My New Knitting Basket

Here is my new knitting basket. After looking at various web sites (thank you so much for all the recommendations!), I ended up going with something from Pottery Barn anyway. This is the Havana model I think. There's also the Savannah which is the same style basket in a lighter color.



I chose it for the size (actually I was even hoping for something larger) and the lid. In magazines you always see these perfectly organized knitting baskets with color-coordinated skeins of yarn all exactly the same size but my knitting collection tends to be much more chaotic so a lid is appreciated. So far Bubbles the rabbit seems uninterested in chewing it.


I'm getting very excited about Easter. I've always loved Easter but this year it is even better because it is also the first Major League Baseball game of the season. Those four hour Yankees/Red Sox games are great for getting some serious knitting done.

SockPixie, the mother hen...

SockPixie is a mother hen right now, caring for her oldest chick as she is leaving on Tuesday for Paris.
That means a lot of last minute sewing...
So no colorways for this weekend.

Miss SockPixie...

Children grow up so fast. I can see Miss SockPixie so little and look at her now, on the eve of her departure for France, on the eve of her 20th birthday...


I will miss her a lot...

A Special Day for the SockPixie Family

Today is a special day for the SockPixie family. First, it is Mr.SockPixie's birthday!
Little Miss SockPixie and I went downtown Boston this morning to get him a present. We picked a lovely pen for him. We can hardly wait to give it to him.

When we got home, a package had arrived for Little Miss SockPixie. Guess what it was! It was her Tiny Betsy McCall doll!

Little Miss SockPixie got dressed for her daddy's birthday, and asked if I could take a picture of Betsy and her together.


It makes me so happy to see her so happy...and thinking about how happy Mr. SockPixie will be... what a beautiful day!

Periwinkle Gauntlet Gloves



Here is the first pair of gauntlet gloves I knit for myself. As I said in my last post the yarn I used was slightly thin for the pattern but I was completely seduced by the color. I just love periwinkle! The yarn is Jojoland Cashmere 2-ply.

It is really pleasant to work such a simple pattern; I've been working on the gloves while simultaneously reading.


I did a basic eyelet row and 3 stitch I-cord for the bows.


I am now doing the same pattern in Elann's Peruvian baby cashmere blend so I can photograph them before I put the pattern on Ravelry and Lulu and Patternfish. If I make them a third time I will use Sarah's Yarn fingering weight 100% cashmere , maybe in black.

Tulip Colorway Collection

I am dyeing the colorways for this weeks's Tulip Collection. Tulips are such varied flowers, sometines subtle, sometimes bold, sometimes tone on tone, sometimes multi-colored.
I wanted to keep the green separate and thought it would be fun to give each colorway its companion mini green skein so that you may knit the cuff, heel and toe of your socks in the contrast colorway, or add a little contrasting edging to a shawlette, or do a fun ribbed edge with the barber pole worsted... The fun possibilities are endless.


I hope you will enjoy my bouquet of tulips!

Cashmere Gloves

I've long wanted a pair of cashmere gauntlet gloves; in fact I even put them on my Christmas list but Santa overlooked that request. (In Santa's defense, my Christmas list was quite large this year.) I've spent a lot of time looking at various web sites for a pair in a color I liked but finally broke down and ordered the yarn to knit a pair.



My first yarn purchase was this Jojoland 2 ply cashmere in periwinkle (it is a little more blue in the photo than in real life). I am almost finished knitting the gloves and will get you a photo next week.

Then I decided to write up the pattern because I liked it so much. Because the Jojoland cashmere was a bit too thin for gloves (it is more of a laceweight although the gloves will work fine for this climate), I ordered some of Elann's Peruvian cashmere blend in the color claret to knit a second pair.


I have to admit I'm not completely enchanted with this color but maybe it will grow on me. All this knitting has rekindled my love of knitting gloves. I have no idea why I love knitting gloves so much but I really do. Next I want to a do a graphic black and white pair with Baby Ull and maybe some Norwegian buttons.

Color Knitting Links

Drops has a brand new free pattern for some stranded Easter socks with baby chicks on them. If you want more Easter knitting, they are offering an Easter calendar (sort of like an Advent calendar) with a pattern a day until Easter HERE.

Here is a free pattern for some Houndstooth stranded gloves in a chunky yarn.

This Easy Fair Isle Hat looks really easy and a perfect free pattern for a beginner to knitting with two colors.

Check out Pat's magnificent Colorwork Socks using two multi-colored yarns she spun herself. If you've ever tried to do a stranded project with just one multi-colored yarn you know how difficult it is to get the pattern to show up really well. With two yarns, it is nearly impossible. The socks themselves remind me a bit of Alice Starmore's Henry VIII sweater.

Therese at the One Stitch After Another Knitfinder blog is compiling a great list of color knitting resources. That's where I heard that there is a Bohus Stickning  group on Flickr HERE.

Tiny Betsy McCall

You know that I like dolls a lot. I am afraid, I like them as much if not more than Little Miss SockPixie. I have now for years knit and sewn clothes her American Girl Dolls. I love everything to be a little retro wether it be a doll sweater, a baby or a doll sweater, or even something for grown girls.

Yesterday, I fell in love with a doll, the Tiny Betsy McCall(by Tonner ). Tiny Betsy McCall is a remake  of the original 1950's Betsy McCall. She is only 8". She is so perfect, I had to get her for Little Miss SockPixie!


I am going to have so much fun sewing and knitting for her. She will of course belong to Little Miss SockPixie...

Tulip Colorways

After the Spring Green Rhapsody colorways, this coming weekend will be tulips, tulip colorways.
Tulips are my favorite spring flowers. Their colors are so fresh and vibrant, a real breath of fresh air after the long winter months.


I am off to create colorways...

Premie Baby Sweater: Remake 1 and 2

A few days ago, I knit a premie baby sweater and loved it. I decided to write a pattern for it. The pattern will be for premie to 2 year old size.

I want to make a few changes to the original, but it will still be a quick easy knit for babies using a worsted weight yarn.

I picked colors today for the new samples. I picked colors that would make the yoke fun, and would give the sweaters a touch of retro French! ( The sweaters will be gifted to my new little cousin due to be born in May in Paris.)

One of the sweaters will be oatmeal and blue, while the other will be oatmeal and red. I can hardly wait to pick the buttons!

I had time to work on the pattern for the Retro Cardi for Girls last night aand have made some progress. It should be ready soon.

That's it for today. Now I need to go drink my coffee. I just realized thanks to the splitting headache, and an unusual impatience that I had forgotten to have coffee this morning...

Progress on the Retro Cardi for Grown Girls

I have been working on the Retro Cardi for Grown Girls. I am done with the left front, and the back. Tonight will be the right front, and then on to the sleeves.

I love this pattern knit in the alpaca. The soft halo gives such subtlety to the pattern.

Tonight I am working on the pattern for the Retro Cardi for Girls. The children will be in bed, Mr. SockPixie will be working on projects of his own, it will be quiet and I do need quiet when I edit and size patterns!

Sring Green Rhapsody Colorways

The Spring Green Rhapsody colorways are ready and uploaded.
It was a lot of fun to play with a unique color theme, and to create different moods of green, some bright, some warm, some muted, some vibrant...



I hope you will enjoy my vision of spring. Have a great Sunday!

Mission Accomplished: I finished the Premie Baby Sweater

Mission accomplished. The premie sweater for little M. (my friends L. and S. have just adopted him) is done, and already gifted to this beautiful little boy.

I took the time to take a few pictures of the sweater before giving it to M.

I had 2 colors, a golden yellow, and a white in a worsted weight. I knit the sweater top down, and played with the colors in the yoke.


After the yoke, I kept a simple garter stitch edge along the fronts of the sweater, and picked these amazing buttons. Picking the buttons was really hard, the yellows were all wrong, and so were the whites, then I saw these, and fell in love. They look a little like morning dew...





I picked up stitches along the front edges to create a nice finish, and give the sweater a little body.



I really love how easy this sweater was to knit and of course the classic, retro feel appeals to me. I guess this is another pattern for me to write. I have a feeling this is going to become our family pattern for all new babies. Kind of a nice tradition don't you think?

Spring Green Rhapsody

I have been feeling that spring is coming, the bulbs in my garden are even coming up!
The only color I want right now is green. For this Sunday's SockPixie store update I am creating a Spring Green Rhapsody!

While the yarns are drying, here is a Green Button Rhapsody!


Knitting Marathon

I was sitting with the children, homeschooling, and knitting the Retro Cardi for Grown Girls when the phone rang about 30 minutes ago. It was my dear friend L.

She was calling with the most wonderful news! They just got a call from social services. There are adopting a little boy. He will be coming home on Friday! He is a 4 1/2 pound premie.

I am so happy for them. There is no greater joy than a new baby. Which also means, that I have until Friday to have something ready for the baby.

The idea is a top dow cardigan, in a worsted weight, washable of course, and ultra soft... This is what I found in my stash. This baby is a little spring baby. The colors remind me of little yellow crocus poking their noses out of the snow... This is a great oppotunity to design a quick knit for premies!




It is 2:11 p.m.. I am starting as soon as this post is done. The knitting marathon has started...

Chevron Love Mittens

ETA: To remove a link - can't seem to find that Schoolhouse Press chart kit anywhere now.

Wow - I finally feel caught up on everything after six months! I've been downloading patterns with a vengeance.

Here are the Chevron Love Mittens. I first saw this pattern on the incredibly talented Pat's blog (and she still has my favorite color combo for the mittens.) You can purchase the pattern HERE or a kit with 8 different colors of yarn HERE. Because the pattern uses 8 colors it is kind of fun to see what other knitters choose on the pattern's Ravelry pages HERE.



I was actually going to do a rainbow color progression but realized I had exactly 8 colors of Elann's now-discontinued Devon yarn. I would normally not pair these colors together but I am happy with how they turned out. I was actually reading and knitting simultaneously when I cast on for the first mitten and didn't realize until later than I somehow reversed the cast on so it is backwards. No problem - I just did the second mitten the same way.


TODAY'S COLOR KNITTING LINKS

Lots of links today so grab a cup of coffee or tea before going through them!

Annemor Sundbo has put photos of individual Norwegian knitted items she found in a ragpile on Flickr. I could scroll through those 191 mittens and glove photos all day.

Janine, traditional Fair Isle knitter and designer extraordinaire (who has a spectacular color sense) teaches Fair Isle workshops, generally in the western US. Also, scroll down to see her amazing sweater based on Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night. Janine also designed a free .PDF pattern for two spectacular pillows with lots of great technique info.

There are two upcoming Norwegian knitting books listed on Amazon - I think I mentioned one of them before. The books are Norwegian Sweater Techniques for Today's Knitter (love that jacket on the cover!) and Norwegian Patterns for Knitting: Classic Sweaters, Hats, Vests, and Mittens.

Nordic Fiber Arts now sells hat kits using Strikkegarn - I love the Torridal hat.

Check out  these knitted landscapes using intarsia. I am in awe of the Walk in the Woods series.

Kathryn Alexander, one of my color knitting idols, now sells yarn kits using her lovely colors. I think it would be fun to buy one and come up with a mitten project.

Elizabeth Lovick also teaches Fair Isle classes - this time in the UK. Check out that gorgeous vest!

Not colorwork but here is a great free pattern and link to a video that teaches knitters how to knit mittens.

Here's a free pattern for stranded socks that would be good to use up all those odds and ends of sock yarn that accumulate - Minestrone Socks.

One of the coolest stranded projects on Ravelry is this Sandnes Viking Ship jacket.

Here's a source for HiyaHiya 4" steel double-pointed needles for all your glove knitting needs.

If you knit and you are in the UK, a Donkey Sanctuary needs your help to knit donkeys to help them raise funds.

The Retro Cardi for Grown Girls

While I am working on the edits to the Retro Cardi for Girls pattern, I have already started work on the Retro Cardi for Grown Girls. By that, I mean girls like you and me!

The yarn is Berroco Ultra Alpaca, and the fabric will be a lovely retro 1950's circle skirt.




For now it's back to knitting, as the skirt and the Retro Cardi for Grown Girls have to be ready before March 30, when Miss SockPixie leaves for France!

Coal Springs Scarf

I've been waiting months to post this free pattern but today I finally grabbed DH to be my model.

COAL SPRINGS SCARF


This thick and warm scarf is simply a tube knit in the round and it is fast to knit on size 8 (US)/5 mm needles. It is a good project for a knitter who is new to knitting with 2 colors per row; the pattern is easy to memorize and if you use the specified yarn there are very few ends to weave in.

I made this scarf 65 inches/165 cm long for my tall 6' 2" DH; blocked flat as seen in the photos it is 5 inches/12 cm wide. Fishermen's Wool is a worsted weight yarn but if you like thinner scarves choose a lighter weight yarn and adjust the needle size accordingly.

 MATERIALS:



1 ball 150-126 Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool Yarn: Nature's Brown (227 grams, 465 yards), Color A
1 ball 150-123 Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool Yarn: Oatmeal (227 grams, 465 yards), Color B
A set of double-pointed knitting needles or one 16" circular needle, Size 8 (US)/5 mm
Tapestry Needle for Weaving in Ends

GAUGE: Not terribly important in this pattern but mine was 6 sts to 1 inch/2.5 cm


With Color A (Nature's Brown), CO 60 sts. Join, being careful not to twist.

P 1 row.

Begin working Scarf Chart below. Stranded color knitting charts in the round are worked from right to left.




Continue knitting until scarf is desired length. (For my 65 inch/165 cm scarf I did 35 repeats of the chart.)

With Color A, K 1 row.


P 1 row. BO.



I just left this scarf open at the ends but if you prefer you can sew the edges together or even add fringe.


FINISHING


Block by immersing scarf in soapy lukewarm water, then rinsing well in the same temperature water. Wring gently to remove excess water then smooth out flat on folded towel to dry. Weave in ends.



Copyright Nanette Blanchard, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

Forced Vacation

Due to a shipping delay of base yarn, SockPixie is on forced vacation this weekend. New colorways will be available on Sunday 03/14!

The Retro Cardi for Girls

Little Miss SockPixie and I had a wonderful time together this morning, taking pictures of the Retro Cardi for Girls.



As she was putting the cardi on, I found myself giving her the same kind advice my mother had given me. As I was buttoning the cardi, I told her she should always leave a couple buttons open at the neck to show how beautiful it was , and leave the last button at the bottom edge of the cardi open to emphasize the gracefulness of her waist.



Growing up in France, I learned to love the timeless beauty of simple lines, of an understated lace panel, a shoulder, a perfect button, of simple knits.



The sweater is done, but I still have work. The pattern now needs to be sized and edited before I can offer it as a pdf.

The Retro Cardi for Girls is Finished

The Retro Cardi for Girls, the companion to the Retro Cardi for American Girl Dolls is finished.

I even made a retro 1950's circle skirt to go with it... Everything was ready for some pictures except Little Miss SockPixie... She is sick in bed with the flu...


Until she gets better, here is the Retro Cardi...

Sandnesgarn Jacket


Our anniversary is at the end of next month and I thought I'd ask DH for yarn for a sweater. Initially I thought I'd go ahead and ask for Heilo to make Whistler for him. (I previously attempted to make it with a less expensive yarn but had serious problems with row gauge.) But then I saw this lovely sweater - it is called "Elegant Jacket" in the Sandnesgarn 0210 pattern book. It looks like a dream to knit and fortunately there is very little boring non-stranded knitting. (You can also purchase the yarn and pattern as a kit HERE.) It is also finer gauge which means I might be able to wear it inside occasionally.

The only problem is the designated yarn - Sisu is a machine washable sock  yarn and I have no clue how well it will work for the cut armholes.  I did look at the yarn page on Ravelry and see that some people have used it for sweaters with cut armholes. Unfortunately I did a Dale of Norway baby sweater years ago in 20 colors of a Norwegian superwash yarn and it was ruined because the yarn was so slippery even knotting wouldn't keep the ends from working their way loose. So before I commit to knitting the sweater I'm going to knit a big swatch and cut it. (What is the right term for the Norwegian version of steeking again??)

I know the background color will be the light lavender on top and the others are for sampling. I also realized I don't even need to do a third background color around the edges - instead I could use some wonderful Norwegian braid. Of course it will need some killer Norwegian buttons as well - Nordic Fiber Arts has a spectacular selection.

Buttons for the Retro Cardi for Girls

In my last post I told you I was going to get the buttons for the Retro Cardi for Girls.



They are round, with clear apple green edges, and a square opaque apple green center. I love the fact that will be tone on tone, adding interest but not too much interest!(They came from Windsor Button in Boston.)

They will look wonderful on the green cardi don't you think?

New Glove Booklet

Thank you everyone for your great suggestions on baskets and cashmere yarn for gloves! I did try Colourmart but couldn't find my color; it is good to know that their stock changes so I will keep checking back.

I still plan to get you the free colorwork scarf pattern for you soon; I just need to grab DH to model it. I also have a mitten FO to photograph this weekend.

I'm reconsidering my decision to publish a second glove booklet with step-by-step photos for beginners using both dpns and circular needles. My original Glove Knitting booklet recently received a poor review on Amazon HERE (unfortunately it is the only review). One thing the reviewer was unhappy with was the cost of the booklet and I do understand - pricing is always a struggle for me. The print costs are really high for self-published color booklets and I've often thought of not offering print booklets at all. For a $14.99 booklet sold in print I make between $1 and $2 dollars on Lulu and on Amazon. I just can't do the beginner's glove booklet economically as I have so many photos and it would be difficult to keep the page number below 40 pages.  Currently I'm putting it off indefinitely.


Bubbles is enjoying our warmer, sunnier weather. If there is a patch of sun anywhere, she plants herself there immediately.

The Retro Cardi for Girls a Companion to the Retro Cardi for American Girl Dolls

I am done knitting the Retro Cardi for Girls, the companion sweater to the American Girl Doll Retro Cardi.



I basically kept it really close to the doll sweater, with the 2 lace panels on each side of the folded over button bands. I used the same technique as for the retro cardi for dolls, creating a clean sharp fold with slipped stitches.



I decided to make the sleeves a little shorter (way more practical for active little girls!)

I love how the lace pattern is showing up in the Cotton Classic.



I will pick buttons tomorrow. I have my eyes on some very retro, vintage looking clear green buttons... I am also looking forward to sewing the strawberry skirt!

I will work on the actual pattern, and sizing over the weekend. At least I hope so...

Questions For You


When I look through my photos I always find a billion sunset photos. I guess I am just fascinated with the New Mexico skies.

Today I'm looking for some recommendations from everyone.

I've decided to buy myself a knitting basket. I want something that looks good in the living room, will sit on the floor, and is large enough for colorwork projects (let's say 10-20 skeins of yarn). I like some of the Pottery Barn choices but for the size I need the price is too high to pay for something that Bubbles might be tempted to chew. (I don't think she will - she is quite a well-behaved rabbit - but you never know.) Can anyone recommend something for me? I think I'll go check at Pier 1 and Cost Plus the next time I'm in town. I know there are specialty knitting baskets as well which would work as well.

Also, I'm seeking some fingering weight 100% cashmere in a solid color (pale lavender or periwinkle) to make myself a pair of really long gloves. Can anyone recommend a good source? I am looking for a high quality smooth plied yarn that doesn't shed if such a thing is possible.

Magic Slippers

Do you remember these great Baby Magic Slippers knit with what I called the tiniest yarn walnuts?




Well, I am working on a great new design using 2 even tinier yarn walnuts...

Cute as a Button

You know my love for buttons...



So diverse, so simple, so colorful, so funny, so serious, so wild, so respectable... Just like us knitters, don't you think?