Many times over the past few years we have had sewing patterns in Petite Purls. The question will sometimes come up as to how to create them and how they are printed. I have asked around a few times but not gotten a lot of straight answers, I’ve even asked publishers and still not found a clear answer. So here is what I do and the process I came up with for myself and for Petite Purls. I am not saying this is the correct way to do it, it is simply the way that I do it. Continue reading “How to create a PDF pattern piece in Illustrator” »

I have an idea for a cute boys vest I’ve yet to get too, sadly. It’s a cute one and I should knit it right this minute but I find myself wanting to revel in the stress-free experience of knitting something I don’t have to calculate and tweak, letting someone else have gone through all the stress for me. I have a Ysolda pattern and a Marnie McLean pattern lined up to knit but they are both fairly large and before I get too deep I want something small and quick.

I picked up two lovely skeins of Malabrigo sock in a lovely un-dyed cream colorway. I think knee socks would be super cute styled with tall leather boots and a skirt. I also would like to knit a hat with some of the yarn I picked up from Bijou Basin at MDS&W. I have to pick a pattern for the hat, thinking a simple Petite Purls Back to Basics hat will do the trick. I find myself wanting to re-knit a few of my older patterns and things I designed for the book, in larges sizes to fit the girls this fall. Continue reading “Vintage Things I love” »

I’ve never been a big shoe girl, or a purse girl. I do LIKE a cute purse and cute shoes but I don’t have a lot of either. I once bought a $400 Dooney & Burke purse, remember when they first came out with that girrafe print right before it became so big and was EVERY PLACE YOU WENT. Well I got the purse as I love animal prints and I just felt like a total idiot walking around with a purse I knew cost $400 (my sister has kate spade and Coach so I am not hating on anyone who has an expensive purse, I get it trust me It’s just not for me!).

I also tried a Kate Spade once and it broke after a short amount of time, they replaced it and it broke again so I swore those off as well (that one was $200). I returned the Dooney & Burke, it just felt weird. I kept thinking about what I COULD have done with that $400. 1 night in NYC, a LOT of yarn, even a super cute pair of boots in black and another pair in brown. So I’ve given up on the expensive purses, even if I still admire them from afar. If someone offered me a Birkin, I would take it! Continue reading “Yarn is like shoes, to me” »

Every year we love to take the family down to the Emerald Coast, the western bit of Florida. The water is that wonderful translucent blue and even in April and May the weather is perfect. Last year we did not make it, so everyone was double-excited when we made the drive down to the coast to a familiar beach cottage (that we love because it has its own pool out back and a security system that beeps if any of the kids try to go out one of the doors leading to it) that sits one long block from the beach. Andy every year we say to ourselves what I am sure anyone renting cute little beach cottages say “I wish we could live here!” Continue reading “Life is a Beach” »

A day in which I post Instagram photos from the past few days. Post your photos in the comments to play along.
Continue reading “Instagram Tuesday” »