this cardi to be a one piece seam free cardi, in a soft oatmeal Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino with a subtle fairisle yoke pattern in a cream color, which of course is practically impossible to photograph!

I also got some buttons for it yesterday at my new local yarn store. That is one thing I forgot to tell you, a new yarn store opened in my neighborhood JP Knit and Stitch. I just love the place! Genevieve, Jennifer, and Pat are the onderful owners. They carry yummy yarns, and gorgeous fabrics. I spent a few hours there yesterday just knitting, and chatting. I am so happy they are here!

Here are the buttons, simple and cream white echoing the fairisle pattern.

The lovely JP Knit and Stitch ladies have offered to test-knit the pattern for me!

I am back!

2011-04-13T14:14:00.000-05:00

I logged into the blog today, and gasped when I read the last post date. November 17! I can hardly believe it has been this long since I last posted!

Mind you we have been busy. Little Miss SockPixie took longer than we would have liked to recover, but I am happy to say that she is completely back to normal now.

Then, there is the big news! Mr. SockPixie and I are expecting a Mini Boy SockPixie! We are 19 weeks pregnant!
The whole family is overjoyed.

The most exciting part is that I have started knitting for the baby! So over the next few months you can expect a lot of baby knitting!

Here is Mini Boy SockPixie saying hello!

Color Fun

2010-11-17T11:03:00.000-05:00

2 new colorways! One breezy, the other dramatic...

And the Winner is....

2010-11-17T07:54:00.000-05:00

Thank you so much for your comments, and suggestions. Thank you for all the lovely names. I have the really hard task of picking one now. I expect the pattern will be ready by this Saturday.

Now for the winner of the giveaway...

corycoakley said...
I left this open all day because I couldn't think of the flower this reminded me of...columbine was the one! of course, a few others beat me to the punch. But columbine, totally.

Congratulations corycoakley! Use the contact me button on the right side of the page and send me your full name and your address. I will send you the supplies by mail, and will email you a copy of the pdf pattern by Saturday!

Now it's off to homeschooling for me!

New Furry Baby!

2010-11-16T12:52:00.001-05:00

Every Monday, the boys and I host an animation group for teens at our house. Yesterday, one of the mothers brought 2 little rescue kittens with her, wondering if someone wanted one of them.
My motherly instinct kicked in right away, and so within minutes "Mittens" became our baby.

Welcome home Mittens!

Doll Play

2010-11-15T09:28:00.000-05:00

A little doll fun for today.
Meet Wednesday, Betsy McCall's dark, spirited twin sister!

A Pixie Hat Story, and a Giveaway!

2010-11-14T11:02:00.004-05:00

When I went to Little Miss SockPixie's girlscout meeting on Thursday, I packed a ball of Ella Rae Classic wool in a lovely lavender color with the idea of knitting a hat.

As I sat in a corner of the room, I sketched a hat. Maybe it was because of the laughter of the girls, and their little screams of excitement as they buzzed around the room... I felt like pixies were everywhere. I envisioned a pointed hat, warm, soft, felted wool, and flowers, all in cheerful colors.

After a few calculations, I started the hat. By Friday it was finished. I stood impatiently next to the washing machine as I was felting it. I anxiously pulled it out. It was love at first sight! It was just the hat I had dreamed.

I knit the body of the hat with the lavender ball of Ella Rae Classic, and added a simple edge of mauve grey to frame the face and give the hat a well defined edge. I knit the strap of the same grey.

For the flowers and leaves, I picked through all my little left over "yarn walnuts". I needed less than 7 yards of each color!

I placed little aqua flower buttons at the center of the tiny blue buds for contrast and texture.

Who knew a hat could make someone so happy!

I will be offering the pattern as a pdf later this week. But there is one little thing I need your help with: a name for my little hat. "Pixie Hat" just does not seem enough for it.

Leave a comment in this post with your suggestion of a name by Tuesday November 16, 10 p.m. Eastern Time, and I will pick one comment at random using a random number generator. The lucky comment will receive all the necessary supplies to make the hat as well as a copy of the pattern!

New Yarns

2010-11-09T12:15:00.000-05:00

I worked in my studio yesterday, and created some new colorways. I let myself create freely, just playing with colors, and techniques as well as materials.
My inpsirations ranged from flowers to Madame Bovary to seashells, the matericals from Merino, to Tencel blends, to cahmere.

I have added these skeins to my Etsy store! I hope you will enjoy them.

How about a Little Knitting: Sashiko Mittens

2010-11-07T13:01:00.005-05:00

I am an eclectic crafter. I love knitting but also so many other crafts. I love crochet. I love spinning, I love needlepoint and I love embroidery. I am particularly fond of Sashiko Embroidery. I have delighted in the embroidery of the organic, peaceful geometric shapes with oatmeal thread on indigo grounds.

I was so inspired by Sashiko, that I wanted to translate and reinterpret it into knitting. With winter coming, Sashiko mittens seemed like the perfect choice.

I chose 2 worsted weight yarns from my stash. One with a lovely indigo tone, the other a soft oatmeal.

I first knit a little swatch to decide on tension and fairisle pattern. I wanted the oatmeal design to be present but not crowd the mitten. This was my first sample, interlocking circular shapes on size 5 needles.

I loved the contrast of the colors, but decided the gauge should be tighter. The circular shapes appealed to me, but the interlocking made the pattern overwhelming. I switched to size 3, and after drafting a simplified pattern evocative of honeycombs, I started on the mittens.

I am really excited about these Sashiko mittens. These test ones will be for me. I am writing the pattern and will be offering it as a pdf as soon as the pattern is written, tested and edited. I should leave you now, and go work on them...

Hello World!

2010-11-05T14:07:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone! I am so happy to be back. I want to thank all of you for your well wishes for Little Miss SockPixie. These last few weeks have been difficult for her and of course for the whole family. I think we are finally on the right track.

I thought it would only be appropriate to start my first post in more than a month with Little Miss SockPixie.

A few weeks ago, we gave her a vintage SmithCorona typewriter as a gift. She had been dreaming of owning one for a long time. We told her a computer was in many ways more practical to use for writing but I guess she had already imagined herself writing novels on a typewriter like the great writers of the past, like the heroes of her favorite movies, like Hubbel Gardner in the Way we Were!(Odd movie I know for a nine year old!)

Little Miss SockPixie, her typewriter and her stories have been inseparable ever since. I could not resist taking pictures of her today. It was so wonderful to see her expressions as she wrote. I had to capture them.

Pensive at times...

Looking for inspiration or for that perfect word ...

Bursting with frustration with every typo...

Furiously typing away...

And most of all enjoying every minute of it...

Thanks Little Miss SockPixie. You and your stories made my day!

Quiet

2010-09-22T06:47:00.000-05:00

I have had no time to write in the last few days. Little Miss SockPixie became very ill. I am so grateful for the wonderful doctors at Children's Hospital in Boston. Little Miss SockPixie is recovering and doing a little better everyday.
I hope to have a little more time to write soon, as I miss it a lot.

Fall Roving and Yarn Sale

2010-09-16T07:33:00.000-05:00

It is Fall and before I bring in a lot of new fibers, and create new colorways, I am having a Fall sale in my Etsy store!
All yarns and rovings are from 25 to 35% off!

Have fun!

Mr SockPixie's Socks

2010-09-15T13:02:00.000-05:00

A few days ago, I believe it was Monika who asked me if I was still a single project girl. My answer would be most of the time yes. I did make an exception lately when I knitted the Citron shawl. I had been working on Mr SockPixie's socks, and was procrastinating on the second sock. We will blame this sudden bout of SSS on the length of Mr SockPixie's feet, which makes knitting socks for him a very long long project, though still a lovely one as it makes him so happy.

When I was done with the Citron, I started dreaming of a February Lady Sweater but this time knew I could not give in to the temptation. So I grabbed my sock yarn and needles and got to work on the second sock. I finished the leg last night, and I am now on to the heel flap.

I am once again a single project girl!

Wheat Fields

2010-09-13T12:12:00.001-05:00

The other day I told you I had been dying some worsted weight yarns in golden tones. The yarns are dry and they are so beautiful. What makes them special is their tonal quality. It is a 3 ply merino, with 1 ply being a superwash resulting in the dyes being absorbed at a different rate. This creates an almost barberpole effect very similar to the appearance of a handspun with incredible tonal subtlety and harmony.

I could not help but see glorious wheat fields at harvest time in these skeins. I dyed 5 skeins in this dye lot, because I was thinking of the perfect yarn for the February Lady Sweater.

I have just added them to my Etsy Store. I am off to dye some more but this time for me!

A Little Creativity

2010-09-10T13:08:00.003-05:00

After a long day last night, I allowed myself the pleasure to create a little. The results were 2 beautiful 4 oz rovings, one inspired by Scottish tartans in tones of blues and greens. Such boldness always makes me smile.

The other, was at the opposite end of the spectrum.It is as subtle as the first roving was bold. It is inspired by the paintings of Chagall. Soft corals, aquas, almond greens and plum greys seem to echo the love in Chagall's paintings.

I just added these rovings to my Etsy Store. I am dyeing some glorious Worsted Merino in ochres today. I have been thinking of perfect yarns for the February Lady Sweater. (After I finish Mr SockPixie's socks, I will knit a February Lady Sweater.) I will show you tomorrow.

Welcoming the New Year

2010-09-09T16:42:00.000-05:00

The last couple days were busy with holiday preparations for Rosh Hashanah . The children and I cleaned the house, preparing it for our New Year celebration with my parents.

I started Citron last year, and finished it today in the new year. I like the metaphorical bridge it represents tying one year to the other, bringing the promise of continuity, and at same time new beginnings.

I know this is ascribing a lot of meaning to a little shawl, but to me knitting is magical, kind of like life, a succession of individual knots which after hard work, and a lot of enjoyment become a whole.

The shawl turned out beautifully. I am so fond of its ruffled edge.

I love its simple yet striking geometry.

Thank you Hilary Smith Callis for your wonderful Citron Shawl pattern!

Innocence of Morning Lights

2010-09-03T08:22:00.002-05:00

I love the light in the early morning. It seems to me that everything looks innocent in the morning. The colors are clear, yet muted, as if they were just waking up, and had not put on their full coat of intensity yet. Colors in the morning feel fresh and optimistic, full of the promise of a great day to come. I guess after the colorless darkness of the night, I find great joy in seeing colors again as I open my eyes.
I wanted to capture this feeling of fresh, optimistic innocence in a colorway. I worked on it yesterday afternoon. I dyed a single skein of Merino sock yarn in light, muted lavender, pink, sky blue and soft buttery yellow. The skein seems to glow... I called it Innocence.

I cannot tell you how much of a joy it has been for me to dye these unique skeins. I am so fortunate that I can work with colors everyday, and that I can just let my imagination lead me to create these unique colorways for myself, and for you through Etsy.

Citrons Grow Fast

2010-09-02T14:36:00.000-05:00

The Citron Shawl is growing fast. I worked on it last night while at the bookstore with the children. I really like the pattern, it is so simple, yet not boring at all. I find myself entertained by the play of textures and colors.

It is going to take me a little more work to be done with it. But the good news is we are starting homeschool again tomorrow, which means that I will be sitting down for many hours, and will need somthing for my hands to do while multiplication tables are being memorized, while essays are being written...

Knitting My Own Citron

2010-09-01T13:41:00.000-05:00

Ever since I saw Citron, in the Winter 2009 issu of Knitty, I have wanted to knit it. What a lovely shawl! I just had not found the yarn I wanted to knit it with, that is until I created wonderful overdyes on Bamboo!

The pattern is wonderful, and the yarn is so soft, has such wonderful drape, and the slightest sheen. I chose to knit my citron using the colorway I called Peaceful. The color variations only add dimension to the rushed effects of the shawl.
I find knitting this shawl so relaxing.

I added 3 skeins of Bamboo to my Etsy store. I will leave you with Rhapsody...

Busy

2010-08-31T12:37:00.000-05:00

I have had very little time to write in the last few days. We are preparing for the new school year (as a homeschooling family, it means a lot of planning!)and working on Little Miss SockPixie's new room. She felt too lonely on the third floor with her older sister gone.
I have had so little time that there will not even be a picture today!
Have a great day...

Fall Rovings

2010-08-27T14:11:00.000-05:00

Today I played with rovings in fall tones. I used my 2 step process to dye the rovings, dyeing them once, and then using shibori techniques overdyeing them in a gentle color bath. I cannot tell you how much I love the richness of the colors. I also love the fact, that each batch is unique. Each day I dye fibers is a unique experience for me.

This week has been a busy week for me, as Miss SockPixie left to study in France for the next three years. I will miss my dear friend with whom I shared so many special moments talking about her dreams or mine. I am adjusting...

Kimono

2010-08-25T13:06:00.000-05:00

You have heard many times about my favorite possession, my vintage kimono. Today it inspied a roving colorway. I simply called it Kimomo

I won't say anything more. I will just let you enjoy the color...

Monet Rovings

2010-08-24T14:53:00.002-05:00

There is nothing like the subtle colors of Monet. I felt better yesterday, and worked on some rovings inspired by my favorite paintings of his. I dyed these rovings in a 2 step process, first applying a base color, and then using Shibori techniques, overdyed them, thus leaving some of the original colors visible. I love the results. They are subtle, and share the watery quality of Monet's paintings.

I jus added them to my Etsy Store and hope you will enjoy them!

Crochet's the Cure

2010-08-22T12:21:00.001-05:00

I had grand plans this weekend, I wanted to dye yarns and rovings, but I finally came down with this cold I had been fighting for days. So as a result, I am in bed resting.
But you know me, there is no way I could sit and do nothing. So I have been doing some crochet, a retro looking circular pillow. I am using Mission Falls 1824 cotton, and loving it! No thinking required. My head is so foggy now, I can hardly write.

Back to my crochet, and my sneezing!

Color Inspiration

2010-08-20T18:21:00.001-05:00

Wouldn't this Vogue picture make a beautiful colorway? I am in the mood for greens...

Let's see what I can create!

A Dollhouse Full of Adventure!

2010-08-19T14:08:00.003-05:00

This morning the light was good, and I felt inspired to take some pictures of the dollhouse. I had originally intended to take simple pictures of the house, but as I started to play with it, rearranging its furniture, choosing the objects I wanted, I felt Barbie, or I should say Eve, had to be part of the house. Before I knew it, there was a story...

... The year was 1964, in a London apartment, night had fallen... Eve was getting ready for an evening at the opera. Her make up and perfume sat on her bed ready for her...

Eve was quick, maybe even a little quicker that night because she was nervous. She had chosen dramatic make up, giving depth and mystery to her eyes, she put on her pearl earrings, tied her hair up, and placed the flower comb that M. had given her earlier that day...

All she needed now was the rendez-vous point with James at the opera house... She sat on the satin covered couch waiting for the phone to ring...

The phone rang...

It was James. In his suave voice he said only 3 words: " Intermission, main staircase," and then hung up. She stood up slowly, and leaned against the wall rehearsing one last time. She would be standing at the foot of the stairs, she would readjust her comb, and drop it to the floor. James would walk by at the same time, pick it up and substitute her comb for a similar one. That is all she had to do to transfer the microfilms that were hidden in her comb...

She walked over to the couch and absentmindedly touched the soft fur stole...She found the softness reassuring...

She went back to her room to put on her evening gown, but paused one last time. What if she failed?

After putting on her gown, wrapped in the warmth and comfort of her fur stole, she walked back to the living room, and sat on the couch, waiting for her car...

...

OK, I am done imagining crazy stories for the day! But you know, secretely, I wonder what will happen to Eve. Will she succeed in her mission?!!!

No Dollhouse Yet

2010-08-18T14:01:00.000-05:00

I know you must have been hoping that this post would be about the dollhouse and that I would be showing you pictures. I am afraid I have to disappoint you. You see, in order to take the pictures, I have to transport the house to that one corner of the house where the light is just perfect, which means that Little Miss SockPixie would have to relinquish the house to me for a few moments.

She will be out tomorrow, playing with friends... If the light is good, I should be able to take the pictures, which means tomorrow's post should be about the dollhouse!

In the meantime here is a color treat for you, some superwash Merino Venitian Sunset Roving I dyed yesterday.

My heart is beating a little faster just looking at it! I guess that's what color does to me!

Sashiko Embroidery

2010-08-17T13:48:00.002-05:00

I am fond of crafts in general, but particularly inspired by Japanese Crafts. I covet the Japanese craft books, and routinely browse Amazon Japan and get inspired by all the beautiful photographs.

A few months ago, I saw the wonderful post on the Purl Bee about Sahiko embroidery, and immediately felt like trying this type of embroidery. I love embroidering and love the simplicity of the Japanese designs.

I ordered a kit from the Purl Soho site, got it quickly, picked the thread, but as is often the case, unfortunately put it aside, and practically forgot about it, that is until last weekend.

You see, every weekend, Mr SockPixie, the children and I, go to Rockport to visit my parents, and spend the day at the beach. This last Saturday, I was in a hurry, and had no time to prepare my projects to bring with me. I was about to leave empty handed, when in the corner of my eye, I spotted the sahiko kit, all ready to embroider, on the shelf.

I did not think twice. I grabbed it. I am so glad I did! It was a perfect project for the beach, relaxed, and thoughtless, almost magical as a matter of fact. As I sat effortlessly embroidering, the pattern appeared.

I finished it last night. It will be a pillow for my bed as it matched the colors and geometric patterns of the quilt I finished recently so well.

A Final Look at Little Miss SockPixie's Dollhouse

2010-08-16T20:45:00.003-05:00

I never told you how Little Miss SockPixie reacted to the dollhouse we created for her birthday.

She indulged us the whole time we were working on it pretending she believed our story of it being a submarine for Young Mr SockPixie. She was so sweet.

When the big day came, she could hardly wait to play with it. The night before she had discretly prepared a box of items that would go into the house.

We brought the house to her room while she was still asleep, and she saw it the moment she woke up. She was so happy, and so were we.

The house is now fully inhabited by Barbie, and Betsy McCall, but also by some unexpected guests. I did not really intend the posh decor for them, but they seem quite comfy...

I am so happy the dollhouse is fully lived in, and to see her so happy to play with it fills me with joy every day. I am so happy I am thinking of another house, a fairy house, but who knows who will move in!

Dyeing Rovings

2010-08-14T14:47:00.000-05:00

I had not dyed rovings in a long time, but found my inspiration again. I am fascinated by the process of dyeing already naturally colored rovings. Shetland, Coopworth for example come in a range of browns. The rovings are not uniformely brown, they also have lighter and darker fibers mixed, which means that when you play with dyes, you can get stunning heathered effects.

I have added some heathered rovings to my Etsy store, but I might just have to grab one to do a little bit of spinning tonight...

Tutti Frutti Friday!

2010-08-13T09:11:00.000-05:00

I dyed some more yarn for my Etsy store. This time it's Tutti Frutti!

There is some lace yarn, some sport weight, and some Vegan sock Yarn!

I don't know about you, but these colors make me hungry for some sorbet...

What do mittens and the Cheshire Cat have to do with each other?

2010-08-12T13:44:00.002-05:00

What do mittens and the Cheshire Cat have to do with each other? Everything!
The other day I over-dyed some yummy alpaca, in 2 fun whimsical colors, a bright green and a fun orange.

I decided to knit mittens with the yarns. I sat down, and just let the yarns take me wherever they wanted. Sure enough, stripes appeared. I thought of the Cheshire Cat. Then a row of hearts for the Queen of Hearts magically appeared! I am back on stripes, but who knows, during my adventures in Knittingland, I might come across a rabbit in a hurry, or a mad hatter...

I Told You I was Having Fun!

2010-08-11T09:18:00.003-05:00

After I left you yesterday, I went back to my dye studio... It was fantastic. There were colors, and textures... Merino, mohair, cashmere, and alpaca...

I created greens...

I created blues...

I created purples...

Today I get to knit! The mittens using the over-dyed Alpaca yarns are taking shape. They are full of whimsy, and I love them. I hope to make enough progress to show you tomorrow!

More Playing with Over-Dyes

2010-08-10T13:25:00.001-05:00

Today I played some more with my new infatuation over-dyes. I created 2 Perfect Duos of Baby Alpaca yarns: English Lavender and Sea Breeze.

I am in love with the subtle colors. I am in love with their depth. Just imagine striping or fairisled mittens or a tam! I have added these 2 Duos to my Etsy Store. I am going to make this a short post, as I want to get back to my dye studio to play with more over-dyes!

Fun with over-dyed skeins

2010-08-09T17:06:00.000-05:00

I had some fun over-dyeing some skeins of fine baby alpaca today. Over-dyeing is a 2 step process which involves dyeing the yarn a first time in a variegated fashion, they adding an all over color to the skeins thus adding deth to the yarn. Over-dyed yarns seem to glow from within!

As soon as the skeins were dry, I balled them up, and they are in the process of becoming mittens.

This will be a fun design that I am hoping to put together as a kit for which I will design different color combinations! These first mittens will be for me though. I guess I am a little selfish but I just had to have orange and green!

A Yarn for Marie Laurencin

2010-08-08T18:22:00.003-05:00

Marie Laurencin is a French watercolor artist I have always loved. I love the women she paints in soft watery hues, with their dark doe eyes.

Here is a skein I called Aquarelle after her work, soft black, grey, muted pink, and aqua with a touch of more profound blue.

It has been so much fun to design new colorways for my Etsy shop. It feels so free. I just love to follow my color infatuation of the day. I hope you will like Aquarelle.

A Kimono for Tiny Betsy McCall

2010-08-06T11:01:00.000-05:00

I had more fun sewing clothes for Betsy McCall last night. This time Betsy gets a Kimono!

I actually spent quite a bit of time looking at my own vintage kimono to understand the construction, then simplified it a little. Betsy is only 8"! I lined the sleeves , and made the obi out of organza.

I went all out this time and even made her shoes with cork and ribbon!
The final touch was the beaded millinery velvet flower.

I love the outfit so much that I started collecting the objects that will become part of a diorama!

Focused!

2010-08-05T08:41:00.000-05:00

This morning I was straightening by bedroom, which lately has been colonized by mountains of fabric, sewing machines, and yarn. As I was arranging the books on my bedside table, I had to smile.

The titles of the books sum me up: knitting, domesticity, handspinning, and obsession, all that topped with a little bit of knitting, a sock in progress for Mr. SockPixie! Pretty focused, wouldn't you say?

Very Vogue!

2010-08-04T08:27:00.003-05:00

What do you when you fall in love with a picture (Vogue 1963, I believe), because its colors are so perfect, so balanced, so retro, so classic? You create a colorway and you name it Ombrelles. These colors make me dream, ocean blues, reds, berry pinks, and peach.

I hand-painted 2 SW Merino sock weight skeins in the Ombrelles colorway, and a beautiful cashmere blend in a sock weight. I have just added them to my Etsy Store.

Can you imagine a pair of socks knit in this colorway? Real sunshine in winter!

It Feels Good to Knit Socks

2010-08-03T13:45:00.000-05:00

I just could not concentrate on my knitting projects last night. It was not the heat, I was just tired maybe.

Mr. SockPixie was in need of a new pair of socks. Socks are the perfect mindless project for me. They are quickly finished, and follow a predictable path. The problem was I did not have enough yarn in any colorway to knit socks for him (he is a tiny size 13!) I dug in my craft room, feeling rather like an aecheologist looking for 2 matching bones, and I found a ball of Noro Silk garden Sock yarn, and a ball of no name black sock yarn.

I thought striped socks would be a lot of fun, in particular as the Noro colors would change.

The stripes started with apple green, then switched to practically black green, then grey, and now the blue is coming. I just can't stop knitting, hurrah for socks and Noro! My knitting mojo is back!
These are some wild socks though, and I hope not too wild for Mr. SockPixie...

A New Dress for Betsy

2010-08-02T11:58:00.002-05:00

I started my Sunday full of good intensions. I was determined to finish my knitting project, but with each stitch, I found myself thinking more and more about a new dress I could make for Betsy. After a few rows, I gave up, put the knitting away, and fetched the fabrics that had triggered my dress reverie.

I had a piece of black cotton cloth, a piece of black fabric with miniature cherries on it, a little piece of black lace, and a piece of black ribbon.

The resut, a black dress with a little cherry apron on top. Betsy is also sporting a new hair color for the occasion, a rich auburn brown!

I used the lace at the neck, at the shoulders and at the hem of the simple black dress.

I really like the simple black dress. Though black is not a very Betsy color, I like the fact that it seems to bring another side of her personality forward. Maybe she reminds me of the little French children dressed like miniature adults, looking so serious and spotlessly clean in the playgrounds of the Jardin du Ranelagh. She reminds me of Sophie, a girl whose imaginary adventures and misfortunes were told by the Comtesse de Segur.

I have been dreaming of creating a world for her, something French, and slightly old-fashioned, A world in which like Sophie, she would have a beautiful wax doll she would forget in the sun...

There I go again, off on another reverie!

Handspun Finn Bonbon and Dollhouse Fun

2010-08-01T12:34:00.001-05:00

Finn roving has to be my favorite fiber to spin. I find it the easiest to spin, and I love the resulting yarn. It is just beautiful, matt looking, and baby soft.

I named this skein Bonbon. Its colors were inspired by the bonbon colored dresses of Marie-Antoinette.
It is 110 yards. I can just see a Cerise Baby Sweater for a baby girl! I just added it to my Etsy Shop.

On the dollhouse front, I am almost there. Yesterday I received an adorable re-ment tea set. The detail is amazing! (I ordered it from Priscilla's Treasures.) And the color...emerald. It reminds me of the vintage Anchor forest green glass dish sets. Little Miss SockPixie will be so happy!

The dollhouse should be done tomorrow...

SockPixie Handpun Yarns on Etsy and Hand-Dyed Yarns too!

2010-07-30T10:55:00.002-05:00

A couple weeks ago, I talked about selling some of my handspun. I decided to open an Etsy store. I previously had had my own website, but found that the maintenance was a lot of work for a single person. Etsy offers a great platform, that is easy and fast to use, and therefore will allow me more time to spin and dye yarns.

I have just uploaded some beautiful skeins of handspun single ply worsted weight yarns. Each skein is 220 yards of either merino, wensleydale or BFL. They would be so beautiful as yokes for Cerise Baby Sweaters. Their generous yardage make them ideal for hat, cowls, or mittens or just to add that special touch of color and texture to your knit projects.

I also created some new colorways in sock and lace weight yarns. I am having fun!

I look forward to creating unique hand-dyed and handspun yarns for my new Etsy Store.I hope you will visit SockPixie on Etsy!

Betsy Was Getting Jealous...

2010-07-29T09:41:00.002-05:00

All this attention given to Barbie's new world made Betsy jealous! So, I made her some new pj's last night. She even got to spend the night in Barbie's new bedroom!

During my last visit to Winmill Fabrics Miss SockPixie spotted this wonderful tiny print fabric with stars, moons and sleepy suns. I found tiny lace at Windsor Button, as well as beautiful satin ribbon for the bows.

I know I have not posted much about spinning or knitting in the last few days, but I have been working on a design for a glamorous holiday top knit with Manos Silk Blend. I am hoping to be done with the knitting tomorrow, and will be taking pictures to show over the weekend.

For now, it's back to work on the dollhouse, a little bit of wallpapering, a coffee table and a dining table to make...

Birthday Countdown: 6 Days Left!

2010-07-28T15:17:00.002-05:00

I made slow progress on the dollhouse today. I spent the whole day working on the sofa. I decided I would create a permanent padded upholstery for it. I picked a glorious piece of satin from my basket of odds and ends.

I had to do it over and over again. Each time I thought I had it, I would discover a big stain of glue in the wrong place, or the fabric would slip, or I would try to stretch it before the glue was fully cured... I got to practice all my French swear words!

Quite glamorous... I mean the sofa, not the swear words! I wanted to play with the textures, satin, wood and fresh water pearls... and of course the fur throw.

I think Little Miss SockPixie's new Barbie looks fabulous on it... It was all worth it. I just hope Little Miss SockPixie did not memorize all the swear words!

Birthday Countdown: 7 Days Left!

2010-07-27T17:30:00.001-05:00

7 days left until Little Miss SockPixie's birthday! The dollhouse is taking shape. The main structures of the bedroom are in place.

For the back wall I selected wallpaper samples in tones of blue and sand. They actually inspired the whole room. The bed is a simple natural pine platform with a mattress on top, linen sheets, and a quilted blue flowered throw. The pillow is again simple natural linen trimmed with a navy blue ribbon. The bedside tables are white porcelain, and the lamps are made of aqua colored glass tiles in harmony with the sea tones of the room. A cork carpet lines the floor.

The boys are working on a few more pieces of furnitures while we girls are adding the last details to the room... That little piece of fur from an old glove is waiting to become part of the new little world...

Textures, that will be my focus tonight...

Birthday Countdown! Only 8 Days Left!

2010-07-26T17:36:00.004-05:00

This morning, I woke up with this absolutely crazy idea that I would make a dollhouse for Little Miss SockPixie who will be turning 9 next Tuesday!

The moment Little Miss SockPixie's siblings woke up, I shared the plan with them. They all agreed it was a great idea, and we started brainstorming. The house will be big enough for her new retro Barbie, and her Betsy. It will be a very modern 1 bedroom...

We started looking in Mr. SockPixie's wood collection for the perfect pieces. We found everything we needed. In my craft room we even found wallpaper samples and tile samples, and exciting flooring possibilities. We have clay to make dishes and pots, etc... The only thing we had to get this morning was some sandpaper, and more wood glue.

I love that the project will be basically using only recycled items. The boys have been working on the house design, and on the furniture. Miss SockPixie and I have been painting, wallpapering, and sewing. Little Miss SockPixie so far believes we are building a submarine for Young Mr. SockPixie! She did mention tonight that this seemed to be a really fancy submarine. Our answer: "These are the captain's quarters!"

There are some pieces of furniture drying everywhere, and Mr. SockPixie's office, which we have claimed as our work space now has the lovely smell of fresh paint and wood glue...

More tomorrow...

Blissful Roving

2010-07-23T16:45:00.001-05:00

This is what I will be spinning tonight...

Pure bliss...

Sewing for my Betsy

2010-07-22T14:38:00.003-05:00

A few months ago, I got a Tiny Betsy McCall doll for little Miss SockPixie. She fell in love with the doll and so did I... I resisted the urge to get a Betsy for myself for months. I rationalized that I did not need it, that I was too old to get a doll, that I had no time for another hobby... So finally last week I gave in, I bought my own Betsy.

I spent last night designing a little dress for her. It takes a little practice to sew for an 8" doll. I picked a lovely light weight polka dot fabric, and some light green ribbon to flatter her hair color. I started the sewing last night.

I pleated the bodice, and added a lace trim to the bodice and the pettycoat. I finished it this afternoon at the Frog Pond while the children were playing. I used little bits of ribbon for the straps, and added a simple ribbon belt to highlight Betsy's petite waist.

On our way home, we stopped by Winmill Fabrics which is conveniently located close to the Frog Pond and picked up cute fabrics to make more dresses and a leopard print coat!

I am having so much fun!

Vintage Beauty

2010-07-21T11:57:00.000-05:00

Finding a vintage hat always makes me happy. This one made me particularly happy. I adore its 2 tone gathered veil, with its little flowers here and there, and the touch of velvet at the back of the hat making it all glow.

I wish women still wore hats...

A Little Spinning

2010-07-20T18:56:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was resting... Today was spinning...
I spun yummy merino roving that I hand-dyed in various tones of lapis lazuli, and emerald greens because I could not get the picture of this glorious peacock out of my mind.

I sat and spun my own peacock , soft and squishy, and so beautifully contrasted...

220 yards worsted of weight singles... Should I knit another baby sweater? This would make such a pretty Cerise...

Day at the Beach

2010-07-19T19:56:00.003-05:00

The kids were wonderful last weekend, patiently waiting for me to be done with the work on the Liesl Kerchief pattern, bringing me lunch and dinner and sending me "I love you" notes.

Today was a vacation day, so we went to visit my parents in Rockport. We spent a great day at the beach.

...Little Miss SockPixie enjoying some chips after her swim... Looking quite serious... Maybe she was wondering how she could get back at her siblings for splashing her...

Young Mr SockPixie tired after a lot of snorkling... Looking more grown up every day...

And Little Mr SockPixie, a frozen but happy snorkler! Don't you love the hair!

I got to rest, and hang out with my parents. It was a great day!

The Liesl Kerchief Pattern is ready

2010-07-18T20:55:00.014-05:00

The Liesl Kerchief pattern is ready. After a few technical problems, everything is now working perfectly.

The Liesl Kerchief is a great project for hot summer knitting. It uses only one ball of Rowan Classic Yarns Siena, under 153 yards, and is so quick to knit. With its delicate lace edging inspired by a 40's vintage doily, Liesl, which can be worn both as a or as a scarflet, has a timeless feminine beauty. The pattern has both written instructions and charted instructions for the lace edging, as well as beautiful pictures and a companion video series explaining all stitches and techniques used in tha pattern. I hope you will enjoy knitting Liesl as much as I have... Click on the Buy Now Button to purchase the pattern and download it easily. (You do not need to be a Ravelry member, nor do you need to have a Paypal account.)

For the first time, Mr SockPixie and I worked on a series of companion videos to the pattern. The videos cover all the important stitches and techniques in the pattern in order to make it as simple and enjoyable as possible for you to knit Liesl. Here is part 1 for you to see. To view them full size, click on the title link under each video.

              Liesl Kerchief - Part 1 - Starting the Kerchief from SockPixie on Vimeo.


                           Liesl Kerchief - Part 2 - Increases from SockPixie on Vimeo.

Liesl Kerchief - Part 3 - Decreases from SockPixie on Vimeo.

Liesl Kerchief - Part 4 - Picot Edging Bind Off from SockPixie on Vimeo.

I look forward to getting your feedback, and to seeing all your beautiful Liesls.
Have a great evening!

The "Lace Kerchief" Has a Name and the Winning Comment Is...

2010-07-17T19:38:00.004-05:00

Tonight, before I tell you the name I have chosen for the kerchief, and before I announce the randomely picked winning comment, I want to thank you all for your comments, for your creativity, your imagination, and for all the inspiration you gave me. So many times as I was reading your comments I would exclaim "Oh, I love this name!"
So the first thing I want to do tonight is give you a virtual bouquet of flowers to thank you, a bouquet of flowers from my beloved JP pond at sunset.

Inspired by all your comments I decided to name the pattern Liesl, the Liesl Kerchief: a little Vermeer, a little bit of France, a little bit of old Europe, a touch of medieval, a pinch of timelessness, a dash of romance, a hint of vintage, a summery night, simplicity...This is what Liesl evokes for me and much more...

I kept the best for last, the winner of the giveaway. I picked a comment at random using the Random Number Generator. I accounted for any double posts and used the order in which your comments appeared as they were posted to the blog and in my email to ensure they would be counted in the correct order.
And... the winner tonight is... Rachel!

rachel said...

going with a 40s glamour idea how about myrna kerchief for myrna loy

Congratulations Rachel! Use the Contact Me link in the upper right hand corner of the blog to give me the email address you would like the pdf e-mailed to, and your physical address for the yarn to be mailed to.

The pattern will be available Sunday July 18 at around 7 p.m. East Coast time. It is getting its last tech editing, and the videos are ready!

I wish you all a great evening!

"Lace Kerchief": A favorite detail

2010-07-16T19:47:00.009-05:00

There is one particular detail I love in the "Lace Kerchief". The little i-cord ties are finished each with a single delicate Japanese seed bead. If the hair is slighty shorter, they highlight the beauty of neck, looking almost like dewdrops.

Remember that this lace kerchief does not have a name yet. I would love it if you could help me find a name for it. Regardless of which name I select, I will pick a comment at random to receive a gift copy of the pattern and its video as well as a ball of Rowan Classic Yarns Siena cotton. Be sure to leave your comment by Saturday July 17 at 8 p.m. East Coast time. Click on the link to read about the "lace kerchief" pattern and to leave a comment for the giveaway and to help me find a name: Name Me! .

"Lace Kerchief" Photoshoot

2010-07-15T20:22:00.003-05:00

I wanted to share with you this picture from today's photoshoot of the "lace kerchief". The sun was shining gently, it was almost sunset on JP pond with an antique boat house in the background. My two daughters were loving their new kerchiefs... It was a beautiful moment...

Remember that this lace kerchief does not have a name yet. I would love it if you could help me find a name for it. Regardless of which name I select, I will pick a comment at random to receive a gift copy of the pattern and its video as well as a ball of Rowan Classic Yarns Siena cotton. Click on the link to read about the "lace kerchief" pattern and to leave a comment for the giveaway and to help me find a name: Name Me! .

Knitting in hot weather and giveaway

2010-07-14T13:28:00.006-05:00

If you live on the East Coast, you know that it has been horribly hot and muggy here for at least 2 weeks. I actually call this type of weather "sit and sweat". It is practically too hot to knit, but I cannot live without knitting. So I had to think of something. I set out to design something small, yet fun and made with cotton yarn.

I had a couple balls of Rowan Classic Yarns Siena, one red, and one blue. My project needed to require no more than 153 yards. The red project would go to Miss SockPixie, and the blue one to Little Miss SockPixie.

I have a fondness for simple summer kerchiefs, that you can either wear on you head, or around your neck. I am endlessly making some out of fabric, but thought what if I made some knitted ones?

I opted for a simple triangular center, and a lace border. The lace pattern is actually based on a vintage 40's doily. I adapted the stitch pattern to fit my purpose. The little picot edging adds to the vintage feel of this charming romantic project. It also gives an informal, innocent touch to the kerchief. I am particularly fond of the sun like pattern in the center of the kerchief.

The project is small, light, cotton and super fast to knit,and only uses 1 ball of Siena, perfect for that odd ball left in your stash. The ideal kind of summer knitting!

I am testing the pattern right now. The photoshoot will happen tomorrow. I love taking pictures, so this should a lot of fun. Hopefully there will be a little sun for us! I should have the pattern ready by this Sunday. I will be offering it as a pdf for $3.00, and am creating a video companion to guide you through the knitting steps. I often feel when knitting myself, or when answering your questions that things would be so much easier if we could just see it. I hope you will let me know what you think of this idea of video support.

Oh, one last thing. This lace kerchief does not have a name yet. I would love it if you could help me find a name for it. Regardless of which name I select, I will pick a comment at random to receive a gift copy of the pattern and its video as well as a ball of Rowan Classic Yarns Siena cotton.

Just leave a comment with your suggestion by Saturday July 17, 8 p.m. East Coast time.

Back to testing...

I could not resist any more...

2010-07-13T13:39:00.006-05:00

All this spinning, and playing with colorful rovings made me want to get my dyes out of the cupboard.

Here is the result of today's color play...

Like a sunset in the sky of Normandie in Trouville when the clouds look like they are on fire against the blue grey ocean... This is going to be so nice to spin... I love to spin so much... I am even thinking about selling my handspun... Not a lot of it, just a little of it...What do you think?

And the Winner is....

2010-07-12T11:22:00.006-05:00

It is noon on Monday July 12, and I just picked a comment at random using the Random Number Generator. ( I checked the comments for accidental double posts, found one and accounted for it.) But before I announce the winner, I want to tell you how touched I am by all your comments about my blog and about my work. You made me so happy. I hope that you will continue to share your thoughts with me, that you will continue to write about your projects and post comments to my daily musings. Your comments mean a lot to me. It is so nice to know that I have so many friends and I wish you could all have won.

I know you are all impatient... So... the winner of this lovely Handspun Candy is...

KRIS!!!!

Kris said...
I started following your blog about a month ago - what beautiful colorways you create! This skein is soooo lovely!

Congratulations Kris! Kris, please use the contact me button in the upper right of this page. Include you full name and address and I will ship your Handspun Candy to you today.

Back to knitting and spinning... I hope to be done with a new, cute, fun summer knit very soon. I can hardly wait to share it with you...

July 10, 2010 8:08 PM

Hanspun Candy Giveaway

2010-07-10T12:57:00.006-05:00

Yesterday's spinning was dramatic. The colors were deep, dark, and bold. Today's colors are bold, but at the same time playful, just like candy. Royal blue, periwinkle, aqua, mint green, coral, peach, and apricot...
I could eat it.

I picked 2 Wensleydale SockPixie hand-dyed rovings in compatible tones, and spun my favorite light worsted weight singles.

Spinning the Wensleydale was a lot of fun. The yarn feels denser to me than the merino, but also like it will have a beautiful drape. About 220 yards of handspun bliss! Wouldn't it look great as the yoke of a Cerise Baby Sweater?

While spinning this yarn, I sadly realized that I would never have the time to knit everything I spin, so I am going to send it as a gift to one of you.

Just leave a comment by Monday July 12 at noon East coast time. One of you will be randomely picked and will receive this skein as a gift.

Now back to working on my secret project...

Victorious!

2010-07-09T12:11:00.005-05:00

This morning, as soon as I opened my eyes, I looked at my spools of singles. Sorry, Mr. SockPixie, but a spinner has her priorities. I am after all involved in a serious competition, the Tour de Fleece!

I may have been a little too openly passionate about my spinning, though. When Mr. SockPixie came to our room to give me a goob-bye kiss, he found sitting on his pillow, next to me, the spools of handspun... He took it with a smile, but I am sure he will be teasing me about this for quite a while!

Back to the Tour de Fleece. A racer cannot let their personal life interfere! As soon as Mr. SockPixie was gone, I started plying. I decided on an early start to try and take advantage of the relative coolness of the early morning. I "pedaled" hard, and got a great early morning workout.

The yarn is plied. I have 2 glorious skeins to show for it. Soft, squishy, sport weight sock yarn... My own personal "maillot jaune".

Mr. SockPixie may have yet another reason to tease me tomorrow!

Tour de Fleece

2010-07-08T17:50:00.006-05:00

I joined the Tour de Fleece a few days late, but since I have been spinning every day lately, I thought I could just hop on my "wheels" and get going.

Growing up in France, I followed the progress of the Tour de France everyday on TV. Raymond Poulidor was my favorite racer. I can still hear myself screaming at the top of my lungs "Allez Poupou!!!" I loved him, even though he never won.

I worked really hard yesterday to spin the midnight blue yarn to be plied with my 4th of July single ply. I finished the midnight blue strand last night.

Let me tell you it was no small feat. It was swelteringly hot here in Boston, and I was pushing on these "pedals" as hard as I could. Who knew spinnning could be so physical! With each push, I mentally cheered, "Allez, Caro, Allez Caro, Allez!" (Caro was the nickname given to me by my childhood buddies.)

Tomorrow's "étape" plying in the heat! You know I just realized a funny thing while writing this post, the colors of the rovings I picked match the Tour de Fleece logo really well. The socks I knit up from the yarn will be my Tour de Fleece socks!

Never Too Hot to Finish a Quilt

2010-07-07T13:09:00.008-05:00

Last week I finished tying the quilt I had started a year ago. Today,inspite of the heat, I finished the binding. For the first time since the day I picked the fabrics, I got to see the quilt sitting on my bed. It looks excatly like I imagined it would.

The fabric that got me started was the central balck and red floral. I chose everything else with it in mind. I even placed it in the center of the quilt. All the fabrics in the quilt have either black, or red, with of course white. To avoid monotony, I picked some with yellow, but only in the small prints. I looked everywhere for the perfect fabrics. Most of them come from Winmill Fabrics (111 Chauncy Street Boston, MA 02111-1796 ), some from the Cambridge Quilt Shop. One of the fabrics used to be a tablecloth originally. I love the contrast in the size of the prints, I am so happy with the simple geometric construction.

I am really fond of the little yarn ties, they seem to add a touch of surprise with their whimsical, almost rustic spirit. Such a contrast with the almost austere, measured feel of the quilt top.

I am not the only one loving the new quilt. My old friend here seems quite comfortable, his eyes begging to be allowed to take his daily naps on the quilt. Who could resist those eyes!

Vintage Hat

2010-07-06T10:33:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, we took a trip to Newburyport. We love taking the commuter rail to this charming coastal town, with its old buildings, its restaurants, its great yarn store (A Loom with a View) and its fantastic Vintage store called Oldies.

Yesterday, the girls and I were on a mission. You already know that I have a passion for vintage sewing machines, well I also have something for vintage hats. There is one vendor in Oldies that has vintage hats. And look at what we found! A perfectly cute 50's summer bright red hat, with a flocked voilette, and the cutest little bunches of cream flowers.

Don't you love the delicate feminity, the slight touch of whimsy... a perfect hat for an afternoon garden tea party. I can imagine a little polka dot dress with it, a fitted little cardigan with just a touch of knitted lace and of course darling red shoes...

Handspun Sunday

2010-07-04T18:28:00.003-05:00

It is Sunday again, and that means it is spinning day. Today I picked a bold gold and black roving with just a touch of green I had dyed years ago as part of the Vermeer Collection.

Today, on this 4th of July, it just made me think of fireworks exploding in the dark sky in bold golds. I really enjoyed seeing the golds pop against the blacks as I sat spinning this afternoon talking and laughing with Miss SockPixie.

This lovely Merino roving, which I spun as fine singles, will be plied with another fine singles this time in black. I am planning on knitting socks from it. Spinning sock yarn takes a little more concentration for me. The singles really need to be fine enough for the sock yarn not to be too thick. Enough twist also needs to be put in the singles for them to hold together and not disintegrate as you spin or when you ply. I set my wheel on the medieum size whorl, and slowed the uptake a little. This should give me a sturdy single that will resist the plying, and will make a comfy yet sturdy sock.

That's it for tonight. We are off to see the fireworks over the Charles River. I wish you all a wonderful 4th of July!

Another Cerise Baby Sweater

2010-07-02T11:37:00.009-05:00

told you, knitting the Cerise Baby Sweater was a little addictive. Last night I needed a break from my work on another secret project. Another Cerise Baby Sweater was just the break I needed. Plus I have an excuse for knitting another one, one of my students in the French Class I teach is going to be a grandmother in the fall. I will give the sweater to her. This makes knitting another baby sweater completely necessary!

I had some left over yarn I dyed with natural dyes. Most were little odds and ends in golden tones, and I had a little more in a lovely steel blue grey.
I arranged the golden tones in a crescendo of intensity. The yellow would be perfect for the yoke, and the blue grey for the body.

I put on a movie, Madame de... by Max Ophüls... and I knit. The pattern is so easy I can almost knit with my eyes closed. Actually I just kept them open so I could watch the movie!

By the end of the movie, I was practically done. I finished the sweater this morning.

Now it is back to my secret project... That is until I need another break!

Vintage Knitting Patterns

2010-07-01T14:01:00.003-05:00

I have over time been collecting vintage knitting pattern books. Whenever I find one at thrift store, or at a garage sale, or if I am really lucky in a box of discarded items on the street, I get it, no matter what the era, whether it is for children, men or women or even for the house.

Of course I would be lying if I said I did not have a favorite era. The 40s and 50s are my absolute favorites.

I have never knit quite a few projects these books. What I enjoy the most is looking through them. I study the pictures, and read the patterns often, admiring a line, a shoulder, a lace detail, or a stitch.
They are a constant source of inspiration for me.

It is a shame that I do not come across these books very often. They are becoming harder and harder to find.

But thanks to the internet, you can now get downloadable version of some of them over the internet.
If you are like me and like these vintage knitting patterns here is a list of links to sites that offer free downloadable vintage knitting patterns.

- Free Vintage Knitting offers maybe the largest selection of vintage patterns for the whole family and for the house. You can either print the retyped pattern from the screen or you can purchase a restored version for download.
- Vintage Purls offers a nice selection of free vintage knitting patterns for men women and children and a few items for the home.
- Glamrama has a small but nice selection of free vintage patterns. Check out the Bernat Cape from 1956!
- Yarn Lover's Room offers a selection of free retyped patterns you can print directly from the screen.
- V&A offers a small selection of free vintage patterns from the 1940's in England for download

Have fun browsing! And if you have a favorite site with free vintage patterns not on the list, let me know and I will add it to the list.

Ready to be knit up

2010-06-30T16:08:00.003-05:00

Remember the yarn I spun on Sunday? Here it is, all skeined and ready to be knit up. To be honest I have no idea what I am going to knit with it. Maybe it will become the yoke of another Cerise Baby Sweater... maybe mittens, or a hat, who knows...

For now, I am going to enjoy looking at it. It will sit on my bedside table.

Tying up Loose Ends

2010-06-29T15:19:00.005-05:00

This morning, I woke up with the worst back pain. No painting walls for me today. My problem is I hate being idle, in particular when I am determined to accomplish something.

I had to find something to do that would still relate to making the house nicer. About a year ago, I finished a quilt top. It had been sitting on the chaise in my room, ready to be finished.

Now that was a project that tied in well with the house, and would be fun, and satisfying to do.
I grabbed a ball of left over red yarn, and sitting comfortably started tying little bits of red yarn at the intersections of the fabrics.

No heavy lifting while hand-quilting, and before I knew it, I was done.

This back pain was a great thing after all, it forced me to sit long enough to finish the quilt top, and led me to choose the simplest way to finish the quilt. Mind you, I really love the minimalist look of the yarn ties. They add a touch of color and texture, but do not distract. The fabrics still are the center of attention, and are both physically and metaphorically tied together.

After the tying was done, I guess I must have relaxed while doing it, my back felt a little better. Nothing like tying loose ends!