It’s a free pattern by the generous Ashley of Neauveau Fiber Arts, and can be found here.

the yarn is very dense, which gives this cowl a very speacial drape… and although the stitch it is very airy, it’s quite warm!

cache-épaules de face

cache-épaules de dos

Should you have any questions or comments, please send us a message!

The photos aren’t great, but if I wait any longer, who knows when I’ll post them!

maternity top - overview

maternity top - detail

maternity top - detail

maternity top - on!

I based it on model G of “Tuniques, robes, etc.” by Yoshiko Tsukiori. An absolutely huge size 40! I had to shorten it and add an elastic, because as a tunic it was just ridiculous!

Although it’s full of flaws, I’m not too unhappy with the result… I’ll wear it!

So I’ve had to come up with something else to do, and have returned to sewing which I lost interest in when I discovered spinning, a few years back.

I started with some really simple projects, not too “structured” (=wide and shapeless), and realised that I have forgotten quite a lot technically speaking… but it’s slowly coming back.

The Pixies hard at work!

Then, I wanted to make a tunic from this book:

Tuniques, robes, etc ... de Yoshiko Tsukiori

I wanted to make something wide, which would open down the front… it turns out to be wide enough to invite a few friends in to keeo me company!

Nevermind… I chose a beautiful Kaffe Fasset (Rowan) fabric and handmade buttons from La Bricolerie, and some cotton in fig from Eurodif.

Tissu Kaffe Fasset (Rowan), boutons faits main et tissu Eurodif coloris figue

It’s not quite finished yet, and if anyone has some tips and tricks on how to sew a neat bias edging, they would be very welcome ! Especially as the next projects I have in mind have bias edging all around!

Last week alone, I had to take part in this fun game organised by Pumpkinhaus.

The idea was to buy a batt (or a skein of yarn) without seeing it, based on  a card. Here’s the one I got :

La escalera

Mmmmmh ! a beautiful blend of merino, targhee, rambouillet, mohair, angelina, firestar, soie sari et bambou… I haven’t dared spin it yet, I just admire it and pet it for now!

I drew a lucky lottery batt which contained a gift voucher ! I was going to save it, but then… well my addiction got the better of me, and I just had to get another batt (which I haven’t received yet)

I also bought this batt from Jazzturtle :

Midnight Garden

Midnight Garden - detail

Made from angelina, Coopworth, Cormo, Merino, mohair, silk and sari silk… again, I’ve only reached the petting stage so far…

And I treated myself to 2 home made batts :

made by Pixies - Yellow

made by Pixies - Yellow, detail

made by Pixies - Pink

made by Pixies - Pink, detail

One day, the Pixies and me, we’ll have a real studio, and then…

Last May in the midst of a beautiful sunny spell, the Pixies stepped out onto the streets of Nancy, France to take part in Atelier ‘Courant d’Art”s exhibition of local talent…

Bollywood stole

Black stole

two stoles later, they had scampered over to Parc de la Cure d’Air, (Nancy, France) for a bit of a party… This was a great setting to bring out seasonal creations like vegetable fibre necklaces: bamboo, banana fibre, and silk make for cooler accessories. They can be worn in summer and added to an evening outfit when there’s a slight breeze…

Hope - detail

Hope

Balade

Pensées

In Septembre, at the Maison d’hôte de Myon (a beautiful place to stay in Nancy, France, with friendly owner Martine Quénot), the Pixies had an exhibit including new creations beanies Balade and Pensées that the Pixies had brought in their coffers. Perfect for the flower lover…

An intense carding and batt creating phase then started. On an ‘Indian Summer’ theme, batts ‘Shravana’ and ‘Indian summer’ ended up in Spain and the US… Bon voyage !

Shravana

Indian Summer

Closer to home, this year has also been the Pixies’ parisian debut, with batts now available in the 11th Arrondissement at Amélie’s workshop File à Paris…

In October, a stop in Brussels, Belgium was the perfect opportunity to bring out a series of surreal creations: ladybirds, butterfliess, cup-cakes… and Frankenstein all present!

Cupcakes

Monster Munch

And a few cosy snoods, with beads and Liberty fabric included, beautifully warm and soft for the winter…

Blue Cowl

Total Luxury - cowl

2012 has been a crazy, creative, Pixie year: new designs, new materials, exhibitions, sales, a Paris debut… some days they wake up disheveled and crumpled.

...

But what more can a Pixie ask than to be doing what she loves? … and so off she goes again!

In December, do come and visit us at our stand at P’tit Baz’Art in Nancy, France – yes, right at the back on the far right… over there! This time the Pixies are smuggling in the perfect xmas gift: spindle kits with coloured wool… Come and try them!

Spindle kits

***Thanks!***

“Madame Butterfly”, its name inspired by the famous Puccini opera, a heart-wrenching story of passion and shattered love. Made of hand spun carbonised bamboo fibre, it combines black and orchids, darkness and light, black glass and faceted vintage style beads, as well as soft artificial orchids. Like many Pixie designs, it’s so soft you can wear it against your skin.

‘Violetta’, the name inspired by the self sacrificing courtesan in Verdi’s “Traviata”, is another dramatic piece: handmade from handdyed and handspun art yarn using the softest fibres, ‘Violetta’ is a comfortable art fibre necklace in purple, pink and aubergine and a hint of white and silver.

The necklace is made with hand spun banana fibre, soya, seacell, flax, cotton, mulberry silk, and glitz . Violet and silver glass beads, artificial pearls, recycled sari silk ribbons, and carefully selected speckled feathers are spun into the fibre give it a final touch of luxury.
It can be worn dressed up or down, to the pub or to the opera…