And it shows you how to alter your toile to make 3 dresses: I’m especially in love with the wrap dress… and all the variations on that design you can think of (like a light fleece ballet wrap cardigan, or a beach wrap sarong..). Someday I’ll take the time to do that.

… and because I want to share the goodness with you, leave a comment telling me why you’d love this book (remember, we’re talking about the FRENCH version here :-P) and I’ll announce the winner by the beginning of june. Good luck / Bonne chance !

Squares were large. Very large. Perfect, as that would mean quick and bold. My first plan was to mix and match perfectly my 3 colors in each square… until my husband said it didn’t look right, colors weren’t balanced enough. Ahem.

So I ripped a couple squares, and made them all with white as middle color, which indeed worked out much nicer in the end. I had yarn for 6 large squares, and used trebles for the edging, granny-style (groups of 3 tr in each space around, 2 groups of 3 tr separated by 2 ch in the corners if I remember correctly).

In the end, the blanket is not very large…. but covers perfectly my legs on the couch. And the fact that the yarn was held double-stranded makes it Oh-so-warm and comfy, I just LOVE it. :-)

Also added to the Gallery:

More Babouches and a cute baby altay hat. Send your pictures too: We’d love to see them ! :-)

The pattern for the Mini Marguerite cardigan is now available for purchase, and to accomodate for my new french customers it’s available both in english AND french !

It is made following my favorite round yoke top-down construction method, with a large hook (6 mm) and bulky yarn (Cascade Eco +). That makes it both a super pretty, fun and satisfying project, as your little one won’t have to wait too long before she can wear it !

Features a cute daisy motif around chest, with empire waist below and pretty shell edging. Closes with 4 buttons.
Instructions given for 4 sizes, from 18 months/2 year old to 6/7 year old, with detailed instructions, lots of step-by-step pictures and 2 bonus pages of tutorial for the daisy motif.

Price: $6

This pattern is also available on Craftsy and Etsy. :-)

Meanwhile, I can spend time with my husband, who’s been having health issues for over a year (adrenal fatigue, anyone ?).. and work.
There are translations. I’ve had the pleasure to add “Bergère de France” to the list of my BIG customers (they’re one of the main yarn companies in France), as they now publish their designs in english as well in special booklets. Good to know, I’m sure ! :-)

Also sending vintage french lace motifs with home-made personalised letterpress since I’ve used up all my Moo cards… This cute matryochka stamp was cheap (bought on Etsy here), and I’ve been using it tons: it really ads to plain enveloppes or paper notes, and there’s my “ChezPlum” name on it!! .. it certainly says “handmade” ! :-)

I also wanted to take a break from designing or reworking my own patterns.
Been in “icelandic mood” lately, reading another Arnaldur Indridasson’s novel, playing with my skeins of Lett Lopi and perusing “Icelandic knitting” by Helène Magnusson (I am SO making the 4 flowerpot sweater sometime soon)… but even if it snowed about 1 cm last night, I’m afraid spring will be here before I finish an ambitious project. Ordering a kit for a purple “Olga” hoodie instead for the girls: I just need to feel that slightly rough nordic yarn between my fingers.

And started oversized “Willow” squares (we’re talking 8 mm hook (L) and double and triple strands of yarn) with a bag of yarn my mum gave me. I love that square, so graphic and perfect, and fun to make. Still not too sure what those will become: cardigan for me, sweaters for the girls… or just a pretty lap blanket (last option being the most probable seing the bright colors, not the ones we usually wear in this house).

How are your holidays ? :-)

Older daughter had nothing to model… so she tried it on as well even though it’s a bit small for her. Having a look at the smaller (18 mo/2yo) sample.

I told the younger one to act naturally, and “move around”: she then starting dancing ! :-)

Always acting crazy.. that’s my girl ! :-)

The pattern is now being tested. There’s still a couple openings for testers btw. Contact me for details !

If interested, drop me a line :-)

This alone can be a bit annoying IMO, because when adding french abreviations, this will read either
tric. à l’env. OR tric. à l’endr.
Maybe it’s just me, but I keep getting mixed up when reading those, they just look so similar: just imagine a whole pattern of “tric 2 m endr, 3 m env, 2 m ens à l’endr, 3 m env, 2 m endr“… It’s just nowhere as easy to read (or translate!!) as would be “k2, p3, k2tog, p3, k2″ !!!

And then there’s another meaning of this endroit/envers terms: they also mean the Right Side /Wrong side of work. Are you still following me ?

All in all, it’s not very unusual to read something like :

tric. 1 rg env. sur l’endr. et 1 rg endr. sur l’env.
…
…
which as you probably easily guessed
…
…
Just leaving a few lines to give you a chance to figure it out by yourself :-P
…
…
means : k 1 row on WS and p 1 row on RS

:-)

I’ll probably be casting on tonight :-P

Speaking of which. The smaller size is now all finished, except for the buttons. I have this large box of vintage buttons, full of pretties… but when it comes to finding 4 similar buttons, that’s another story ! My husband helped me pick my favorite 4, now only to sew them up and the cardigan will be ready for pretty pictures (that is, as soon as the weather clears up!)

I really should organise my button box someday. You know, threading together all the similar buttons in a loop of thread…