This...

...interfered somewhat with the taking of these costume try-on pics of the accoutrements of a girly gnome. I didn't have much patience for the weather so the the pictures are so-so. It snowed sideways all afternoon and evening, blowing like a blizzard through the night until early this morning, ending with a sunny, crisp day that never went above 30 degrees F. There was actually very little snow. Still, it iced up the roads and piled up in foot tall drifts here and there.






The silly hat:
It took some sleuthing to figure out where I'd copied this pattern from a good while back, but finally I tracked the post down here in Heidi of Step Into My Thimble's archives. The first time I saw this post I laughed so hard that I immediately clicked over and printed out the pattern, although minus any information as to where it came from. I knew right off that someday I'd knit this pattern, no matter how silly it may be. This is the original baby pixie hat here, with a modified version here for worsted weight yarn, and an adult sized bulky version here.
As you can see, it's just silly on old and wee ones alike, although seriously, after having knit this I have to say that I think this is a pretty ingenious pattern, ranking right up there with the likes of the ultimate goddess of knitting, Elizabeth Zimmerman. It reminds me also of some of Teva Durham of Loop-d-Loop fame's ribbed patterns. Although it doesn't look it, it's essentially a knitted rectangle, folded in half, and grafted together, with an optional neckband and neckstrap.
Despite it's simplicity, it took me two false starts to finally get the pattern right on the third try. The first time, I misread the pattern, the second, I thought the pattern was incorrect and so tried my own version, and the third time I realized that the pattern was indeed correct and that I had better pay better attention and reread before diving in. I guess the genius of the pattern was a bit beyond me.
I fear I'll be seen as a loop-d-loop myself for having knit this at all! It's unlikely that I'll ever make another one of these but I can't help but imagine more of them in some other great colors: dark grey, off-white, olive green, brown, of course, even a grassy green ... or black for a funky witchy costume ... or even orange to be like one of these little guys.
More patterns like these: this sweet crocheted one, this knitted one?
The skirt: the same pattern as I used here, only I patchworked the center panel together, front and back, and added a little bit of rick-rack. The fabric is all finewale corduroy except the blue patches. I'll find the pattern number and edit it in here later if anyone is interested. *****IT'S BUTTERICK 3134*****, for all of you asking! I'll wear this after Halloween, too.
The apron: My Tie-One-On entry for October. A good excuse to use up a bunch of cute fabric and trims I wouldn't have otherwise used anytime soon. For some reason this apron refuses to allow me to look like I have a waistline at all even after being sick and having very little appetite while taking antibiotics for ten days. Larissa, have you found out the secret yet for making an apron drape well?
I was planning on wearing these shoes and socks (which could use some elastic sewn into the top to keep them from slipping down) from last year's costume with the whole get up tomorrow, along with an off-white Guatamalan blouse and a cropped black corduroy vest I already have and have used for costumes in the past. If the weather continues on like this, though, I'll probably be bundled in layers of turtlenecks, sweaters, and coats and there won't be any need for make-up to put pink on the cheeks.
The only thing I bought new for this costume was a 7" zipper. That's it. The rest I already had or is newly made from stashed yarn and fabric. Yee haw!
Enough of this silliness! There's still the slightly frantic and late night sewing of the boys' costumes left to go before tomorrow night. I've got to go sew!