CHICKPEA SEWING STUDIO

Boot toppers

We woke up to a very clean house after yesterday's effort and an evening spent goofing around at Fat Cats bowling and night glow mini golf. I am absolutely horrible at both these activities but Finn and I make up for lack of skill with giant whacks and gutter guards.

Back to the clean house, potentially be the best way to start the year, without visual clutter I feel so optimistic and can actually relax enough to sit down and knit a pair of boot toppers.

Ravelry Link Here

In the winter I wear skirts with wool tights and these black Frye boots almost everyday and standing at the flower shop it seemed like a good idea to put a stop to the drafts going down my calves. This pattern is really easy and even teaches you how to cable with a step by step tutorial in case it's you first time.

 

 

The second topper is half way done so I might try the Boot Candy pattern next, if I can figure out the modification for worsted weight yarn...

Hair: Cut

   So long Rapunzel, the nest of knots had become too much to bare every single day. Each time I ran, swam or simply slept (how do like that irregular verbs!) a world of pain was certain. In case some of you missed the grammatical joke, I grew up in France, where it also took a world of pain to cram these english verbs in my head, which was also at the time sporting long lengths... there is a pattern here somewhere. Photos were requested by faraway friends and here is the undeniable proof that despite (too) much attachment to the locks they are pretty much gone (cries a little):

 

 

It's blurry, which lessens the cringe factor on my end it comes to posting this sort of things on the blog. and already it's enough face time and let us move on to hand time.The pairs of fingerless mitts bellow are destined for K and J, they are aware and you can find all the details here and here if you are so inclined...

 

 

Before we part for the day, let's have a fantastic retro Franco-German moment, since much like here between the two party they seem to be struggling to get along lately. Here be the proof we should all get along, isn't Francoise Hardy perfect? Except for the cigarette of course, that is unfortunate...

 

The Return of The Nisse

Remember the nisse? He was my first pattern for this blog and so popular too for a little while until Maileg shut us down with not so subtle threats. I must admit to have been saddened and rather turned off from their the company adorable image ever since (except of course for the brief lapse during which I purchased a 5 ft tall elf advent calendar...). But it's time to put all this brooding behind and maybe sew up some new friends. After all they cannot prevent me from using my own pattern at home... Cue the helicopters with tiny elves wearing camo descending on the house!

The first order of business was giving this long fellow some clothes. He is destined to travel back to the European north and settle in Köln, Germany where I hope he will delight and watch over a little boy. After taking him out of storage quickly came the realisation that he was naked, very much so, and his long limbs made him appear more insect  than pixie.

First the entirely improvised sweater, knit in Noro Retro, a blend of wool/angora/silk. I took lots of mental notes and wrote an easy pattern for it on Ravelry. You can find it here.

Wearing a sweater only made the bum more bare and I had to sew up some linen pantaloons, trim them up... and finally knit a scarf (cascade ecological). Finn is completely enamored with him so I am off to start the sequence again with my last prototype.

The pattern for the wreath behind the elf should be available on We All Sew very soon.

Tara Gloves, for A.

Knitting is making a comeback at our house, where I am trying to make a dent in the disorganized pile that is labelled  'yarn stash'. This little pattern from Getting Purly With It comes locally from Blazing Needles, but it is available on Ravelry as well. The knitting is easy and fast, which is nice after the cabled mittens of last week.

A's birthday is in December, which frankly is a bummer, so today I decided to pretend it's not and gift those to her early. She has a new born and should be happy for the finger access and the warm wrists...

Pattern: Tara Gloves by Getting Purly With It

Yarn: merino kid by Shibui knits

needle size: US 7

Chevalier Mittens

 

We just spent a long weekend in sunny Orange County, where we took advantage of the classic "come-to-our-fabulous-resort-for-cheap-and-all-you-have-to-do-is-attend-a-90-minutes-sale-presentation". So worth the bother in this case but I don't think we'll do it again. If here we are raking leaves by the bucket, there you can dive in the pool at 8 am and be completely fine. Amazing climate, amazing vegetation... and lots of time on my hands to finish these big cabled mittens. The pattern is free on Ravelry, Chevalier Mittens by Mari Muinonen.

OrangFlower had provided a line by line play of the chart, but it still took me 4 tries to get them done! now a few more pairsareor in my future. This pink one is flying to Queens, NY where S. lives on a street with a functioning mail service!

Needle size US 5, magic loop.

Quince & Co Lark, Sorbet, two skeins.

 

Happy Solitude Cowl

The combination of the cabin and the Fall makes knitting a necessity, and somehow all kinds of WIPs are coming out of the woodwork... The Happy Solitude cowl by Veera Malimaki was one such project and it was an excellent one to start with, being so quick and all! Why on hearth couldn't I finish it last winter? Don't answer that...

 

Dahlia

After a little digging around I found the perfect companion to Karin's dahlia yarn. It will be going up on the loom this weekend and hopefully turn out as a scarf. These jewel colors make me smile every time. Mood uppers in stranded form.

while he naps

While Finn naps I finally take the time to sew the tiny buttons on the welts of my new pair of fingerless mittens.

The yarn is blended with silk and I fear it will not wear well. it's so purple though, my new found favorite.

Pattern: Welted Fingerless Mittens from Churchmouse.

Yarn: Louisa Harding Grace. 1 skein on US 4.

Ravelry link.

Happy New Year Everyone!

 The last batch of 2010 crafts.

Hand painted yarns.

A flowery brooch.

I wish you all the most creative year ever!

days in a blur

Since Claudia asked I attempted to take some pictures of my cardigan being worn. 69 frustrating takes later I only like the blurry ones. Really I should just put a book in front of my face and save the camera's battery for more fulfilling purposes. Still, I like the blurry ones quite a lot.

the front

the back