Défi 13: Entrechat

Ah les jolies petites choses toutes roses des petites filles… J’espère que mon fils me pardonnera quand il sera plus grand de lui avoir mis des trucs de fille sur le dos pour les besoins de la cause… Ceci dit… Il est pas mignonne??

Je voulais essayer une nouvelle construction (enfin nouvelle pour moi!) et tricoter le corps de ce boléro d’une pièce en relevant les mailles des raglans pour former les pans du devant. Et je voulais aussi utiliser une bordure au point mousse verticalement pour former l’encolure parce que je trouve que ça change un peu. Pour bien marquer le mouvement, j’ai placé une bande contenant un joli point texturé — facile cette fois!! le point de vannerie utilisé dans mon Latte Baby Coat serait joli aussi, mais je voulais quelque chose vraiment simple pour les tricoteuses moins expérimentées.

Enfin, un petit effet volanté dans le dos, et zou! Tricoté en deux temps trois mouvements avec même pas un écheveau de Malabrigo Merino Worsted (pour la taille 12-18 mois). Le pattern est écrit et 8 tailles seront disponibles, du 0-3mois au 5-6 ans. Je l’envoie illico chez mon “tech editor” pour contrôle… Donc je pense qu’il sera publié (en Anglais pour le moment… promis la traduction de mes patterns c’est pour bientôt) pour la nouvelle année!

Pour voir les autres défis (thème du mois: techniques jamais utilisées en tricot et couture) c’est par ici!!

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The Défi’13 challenge is a monthly knitting or sewing project in the French blogosphere. The challenge’s theme this month was “new techniques in knitting and sewing”, so I thought I would introduce my latest prototype, whose construction is a bit different — I also used a new stitch in it, which I think is so neat (and VERY easy which never hurts!) ; the pattern will include 8 sizes and should be published around the New Year!

I hope you like it 

Chouette!

Sometimes it feels nice to take a break from this whole pattern-writing/designing thing because it involves a lot of work and can be frustrating at times. There are times where I really miss straightforward knitting, just following a pattern that someone else worked out.

So while I was working on Storytime Scholar, I decided to knit this adorable little number that I kept seeing everywhere on Ravelry. Total no-brainer, the owl is absolutely adorable and the whole thing took less than 2 hours to knit up. Plus Axel needed a new hat anyway.

After going to the park to give it a test-run, it became obvious that the hat was a bit short for Axel and that it was not going to stay on his head, so I quickly whipped up a seed stitch scarf that I sewed on to the back half rim of the hat… This time we have a winner!

He wears this everyday and I think it’s the cutest thing ever (random people in the street seem to think so, too). The pattern is available on Ravelry here, and if you still have last-minute Christmas presents to make, this is a good bet!

Storytime Scholar

I wanted to make something for Axel that was reminiscent of an evening jacket, something that a gentleman would wear by the fireside while catching up on scholarly affairs…

It had to have a shawl collar, some discreet pockets (to stash the monocle), and it had to be double-breasted. BUT since my baby is still just a baby, I added a bit of garter stitch to add a bit of sweetness to the whole affair, including 2 elbow “patches,” a simple touch that I just love.

The result is my new (-ish) pattern, Storytime Scholar, available on Ravelry here. I think it turned out quite cute, here’s a few photos of our little book-obsessed guy wearing it:

 

Pockets hidden behind a large ribbed hem:

And a view of the elbow patches:

Boardwalk Cardigan

Feeling all summery and nautical-like…

I wanted to make something cute that Axel could wear on the beach in Normandy this summer, since it can get a bit windy there. I made the sleeves elbow-length so that he could play in the sand. I’m really happy with the way the double-breasted shawl-collar turned out. Very captain-like, no?

I’m planning to write up a pattern for this but I’m feeling extreeeemely lazy about it at the moment. I think I’d rather knit something new than spend hours on Excel!!!

Défi’13: Sa(fari)ouel

Notre explorateur intrépide perçoit d’abord un bruit… comme un couinement à peine perceptible…

D’un bond souple, il s’élance sur les traces de sa proie…

… et s’avance tel un guépard, à pas rapides et feutrés…

Enfin! Notre chasseur est nez-à-nez avec sa victime!

Et son regard féroce dissuade tout rival de la lui disputer…

Une lutte sans merci s’ensuit…

Jusqu’au coup de grâce!

Et notre chasseur triomphant savoure une victoire bien méritée!

2 chutes de rideau en velours

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2h de sieste de l’explorateur

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une petite bidouille style safari/savane, que je referais bien dans un tissu un peu plus pratique à coudre, comme du lin ou du vichy… C’est tellement facile que je vais essayer de faire un petit tuto!

The Défi’13 challenge is a monthly knitting or sewing project in the French blogosphere (hence the return of French on this blog). The challenge’s theme this month was The Savanna, so with 2 hours to spare and no pattern, I grabbed a leftover piece of velvet drape and improvised these little sarouel pants, which I thought were very safari-like. It’s so simple that if I can find the time in the next week or so I will put together a how-to. I think this would work particularly well in linen or gingham.

Another kind of knit

One of my resolution this year is to sew more. I also now have a very mobile little guy who needs comfy and low-maintenance clothes. I bought some lovely and soft Michael Miller interlock jersey a while back and found some ribbing on Etsy, and voilà! My first foray into knits = a no fuss romper. 

These photos were taken a couple of months ago. Sadly he went through a growth spurt immediately afterwards so the romper got very little use. To be fair, I also underestimated the collar to crotch length. Note to self: diapers add bulk! Perhaps I should chop it in half and add some ribbing and elastic at the waist to make it into a pajama top and bottom… Ha, something tells me I’ll never get around to it.

The main issue that I had while sewing this was that as soon as I figured out how to use the double needle to sew the ribbing on, I somehow broke it, so it doesn’t look as polished as it could have. Then, with my double needle broken, I got lazy with the hems and left them raw. Can you hem knits with a regular needle without them getting all wonky? Any tips there? I thought of using more of my precious ribbing but since it’s pretty hard to find for some reason, I decided to leave well enough alone.

Introducing Claudine

Ta-da!

Claudine Layered Top and Dress: click on image for Ravelry link

Behold my new pattern !

Bravely modeled by my son, Axel, who thankfully hasn’t yet realized that he is a boy
I put together a quick barrette at the last minute because I thought he wasn’t convincing enough as a girl…

So about the pattern: it’s completely seamless and really versatile, you can make a puffed sleeve or three-quarter sleeve version, and it can be knit as a top or a dress. If you leave the collar and sleeves out altogether, you get a very cute flutter sleeve top or dress for the summer. It comes in 5 sizes, from 3 months to 24 months and is available on Ravelry for $5.

Here’s the “top” version:  

Puffed sleeves

Three-quarter sleeves

  I’m always surprised (and a bit frustrated) at how much effort and time goes into writing a pattern, though it’s true that the process is getting easier. From the idea to the release, this one took about a month and a half!

Of course I have limited amounts of time to work on my designs these days, and between tweaking the prototype, grading, getting it tech-edited and tested… It just seems like it takes forever. But I’m so happy with the result, and I hope people enjoy knitting it

Busy bee

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Fouhlala, comme dirait l’autre, ça fait un bail, hein? J’ai fait plein de nouveaux trucs! Je les ai envoyés dans une boutique à Los Angeles, avec un peu de chance j’en vendrai un ou deux… Et j’ai ravitaillé ma boutique Etsy, ou on peut passer commande!

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Et je ne vous ai même pas encore montré mes tricots de Noël — la maman de Gabe m’a demandé de tricoter plein de choses qu’elle va offrir à ses nombreux frères et soeurs…Bon… ben je retourne au turbin!!

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Seriously it’s been a while, hasn’t it?? I’ve been busy, making lots of baby stuff for an L.A. store, and updating my Etsy shop with some new made-to-order items… And I haven’t even shown you the Christmas knits that I made for Gabe’s mom yet… Wow, I’d better get back to work!

New pattern by moi!

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Un clic sur l’image pour aller sur la page Ravelry

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Je viens de mettre mon premier modèle de tricot en vente sur Ravelry! Only in English pour le moment, mais si suffisamment de gens me le demandent, j’ajouterai une version en français. Le modèle inclut 5 tailles et 2 longeurs et je le vends $5.

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Voici la bête:

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En taille 0-3 mois

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Et en version Paletot:

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En taille 12-18 mois

Si vous êtes intéressées, cliquez ici:

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I now have a pattern for sale on Ravelry! Pretty exciting stuff. I hope you like it =)

It’s available in 3 sizes and 2 lengths – coat and jacket – and I’m selling it for $5.

Here is the Ravelry link for those who are interested:

Trico’13: Baby Sophisticate

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Du point mousse, j’en avais un peu par-dessus la tête (voir posts précédents) donc j’espère que vous ne m’en voudrez pas de m’être limitée au col et à la bande de boutonnage de ce petit gilet pour le Trico’13. On dira que ça compte!

Modèle: Baby Sophisticate par Stockinette, bidouillé pour une taille 2 ans et une laine différente. Le modèle est également disponible sur Ravelry en tailles plus petites (0-3 mois et 6-12 mois je crois). Et il est GRATUIT! Si!

Laine: Rowan pure wool aran, coloris Cedar

Aiguilles: 5 mm ou US8

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Gros coup de coeur pour ce petit modèle, très bien construit et avec un petit effet “Papy” que je trouve super chou. Il monte super vite en plus et les finitions sont minimes.

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Baby Sophisticate

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Point mousse: point trop n'en faut

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Boutons de Papy

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Here’s my Trico’13 – a bit of a stretch this month, as the theme was garter stitch and I didn’t feel like doing a third garter stitch project in a row (scroll down for evidence). This is another order from my friend Kate, who liked the librarian style of this little cardi.

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Pattern: Baby Sophisticate by Stockinette, adapted for a  2-year-old, using a different gauge. The pattern is also available on Ravelry but comes in two smaller sizes only (0-3 months and 6-12 months). The pattern is well-written, cleverly constructed (top-down) with minimal finishing, and best of all,  it’s FREEEEEEE! Thank you Stockinette!

Yarn: Rowan pure wool aran, Cedar colorway

Needles: 5 mm i.e. US8

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This pattern is so quick and adorable… I’m also glad I went for leather buttons , which help achieve the Grandpa effect I was aiming for =)