It Feels Good to Knit Socks

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

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

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!

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...

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!

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!

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...