Pharaoh’s Crown Tam pattern released

The newest for the South Mountain ~ Naturally line: The Pharaoh’s Crown tam.

see all the details

Modeled by the ever faithful, never-complaining Kes   and then also a bird’s eye view.

It’s knit in 6 repeating panels, in the round; one size to fit 18 – 24″ [46 - 61 cm] head with the aid of a little thread elastic in the ribbing.  This little slouchy tam is knit using Green Mountain Spinnery Cotton Comfort — a fine wool/organic cotton blend.

Cable Heart Tam joins the Celtic Child flock!

Here’s the newest design to join the Celtic Child series — the Reishi Tam.

For those of you on Ravelry, you can see all the details right now here.

Enjoy!

Two New Patterns to be released soon

Edit Nov 2009: pattern links added

The 2 newest Celtic Child designs will be released within the next 2 weeks — watch the Pattern Page for details

Here are a couple of “Extreme Close-up’s”  — top picture is a hat (Celtic Child ~ Reishi Tam) and the other a lovely blanket (Celtic Child ~ Forest Paths Baby Blanket).

Both incorporate cables, of course — one is knit using Mission Falls 136 Superwash Merino (a sport weight) and the other a soy blend from Bernat (a worsted weight).

Ok, back to pattern editing

Peony Mairei is finished!

Things were moving right along today and I managed to publish the Peony Mairei Baby/Child/Youth tam knitting pattern booklet! Yeah!!

You can see more pictures and details on the PurpleSage Designs website.

This little tam comes in 7 sizes (head circumference sizes 13 ” – 19″ [33 - 48cm] and sports a lovely fuchsia lace design on its top. It is knit in Cotton Comfort (20% organic cotton, 80% fine wool) from Green Mountain Spinnery.

Now I’m down to 2 things on my needles — also yeah — although I can see it putting me into panic mode any minute now — need more knitting!!!!!

The Model
The story behind the model: have I shared that I’ve become quite an estate auction attender? I won’t say addict! Well, last weekend I bought “The Doll” — I haven’t named her yet. Perfect solution, I thought, since I’ve been looking for a child-sized mannequin to use for photographing my designs. I did have to pay $10 for her – someone else was bidding against me!! This little beauty is 35″ tall with a head circumference of 18″!! Surprised me — I even measured her head twice to make sure I wasn’t mistaken!!!

She also came with the most adorable leather shoes!

Oh, and there’s a reason they sold her with a toque on! Someone gave her a haircut somewhere between the 1960′s and now!!

Twisted Backward Loop Cast On, New Tam Pattern

Twisted Backward Loop Cast-on
Today I was taking some pictures and writing a new tutorial to upload to the PurpleSage Designs website. This is a variation of the Backward Loop Cast-on but is a little firmer while still being very elastic. Great for casting on extra stitches at the end of a row. It should be available tomorrow.

New Design: Peony
So the new Cotton Comfort (colour: Peony) has already magically created a new pattern! Love magic yarn!!!!

The pattern is partially written and will be available in sizes from baby to adult.

I’ve had a request to create an adult version of the Gomphidius Swath tam pattern so that’s in the works, too.

Good thing it was raining today

Website Update
The pattern links are all live on the website now, I’ve uploaded several tutorials (some have pdf’s that can be downloaded — a real bonus to the webspace!) and I’m collecting the recycling ideas from this blog to put them all together on one webpage.

Recycling Fibres
I would really love to do more with recycled fibre (I have quite a collection of rescued fibre), but using recycled fibres for patterns is difficult.

It can prove difficult to impossible for knitters and crocheters to find suitable substitutes to work to the proper gauge. And there’s nothing more annoying (I know you’ve been there!!) to find a pattern in a yarn you really, really like only to find out that either the yarn has been discontinued or was a one-of-a-kind hand-dyed by the designer and not available to anyone else, ever!

Creating scarf or shawl patterns where gauge isn’t crucial may be the answer to the first issue and choosing recycled fibres of “common” colours might address the second but runs against the grain of creativity. More pondering required!

Baby Mushroom Caps: Gomphidius Violet and Gomphidius Swath

It’s finished! The pattern gives 2 variations for the top and 2 variations for the band; it comes in 7 sizes (baby to age 6+) and is knit in the round in Green Mountain Spinnery Cotton Comfort (a wonderful DK-weight organic cotton/wool blend).

Gomphidius Violet is a very quick knit-and-purl design with very predictable repeat patterns; the picture shows the swirling triangle wedges of the top and the Staggered Rib band.

Gomphidius Swath sports purl stitch arcs on the top; it features a Bamboo Stitch band (close-up pic).

This PurpleSage knitting pattern is available for purchase through Ravelry.com