Mitz knitz

Shh!

2011-10-21T20:18:00.010+03:00

I thought I might break the silence over here and start blogging again. Ravelry is fun but, sometimes I do not find the right place there to express myself.

So what have I been up to the last two years since I blogged? Well, I got unemployed, studied Finnish for 1,5 years and have now a temporary job.

I have had some new fiber related happenings too. The latest thing is the completion of Purple Cotton Light. It is knitted after the pattern "Still Light" by Veera Välimäki. I love it!

Somehow I have been lured to start ordering yarn from Wollmeise! To order from there is like a sport, you have to prepare by knowing what colorways you prefer, log in a certain time a week when the stock is updated and then fast go for what you want. If you hesitate you will loose the game and no yarn will come to you with the postman. For most colorways there are no pictures of the yarn so you just have to take a chance. By browsing through other peoples stashes at Ravelry you will however know approximately how a colorway will look in real life. These skeins has been purchased in the intention to become a winter version of Still Light. The Colorway is Ballerina and it is Wollmeises 100% Superwash Merino yarn.

I played around some with some yarn in my stash and all of a sudden i had new a hat for the winter season!
It needs some decorations for a more finished look but it is warm as it is. I can not decide what I should decorate it with...

So that was something for the top, something for the body, so let's have a little something for the feet too. Lime green socks made of Novita Nalle yarn that has been soaked in Aloe Vera. This seasons only socks so far. My old socks start to get worn out so I do need to knit more socks but I just do not seem to have the inspiration for it.

Sock yarn at Liedl

2009-08-28T23:04:00.004+03:00

Could sock yarn from Liedl be any good? The content and yarn weight is the same as in Trekking, Opal, Regia...

I had to buy a Package just to try it out. The yarn was quite popular since they got the yarn in yesterday and there were only one colourway and 3 packages left when I came in today.

For those of you that do not know about Liedl: It is a german low budget chain of stores that get special offers in twice every week. Their plan is that what they get in should leave the shelfes asap so they keep a rather low price and when gone they might not have that product again.

Garter all over again.

2009-08-25T14:13:00.005+03:00

Since last year I have knitted several projects in garter stitch. I used to hate garter stitch so what has happened? Well garter has it's advantages. it is stretchy, and the edges will not roll. I have found many interesting patterns using garter that has been very interesting too me. My garter fever started last summer when I found a jacket on drops pages knitted in their sock yarn. As my sock yarn stash is extensive I fast found some Opal Magic that I purchased a couple of years ago. Two months later I was done and quite happy with the end result.

This July it was time to again start a large Garter stitch project. This time it was a garter stitch skirt that cought my interest. I have however been a bit taken back by the project when the yarn I have used had been used before and the first used ball of yarn gave a completely different gauge so I will have to cut away 30cm from the beginning.

To boost my spirit I decided to try a different angle on making socks. I bought at the knitting symposium in Norway last year a leaflet fo Krija Kongsbak where they had a sock knitted sideways.
Look here is my first sock before I have seamed the sides together:

And here is the first sock after sides was connected:

Next I will have to try sideways knitted gloves in garter and maybe some multidirectional garter garments will sneek in among the WIP's too...

Yarn diet

2009-08-16T14:35:00.003+03:00

This year has been a very productive year, I have knitted and completed more projects than ever before and many far more complex and larger than the years before. One of the goals I have been working toward is to slim down my stash. Do not get me wrong, I love my stash but I feel a bit crowded. I really need to free some space so that the family can move around freely and get some drawers to other stuff.

I have during the spring knitted two dresses, two skirts, one summer cardi, a pair of socks and two hats for me and a cardigan for the little one. I have completed two UFO's one jumper and a pair of gloves.

I have been very good, avoiding the yarnstore and not ordered yarns from online. Pleased with myself I assumed that now I must have been able to at least match the knitting with the speed I aquire yarn. Well one of the dresses I did purchase yarn for and since I had some left I "had" to purchase more of the same dyelot to be able to complete one more project of this. And then summer came and I visited Kampes Spinneri and Daisy Design in Gothenburg and suddenly I had purchased almost the same amount that had been knitted, Ugh!

What we can learn from this is that yarndiet is just as hard as an ordinary diet. You controle yourself for months but then make a few misstakes and most of your efforts are undone. The difference with the yarndiet is however that you have some beatiful FO(Finnished Objects) to make you happier and the added weight will one day also turn in to some beatiful FO that will make you happy both during their creations and after.

Time to wake up!

2009-05-17T19:11:00.003+03:00

Ok, I have been knitting, I really have. And I have tried to be active on Ravelry but lately it seems I log in to ravelry just to try to find some action but I do not. I joined a KAL at Ravelry and it seems I am the only one actively knitting at the moment.

The project is Rosalind and here is my latest picture(2 days old) of my version.

I am now done with the frons and back, first arm is 2" and growing.

I will try to be more active here at my blog. Ravelry is fun but I can express myself differently here on the blog soo, in the future less time at ravelry and more on the blog.

Rip-it, rip-it, rip-it

2007-10-10T23:17:00.000+03:00

I know, and we all know that when your project starts to feel wrong something most definatlely is wrong!

Knowing this I was so eager to finish my almost ready "holiday-project" that even though I knew that the neckline would not work I continued until it was time to cast off.
The neckline was and still is, the last and only thing left to do.
I had to rip it, I started a second neckline, I knew it was not a good one but continued and then ripped it. And then... ... and ripped it!

This time I will make it properly and make it work. I hope I will be ready and have a new camera to document for all of you a FO by the weekend.

Stay tuned!

Holiday knitting and yarn, yarn, yarn.

2007-08-13T20:05:00.000+03:00

After The Nordic knitting symposium in Joensuu it was time for holiday. I had planned to do a lot of knitting and get some FO but I have only produced a lot of test swatches and started with 5-6 different things none is close to be finished and some may never become a FO.

On our yearly trip home to Sweden I visited for the first time Kampes Ullspinneri in Ullervad just outside Mariestad. Every time we go to Sweden we pass through Ullervad on our way to visit my now 93 year old grandma. I have known about the spinnery for years but this was my first visit to their shop but I can assure you not my last. What I like especially is their crochet cotton. They have 200 gram balls in a many colors and a few different weights.

This is the kind of yarn I started to knit with some 25 years ago since it was very affordable then and still is today and procuces a nice fabric with 3mm needles.
And Kampes have two different lilac colors in my liking, I bought 600gram in color 686 and then one hank of laceweight combed wool 20/2 in color 218.
Kampes webpage is an disaster, really, but you can find the yarns there and you can order by writing an e-mail to them. No prices is given for the yarns on the webpages but as you can see on my picture especially the cottons are very affordable.

On our way home we took a slightly longer route to be able to visit Tapion Kauppa only 100km from where I live it could very well be the largest yarn shop in Finland but I was not in the mood but still 600gram of purple alpaca yarn from garnstudio and 500gram white bamboo yarn from Novita came home with me from there.

Nordic Knitting Symposium in Joensuu part 1

2007-07-10T16:32:00.001+03:00

I spent last week in Joensuu at the Nordic Knitting Symposium. I have a lot to tell but no time. I have bags to unpack, clothes to wash and bags to pack.

I took four workshops:

I saw amazing knitting:

I met old and new fiends:

We went to the top of the world:

Dyening some yarn

2007-07-10T10:04:00.000+03:00

A friend of mine Celebrated her birthday last week. As she is an amazing lace knitter I purchased two hanks of Merino Oro that I knitted together on the knitting mashine dyed
and unravelled as I have described in a previous post.
My friend likes blue and red and this is how the balls of yarn looked when ready to be wrapped in gift wrapping.

I was worried my friend would not like the yarn but I had no reason to, she loved it and I am happy.

New inspiration - New sweater

2007-06-16T01:06:00.000+03:00

These flowers are so pretty.

I have been swatching for a forgetmenot sweater. The real thing is the summer holiday knitting and has been on the needles for three weeks.

I'll get back to you on this one after the holiday.

Bobopido - Finally done.

2007-06-16T00:38:00.000+03:00

This top has taken more time than entisipated and I am so satisfied to have made it to the end.

I have knitted it from the top the Barbara Walker way with set in sleeves.
Short rows has was added at the bust for more fabric over the boobs.
Under the bust I decreased 1/6 th of the stiches.
side shaping and some shaping at the pack to avoid the fabric to ride up at the back.

A few shortrows added at the back at the waist and then shortrows was added at the back before the edge was knitted.
Finally after the edge was cast off a crouched picot edge was added.

yarn: doubled crouche yarn from the stash
needles: 3mm addi
gauge: 28*39 10cm

The sweater would be more flattering if I had not decreased so much under the bust, a bit more ease would have made the fabric follow my figure more losely.

Bobopido - On the needles

2007-05-17T06:02:00.000+03:00

Oh my, what a picture!
Well I do wear a bra if anyone wonderes, ;) .

This is my project on the needles, as you can see. It is a Top down lace top/sweater with set in sleeves knitted at the same time. Yarn is a doubled crouche cotton bought in 200gram skeins. The pattern is my own and is changed all along the way. I have been working on this one for 3-4 weeks and hope to complete it before the end of May, I have actually finnished one of the 3/4 long arms and started on the second but have not taken a more recent picture.

Arisaig - Completed!

2007-05-17T04:44:00.000+03:00

I did finnish the arisaig weeks ago and have been using it frecuently but still I have good pictures so here is what I have:

As I have mentioned before it is not much left of the original pattern in my version, the similarities are the stichpattern and the wrap.
Pattern: Arisaig *
Yarn: King Cole Antitickle one 500gram cone
Needles: 3mm addi Turbo
Changes: No Ribbing, the clevage is higher up, shortrows for the bust, Lengthened the body 5cm, slimmed down the arms a few inches. Pearl stiched hems.
What I would do differently next time: Use 3.25mm needles, after use the blocking disapears and the garment becomes to short and the fabric becomes "bumpy" as it was preblocked. I would also add 10cm more on the body length.

My little helper

2007-03-26T23:39:00.000+03:00

I have a very eager little helper from time to time:

See the concentration he puts in to the winding.

Finally the sweater in domino knitting for the little helper is done and all loose ends fastened and cut off. I thought I would never get it done. It is one and a half years since I started to knit it and I am so happy to finally have it off my needles and stop feeling guilty about it.

Yarn: Sisu and Lanett
Needles: 3mm
Pattern: My own.

I find the pickupedges to be rather thick and the sweater very heavy due to the garter stitch in the domino squares. Now it's just to see if the little one ever will wear it! I have tried to have him trying it on it during the process but it has been a struggle.

Lacy Summer Socks

2007-03-24T08:46:00.000+02:00

I started to knit these socks a year ago. I do not know why they have taken this long to complete since I like the yarn, I like the pattern and they were very fast to complete.

I have knitted a pair of socks in this pattern before but it seems I forgott to put post about them or at least I can'f find them in my archive right now.
I bound off the socks before cristmas, it just took some months to dig out the needle and darn the ends in. I have not been in a hurry since these socks have so many holes in them that they are not suitable for winterwear where I live and even if spring is starting to show, it will not be warm enough for another 2 months.

"New" socks on my feet.

2007-03-18T18:28:00.000+02:00

Finally a couple of months after I took these socks off the needles thay I have darned in the yarn ends.
It took me ~10minutes or less.

Yarn: 7-veljestä handpainted by me
Needles: 3.5mm Knitpicks Options
Pattern: My own

The socks are started from the toes.
Pattern is a *k2, p2* rib and a small twist on the k2 every fourth row to hold the rib together better.

This yarn is one of my failures in handpainting but still The colors are ok and I do need more socks. I do prefer varigated yarns that are more peacefull.

Painting yarn - New technique

2007-03-15T19:17:00.000+02:00

When you want to make a garment where the colours slowly move in to each other and not have a repetitive colour sequence you might want to try the following technique out.

I have seen this technique on a few blogs and have had the idea to use it in the back of my head for a year or more now. One evening I decided it was time to activate the idea.

This technique is perfect for lace shawls knitted in triangular or squares knitted from the middle and out. Since complicated knitted lace could be completely hidden in variegated yarns and sharp colour contrasts this technique is a good way to colour up your lace.

Knit up a plain fabric of all the yarn you will need to complete your garment.

Wash the fabric carefully not to felt it, rinse and use a little white vinegar in the rinse water. Press out all excessive water.

Protect yourself and the painting area with latex gloves and plastic cover. Mix colors and spread out the damp fabric on the painting area.

Here you see my fabric spread out on my kitchen table, brushes and dyes waiting.

If you are concerned where the colours will come in your garment you need to make calculations. But otherwise just take out the dyes and the brushes and start painting. I had just a vague plan in my head and painted the fabric according to this.

Remember always use the colours that makes you tingle.

Paint the fabric roughly following the rows. The dyes can be slightly uneven applied, some will even out and the rest will add an interesting effect in the knitted garment to be. Let the colour changes be a bit uneven to make them slowly grow into each other. Sharp colour contrasts painted perfectly following the rows will make sharp colour changes in the knitted garment to be.

When you are done with the painting roll the fabric together vertically so that the same color is placed on the same place through the roll. If you do not want the colors to bleed, wrap the roll in plastic.

Put the role in a micowave safe container. Here I have rolled the role in the glass utensil specially purchased for dyeing.

Put on the lid of the container and place the container with the damp/wet fabric in the microwave. Turn the microwave on full effect for 3-5 minutes, until the water in the wet fabric is close to the boiling point.

Let the container rest in the microwave for 10 minutes and turn the microwave on again to rice the temperature up to the boiling point. Let the fabric rest another 10 minutes before rising the temperature up again.

Cover the container with some old towels and let the fabric slowly cool down. The longer cooling down period the better the colours bite on the fibers.

Here is my cooled down fabric ready to be washed to remove any traces of dyes left in the fabric.

Wash and rinse the fabric carefully. Remember too much agitation will felt the wool. Be careful!

Below is my washed and dried fabric. As the observant viewer will notice the colour has bled and into each other due to me not wrapping the role in plastic. The colours have also evened out some of the unevenness and the transitions between the colours have softened up.

Now it's time to rip out the fabric and wind it to a ball or a hank.

Below is my ready yarn on a ball.

This is the end of this story for now. The yarn has been added to my stash of yarns that needs to be used. Hopefully I will soon find the perfect project for this yarn.

Increasing amount of projects started.

2007-03-11T20:38:00.000+02:00

I do not seem to be able to stop myself. I am just at the finnishing line with both my version of Arisaig and the sweater for the little one and what do I do?

I am starting new projects every day (Well almost)!

A new pair of socks for me in Trekking Nature, in color 1605.

A pair of socks for the littleone in Rellana sockenwolle color dunkelpastel.

And yesterday night a new sweater for the little one.
Look:

It is a Sasha Kagan Design published in the English magazine "Knitting" August 2006, I am using Drops Alpaca.

We, or rather my husband, have a small, very small, red sailing boat and DH and the little one likes to go sailing in the summer so I thought this sweater pattern could be changed to fit a child.

I am not so happy with the Intarsia part, and that is a big part of this pattern, I find that the articles I have on Intarsia in magazines and online mainly describe the very basic of intarsia. Like this boats sails and mast, should you use 2 white threads, one for each sail? should I make the mast with Intarsia or embrodery it later? and how do you carry the yarn along when a color moves many stiches away?

I thought I was an advanced knitter but now I feel like a beginner, like being snapped on my fingers for having to high thoughts about my knitting ability. Well there you see, one shall be humble...

Other things that has been on my needles lately is a bunch of swatches. I am thinking lace and beads, beads and lace and lace, lace, lace...

Would it not be nice if I finnished something soon?

A UFO back on the needles.

2007-02-24T00:38:00.000+02:00

Those of you that have read my bog during my rare posts and that has an excellent memory might remember a sketch of a sweater for my son in domino/patchwork knitting. The sweater has been a UFO for so long that I was afraid my son would have outgrown it but no, I think it still will fit him.
I have started the arms now and should be able to finish it during next week.

I do not like to knit this technique, I dont get any rythm into it, all this turning makes the knitting fractioned and feels very slow.

Arm / swatch

2007-02-24T00:29:00.000+02:00

I realy wanted to do something that would knit upp fast after arisaig so I used some heavy yarn and 6mm needles and started on a arm for a lace cardigan.

I should have made a sample! the gauge is realy off 16stiches over pattern should be 4 inches but on the arm 16stiches were 5 inches. What to do? Abandon the project? recalculate the pattern?

I have not decided yet.

Arisaig - All parts done

2007-02-24T00:16:00.000+02:00

finally!

It took me three months to do the knitting, I thought it would never end and I was so afraid to start something new. Starting something new usually leads to the current project becoming a UFO and I really want my arisaig.

Well the knitting was finished last sunday and I washed the parts and blocked them.

So that is the fronts and back during blocking, I used some toys to fill upp the bust since I made shortrows at the bust.

It looks like I have used to few pins on the back piece, I hope it will be ok anyway. I tried to uce thin knittingneedles and circular needles to make the edges straighet and more even but I would have needed even more. I hope to find some nice blocking wires soon.
Now I have to sew all parts together and knit the neckline. When that is done I will present to you Arisaig on the modell(Me that is).

Knitting Podcasts now also with Video!

2007-02-14T21:58:00.000+02:00

Isn't that fantastic!

Check it out at Lets Knit2gether. I have not had time to see them all but I managed to see Rhinebeck, Yarn Harlot and Galina Khmeleva who has written a book about Orenburg shawls.

I still have to watch the felting show and the bead show. Cat has also announced they will make a show on Laceknitting.

No new yarn in 2007

2007-01-31T23:16:00.000+02:00

Could you manage that? A big group of finnish bloggers has joined together aiming at that. I don't think I could manage. The only way would be stop knitting, stop surfing on knitting bloggs and quit all mailing lists. And that would realy be dull.

Actually I have already some new yarn coming in my direction any day now. It's Drops Alpacka in two shades of purple, Have I metioned that I love purple? Heh.

Now you might wonder what I have been up to during these weeks, months with no new posts at my blogg? Well I have done some knitting but not much to show. I had problems finding a uni colored yarn to my circular cardigan so it is still lying in a basket waiting.
I finally found the yarn to the edging but have not jet come up with a lace edging suitable.

I stumbled across these two(1 2) beatifull variations of knittys Arisaig and started knitting on my own arisaig a few weeks before cristmas. Result? well Two arms and the backpiece. First front panel on the way. I do not know how long you should call a project by the name of the sweater that you started with. I have changed so much, the arms are narrower and shorter, the body is all lace and longer, I have added shortrows over the bust, the bias is changed to fit the changes I have done.

I am knitting Arisaig with 3mm needles and King Cole antitickle Merino yarn on 500 gram cone from the stash, I do have a second cone in this colorlot but one might just be enough.

The backpiece was made in two weeks but the frontpiece is taking so much more time, I'm unsure of the result and constantly looking for new projects but try not to start anything, I have enough UFO's lying around to let My Arisaig become another one and I really need some nice clothes to wear.

Blue V-neck Sweater

2006-10-22T22:14:00.000+03:00

Finally after spending months sewn together but missing the hem and edge in the neck the sweater is out of the closet.

Modell: My own
Yarn: Opal Uni
I have been so afraid the V-neck would become too deep but now I think it could have been deeper.
I had to leave my head outside the picture today, Sorry.

Expanding Circles

2006-10-22T21:47:00.000+03:00

My becoming circle cardigan has now reached the point where I think it's time to leave openings for the arms.

The arm's would if added at this poit become 42cm(16 1/2") in circumference. The diameter of the knitting is now 54cm(21 1/4").
I find it hard to know exactly where to add the arms since this is not like constructing your usual cardi.
I am so curious in how the arms will fit constructed this way. Will they become comfortabe or just feel odd?

Knitting in Circles

2006-10-21T00:32:00.000+03:00

Have you missed me?

I have had some knitting, tinking going on and the tinking part were not fun. ripit, ripit, ripit.

Well last weekend I started with this

I do not follow any pattern, making my own as I go along but the inspiration is: The shape of theWhite Lies Design's Madeleine Shawl Jacket And then you have theElann's Pinwheel Sweater and the Twisted Float Shrug fromVogueknitting autumn2005. As you can see they are all knitted with the same idea. But its only the madeleine jacket that I find having a flattering shape. Could it be a more draping texture that makes it?
I started my small circles with Opal Lollipop 1015(not produced anymore). I purchased it at a sale and I think I have >1kg of it(some of it is stuck in another ongoing project.
Tha knitting proceeds in good speed, I have soon reached the place where I soon should make room for future arms. The diameter is in this knitting moment double the one in the picture.
My plan was to have a uni colored 10cm wide lace around the edge and at the end of the arms, just as the madeleine jacket. I have not found a lace in my taste just yet. I did order some Opal Uni from the autumn 2006 collection but the colors were far from what I had expected.

Can you guess what numbers I ordered?
Here are the photo presenting the Autumn 2006 colors.
I must say I was surpriced when I opened the package, The colors does not even come close to the picture the produser has taken.

The correct answer is 1414, 1412, 1419. Did you guess the correct numbers? Congratulations!

I am mostly dissappointed with the pink yarn called 1412. I do not like that shade of pink!

Packages

2006-10-04T19:47:00.000+03:00

I do not knoe where they all come from but I get them every week! Small packages from all around the globe. This internet is indeed a dangerous place, you find all kinds of lovely, tempting and lovely stuff that is hard to avoid ordering. I have yarn everywhere and the amount of needles are increasing continuely. I have more knitting books than the library and still there are more that I have to restrain myself from ordering.

I have to leave you now to get some knitting done, Bye.

Knit Picks do not sell outside US/Canada!

2006-09-22T19:12:00.000+03:00

Is that not a big shame?
I guess I am not the only one who is dissappoined with that.

So when I first saw the KnitPicks new interchangeble needles I was sad but then I was offered help from an fellow knitting blogger so I ordered the needles to her house and then she send it to mee and Oh, my, she also send me some handmade Stich Markers, She made them herself!
Check these out:

They are so pretty I considered to use them as earrings, :) .

And the needles are lovely:

I have not had any time to make a proper review on them but I have made a few rows and they seem to be all I hoped them to be. I did order some extra cords since I like them looong and some extra needles.

If you check in the background you can see a pattern there too. A purple cardigan called "Starburst Sweater". I think that is such a lovely pattern, elegant and romatic and also suitable to wear at work.

So lets see what will happen with all this stuff in the near future, Curious? You better check in on me again to see.

Stash Enhancement and book

2006-09-22T18:53:00.000+03:00

Will I never learn how to avoid yarn?
It seems not. A couple of weeks ago I visited GetKnitted and what happened? Oh, shame on mee I ordered some yarn, purple of course but still. I should have restrained myself.

The Purple cotton was on sale, but the Purple tweed were something that just arrived to the store.

As you can see I got the latest book by the Yarnharlot there too. A nice book but so far I discovered nothing new to me. Stephanie's book just jumped in to the basket when ordering "Big Girl Knits". BGK has not arrived jet but it is a book I have high expectaions on as I am now being a few, maybe 4, sizes larger than I used to bee. I have already joined the KAL for this book so I have read some comments on the patterns and the advices given and it seems to be a realy nice book.

Posing in NEW SHAWL!

2006-09-12T22:55:00.000+03:00

Ohh, it's lovely purperly lightly perfectly!

Well I still think I could have made it bigger, next time I will make a shawl that I can cheat on while knitting. This time I stayed true. (Almost anyway just some small swatches and sketches were done on the side).

The last rows were truly tedious. I would need to be allowed to cheat on during the knitting of these rows of >400stiches or I'll stop knitting completely!

But look, I do look happy, right?

Contrasts

2006-09-12T22:40:00.000+03:00

So what does a yarn obsessed woman do when a project is BO? Reaches out for one of the 20(?) UFO's hidden in boxes, drawers, wardrobes, bags...

Oh NO, she starts to crave for more yarn and...

She leaves work running, throw herself in the car, drives on two wheels to the LYS and enhances her stash with some...

Lime cotton yarn, Mandarin Petit color 8514

The yarn Obsessed knows that without a tee in this contrasting color her newly knit shawl will not be shown off properly so she need this yarn, right? Well of course I'm right!

This yarn is so soft! wonderful, lovely a swatch is being created at this very moment.

Knitting is done

2006-09-10T23:01:00.000+03:00

Under blocking at this very moment.

Size unblocked 65x140cm
Size blocked 85x178cm
Having problems with upploading pictures but they will come=> Here they are

Only the edge row pattern left.

2006-09-10T02:46:00.000+03:00

I am pleased to say that I have kompleted the actual pattern. I had calculated 100g to the shawl and the weight is 97g! This calculation was done before I decided to add some edge rows but I still will end up quite close to 100g.

I do not think I will be able to complete the shawl this weekend. The little one demands to much attension but my guess is that the knitting and blocking will be done before next weekend so please be patient there will be no pretty pictures for 5-6days from today.

On the finnishing line.

2006-09-10T00:18:00.000+03:00

Silence for a long time again!

Well I like show pictures of FO's and I'm working hard to have anything to show you but My shawl is still not done. I have spent some, a few, quite many nights knitting on it but these last rows are teadious. I have only three rows left on the pattern but then I desided to add a modified edge as the one of the Swallowtail Shawl from IK so there is about 20 rows left, and 1 row is now about 500 stiches! 500! and then the bindoff!

500 stiches takes ages and you can not see the progress so I get bored... And then I start to think and plan for next project. I'm thinking about some lime/avocado colored tee with 3/4 arms. the shawl and the F&F poncho would look soo good with a sweater in that color.

I have made some knit related orders. Latest order contained Rowan 4-ply cotton in colorway flirty on discount from Get Knitted and then Debbie Bliss Donegal Tweed Aran in the colorway 07. All Purple. This is my first purchase with some more expensive yarns. The tweed would be perfect for the Sunrise Circle Jacket. The cotton would be nice in some beaded shirt. I have to figure out a pattern and beads.

Sample of Arrowheads

2006-08-27T23:15:00.000+03:00

I have mentioned her before, Eunny, she creates wonderfull new stuff all the time.

Last week she made this sweater, Arrowhead Pullower.

I had to make a swatch on the Lace Pattern.

I was torn between enhancing my stach or use some of the antiques stored in my xadrillon of boxes. The winner was my stash, my house will explode if stach more now.

The yarn is a cabletwined crouchet cotton bought some 20 years ago. I was then low on money and high on creativity and this quality was much cheaper than knitting yarns. It was sold in hanks of 200gram and this jeansblue yarn has been in my boxes ever since.

I have here blocked the swatch after a washing it in the mashine and it looks gourgeous. The arrowheads are pointing downwars since I plan to make a top down project with this lace.

yarn: cabletwined 12/6 mercericed cotton
needles: 3.5mm Addi Turbo

I have to plan a project in this yarn and lacepattern.

On the needles: A Shawl

2006-08-27T22:50:00.000+03:00

When finnishing the Poncho presented in my last posting. I blocket 2 in the morning of last Sunday.

I had no plan on starting a new project but more finnishing one or more of my ufo's.

What happened?

This happened: Leaves & Flowers shawl

I think it was the purple color that got me hooked, I started just to test it out and then decided to alter the pattern because I use such a thin yarn and I want a realy big shawl approx: 70inches wide.

This is how the shawl looked yesterday evening in sunset at the sea.

I use the same yarn as in the Mystery Shawl, the Wristwarmers and the Feather & Fan Poncho.
The same purple as in the Wristwarmers and the Feather & Fan Poncho's borders but this time I knit it with a single thread on 3mm Addi Bamboo.

According to my calculations I have to spend 3 more weeks on this shawl to complete it. I would need to be true to the shawl to complete it in that timeframe and I doubt I can be that monogam.

Pika Bhoo

2006-08-09T15:44:00.000+03:00

Hello out there

After a long, long time off the needles I am back on track again. Many thanks to Eunny for inspiring me to start clicking my needles again.
Eunny´s knittings are soo Inspiring. I just wish I could knit that good, fast and look that good in my knitted items as she does.

Pattern: My own
Yarn: Yarn from stash, 100% high quality wool.
Needles: 4,5mm (7 US)

I am above posing in my most recent FO. A poncho in Feather and Fan pattern. It took me two weeks to complete and I consider it a fast knit, to me that is. But then Feater and Fan is one of the most rewarding patterns I know. The poncho is knitted in the same wool as my latest purple wristwarmers, the Mystery Shawl and I still have tons of this yarn in my stash. The multicolored parts is two different threads from my dying experiments and they are purple-blue-green-lightturqouise.

I am rather happy with this project but there is one big minus, there is not enough room for the sholders. I should have increased faster over the shoulders to make it wider.

As a result of the narrowness the neckline is bubbling:

Any ideas on how to fix this?

I'll try to block it a bit more and maybe reknit the neckline with thinner needles.

Closeup of the edge and the colors.

Little one in New Sweater.

2006-06-08T21:54:00.000+03:00

The yarn is trekking, very soft and nice. The sweater is knitted on my mashine but the neckline is an i-cord done by hand in Opal Uni. Has been waiting for it's neckline forever and when finally done, it's soon to small! You can see his yellow shirt peeking out under the lower edge.
It takes some convincing to get the sweater on.

Not knitting much...

2006-06-08T21:49:00.000+03:00

So what am I then up to?
Well this:

I am trying hard to get in shape for smaller sizes so knitting a sweater will be faster and of course cheaper, ;).

Lacy Purple Wristwarmers

2006-04-29T18:38:00.000+03:00

Made the last rows on wednesday night and sew them up, My Purple Wristwarmers. They started as a test on adding lace frills to a garterstich wristwarmer and I think they turned out fine. I was a bit concerned that they were too frilly but after using them biking to work and in the office I came to the conclusion they are perfect.

You can see on my big smile I like my wristwarmers and that I drink alot of tea, about 2 litres a day.

Below a closeup while knitting on a scarf in the same yarn as I used in the wristwarmers.
I almost always use circular needles, also when I knit back and forward. I find it more relaxing on my arms and shoulders and much safer when knitting in the car or in the sofa with a jumping toddler all around.

Short of time.

2006-04-24T07:35:00.000+03:00

Three weeks of sick leave has soon gone. Tomorrow morning it's time to go to work again and my knitting time will be limited again. So I wanted to show whats on my needles right now.
I have hand painted some Opal yarn to stripes.

Using this Turkish Cast-on I started two Feather & Fan socks toe up, My own variation, using the stripy yarn.

I am also working on some wrist warmers with a lace ruffle in purple.

So thats all from me today. I better get back to my knitting projects when I still have time. I will get back to you and report when I finnish any of my ongoing projects.

Gecko Eyes

2006-04-19T13:21:00.000+03:00

Adrienne Fong has designed a pair of socks that rocked my world when I saw them, The Gecko Eyes Socks.
But since I wanted to knit another hat instead I used the stichpattern and designed my own hat. Though the winter surely is melting away this very moment I know that next winter I will have a very stylich hat.
It took me more time than I expected to knit. First I had problems with the zigzag rib but with the help of Adrienne I overcame that. The Cable pattern were though a bit more snugglish than I have encountered before. I even bent my Addi Turbos when knitting them.

Yarn: Opal Uni color 18
Beads: Gutermann Rocailles 9/0
Needles: 2mm and 2.5mm.

New Hat

2006-04-12T08:32:00.000+03:00

Have you seen Odessa by Grumperina?
Well I decided I needed that hat to hide my hair that has not been washed for since before my operation a week ago, doctors order, so here is my version:

Needles: 3mm and 3.5mm
Yarn: Notita's Nalle.
Beads: bigger than 8/0 but I think smaller than 6/0. 7/0???
Conclusions: I should have needed to make one more patternreport, the hat is very tight. It should also been made one report longer. I made 11 reports, should have made 12.
The shawl I'm wearing is my Mystery shawl, yes its blocked now but still too small, More like a scarf actually. The sweater is one I knitted 4-5years ago.
So now I'm off to the hospital for the doctor to make a checkup on my ear. I am allowed to wash my hair after that. Yipee!

Lazy swallops!

2006-04-08T12:11:00.000+03:00

I planned to knit Sockbugs Lazy swallop socks. When I started I discovered that the pattern and the yarn stripes fought eachother so I let the yarn win, sorry Sockbug. So I present my mini Feater & Fan socks.

knitted on Addi turbo 2.5mm with Trekking sockyarn.

Little one showing his Granny how to knit.

2006-04-08T12:07:00.000+03:00

Usually I get nervous when the little one grabs my knitting. This time it was one of the swatches for my planned wintercoat so no damage could realy be done.

Isn't he quete?

Craving for color

2006-04-07T20:30:00.000+03:00

Not just any colors but colored yarns. I read on the socklists I'm on all praice for STR-"Socks That Rock" but have not realy fallen in love in their colorways. Koigu on the other hand...
Well as you all now: I have a huge stash! And I have dyes for protein fibers. So Today, on a sickleave alone in the house I dug out my dyes and some old hanks of weaving wool and I started to paint. The yarn is not the soft yarn you would like to have close to your skin. I have made a sweater of it before and it worked fine. A hat I made became to scratchy though.

I had in mind doing something that could be used in a wintercoat I plan to knit. The base yarn for that is purple, what else? I wanted something that made the purple look more alive and I wanted some lime color in it.

These are the four hanks I made all in blue, turqoise and purple, two with lime and two without for other unknown purposes. The turqoise and the ble color became a bit pale but a test swatch gave a very satisfying result.

And the balls are beatifull.

I might never want to order any colored yarn again. The result is so much what I love and like that it's almost scary.

They are perfect!

New yarn needs to be dyed A S A P !!!

Presenting Jaywalker

2006-03-19T21:22:00.001+02:00

So I was up untill 3 in the morning and managed to finnish my jaywalker socks. They look and feel just fine. The only downside with the finnished sock is that I have a problem getting then on. the leg is so narrow!

I used size 2mm(0 needles), magic loop, Opal Indigo(in US Opal Ocean). 88stiches(modified the pattern a bit) and adding my own favorite heel and toe.
Good thing I managed to finnished them since all my socks needs to be washed and now I can use these tomorrow so I can wait with the washing until tomorrow.

Against the stream...

2006-03-17T20:51:00.000+02:00

So what's up? I have been absent for a long time and you might wonder if I stopped knitting, right?

Well I haven't but it has not been so much results lately.
I have finnished a mini poloponcho.
I am happy with the finnished product.

And then I present to you the turquise sweater I knitted on my mashine some month ago. I had some closeups before this is the complete sweater.
I feel kind of unhappy with the modell inside the knitted items, one reason for my absence here but it is me in there, no matter how much I try to ignore it.
Well, well. These two are now in use almost every day so what is on my needles right now? You might say what is not, since I have so many UFO's so I can't keep track on them all. Anyway, you might remember a green sock I knitted last year from socks, socks, socks? I did not like knitting it and it still misses it's mate. Well I read all lyrics written about Jaywalker from MagKnits and wondered how come that is such a popular sock since it was kind of similar to the green sock. So I decided to give it a try, and the result is, I hate knitting it! It has been three weeks now and I am working on the gusset of the second sock and I Hate it, Hate it! I must be a freek of somekind since everyone else seems to love it. Well I wan't to finnish this unloved socks cause I can't have more UFO's in this house. I expext them to be done by next week, It takes time when I don't enjoy my knitting. They look good though, I like the finnished sock.
So next post will be about the Jaywalkers by Mitz.

Must dye for colors.

2006-01-20T05:22:00.000+02:00

I have for a long time had dyes at home, actually very long time, but not been dyeing at all until I read about dyeing in the microwave. I did some test autumn 2005 but they did not end up 100% satisfactory to me. Now I found a new approach on the microwave dyeing that I just have to try:

* Knit up a fabric with the yarn you wan't to dye.
* Soak it in water with some vinegar(ättika).
* Apply colors using the knitted fabrik as canvas.
* Micro.
* Wash.
* Dry.
* Unravel.
* Knit the yarn to your final product.

For more and visual bloggs and websites about this start here:
Bithes blogg(Check November 2005 postings done 15th and 22nd)
MACHINE KNITTING TO DYE FOR
Woven Thoughts

Well thats all for now, No pictures today

But,
I'll be back...

In LOVE!!!

2006-01-10T22:19:00.000+02:00

My very first sweater to myself made on the BKM are ready. I knitted it in tourquise Opal Uni and made the edges in purple Opal Uni. On the edges I tried for the first time to knit I-cord and although I am not so happy with the hem of the body and the arms:

The neckline I-cord is perfect!

I had pinned the sweater on the floor on the night to monday so I went up early to remove the pins and I just had to wear the sweater to work and I walked as on clouds, I felt as if being in love. I just love this sweater with it's flaws and now I have to make another one because wearing it was like heaven and I feel addicted, I need more Opal sweaters.

The most surprising thing is that I did not even use 500g tourquise and I am a full sixe XXL person! This means I can knit double as many sweaters as I had bought yarn to knit. In the future I have to limit myself and buy less of each yarn not to end up with so much extra. I did the pattern myself and to fit my figure and I love the fit. Only one thing should be corrected before knitting the next one, make even steeper shoulders to avoid the access cloth at the front arms.

Orange!!!

2006-01-10T21:04:00.000+02:00

Ahhh, I have recived some more yarn. This time from Martinas Bastel- & Hobbykiste. I just don't seem to be able to controle myself when yarn is involved. This time I was surprised mysef of the yarns that I recived. I had ordered 400g of orange Trekking and 100g of green Regia, and 100g of somekind of turquise striped yarn.

No blue! No purple! You might wonder if I by any chance are ill but no, I am not. The little one likes yellow and orange and I am going to make him more sweaters on my Brother Knitting Mashine.

White Christmas - The last projects of this year

2005-12-25T06:57:00.000+02:00

Finally the christmas planning and arranging is done. This year we stayed home and we even forgot to watch the traditional "Kalle Ankas Jul"(Donald Ducks Christmas). We decided to stay home this year to avoid the long trip to Gothenburg. And we were blessed with snow, actually it is still falling outside.

Well so what has happened here since my last post you might have asked yourself. I have got some worried mails but all has been fine. There has just been so much to do and the winter tiredness has not allowed me to sit up so many nights.

Have I done any knitting? Oh, yes of course, alot! A pair of gloves to the little one:

Two pair of socks in Opal:
The first sock is a variation of the feather and fan sock from Socks, socks, socks. I have used Opal Creme with 2mm needles.
The second pair is knitted in Opal Musica with 2,5mm needles from the toe up. Pattern from my own head.
2,5mm needles seems to be the perfect needles for me to use when knitting socks in Opal 4-ply.

A neckwarmer in some yarn that has been a stockwarmer since the 80's( I left with 30cm after this project):
--- Picture coming ---

I have also one lonely sock made in Opal that awaits his mate: The pattern is again one from Socks, socks, socks. This time the ripple socks I have though made the leg shorter that in the original bacause this suits my legs better. The yarn is once again Opal. Uni and Mosaic and knitted on 2mm needles. I like the pattern but not the color mix so these will be a gift to my mother in law when finnished.

And then: I have bougth a knitting mashine! I send out an add on the swedish speaking radio here and I got a lot of answers. The mashine I bought was a Brother KX-395 and I love it! It is a simple mashine, not hard to learn, and you can knit with both thin, I have knitted with Opal, and bulky, I have tried some swathes with a yarn called Budget that are no more to be bought, 100m/100g.

To learn the mashine and fing the correct settings for different yarns there has been a lot of testing but there has been one cardigan and one sweater done. Both for the little one.

The sweater is knitted in Novita's the 7-brother's yarn after my own head. The gauge became to loose but the little one is using it and it is warm. I had some problem with the neck cause the beatifull neck I first made would not go over the head of the little one so I made another one and it is floppy but easy to get over the head...

The Cardigan is knitted in Opal Uni and Opal Brasil after pattern in knitty: http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring04/PATTdevan.html . All that know me would also understand that I have not followed the pattern, ;) , I have knitted the sweater from up to down, that meant some recalculattion but I think it was worth it. The front and neck edge was knitted by hand since there are not enough needles on the mashine.
The little refused to put it on for a long time but finally I convinced hit yesterday.

I used One ball of Opal Brazil and almost one ball of Opal Uni. If you watch carefully you can see that the stripes are not the same on the belly. There was something wrong in the color report so I was not able to fix the differences because I just had yar enough as it was, actually I had a little less as you can see I used more yellow at the bottom edge of the sleeves.

And soon there will be some sweaters for me made on the mashine too. I am making patterns in excel all the time. Since I am adding shortrows for the bust and shoulder and try to make a sweater follow my full figure in a flatering way it takes a lot of planning.

Two pair of Feather & Fan Socks

2005-10-03T22:04:00.000+03:00

I finnished my second and third pair of "Feather & Fan Socks" from "Socks, socks, socks". My first Pair can be seen here: Feather & Fan Socks done


Pair no.2: Opal Indigo 226 socks - I Love the way these turned up, like waves on the water a sunny day.	Pair no.3: Fortissima Mexico and Opal Mosaic in purple/white

And then as you saw in my latest posting, knitted in Garter stich and while picking Lingon berries, a pair of Wristwarmers/half-mittens in Opal Indigo 226.
Wristwarmers

I have also started another pair of socks from "Socks, socks, socks" but they are not as fast knitted as the "Feater & Fan Socks" so you will have to wait for them.

I'm tired today so enjoy the pictures untill next posting.

Package from in Germany!

2005-09-11T22:09:00.000+03:00

More yarn! It was three weeks ago I ordered and finally on thursday the yarn had reached my postoffice!
And...

I love it! It is more Opal 10 balls of Indigo 220, 10 balls of Indigo 226 and 8 balls of lollipop 1015.
This package came from Anja Bünger-Der Faden and She had some very good prices on the Indigo yarn, I almost bought all she had.
These Indigo is such a perfect colorway for me. Blue with a some hints of turkuise and purple.
As you can see one ball is missing already. This is where it is:

You have to have your hands occupied not to get sinfull thoughts they said in parts of scandinavia in the past. We are on our way to pick lingonberries. The little one walked all the way by himself without any complains! He is such a sweet one.
And here is a closeup at the result. I do love the short colorchanges in this yarn.

Wristwarmer to be

I think Indigo would make a perfect pair of Feather and fan socks. It would be like Waves on the sea.

Tedious Spiral rib socks

2005-09-11T21:42:00.000+03:00

It took me almost a week to complete these socks for my son. there is only 48stiches and no heels! I thought this was going to be a pair of fast knitted socks and a suitable model for growing feet. But the rib that moves 1 stich every 4th row took a lot of time! Unbeliveble! The feater and fan sock that looks so much more complicated is much faster to knit! Well I'll never knit a spiral rib for me, booring! my son might get a few during the next 15 years(while his feet still are growing), I do not like to knit things that get too small in 6 months and this type of sock knitted long could last much longer since there is no foot.
Spiral rib sock from: "Socks, socks, socks" knitted in Fortissimas Mexico sock yarn

They actually hugs hit small feet nicely.

It took me a week!

2005-09-11T18:14:00.000+03:00

Can you guess what?

Late presentation of Clapotis2!

2005-09-05T23:48:00.000+03:00

She has been ready and in use for soon two weeks but no presentation has been done. Well here she is Claptis2.
The yarn was just enough, it was just 8,5m left, not even enough to make a decent tassel. I could have made it longer if I had had one ball more but it became pretty well. Very soft, warm and drapes realy well, I'm satisfied with her.

Clapotis2 on show

Clapotis2 by the sea.

I don't know if and when I'll knit another Clapotis. There just seems to be so much to knit out there.

Feather and Fan sock done

2005-09-05T06:36:00.000+03:00

My sock is ready, and it went so quick! I sew the toe together before going to work this morning, took a few shots and had them on all day. This is the fastest knitted socks I have ever done. The feater and fan pattern makes the leg stretch nicely and is faster to knitt than ordinary ribbing. It's only one of four rows that has pattern the other three rows are just plain knitted stitches.
The yarn I have used is Nalle from the manufacturer Novita. It is not as thin as ordinary sock yarn.
The colorways were realy interesting but I'm afraid the knitted pattern is kind of camoflaged.

Feather and fan sock

closeup of feather and fan sock.

I'll most likely knit more feather and fan socks but then with solid color or whith striped yarn.

Litterature recomendations and pretty Pi.

2005-09-03T18:32:00.000+03:00

Long gone AGAIN, I know I'm a bad blogger. But I'm working on some new things to show you so be patient. There is more than one project on in my knitting baskets.

During the last week there has been a lot of discussions about the roundknitted shawl/sweater on the cover of latest vogue magasine and I think this pattern is much prettier:

Sleeved pi front

Sleeved pi back

It is not my creation. It is a scanned picture on a Sleeved Pi shawl from "Ponchos & wraps - a Knitters dozen" published by xrx books. I'm thinking of knitting this pretty thing but I do not have the yarn so maybee I'll just have to recalculate the pattern to a thinner yarn that I have and I think would be lovely in this model. I was not even aware I had ordered this book but it turned out to be worth the money anyway.

On the knits now is Mystery shawl who just needs to be cast off and blocked, a domino knitted sweater to my lovely little boy

My design scetch for my little ones sweater.

Furthermore there is a new KAL. This KAL is a realy nice one, just a pair of socks now and then. All the socks are knitted from patterns in "Socks, socks, socks" published by xrx books. The book is a real treasure for sock knitters whith 70 different patterns inside! Not all in my taste but maybe 50% of them and there are some realy odd techniques to learn here too. The first sock in the KAL is a feather and fan sock who is wery fast knitted, I just finnished the first one, and the second is on the needles and will be ready tomorrow I think. This KAL stared on the 1st of September. If any one has the book or you would like to buy it and would like to join the KAL you can find the group here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/socks3kal/ . There is just one sock on the kal jet and not many has started so join in all interested.

Amazing Jacket in Opal Petticoat.

2005-08-21T03:12:00.000+03:00

This amazing jacket is designed and knitted by an skillfull danish knitter, Inger Nelleman. I just had to show all of you this master piece. Inger told me that the jacket is knitted on 3mm needles with 500g of Opal Petticoat and a small amount of offwhite.

Petticoat jacket front.

Petticoat jacket back.

I hope I one day will knit something similar. After seing this jacket I purchased two books: "Dazzling knitz" by Patricia Werner and "Module magic" by Ginger Luters. Both books contain patterns of similar jackets but with much coarser yarn. So when I feel ready you know I can start, I do have the yarn to accomplish this.

Flashing my sockyarns

2005-08-18T19:18:00.000+03:00

All of this I have bought the last 4 months! It is incredible! I have maybe used 50g of it all and I want to buy some more, not good, not good.

Sockyarn 5,6kg!

As you see I can not blogg anymore today. I better get these needles dancing.

By the way: Did I tell you I am a slow knitter?

Mystery shawl clue 3a completed.

2005-08-15T22:43:00.000+03:00

Ah, finally! done the clue 3a. I'm in such a hurry to complete the clues as soon as possible. It's not that I need to be ready before anyone else, it's because I realy need to knit my Clapotis ready because winter is coming - SOON! I can feel it in my bones! I do not like the short summers up here, well I do like the summers, it's the shortness I have problem with. So, autumn means chilly weather and a rush to knit warm things. And the Mystery shawl, that I do like, keeps me away from these other HOT projects on my must list. Well The Clapotis is 60% done, that is 3 of the 5 balls are knitted in to fabric. Next thing I should do is long wristwarmers whith pearls. I do need a pair chilly mornings when we bike to daycare and work.

So even thou we went sailing yesterday I managed to knit some on my mystery.

Mystery 3a by the sea.
Of course I found a serious patternmisstake in the car on the way home but all is fixed now and the mystery is packed away in a box and put high up where small hands can't find her.

Packed away waiting for clue 4a.

Now Clapotis can have me until friday.

So whats up?

2005-08-09T18:21:00.000+03:00

Well it has been awfully quiet here for some time. Sorry about that, but I do have a good excuse; I have been knitting. I started a sweater to my son in domino knitting during the holiday trip to sweden. In Sweden I visited Östergötlands ullspinneri and bought some yarn and a pattern to a scarf. On our way back home we visited my dearest friend who realy liked my Clapotis and since she is so lovely I gave it to her. Doesn't she look nice in it?
Clapotis new owner.

Well since I desperately need something warm over my shoulders I started on a new Clapotis with some yarn I bought in Tartu, Estonia. It seems like I bought to small amount, :( . Only 250gr(5 balls) I would have liked to make this new Clapotis longer but I will do as much as I can, I intend to only have scratches left when I'm done.
I also joined Mystery shawl along using some of the yarn from my stash and it looks lovely. A good thing I have about 20kg of this yarn!
Time to fix dinner CY.

Nordic Knitting Symposium - Estonia

2005-07-14T10:01:00.000+03:00

I have been home for more than one week now trying to figure out what I possible could write about this symosium.

We all met up in Tallin where knitting were present everywhere.
Knitting market close to Viruporti. Amazing amounts of knitwear close to Viro Porti, Tallin.

Knitting market close to Viruporti.

On the flight down to estonia I knitted on my clapotis and finally, on our trip to the schoolmuseum in Heimtali, I did it. I finnished the Clapotis.

The second day we went to Tartu, the second biggest city in Estonia. Here we enjoyed a tour of the musem and big amounts of knitted stuff.

Gloves in Rosing technique.

I tried to take a photo of the complete glove but had to be satified with this. The knitter has realy gone wild in colour, I like it.

Knitted lace at the National Museum in Tartu.

We also swarmed the city of Tartu looking for yarnshops and bookstores. Some where very lucky to find cheap yarn. I found myself in the position as translator with my very bad finnish knolledge(finnish and estonian are similar languages) and we actually found some nice yarns, cheap too.

The next two days we spent with workshops, trying to learn some Estonian techniques.

You have to consentrate.

It is a bit complicated.

Waiting for the ferry to Kihnu.

Boarding the Kihnu Taxi.

Turbulent ride to the Comunity house.

Me on the Kihnu taxi.

The Kihnu outdoor restaurant served good and filling countryfood.

Knitting in sunshine while waiting for the guiding of the church.

The rain poured down on our sighseeing of the iland.

Arriving to Pärnu.
My maingoal whith my partisipation was to meet other yarnoholics, knitting freeks and make new friends. This was a big success in theese parts. I have never ever met so many nice people and made so many friends during one week as I did during my week in Estonia. I estimate that I have got about 30 good new friends. There has just not been time enough to make more friends. I could have made even more friends with more time I'm sure about that but you need time to talk and find eachothers spirit. So those of you whom I never got close to you I would like to say, I just had not time and energy to make more friends this time but I'm looking forward to learn to know you better next time.
I have also seen a lot of marvelous knitted objects and woven too. Estonia is rich in it's knitting traditions and are still having a living knitting tradition with long history. There are so many techniques and patterns in the knitted tradition and they are still visible today.
My main fear before going to Estonia was that the country was unstable and insecure but these fears were soon forgotten. I felt just as secure and safe as in my hometown.

2005-07-14T07:31:00.000+03:00

On the ferry to P?rnu.
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2005-07-14T07:30:00.000+03:00

Waiting for the ferry early sunday morning.
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2005-07-14T07:29:00.000+03:00

Traditional shoe, shoestring and sock.
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2005-07-13T22:53:00.000+03:00

Border on a Kihnu glove.
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Testing Nalle and Opal together.

2005-07-05T08:23:00.000+03:00

I am still working on the A-shaped sweater. I like these colors better. Espesially the tourquise Opal mixed with the multicoloured Nalle. I only have 200gram of tourquise. I'll use the blue and lilac at the end. I am also thinking about doing this sweater in a feather and fan pattern. That way the sweater will look as waves, I think.

One thread each of Nalle and Opal on needles 5.5mm, 17x24stiches.

To much to say and too little time!

2005-07-05T07:38:00.000+03:00

I have a draft about the knitting symposium in Estonia active but there is so much to say...

I just wanted all of you to know: summer issue of Knitty is finally here, :) , go there and enjoy!

Decreasing the stash.

2005-07-05T00:11:00.000+03:00

I do try to decrease the amount of yarn I have but not very successfully. There always seems to be more in than out no matter how much I try to knit.
This sample is thought to become my holiday sweater knitted from up and down in A-shape. I think all the time spent in the car to my parents and all other relatives could make this sweater ready already this summer. If only I am able to figure out how to knit.
testing color blends and knits in double nalle yarn from novita.

It's getting closer - Det närmar sig

2005-06-26T10:45:00.000+03:00

I'm on my way to Estonia!

I'll be there for 7 days together with 85 other ladies( one man I think ) who all will be knitting, both workshops and own projects I guess.

So what has this slowknitter been up to when she has not opdated her blog for two weeks? Ahh, knitting of course. As much as possible but... Working and having a family takes it's time too.

I can gladly announce that my woolen wraparound sweater is ready. I made the last seams last night.
As suspected the result does not look the same on me as on the tiny model. No sweater can hide those X:es infront of the size.
And the boobs! I used to have tiny ones and I liked that! Well this is me of today, no lies, the whole truth.
One detail that did not turn out well is the sholders. The sweater is far to big there. Othervise I'm quite happy with the sweater but next sweater will be of a looser fit.

Wraparound

I have franatically been working on a clapotis the last two weeks and it's almost ready. I think I have to make the finnishing touch in Estonia but I am so close, so very, very close. It's just I have to concentrate on packing today. knitting has to wait. The decreeses are already started.

You might see (the pictures are soo small) that I don't use any markers. Instead I purl betweent the two twisted knits.
I have never used stichmarkers and in this case where you are supposed to drop the stiches, it realy does not matter how you knitt the stiches to be droped.
Neither have I droped the stiches far jet, I want to see the compplete trasformation at once. So I have to wait...

Clapotis to be

Closeup

very close

So in 8 days or so, I'll report from the "Nordic Knitting Symposium 2005" and tell you all about it.

My first Opal sock - First sock on long cirkular needles

2005-06-11T06:03:00.000+03:00

There is sometimes benefits with buisnesstrips...
Such as, you can knit in peace on the train, hotell and this time I also knitted walking around in Tampere!
This was my very first sock knitted in Opal sock yarn. I realy love the yarn, I think Markno design where I ordered the yarn could confirm in this statement, where I purchased a lot of Opal the last month.

I used the same lace pattern as on the last pair of socks, you can find the pattern here: http://www.socknitters.com/lace/introduction.htm
I have though disovered that it is wiser to follow your instinct rather than a pattern. In most patterns on opal sock the recomended stiches to cast on was 56. My instinct said that I should cast on 72 stiches, on 2.5mm needles, but to compromise I casted on 64.
This decition I regret now. The sock became a little tight and the cast on too hard.
I cant decide if I should use 3mm needles or 72 stiches in the next pair.

Wrap around coming up...

2005-06-11T05:25:00.000+03:00

All parts are ready and blocked. The knitted pieces bacame so soft and, and wonderful after blocking.
Have been on a buisnesstrip and a summer party so there has been no time putting the pieces together. I hope that will be accomplished today. I'll have some photos to show soon

Wrap around sweater soon to be

2005-06-04T08:28:00.000+03:00

Moda 2004/5.
Posted by Hello

If you take the yarn from the ufo in my last post, mix it with this wraparoun sweater, take the XL size, shorten the arms with some 2cm, lengthen the body with 20cm, add a few extra stiches over the hips, make some more waist decreeses and finally add some shortrows over the bust, add my bad knolledge of finnish (the pattern is written in finnish) you will end up with the sweater soon to be. :)

What made me do all these changes? Well I read knittys latest issue. Thinking beyond the pattern ... but will it fit?.
It made me realise that in the size and figure I come with at the moment all clothes are too short in my liking and if there is no shortrows over the bust and decreeses in the waist clothes look realy awful on me.
The progress has gone in my measurement fast, that is I only have the last front pice left and then blocking and sewing. I started 4 weeks ago with size 5,5mm needles but after about 20cm on the back I realized I needed larger needles. I bought new 6mm needles (I'm not used to knit with these big needles and had none in the size 6mm). Still to thin needles and by a lucky star I found a pair of 7mm needles that were perfect. In all I think the real knitting process has been in 3weeks so far. So next week, in the middle of the summer I'll have a thick woolen wraparound sweater. ;)
A good thing that summers often are cold here, ;) .

Winter on the ice - Vinter på isen

2005-05-12T22:52:00.000+03:00

On the ice
Posted by Hello

Domino hat
Posted by Hello

Ok, What is this you might say. Is this knitting? Well yes it is if you look very very close you might see something on my head and that is this winters new domino knitted hat(?). I have not figured out why my pictures becomes soo small. They could be a little bit bigger so I added a closeup.

So what is happening on the knitting front?
Well I'm still working on my flower basket poncho. I think it's about 440 stiches at the moment.
I also have turned some ufo's to yarn. They were ufo's because I was not pleased with the result.
Here is one of them now...

Well this ufo was knitted in very bulky yarn, double, too small needles and in a form that surely would have made me look like a colorful hotdog. :(

Lazzzy socks

2005-04-29T13:14:00.000+03:00

Pink wave lace sock
Posted by Hello
I'm home on sick leave! I was at the doctors yesterday and he said I have pnemonia, not good. the only 'good' thing is that while waiting for testresults and doctor I almost finnished my pink lace socks. finally home in the sofa I added the last final tuch and voilá, ready. Not my first socks but my first ones in lace. I will do this again. It was so much more fun than just knitting plain.

Falling leafs

2005-04-29T13:13:00.000+03:00

Purple leaf lace
Posted by Hello
Ok, I´m not the only one knitting this pattern. But just to be true to myself (I like to change everything) I'm making a poncho not a shawl. :) . The reason is that I just have a hard time keeping a shawl on and figured a poncho would suit me better. I seems though I took water ower my head with this project. TO THIN YARN! I use a weaving yarn I have about 20kg of in various colors. It becomes wery light and beatifull but timeconsuuming. I planned to have this shawl during this summer but next summer is more likely I think.

Anew beginning has begun - En ny begynnelse

2005-04-17T01:24:00.000+03:00

When I first started to use Internet there was nothing.

That is nothing about knitting and weaving and all those other stuff that facinates me. Just some week ago I stumbled in on bloggs about knitting and then I was hooked. I immediately urged to have my own blogg and here it is!

I hope you all will enjoy what I can show and describe on this blogg and I hope I'll see you all many times. :)

När jag först började använda internet fanns intet

Det vill säga inget om stickning och vävning och allt annat som facinerar mig.
Och så, för några veckor sedan snubblade jag in på en stickblogg och var fast. Genast ville jag också ha en och så; här är den!

Jag hoppas att ni kommer att ha glädje av det som jag kommer att beskriva här och, vem vet, vi kanske ses igen? :)