Pixie Purls

Perfect for a day picking flowers in a field, or playing in the leaves, this sweet little bolero will keep the child in your life warm and snug. Top-down construction means no bulky sleeve seems for quick knitting, minimal finishing and a comfortable fit. Extra long ribbed cufs, and a shawled collar keep your bitty one cozy, while adding a bit of modern style to a classic silhouette.

Malabrigo Merino Worsted

Oxford Kitchen BFL DK

$5.99 PDF Download

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Size
3-6 months [6-12 months, 12-18 months, 18-24 months, 2T, 3T]

Materials
• Medium Weight Yarn, 200 [230, 260, 290, 320,
350] yds. Note: Models worked in Malabrigo
Merino Worsted & Oxford Kitchen BFL DK.
• Stitch markers - 4
• Stitch holders – 2

Garment is worked in one piece from the top down.

Finished Measurements
Chest: 17.5, 18.5, 19.5, 20.5, 22.5, 23.5”
Length: 8, 9, 9, 10, 10.5, 12”

Recommended Needle Size
Knitting needles, size 6 (4 mm) 16” circular and
size 5 (3.5 mm) 16” circular, or a size necessary
to achieve specified gauge, double pointed
needles, size 6 (4 mm) and 5 (3.5 mm)

Gauge
18 stitches and 24 rows = 4 inches in Stockinette Knit Flat

Posted by pixie at 12:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

I was supposed to do something today with a relative who was flying in from out of town. My relatives got into a fight (I won't even go there) and they didn't want to travel together so they didn't wind up coming. This meant a day that was 100% reserved for special out of town guest activities was suddenly free. So Friday night after I got the voicemail telling me all of this, I ran into the husbeast's office and asked if we could go to SAFF. He suggested I go by myself. Normally I hate to drive alone.

In highschool I used to drive all over the place. I loved an excuse to get into the car, put the windows down on a wonderful breezey Virginia afternoon or evening and drive. I rarely cared where. Good music such as Sarah Mclachlan, Duncan Sheik or Tonic was usually playing in the CD player. Once I moved to Atlanta and had to sit in traffic for an hour every day on the way home, I didn't like driving anymore.

A present for BG, "Suri" Alpaca

Now when i drive my commute isn't bad but I spend a lot of energy looking at BG in the mirror, or asking her to say words or reaching back to hand her a paci if she is fussing. I keep a stash of toys on the front drivers side seat to hand to her if she's in a bad mood. If she pitches them I don't give her more then 1. Driving isn't awful but I don't look for excuses to drive alone in the car with her for more then 20 minutes.

Today that 3 hour drive to North Carolina was actually really nice. I made modifications to some future pattern idea's, dreamed up some new ones. Made some speeches on BBC radio about the state of my generation and the possible future of my daughters generation, and then I worried a bit about how to get everything done next week. I also listened to some CNN and BBC on XM radio (how I love thee).

I arrived at SAFF to find a great many friends all around, as a shopped I would continue to bump into friendly faces and even had a few people recognize me which is surprising considering some people I know often don't know it's me with my new haircut (shorter, darker).

Steve has balls, literally. The Atlanta Knitting Dudes strike again.

I had to leave by 4 to make the 3 hour drive back home, and I was pretty well exhausted by then. I came home to find BG asleep, handed the husbeast some beer and sank into bed with a 7 oz Corona. It was a nice bit of "me" time before the crazy two weeks ahead.

Dreams in Color "Classy", vintage needles made into pens, pretty hand-made buttons, coil-less safety pins, hand/finger healing balm.

Miss Babs sock yarn for a secret project (not socks, go figure).

Posted by pixie at 08:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

"So that we may get back up" (Do you know what that is from?)

Things are starting to get back to normal at our house. The husbeast is back in full work mode, the house is clean and today I logged back into work for the first time sense last thursday. Tomorrow I go into the office. BG is still a bit grumpy but otherwise eating and drinking as she should and looks to be on the mend.

The last two evenings I got to knit for the first time in a long while (so nice, life lately doesn't feel normal if I am not working on knitting one of my sketches). Tonight I knit straight through "America's Next Top Model" and "Stylista" (which was the premier episode and I have to say I really liked it). Here is the fruit of my labor:

For the first time the pattern is actually already tech edited and ready to be churned out as a PDF before I have finished knitting all the samples. I wanted to knit up a second model using some Malabrigo (knowing loads of you have some sitting in your stash) in particular considering the Oxford Kitchen yarn I recommended is temporarily unavailable as Katie is off with her new tiny one. I really adore her yarn for this particular pattern so i will be recommending both yarns for the pattern. I just wanted to make sure I had it knit up in something readily available. So once I finish the sleeves on this one and add a closure, then I just need to take some photos of BG in it and BAM, my 3rd pattern will be published!

I also found out an old co-worker has a little one due in about 3 weeks (girl!) so I plan to knit up the smallest size which will only use 1 skien of the Malabrigo! Now I must be off to bed, so I hopefully don't catch whatever BG and the husbeast has, as BG's pediatrician "promised" me I would get it too :( The glass is HALF FULL man, NOT half empty!!!

Posted by pixie at 10:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

This is what BG has to say about the last 24 hours of our lives.

(She does this if you say to her "Don't stick your finger up your nose!!")

She's been sick, bad sick. Took her to immediate care pediatric place sunday morning because I didn't like how she was acting. They thought she was fine, took blood. They wern't happy with a bunch of her levels and ordered a transport for us and an IV of fluids for her as we travled to Scottish Rite. The transport dudes were totally great, BG didn't cry at all and even smiled at them.

The ER sucked in ways I can not even get into. I am too exhausted and spent to go there. It was hell. Then they checked us into the hospital (this was like 8 hours later) and that also sucked, I harassed nurses the next morning until they got us a doc so we could be discharged. BG is properly hydrated and will only drink milk (refuses water, juice etc) and will only eat cherrio's but those are both good for her so that's okay. We had a horrible time getting her to go to bed in her crib tonight, but she is now asleep and I am just thinking happy little thoughts and beaming them into her room hoping she has a nice, full night of sleep. Honestly, giving birth was nothing compared to the awfulness that was the last 24 hours. Thankfully, she is doing fine now.

Posted by pixie at 08:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (14)

Introducing my latest design, Bitty Bolero!

I am pretty excited about this pattern, it turned out just as I had imagined and I love the rustic and fall-ish yarn I used (Oxford Kitchen Yarns). It's currently being tech edited. I have seen a lot of baby bolero-type tops but most of them are knit in pieces. I don't like bulky seams on baby/toddler knits and I am of course a lazy knitter who wants minimal finishing! I thought it was about time there was a nice top-down-raglan bolero. I added a short-row shawl collar for extra warmth around the neck, and extra long ribbing on the cuffs so the sleeves don't ride up. It will be sized for babies and toddlers, the size shown (12- 18 months) requires a bit under 300 yards of worsted weight yarn, 4.5 stitches per inch.

It's being tech edited now and will hopefully be available in early november! Ravelry Pattern Page

I hope you love it a much as I do! The big plus was BG really seemed comfortable in it. I'm casting on a second one in a lovely purple tweed.

Posted by pixie at 09:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)

I don't like to blog politics, because the country is so very divided right now and I don't really want to add to that devision by spouting off about who I think you should vote for. Vote for whomever you want, vote for who you think will do the best job. Just get out and vote.

However with that said this article makes me disgusted, completely disgusted. How can I be proud to be an American when Americans are behaving like that? If he was guilt of all those things he was accused of, he would have never, ever gotten the nomination. I was very disappointed he had connections to those people. Another side of that is that politicians come in contact with a lot of different people. It doesn't mean they agree with them. It's politics, and politics is a seriously convoluted game. I've never seen one politician who didn't have ties to bad people or bad controversies.

At work once, I heard a man make a comment about a Jewish person, a very mean comment that I took as very offensive. I still have to talk to this person, I still see him in the hallway. I do not agree with his views, but I am not going to hate him for it. I feel bad for him really, it's sad he has to live such a narrow-minded and judgmental life.

Another instance at work I was walking to star-bucks with some various people from the office. I mentioned that I was German, and one of the guys laughed and lifted his arm in a now infamous gesture. You know the one. I was mortified, but realized that this person was extremely naive. He did not do what he did in hate, he was just an idiot. I did not hate him for that, and as before I felt sorry for him.

What if it turned out one of those people was in some sort of hate group and went around doing bad things, and later I ran for governor and someone had photos of me at star-bucks with that guy? My point is it's all a load of BS. People say we shouldn't vote by the "issues" but by the larger idea. I think all we have left are the issues sometimes, because the rest is a bunch of twisted truths.

I am so disgusted by the behavior of the people at the McCain rallies. I am glad that McCain has not ignored them, but more needs to be done. His campaign instigated those terrorist claims, and the country is worried because of the economic crisis and extremely vulnerable right now. I am very sad some people are seeking to take advantage of that vulnerability.

I will not judge you no matter who you vote for, it is your right. I don't have to agree with you but that doesn't mean we are divided, alienated and broken apart. I won't judge you for who you vote for, so don't judge me for who I vote for. I won't tell you who to vote for, so don't you tell me who to vote for. Neither of those two men are going to screw things up any worse then they are now. The truth is local elections are far more important and can have far greater an impact on your every day lives. Get out and vote, don't hate.

“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”

Posted by pixie at 09:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Well we are 2 days away form BG's 13th month. I had read in many baby development books that mentally 12 months was pretty bland. It said 9 months and 15 months are more "active' as far as growth. Well I have to tell you what, those books are wrong in BG's case. Sense about 1 week after she turned one she's been doing all sorts of amazing new things. Saying LOADS of words, singing, stacking, combing my hair. Around that time she really started walking. Prior to this she could walk but didn't usually choose to over crawling. Now she walks all over the place. She's in all the cabinets, and can drag a laundry basket around the house and then pull it backwards and walk backwards after hitting a wall.

She's graduated to a sippy cup that has no handles and won't go back (even though I have about 8 of the handled kind and only 2 of the new ones).

She is as most toddlers are, increasingly difficult to get a good photo of but I havn't done a true "photoshoot" outside in a while and indoor pictures with poor lighting are almost always blurry anyway. With all the sickness and colds going on in this family there hasn't been much time for photo taking, or at-least good photo taking. Oh yeah, words she knows and can say for the record to remember later. "Cookie (sounds like ka-ka), Cow, Ball, Dada, Mama, Tala (our cat), Toby, Uh Oh, Shoe, Bye Bye (she doesn't say that one much anymore) and more that I can't remember. She has even started listening to me when I ask her not to do something. She dances SO WELL I really need to catch it on camera. She only just started singing today which was really cute. She loves to play with spoons, empty milk cartons and anything she can push.

Here she is modeling the newest design I am working on, a shawl collared bolero. She was a great little model and didn't even mind wearing it. I took if off once she tried to eat one of the ends that was hanging off.

We have survived 1 month back at work and in daycare, we have both been sick twice in that time. She's adjusted very well and some mornings will even watch me leave and not cry while the lady there shows her how to blow me kisses (a good distraction so she doesn't have time to react to my leaving). I love coming to pick her up and never rush it. I will go into the room and let her crawl to me, and then we go out to the car and sometimes I sit there with her in my lap and let her play with the steering wheel buttons before we start the trip home. She's been amazing in the car both on the way and back. That was one thing I had really feared was that those trips would be stressful. So far, so good.

Posted by pixie at 12:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

For the past month I have spent too much money on knitting things. In particular books. I don't have a huge knitting book ilbrary, I've always made a point to buy yarn vs books as I would much rather have the yarn. Going back to work was a big change in our life style and I will admit it has had me depressed at moments. Its not been bad, or even super hard. Its just had me down some. Plus we've been sick twice in the last 4 weeks and I'm actually still sick (really hard to record a podcast when you sound awful). When I am feeling down, I tend to spend money.

I don't drink, I don't smoke, or do any other diviant type activities many people do when they are feeling down. I'm not self destructive and I don't use credit cards. My biggest flaws are A) Not cleaning and B) Shopping to fill a gap. Now I do have my knitting design business now and so about 2 weeks ago after scetching out about 8 designs I went to Cast on Cottage and loaded up with yarn. I can be honest and say I didn't even look at how much it cost when I paid, I didn't want to know. Normally I always look at reciepts, double check everything etc. One time I was at the airport with my husband and he got a burger or something and I asked if he looked at the reciept. "No" he said, I looked. They had charged him $50.05 for a $5.05 burger. This is just a testament to the fact I am normally pretty dilligant about being aware of how much money I am spending and making logical decisions. So if I don't look, it means I'm probably buying the yarn for more reasons then designing with it. With the economy in the crapper, it's not really that good a time to be spending money. Oddly enough I've been cutting back in other places and been very careful, but the yarn... oh it's a little different huh?

I have put my foot down now though, and the only yarn I am allowed to buy anytime in the near future is Wollmeise and only if I can snag some, as that's about dang near impossible and I *really* want some of that Poisen colorway to make some cute pants for BG (Black with specs of pink). For those of you that don't know Wollmeise is a cool chick in Germany named Claudia who dyes her own yarn in extremly artistic and wonderful colorways. Just do a search on Ravelry and you will see. She only puts yarn in her stores on Fridays and not every Friday and it sells out faster then Banana's in Japan.

So I have ordered a few knitting books, I actually went on amazon.com and plopped down $70 bucks to get the "Knitting Languages" book. I have wanted it for ever and I was talking to a friend and it reminded me I had wanted to get it. It's basically a book/dictionary of knitting terms in a LOAD of languages, so you could pretty easily translate one if you wanted. I have always had particular interest in Phildar patterns (french) and only a handful come in English. It also has Icelandic in it as well. So after I clicked the buy button (BAD BAD pixie) I was searching online some more for different info on it when low and behold I found it brand spankin new for $28 bucks. Now I've heard about this book for years and never heard anyone say you could get it new or cheap. Also the old photos I have seen of it have the Schoolhouse Press logo on them and they don't sell it anymore either. Guess what random website sells it; Elann.com.

Knitting Languages
By Margaret Heathman

"Finally, a global view of knitting terms in one easy-to-use volume," writes Nancy J. Thomas. "Having a list of knitting terms in eleven different languages will open doors for knitters everywhere," writes Priscilla Gibson Roberts. Elann agrees! This is a very readable, alphabetical dictionary of knitting terms translated into North American English from Estonian, Danish, French, German, British English, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Spanish & Swedish -- a must have! Softcover, coil-bound, revised and expanded edition. 240 pages. World In A Spin, 2005.

I quickly ran back to Amazon and cancled my order. When I ordered it on Elann the paypal proccess was broken. I e-mailed them and boy do they have good customer service. I got an e-mail not too long later with a paypal invoice which I went and sent out and then not too long later again for my shipping confirmation.

I'm sharing all of this with you in case you too have always wanted this book. I have no idea why it isn't more widley availible. Another funny thing was when I was reading the inside jacket, it mentioned the author worked at Main Street Fibers in Athens, Georgia. I believe I've met the author! Small world, this knitting stuff.

Posted by pixie at 10:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)