After a Long Absence...

I have not posted a single thing since September! I am sure you will believe me if I say I have been busy. I mostly tried to keep up with orders, and helped our oldest daughter reach her dreams. She always was a fabulous artist. I know I may be somewhat partial, but her paintings and sculptures take my breath away. Like me, she sees a world of colors and emotions. My husband and I decided to support her fully in her dream to become a painter and sculptor. We went through the college application process easily, but we sure kept busy! She has just been accepted to a wonderful art shool as a Junior with a Fine Arts major.

Overnight, life seems to have returned to normal. Homeschooling, dyeing yarn, and my favorite, creating new colors and patterns. I had to put a lot of my creative activities on hold during these busy months, but I am so happy to be back.

Sometimes, time pressures help you realize what it is that you really love, and miss. I missed creating. I missed creating new colorways so much, that I have decided to change things a little for Sockpixie's store. Every Sunday, at 6p.m. Eastern time, I will update the website with new colors. You will know how many are in stock and ready to go. So each Sunday night, it will be almost a surprise!
The first update will be this Sunday December 9.

The other part I missed tremendously was designing patterns. I will continue to post free patterns online, on the Sockpixie blog, and will also start publishing patterns for purchase.

That's it for the updates!

Petite Fleur Baby Beret FREE PATTERN

This is a repost of one of my patterns with a few edits. Enjoy!




It is true. I do not knit just socks! And to prove it today, here is a baby beret. Now to prove that I do not just knit baby things, I'll just have to design another sock!
Anyhow, for the moment, let's focus on the baby beret nicknamed "Petite Fleur."
Petite fleur is such an easy project, just a few increases and decreases, a change of yarn, and most of all a fun detail with the double ribbed brim.
The project is a fast one as it is knit with a worsted weight yarn, in this particular case two contrasting colors of Reynolds' Revue, with a touch of a novelty yarn by Skacel, called Floret. Petite Fleur fits an infant 0-3 months.

Materials: 1 ball each Reynolds Revue in orange (color 1454), Revue in sage m(1474) , Skacel Floret (color 10402)
Needles: US 5 16" circular, US 5 dpts, US 6 16" circular
Gauge: 6 1/2 sts /inch on US 5

Brim:

Cast on 68 stitches with sage. Join round. Knit in K2P2 rib for 1 inch. Insert a contrasting yarn through the stitches on the needle with a darning needle. You will pick these stitches up again at the end.
Continue in sage.

Increase Section:

R1: Knit
R2: *K3, K1f&b* Repeat from *to *
R3: Knit
R4: *K4, K1f&b* Repeat from * to *
R5: Knit
R6: *K5, K1f&b* Repeat from * to *
R7: Knit
R8: *K6, K1f&b* Repeat from * to *
R9: Knit
R10: *K7, K1f&b* Repeat from * to *
R11: Knit
R12: *K8, K1f&b* Repeat from * to *
R13: Knit

You should have 170 stitches.

Flower trim:

Switch to floret yarn, and with it, purl 2 rows. Purling the rows helps the florets show up on the front of your work.

Decreases:

Go back to sage, and knit 3 rows.
R1: *K8, K2tog* Repeat from * to *
R2-3:Knit
R4: *K7, K2tog* Repeat
R5-6: Knit
R7: *K6, K2tog* Repeat from * to *
R8-9: Knit
R10: *K5, K2tog* Repeat from * to *
R11-12: Knit
R13: *K4, K2tog* Repeat from * to *
R14-15: Knit
R16: *K3, K2tog* Repeat from * to *
R17-18: Knit
R19: *K2, K2tog* Repeat from * to *
R20: Knit
R21: *K1, K2tog* Repeat from * to *
R22: Knit
R23: *K2tog* Repeat from * to *
Continue k2tog until there are 5 stitches left.
Break yarn and weve in ends.

With orange yarn, go back to the waste yarn, and pick up every stitch along waste yarn. Join round and knit in K2 P2 rib for 3/4". BO loosely.

Dear Elizabeth Zimmermann, what would we do without you!

I have had the flu for the last dew days, and between a pounding headache, an endless runny nose, bouts of coughing, and just feeling plain horrible, I almost did not knit.
Notice I said almost... Because what is better when one is sick than a little bit of thoughtless knitting. The doctor prescribed plenty of rest and a good Elizabeth Zimmerman sweater!
I followed the doctor's orders to the letter. I put my hands on some great 220 superwash, measured my oldest son, thought up a very simple pattern for the yoke, with the tiny bit of brain I had left, and voila.
The sweater is finished, I am almost completely back to normal, and I credit Elizabeth Zimmermann entirely for my prompt recovery!
If you have not knit this very simple yoke sweater yet, you can find it Knitting Without Tears, by Elizabeth Zimmermann.

Thank you for all your interest in test knitting...

Thank you so much to all of you for offering to test knit new patterns for me. I am in the process of reading all of your comments, and will be e-mailing each of you soon.

Happy Knitting!

Corrections for La Parisienne Beret and Looking for Test Knitters

I have just posted corrections for the La Parisienne Beret and hope that the decreases are now correct. I thank all of you for pointing out the problem. I am notorious for taking cryptic notes!
I definitely need a test knitter. Being a test knitter is great, you get free yarn to play with, and try new patterns before anyone else. If you are interested write in the comments to this post. Your comment will remain private. Tell me a little about yourself, and your knitting experience, and be sure to include your e-mail address so that I may contact you.

I'm off to finish my newest sock. The new pattern combines two brand new SockPixie colorways, and will be posted tomorrow.

Winter Throw

Winter is coming, and here is a picture of a lightly felted throw I designed for interior designer Arleen of Reilly Design Group. Enjoy!

La Parisenne FREE Beret Knitting Pattern

**** PATTERN HAS CORRECTIONS****


The pattern for La Parisienne is ready. As I said in my pattern preview post, this is a quick easy project, but with a fanstatic impact, because of the kaleidoscopic effect of the chevrons. Just think what wonderful Christmas presents these berets would make! As far as color choices are concerned, my recommendation would be to not be afraid of contrast. The contrast gives the decreasing chevrons a lot more impact.
Happy Knitting, and enjoy being a Parisienne!

Materials:

SockPixie Sock Yarn 1 each in Peacock, and Tea Rose
Needles: 16" US 3, dpts US 3
Gauge: 7stitches/inch on US 3


Cast on 120 stitches.
Join round.
Throughout the pattern you will be knitting 2 consecutive rows of each color. To avoid a jagged edge you can foloow this cool little technique . Do not cut the yarn after each color change, rather carry it up.
Alternating the colors as set above, knit in K2P2 rib for 1".

Increase row: *K1, K1f&b* Repeat for one whole row. You should now have 180 stitches.

Start pattern:
R1: *K1f&b, K5, slip 2, K1, P2SSO, K5, K1f&b* Repeat from * to *
R2: Knit

Repeat R1 and R2 until the piece measures 4" from cast on edge.

You will now start decreasing while maintaining the chevron pattern.

First decrease round:
R1: *K1f&b, K1, K2tog, K2, slip 2, K1, P2SSO, K2, K2tog, K1, K1f&b* Repeta from * to *
R2: Knit

For the next 6 rows continue as follows:
R1: *K1f&b, K4, slip 2, K1, P2SSO, K4, K1f&b* Repeat from * to *
R2: Knit
You repeat R1 and R2 3 times each.

Second Decrease round:
R1: *K1f&b, K1, K2tog, K1, slip 2, K1, P2SSO, K1, K2tog, K1, K1f&b* Repeat from * to *
R2: Knit

Continue as follows for the next 4 rows:
R1: * K1f&b, K3, slip 2, K1, P2SSO, K3, K1f&b*
R2: Knit
You will repeat R1 and R2 2 times each.

Third decrease round:
R1: *K1f&b, K2tog, K1, slip 2, K1 , P2SSO, K1, K2tog, K1f&b* Repeat from * to *
R2: Knit

Continue as follows for the next 2 rows:
R1: *K1f&b, K2, slip 2, K1, P2SSO, K2, K1f&b* Repeat from * to *
R2: Knit

Fourth Decrease Round:
R1: *K1f&b, K2tog, slip 2, K1, P2SSO, K2tog, K1f&b* repeat from * to *
R2: Knit

Continue as follows for the next 2 rows:
R1: *K1f&b, K1, slip 2, K1, P2SSO, K1, K1f&b* Repeat from * to *
R2: Knit

Decrease Rounds:
R1: K2, *slip 2, K1, P2SSO, K4* repeat from * to *, end knit 2.
R2: K1, * slip 2, K1 P2SSO, K2* Repeat from * to *
R3: *Slip 2, K1, P2SSO* Repeat from * to *
R4: *K2tog* repeat from * to *
R5: K2tog but only on 2 stitches, K till end of row. You should have 5 stitches left.

Knit a 1 cm long i-cord on the 5 remaining stitches. BO of the i-cord by knitting 3 together, then 2 tog, pass the first stitch over the second one, and you are done!
Weave in all ends.