HjemmeUte

To blog or not to blog

2010-12-06T23:12:00.002+01:00

I have not posted anything the last months. I got tired of posting. I might restart after Christmas. Until then a merry Christmas and a happy New Year to you all.

Big and Chunky

2010-09-26T08:44:00.003+02:00

Yarn; any yarn for needle 9 (European). I used a DK weight held double. I also used cashmere to get it light.

Gauge; not important, the only important is that you get cables that are nice.

Tip; if you can’t purl with the same gauge as knit, try to change to 0.5 or 1 size smaller needles for the purl. If you have interchangeable needles have a different size tip on each side.

Cast on - make the cast on firm but not to tight.Cast on 44 stitches.

Knit 3 ridges – i.e. all stitches knit for 6 rows.

Knit one more row. Note that all knit rows are all knit except the rows where the cables are made.

Set up for cables: Next row is purl side. Knit 3, (those 3 are knitted as ridges and are knitted on both purl and right side), 10 purl, 1 knit (ridge), 16 purl, 1 knit (ridge), 10 purl, 3 knit (ridge).
Continue these two rows 4 more times (10 rows).

First cable section; Knit 3, place 5 on needle in front of work, knit the next 5, knit from cable needle, knit 18 (mid section + the two stitches on each side), place the next 5 on a needle in back, knit the next 5, knit the 5 from the other needle, finish the row. Knit/purl 9 more rows - as the first two rows.

The 21st row. No cabling is made on the two side panels, only the middle. Place first 6 stitches on a spare needle in front, knit the next 6, knit the 6 from the spare needle, knit the remaining 4 of the mid section, finish row. Knit/purl 9 more rows.

The 31st row. Knit 3, place 5 on spare needle in front, knit the next 5, knit the 5 from spare needle, knit 5 (1 from the bar between and 4 from the mid panel) place the next 6 on spare needle held back, knit the next six, knit the 6 from the spare needle, knit 1, place next 5 on needle held back, knit the next 5 , knit the 5 from the spare needle, knit the remaining 3.

From here - 9 rows between each cable section. Then repeat 21, knit 9 more rows repeat 31, continue as this till the scarf is as long as you want.

Then the last cabling row is a 31 row. The knit /purl 8 more rows stop with a knit row.

Next row knit on the purl row and make 3 ridges. Cast off loosely

Not bloging for the time being

2010-09-13T02:31:00.001+02:00

I'll be back later this fall :)

Still summer

2010-07-18T08:45:00.003+02:00

While on vacation, I've knitted two shawl.
The first one is a "knit as you go" - i.e. without any pattern - where I used the indeed wonderful yarn Bijou Spun by Bijou Basin Ranch Tibetan Dream Sock Yarn. Details on Ravelry. I did not bring blocking wires and gave the shawl away, so I had to make do with what I had to block it. It worked well.

The second summer project is another shawl. Here I used Bart & Francis Quiviut/Morus silk yarn held double. The pattern is Haramelis. This yarn is also wonderful when knitting and drapes well. More at raverly.
The next item that I've finished is my Austin Cardie knitted in Spirit Trail Fiberworks' Birte. I had to make some alterations to the pattern as I only had 4 skeins of each color, and to make a "onecolor" cardie I would have needed 6 skeins in one color. The only regret I have, is that I did not have enough yarn to add 4 inches to the length of it. It is on the short side for my taste. More at Ravelry.
After buying the I-pad I've been busy scanning all my pattern. When doing that I did "find" a pattern from PT yarn that, with a few alterations, could be used for a dress in Wollmeise. I've used one skein of pink yarn (or part thereof) and lots and lots of scraps. More at Ravelry.

Finally, this week I've knitted a new pair of gloves to be prepared for the winter. I've used Wollmeise 100% Superwash and the pattern is Bamburg from the Knitter. A fun and relatively fast knit. I've used approximately 140 g yarn. More details here.
I'll be back bloging more frequently in August(ish). Have a nice summer all.

I’m not a very frequent bloger during the Summer Season

2010-06-14T13:47:00.003+02:00

For obvious reasons; I try to limit the time in front of the PC when it is far better to be outside. Also We try to travel a lot during this part of the year, hence even less time for blogging.
What have I been doing lately;
First – visiting Norway and the beautiful areas around Aalesund – Runde, Geiranger, Oye, etc.

My creation, originally uploaded by Mariann-An.

Also I’ve managed to knit a little.
When travelling easy knitted socks are always a part of every bag I carry. So I’ve managed to knit a bouquet of socks approximately size 28.
I’ve also tried the 6threads Zauberball. The socks are lovely to wear, but if you prefer to knit two identical socks this is not the yarn to buy. I could not, after having really tried, manage to get to soks that looks close to identical. It was not possible.
Another yarn that was love from first stitch is
Knitted in

Bijou Spun by Bijou Basin Ranch Tibetan Dream Sock Yarn and the pattern is EC's Many Rivers.

More on rav.

A weekend in May

2010-05-17T13:58:00.001+02:00

My creation, originally uploaded by Mariann-An.

A nice long weekend without much knitting or handicrafts at all. We went to South France (Nice and Monaco). Monaco on the Grand Prix weekend was indeed fun. We'll be back next year.

What was not so fun, was to cross the border after St Gottard. 1 hour in line (in car), and when leaving the "island outside of EU" no-one checked any of the cars. So a long line for nothing..... Also driving took a while. We were not the only ones that have been to the south this weekend. So I managed to knit two pair of children socks while DH was driving and also the first of the "last pair in the 52 plunge" - Marie Antoinette by Anne Hanson.

What did we do this weekend?

2010-05-10T12:23:00.000+02:00

Well the weather was not as nice as one could have wanted. Rather cold and cloudy, and rain was in the air.

The park next door is at its most beautiful early summer. In a week or two, depending on the weather, it would be filled with color. This weekend, only a few of was in bloom. Another early summer happening is the Japan garden. It is open for public a few weeks late spring /early summer and a couple of weeks in the fall.

Apart from outdoor activities, I’ve manage to knit a little during the weekend. I’ve been a member of Rowan International for a few years. Each year one gets a “present” upon confirming another year subscription of the magazine. A couple of years ago that present was 6 balls (50 g) of Rowan Denim. When Interweave Summer arrived on Friday, I finally found a project for which the yarn would suit. However 6 skeins were not enough. What did I do? Used leftover yarn from my dress and added some white.
I did do a few adoptions to the pattern. Firstly, I raised the front – it was far too low for me. Secondly, I did not follow the instructions for where to start the ribbing – I did measure my body and also took into consideration the shrinking that was expected of the Denim. I also made the sleeves slightly longer.
It did “bleed” quite a lot during the first wash – as expected. The white did pick up a little blue – as expected – but not that much.

What's on and have left my needles lately

2010-05-07T15:55:00.003+02:00

This morning the summer issue of Interweave Knits hit my mailbox. And what an issue, filled up with lots of projects for things to wear when and if it gets hot here in the Netherlands. When buying all that yarn in US the two last week, I made myself a promise to start using the stash together with the new goodies – i.e. always start a stash project when I start a project with new yarn.
I had some Rowan denim sitting in my stash that could be perfect for Ambrosia. So earlier today I casted on my blue denim yarn. At Loopy Ewe I did buy some Malabrigo with the intention to knit Anne Hanson’s Sprossel. To make sure that the fit of the body is as close as I want, I started with one sleeve, have washed it and will take measurement for the body from the sleeve.
I did visit several yarn stores and did find a yarn that I have not tried before, Nashua Handknits Creative Focus Linen . The same issue of Vouge has a pattern for a short sundress. I did use that pattern, but made the skirt longer to be a dress that can be used separately. Also I made it more fitted than the design calls for.

During our long roadtrip in the US I knitted. I had seen the tunic in last issue of Vouge Knitting that I could not forget. It looked difficult, but the lace is indeed easy to follow. The remaining parts are also easy to knit, however the pattern as it is written is indeed not well written. The main part of the lace was knitted on our flight from A’dam to Dulles, and the remaining up and until the first days of the Fling.

Vacation

2010-05-06T12:59:00.004+02:00

What did we do during our vacation?

Driving a lot - DC to Norfolk. Then I used Delta to get to St Louis while DH drove a few days later. Then form St Louis through some back roads of Arkansas to Memphis, via Nashville to Maryland's Howard County and then back to Dulles.

Anything else?
Th Spring Fling of course and more yarn at Maryland Sheep and Wool festival.

Vacation, originally uploaded by Mariann-An.

Anything else? Oh yes, seeing a lot, having fun, and of course buying tha toy Ipad. And I did buy some yarn as well

Home again and a pair of socks

2010-05-05T13:38:00.004+02:00

We have been on vacation. Lucky us were on the last SAS plane to leave for the US prior to the "big vulcano shut down". Close to three weeks on the road and indeed a wonderful trip wherein I've amongst others have been to several yarn stores, the Spring Fling and Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. I'll post pictures etc. later, when I've unpacked, sorted pictures, washed clotes, etc.

While away I did knit the socks for round 3 of Sock Madness - Emma:

Sock madness round 3

2010-04-14T11:37:00.001+02:00

Sock madness, originally uploaded by Mariann-An.

Yesterday morning I got the pattern for round 3. I had to finish fast, because I have limited knitting possibilities the next days.
Yarn is Wollmeise and the name of the color = the name of the flower Hydrangera.

It was not my favorite pattern as on every fifth round the pattern is made by purling 3 together. Also the lace continues on the heel - making it not as suitable for wear and tear. I 'll use them indoors and not in shoes.

Bottom line; I'll not make another pair.

Dino off the needles

2010-04-12T17:16:00.004+02:00

The sweater went off the needles yesterday. Today it is washed and ready to be shipped off to Norway together with the poncho.

I've busy making the tax returns today, so I'll have to blog more details on how to knit it as well as amended charts another day

Making a hem and spring in the Netherlands

2010-04-11T13:50:00.003+02:00

I'm on the first sleeve. So hopefully the dino sweater is finished prior to release of the 3rd pattern in Sock Madness.
Making a hem is an important part of a sweater. The opening shall be wide enough to easily pass the little boys head and small enough to fit well around the neck thereafter.
I do like to have double neckline. I.e. I knit a rib close to double of the wanted length – 2 knit 2 purl. When I have one round to go I change to a needle that is 1 mm thicker. For the Dino sweater I used needle 2.5 for the rib and changed to 3.5.
When I’ve knitted the “changing” round, I find another needle that is thinner – I used needle 2. Then I did pick up from the back on the last round before the rib one loop per stitch. I did have 88 stitches so I picked up 88 loops.
On the cast of round all stitches are knitted. Hold the main needle in front and the “loop” needle in back and knit the next stitch by knitting together one from the main needle and one from the loop needle. Knit the next like this as well, and then cast off by lifting the first stitch over the second stitch. Make it loose. Knit one more stitch by knitting through one stitch from both needles, and lift the previously knitted stitch over the new one. Continue till all stitches have been decreased. You will now have a chain on the back and a fairly flexible neckline.

To a total different item. It is spring and Keukenhof is open (8 weeks in total). I’ve had my yearly visit to Keukenhof today. Enjoy the colors of the Netherlands.

The Dino sweater - on the needles

2010-04-09T09:05:00.004+02:00

I shall start on the yoke today. The sweater is knitted "the normal way" - starting at the lover back and ending up in the yoke. However, when adding the sleeves, I make a temp. cast on. Why?

1. The body part of the sweater can be made "to long", but there is a limit to how long the sleeves can be - to fit his arms. So if I knit "top down" on the sleeves, I can easily make the sleeves longer as he grows.

2. Normally the sleeve rib is the part wherein a sweater shows the first "wear" - holes, break of yarn etc. Also that is easier to fix if knitted "top down".

To make the shift as invisible as possible, I've start the pattern on round after adding the sleeve stitches. Then it would hardly be visible that the sleeves are knitted "the other way". Also I'm not planning any dinos on the sleeves :)

The Dino sweater - making a chart

2010-04-08T08:44:00.004+02:00

Einar wants a dino sweater. Then I had no option but making one. To enable me to fulfill his request, I had to start drawing the chart to be used.

The dinos are made by using exel and looking at dino pictures at the web.

What I’ve done is to make a sheet in exel wherein I’ve defined the rows and coloums to form small squares of 2 mm and saved that sheet. When I start a new drawing I use that sheet and save it with a new name.
When finishing I’ve copied the drawing into paint and made a “picture” of it and then posted it here. It is really easy - give it a try.

I've started on Einar's dino sweater and is currently close to finish the second row of dinos. I'll post pictures of the sweater as well as "how to do it" later. I don't yet know if I need a fifth dino repeat. If so - I'll need to draw one more or incorporate all dinos in one repeat.

Princesses, horses and pink - what a combination for a little girl.

2010-04-06T13:03:00.003+02:00

Every little girl goes through a period of her life wherein everything has to be pink.

My creation, originally uploaded by Mariann-An.

That period starts around 3ish and continues often until boys enter into the pictures.

So it was no surprise when little I told me that she loves pink and princesses.
I did not know what to knit while waiting on the release of pattern 3 in Sock Madness 2010. I’ve started up several different things – from shawls to sweaters, without getting the “kick” to continue. Then I remembered the pink and princesses. I did not want to knit another dress or sweater; Then I got the idea; a poncho for a little girl.
There are patterns to use for the stranded work (not the poncho itself), but I wanted something custom made. I wanted to start at the neck and continue down, to enable me to add on additional rows if she gets tall too quickly. My inspiration for this poncho:
• the paper doll sweater
• horse sweater by Dale
• hønsestrik (from the 70’s - direct translation “chicken knitting” - I don’t know what you would have called it in English.
• a poncho that I had when I was around 14.
• Little I - the family’s 3.5 year princess.
How did I think when starting the project:
I did cast on temporarily as “few” stitches as I could to get it over the head. Temp cast on because I’ll add an I-cord when finish AND for me adding that afterwards make the edge more smooth and flexible. A permanent cast on would have (for me) required more stitches.
From neck to shoulder the average increases equal adding 8/4 stitches every second round/4 per round (as in raglan). However on the first few increases I do increase rather a lot to make it more like a circle at start.
When reaching the shoulder (or a little after that) my increases equals 2 per round for a while and at the far end even less.

Knitting notes:
Needle 2.5 for rib and 3 for remaining. Knitted in Bugga!, I did not use a full kein of any of the colors.

Cast on 84 temp. cast on. Those are picked up after the poncho is finished and then casted off again using a 4 stitches I-cord. 4 stitches to make it flexible go get over the head.

2 rounds pink. Then rib two knit, two purl using two strands, pink for knit and blue for purl.
Two rounds pink, on last increase one per 4th stitch.
Change to blue. Knit two rounds blue. On the last increase up to 128 stitches.
Knit hart border. On the 5/6th round increase in the blue section only 32 stitches. One blue round.
Three pink rounds.
Start second chart - 20 princesses. On first round increase 20 stitches to 180 stitches. In the photo shown above I've indicated the increases on the princess at the right.

Increase during the princess repeat up to 260 stitches. What I did do was to increase 1 per repeat on the first blue round to 200 stitches ( in the pink section) , then 2 per repeat on the “mouth” round - 240 stitches - both on the pink sections and then finally one on the last round of the skirt - adding one between the girls - 260
Finish the first princess repeat.
New hart repeat. Increase one between the harts on the 5th round after starting knitting harts - 26 new stitches 286 stitches.
Change to blue background. On second row increase to 304 stitches. I’m going to make 16 repeats of the horse pattern.
Inc to 320 on 9th pattern round horse.
Inc to 336 on 14th pattern round horse.
Inc to 352on 19th pattern round horse
Inc to 368 on 25th pattern round horse
Inc to 384 on the second last round horse.
Last pattern repeat is princesses. 35 princesses - starting over 11 stitches pr princess and increase 1 per repeat before round 15 to 420 stitches
Inc on second leg round 18 to 438.
To repeat the green color I’ve added three rounds using green before one pink and ordinary cast off.
The fringes are attached after cast off. I’ve used 4 strands and they are 3 cm measured from the edge of the poncho. In total, 140 fringes – a very boring part of the work.

Always more socks

2010-03-29T23:44:00.001+02:00

My creation, originally uploaded by Ma-2.

I've earlier posted that I do participat in Sock Madness 4. I've been away the last week. Since the release of the second sock was due last week, I did bring with me some yarn. However on Friday, when I got the pattern, the only yarn awailable was Noro Kuyreon Sock and Wollmeise. I did try to knit the requested gauge with Noro, but that did not work.

I did not expect that, so since the only yarn I had on Friday and Saturday was the Noro and the WM, I did start making a pair of sock that would not meet the criterias of the competition - as I casted on 84 and not 70 stitches and used needle 2. The red and blue socks are named Hot Beans.

So I needed to knit another pair - when I had yarn that would work well. I did manage to get some yarn on Sunday afternoon, and started the other pair - the Pea Soup and Easter Egg socks.
I did travel home today, and so did my knitting. I finished the last stitches in the car (not driving myself though) from Schiphol to Haag.

Two more pair done, I'm on 44 pairs in the 52 ppIII plunge, and I'm also through to round 3 of the madness.

Using stash

2010-03-21T17:38:00.003+01:00

Approximately 2 years ago I went to a fair in London and did buy a little to many skeins of pink and blue yarn. The reason was of course - a bargain as well as that the yarn has a very high cashmere content. Bug pink and pale blue - that's not for me. So currently I'm knitting on sweaters for the twins. The blue is finished and the pink is on the needles. I'll post description when I've finished the second one.

Not catching a cold.

2010-03-20T06:44:00.003+01:00

There are quite a few days even after the temperature rises above “freezing winter” that a scarf or other clothing that protect you against catching a cold, is needed outside. An alternative to scarf/shawl is a neck warmer.

Earlier this year I did knit a cardi in Bugga!. As usual I did have leftover yarn. A couple of days ago, when I had finished the last cardi, I had no idea of which of the “projects in line” to start or which of the WIP’s on needles to finish. Then my eyes catched the leftovers from the cardi. A couple of hours knitting and I do have a matching neck warmer in my closet.

I’ve used 3 strands of Bugga - in total 102 g.
As my purl are a little looser I used 8mm needle on the knit side and 7 when purling back :).
Casted on 39 stitches. First stitch is never knitted.
Set up rows: A 1 off, one purl, 8 knit, 1 purl, 8 knit, 1 purl, 8 knit, 2 purl.
B one off, the rest knit/purl as it come.
Row 1 - one off, 1 purl, 4 on extra needle in front, knit the next 4 from main needle, then the 4 from the extra needle, 1 purl, 8 knit, 1 purl, 4 on extra needle in front, knit the next 4 from main needle, then the 4 from the extra needle, 1 purl, 8 knit and 2 purl.
Row 2 and every purl row, first off, rest as they appears.
Row 3,5,7. 1 off, knit/purl as they appears.
Row 9 - 1 off, one purl, 8 knit, 1 purl, put 4 stitches on cable needle in front, knit the next 4 from main needle, then the 4 from the extra needle, 1 purl, 8 knit, 1 purl, 4 on extra needle in front, knit the next 4 from main needle, then the 4 from the extra needle, 2 purl.
Row 11, 13, 15 - as 3,5,7.
Row 16 - as stated for row 2.
That completes the pattern.

Continue in pattern until the piece is large enough to barely get over your head.
Then after finishing 4 complete pattern rows, then make another but stop knitting when finishing Row 14. Measure - it should now barely be able to go over your head (held it together as a circle).
If so break the yarn and stitch together the live stitches with the cast on to make the seam as invisible as you can.

Another jacket

2010-03-18T15:27:00.004+01:00

I had some Noro sitting around (see previous post). When I got the pattern Helleborus Yoke, I gave it a try. I did some adaptions to the pattern (ex - added collar). It took approximately 4 days to knit (however it has also rested a week in my basket). I still need to find some suitable buttons. The only nice store I know that have buttons (I like) is located in A’dam, and I don’t travel to A’dam only for buttons.
The yarn has a rather large content of cashmere, so it is nice and soft. I do think that having used double strands, made the cardi – i.e. I can’t see how I could have managed to get a sweater out of that yarn if not. As always Noro had “a million knots” and breaks. You can read more about the sweater on Ravelry.

New sunglasses

2010-03-17T09:37:00.006+01:00

Spring and sunny outside. And I have new sunglasses to celebrate the spring :).

And a new cardi.

As earlier posted, I’m trying to use yarn from my stash and when doing that not knit socks or other things that I really do not need.

What I need for spring/early summer is

- light weight cardigans that can be used both in house and as an over coat.
- cardigans suitable for work purposes. The air condition at work makes it necessary to use a cardi inside when it is to warm to use such a garment outside.
- useable together with my plain/basic colored clothes, in black, khaki, sand and grey.

I tend to knit stranded, however that is not so easy to wear together with formal suits.

I should have made a black cardi, but I do not have enough yarn (except in alpacka).

However, I had 10 skeins of Sundara Yarn Sport Merino in colorway Cranberry Chutney sitting in stash. The color was perfect for the purpose even if it was not solid black. It is not eaxy t take a photo, but it is shades of red with lots of black added to the red.

The Fall 2009 issue of Interweave Knits had a rather “plain” jacket, Farmer's Market Cardigan by Connie Chang Chinchio.

Well it looks plain, but is indeed not an easy knit.

The body is easy enough, but it starts with a temporary cast on.

When finishing the body, then each pocket is knitted by using the stitches set aside on the temp cast on. The hem part of the pockets is stitched together with the body before the main part of the pockets is stitched to the body.

Then the temp stitches for the back are back on the needles and the hem is knitted and knitted together with the back of the jacket by picking up an equal amount of stitches from the loops of the purl stitches.

The bands are knitted separately and are indeed lots of cables. The waves are made through cabling every 6th row.

So it took a while to finish it up. It is one of those garments wherein the finishing part takes much more time than knitting the body.

However I’m so pleased with the result that I already have forgotten the struggle.

Destashing

2010-03-15T16:02:00.006+01:00

I've been a quilter the last 20 years (at least), and thus,as all quilters, have a stash that I never can bring down to zero - by making quilts. To manage the stash I've decided to give away approximately 40 kilo fabrics. Earlier today the three first went out of my door. It feels indeed well to get an organized stash again :) Also, for those that (as I) buy yarn from SG and Wollmeise, do you find the boxes familiar? I'm recycling the boxes as well.

Handpainted yarn

2010-03-14T14:04:00.003+01:00

Another “love/hate” relationship is multi colored hand painted yarn. It looks amazing when seeing it in the shop. The skeins pop out and cry out loud – Buy me, buy me.
Earlier I did do that. I looked at those amazing skeins and could not resist. But what happens? Except for socks and similar small items, multicolored skeins are not easy to use. So they tend to stay in my shelves.
I’m in the mood of getting such skeins out of my stash. So I started a shawl earlier this week. Frogged and restarted two times. I’ve ended up with a fairly easy shawl with a body of garter stitch ending up with Old Shale Lace.
I’m increasing one stitch at each end of the shawl on every row, and 2 in the middle on every second row. The goal is to finish this by end of April to make it my April shawl for the Ravelry group 10 shawls in 2010.

Socks – always more socks

2010-03-12T16:21:00.003+01:00

I have signed up on Sock Madness. As I might have a problem finishing in time during the next round and thus there hardly any possibilities to go on to round 3, I needed, for myself to finish fast. First pair finished around 14 hours after release of the pattern. Easy and fast knit – and I did not spend all 14 hours knitting – may be around half or a little more.

The first pair is knitted in selfstriping Bugga. More at Ravelry.
Speaking of socks, I do have lots of yarn in my stash. Of course I have. Some of that is quite a few skeins of Noro. I have a love/hate relationship to that yarn, thus it tend to be staying put. When I did dig out the yarn for the cardi I’m currently knitting, my eyes spotted Silver Thaw. This yarn has 25 % nylon and can be used for socks.
I used needle 3.75, casted on 48 stitches and started knitted. The pattern was made up as I knitted. Fast and fun, except for all those knots. It was not possible at all to get two identical socks from two balls of yarn.

Noro - a never ending love/hate relationship

2010-03-10T11:46:00.003+01:00

I do like the colors of Noro but I can’t see eye to eye with all the breaks, knots and non-regular color changes. Yes I do like the color changes, but I don’t like to find a break and then the yarn restarts in a complete different section of the “dying”/”spinning” color pattern. Hence Noro tends to stay put in my stash. However, the yarn is rather expensive and far too expensive to remain staying put in stash. So I’m always “in search” of a pattern that I can use together with the Noro.

The helleborus-yoke is such pattern. I started out yesterday while waiting on the release of the first pattern in this year’s sock madness. Still the sock madness pattern is not released, so may be I get a new cardi tomorrow.

Today is

2010-03-08T13:42:00.004+01:00

the International Womens Day. Have a nice day all !

The little Black Dress

2010-03-05T11:38:00.005+01:00

Spring. When spring is in the air, I’m in the mood for new clothes. I was indeed a good girl two days ago and did do a major spring cleaning (out) of my closet. So now I have lots of space for new goodies.
The first to get in there is my Little Black Dress.
Every woman needs a black dress. But when knitting, knitting a dress in black is indeed boring. I would never have gotten it off the needles. Also I wanted to play a little, so I decided upon one of the cover garments from Vouge 25 year’s anniversary. (It is free if you log on to Vouge Knittings net page). The “original” was not knitted in wool, and I wanted wool – as this is a dress that I do not use in summer and also I wanted an everyday dress that I can use at work.
The yarn is Wollmeise. I started with Molly at the bottom, changed to two threads of Twin in MonCherie and black (4 strands in total) when I started on the chart. There are no decreases before the arm hole. The shaping is done by changing needles – from 5 to 3.75. I did change to Magnolie – all three intensities, by changing one “color” tread each time. Approximately half way up I changed to 100% superwash yarn that is slightly thinner.

The colors are Mon Cherie, Magnolie dark, medium and light, Maus jong light and medium.
The trimming is made in black 100% superwash held double. I’ve made 3 (6 round) garter stitch and then casted of using a 3 stitches I-cord. On every garter round I did do decreases to make the armholes and neck line more fitted.
And I was aware of the fact that changing color would be visible when doing so “big leaps” as I did do. But it is intended and also placed where I intended it to be placed. More at Ravelry.

To steek or not to steek

2010-03-04T09:18:00.003+01:00

I'm indeed not afraid of steeking. It is easy and fast, but yes there is a big but. When steeking, you will have "additional fabric", both extra wherein the seams are and also the additional interfacing that one need to put on top to cover the cutline and the seams. The other "big" but is the lack of elasticity that the seams will result in - unless one use a serger with over lock stitches or the yarn is that sort of yarn that really felt well (Shetland etc). Wollmeise and Bugga is indeed not a "felting-yarn" type (as other super wash).
I've been knitting a dress lately with an all-over stranded design. Of course it would be easy to steek and continuing knitting on the round when doing the armhole decreases as well as setting aside the neckline stitches. But that would result in far too much fabric around the armhole as well as the neckline as well as less elasticity. So I decided to work this dress the “hard” way – separating the front and back at the armhole decreases and doing “stranded” purling. When taking into consideration the time that I would spend to make the steeking “perfect”, I assume that not knitting around took me 1-2 more hours to make, and a far, far better result.
Well back to the finishing part of the dress. Hopefully I’ll be able to post a finished dress tomorrow.

No more socks?

2010-03-02T16:10:00.003+01:00

I'm still knitting on the dress. Hopefully I'll leave the pink behind today and continue with grey.

However, when I'm on the last 1/3 of a project my mind is far ahead on the next projects.

Should it be socks?

Outside the spring is coming, and when going to the butcher today I did not only buy dinner - I added on new shoes (as well as other necessities to be prepared for spring).

So no it would not be socks as hopefully the only thing my feets need to be prepared for is wearing heels :)

The Dress

2010-03-01T16:00:00.004+01:00

My goal for March is to get quite a few 100 g of yarn off my shelves and out of my stash. The dress I'm currently knitting will help me. I'm going to use a lot of yarn as it is an all-over stranded design with 2 strands of each color at any given point.

I did manage to knit a little yesterday at the last day of the games this winter. Picture of the dress at 40 cm and still counting :)

Restarting the project

2010-02-28T17:01:00.004+01:00

Yesterday I "re-started" the dress. .
As it was a really long evening/night watching sports on TV (more correctly hearing and looking up when needed), I did manage to get quite a fair share of knitting done
For me that is essensial after frogging. If not, the project will be on the shelf forever and then probably never back on the needles again. I'm planning to do this dress rather quickly. You may follow the progress here

It is going to be a rather warm dress, as it is knitted with double strands and due to the pattern - an all over stranded pattern - there is always two strands travelling at the back.

If you look closely you will see that the color changes. I'm planning to go from dark red to very light grey through "dark pink".

The yarn is Wollmeise - of course. Based upon earlier experience with double yarn, the colors and strands will blend better after washing and also the changing of yarn will not be as visible as it currently is. It is not the best picture of the colors. I can't manage to get thrue Wollmeise colors when making photo of my knitting. I wonder if anyone can?

Frogging

2010-02-27T11:23:00.005+01:00

Gauge and not using the yarn the pattern calls for. Have you heard that one before?

I've started on a new dress yesterday. Measured, had the gauge (so I thought) and started knitting. Small was to tight, or was it. Normally I would have started /used small, but yesterday I decided upon the bigger size. Casted on 280 stitches (large needles) and knitted and watched biathlon. Probably more watching TV than looking at the knitting.

This morning, when looking at the first 5-8 cm, it did look big. So I measured and measured and yes it was going to be a tent and not a slim, fitted dress.

What did I do, started thinking about how to decrease in to make it a fit, and knitted 2 more cm.

Then I realized what I was doing - knitting a lot more stitches than needed (on a dress), making it to big and I was only about 8 cm up on the knitting. So I frogged and restarted, and am indeed happy with myself.

Use of leftovers

2010-02-26T18:15:00.003+01:00

Never thow away anything, in particular yarn.
I did have close to 3 skeins of Molly left after my dress. A such small amount that it would not be suitable for anything - or would it. Also one of the skeins was quite different in color compared to the two other.

However I did have a skein of 100% sockwolle that macthed the color. So yesterday I started a cardi for Ingvild. Needle 4 and fast. As you will see, the lower part of the sleeves are lighter in intensity than the rest of the cardi. However one often have different colors, so why not. It did work well combining two strands of sockwolle with Molly.

The yoke is made of different scraps from earlier projects. So a little more than one day knitting, yarn that would have been sitting in my stash forever is turned into an everyday cardi for a little girl.
The pattern is from Debbie Bliss. More at my project page

Molly - fair Molly

2010-02-25T07:20:00.005+01:00

Molly the fat lady in the Wollmeise line of yarn this summer. She was only there for a couple of months, and I hardly got to know her before the line was discontinued.

In total I managed to get 8 skeins of Arlene and 8 skeins of Lavendel as well as one red, black and Fliederbusch. Since it is discontinued, I don't think I'll even try to get my hands of additional skeins.

The waste pat of the Lavendel have been used to knit a cabled sweater, and I have for a time tried to find a perfect pattern for the remaining skeins.

Then the newest issue of Knitter's magazine reached my house and in it was a really plain dress with a fair-isle border. The gauge was perfect, but the dress a little to loose as well as a little to boring.

Loose is not a problem at all - it is only a matter of decreasing/increasing prior to and after the (for me slightly disappearing) waist line. I’ve done that (decreasing/increasing) on my WM tunica knitted earlier this year.

Repeating part of the pattern at the yoke would make it less “dull”.

I 've also added the lavendel I-cord, to pick up the pattern colors as well as to add a design element to the dress.

So I started.

I’ve casted on for large and decreased down to fewer stitches than small.

The extra stitches on large make it more wearable and the skirt part better.

The decreases are done during the last 10 cm prior to the waist line.

When starting the decreases I realized that the color started to pool. I thought that this might make a fun effect and unraveled back to where I started the decreases – and changed yarn. A couple of the skeins had more purple in them than the rest and was also slightly lighter. I changed to one of these and re-knitted the waist section of the dress and then changed back to the slightly darker/semisolid Arlene.

Strawberry fields forever

2010-02-22T17:19:00.002+01:00

There will be summer again - soon.
Weight - 162 gram in total. No idea with regard to weight per color.
Note - these are not the tiniest socks I’ve made- 98 stitches is a lot. If you don’t knit as tight as I do - you may have 3.5 strawberries on the first row - i.e. then you can go down 6 stitches on each side to 43. Another alternative is to have slightly less stitches on the sole - going down to 45 or 43.
Gauge: the sole - stripy part measures app. 10 cm /4 inch when lying flat. Measured in pattern 41/42 rows equals 10 cm length (measured over the strawberries.
Dominant - when making the soles - make sure to keep the same color dominant. I have red/green dominant. Since I keep both strands in my left hand, I keep the red/green closest to me to have this as dominant.

Needle 2 of course and yarn is Wollmeise 20/80.
Knitting instructions:

Note this is not a pattern but a description of my knitting.

Socks are knitted toe up. Cast on 15 on each needle using Judy’s magic cast on.
Increase on every second round - Knit 1, increase on knit till 1 left, increase 1, knit 1. Repeat on needle 2 - 4 stitches increased. Next round no increases.
Cont till 41 on each needle.

On next round start pattern AND at the same time increase 8 evenly spread on each needle = 49 stitches on each needle. Make sure to make the increases when knitting with white - then they will be close to invisible. The reason for the increases is to avoid a to large toe. The pattern make the fabric tighter than when knitting plain st stitches. So if I’ve continued the normal increases the toe would have “bubbled up.”
Knit two repeat of the strawberries.
On first round of the third repeat, start increasing for heel. Knit 24 on the sole side. Increase 1 IN the same color as the 24th stitch, the next stitch should be in contrasting, then increase one more in the same color as the other increase, the next is in the same color.
Next round - do not increase, but knit the middle stitch in the other color compared with the color from the last round

Next round, increase 2 stitches. From Now on the increases shall always be after the first increase and before the last so you get a V marked with a stripe of two stitches in the same color on each side of the V. The stitches in between thereof shall alternate color on each row.
Continue such increase on every second row AND at the same time on the 4th round and on every 4th round - knit till 1 stitch left before the first 2 V stitches, k2 together with the v color, knit the other v stitch and then increase one inside of the v. Knit till the next 2 V stitches. Immediately before the 2 stitches increase 1 more (inside of the V), knit the first V stitch, and ssk the next and knit with the V color. What you are doing is to move 2 stitches from outside of till inside of the V.
The reason for doing that is that the V shall reach each side of the heel - making the heel cap inside of the V and the remaining stitches - on each side - side stitches of the heel.
On the sole side repeat 4 rows - increase inside of the V on 1 and 3 and move 2 stitches inside of the V on row 4. In total 12 stitches - 6 on each side shall be moved inside the V. In addition 18 shall be increased.
Depending on the instep - the increases might have to be on each 4th or 3rnd round on the last red section.
I started the short row for heel after finishing the red on the third row of strawberries - 7 1/4 inch - 18.5 cm. For me this is an important design element because I wanted to have a green heel and wanted the colors to alternate red green red green. If your foot is tinier you might consider starting the strawberries prior to finishing the toe increases. If your foot is longer - knit a few additional rounds of white before starting the strawberries.
Heel; On last red round. Knit top, knit the first 18 stitches of the sole and stop between the 2 red V stitches - one for the side and one for the sole.
Change to green and knit across the V as the stitches comes - i.e. white on white- green on red At the same time knit the first red the next to ssk knit till 3 again on the V counting the one red knit 2 together with green knit 1 turn. The first two and last two are with green, the other stitches are knitted with the other color compared to the row before.
Alternate these to rows for 3 times. Thereafter decrease 2 for each row - also the purl row
Cut both strands.
The heel consists of 41 stitches - picked up on both sides as well as increase some in the middle. Make sure that the middle stitch continues being the middle stitch. I do increase 4 more or less mid back on the heel to make it more comfortable.
Knit one row with green. The 41th stitch shall be knitted together with the first side stitch. Do not purl the first stitch. Purl the next 39stitches. The 41st purl together with the side stitches. Make sure that the first and last stitch -1 and 41 continues as a chain up at each side of the heel. Never knit /purl the first stitch.
On row 3, 5, etc. Turn, do not knit first, knit next, one loose of, knit next - i.e. only knit every second stitch. Keep the strand at back. Knit the last stitch together with the first side stitch.
On every purl row, continue as described above.
Continue till all side stitches are decreased into the heel.

Leg: Front - follow chart. Back- make sure that mid back continue being mid back. Set up - 2 white 7 green (of which 2 is within the pattern of the first flower) 2 white 7 green 2 white 7 green 2white 7 green 2 white 7 green 2 white.
Note the red on the flower chart is white on sock and the white is background red/green
Next row back is set up for cables. The first 4 and last 4 are cable stitches. They are always knitted in the same color - so one part of the cable is white and one part green/red.
Row two, held the 2 white in front, knit 2 green, knit the two white, knit 4 green, here starts the white on first flower. Cont knit till you have 4 left, make another cable however this time, put the 2 green on a spare needle in back knit the 2 white and then knit the two green.
On first rows of flowers there are two flowers. Continue knitting the first rows of flowers on back.
Note - the yellow are made with intarsia on the round. If you don’t knit that style, knit those white and embroidery on the yellow.
The cables are made every 4th row. However - at the same time, as of the second cable you start reducing stitches on the flower side and increase stitches on the strawberry side. On the strawberry side knit white until they fit in pattern.
This is made as follows. Increase one before the cable, make the cable, decrease one immediately thereafter. Do the same at the other side.
NB I did do a decrease/increase on every second row at on the 4 last rows of the first flower repeat and on every second on the last flower repeat.
The second flower row consists of one flower placed between the two first. Continue cabling and moving stitches until you have 7 rows left on the last flower. Then increase/decrease as often as needed to have left the last tree middle stitches when the last flower is finished. I did do the increase/decrease on every row for the latest rows.
You should now have finished two repeats of the strawberries as well as 2 repeats of the flower. Note that you might need to knit one half additional round to achieve this.
Knit one round white except for the mid cable stitches. As from this round the round starts right of the cable. AT the same time increase the cable stitches to have 3 white 6 green 3 white and in total 100 stitches.
Knit one round green except for the white cables.
Cont. with cabling but now on every 6th round. Make one repeat of the flowers. Finish up with one round green except for the white cable.
Now start ribbing in white. First round plain st. st. Next round 6 knit 4 purl. After 6 rounds, knit the knit stitches red and purl the purl stitches with yellow for 4 rounds.
Then 6 white wounds.
Change to green, continue for one round and change to knit one knit one purl. After 3 rounds, make a set up round for sewing off all stitches using the so called Italian method.

It is soon going to be another summer

2010-02-20T17:27:00.004+01:00

For me, in addition to sun bathing, summer is strawberries. Lots of strawberries with cream. Lots of cream as well.

While waiting for the summer, and while watching the Winter Games on TV, I wanted to knit anything but what I had on my needles. So I casted on for yet another pair of socks.

Socks in wool while dreaming :) Lots of strawberries and the nice strawberry flower. The next one is on the needles now. I'm not sure whether or not to write down a pattern, but knitting notes will be posted here.

A fun and fast project

2010-02-19T00:47:00.003+01:00

I do have a little to much Cashmere 1 ply cobweb sitting in my stash. Also I needed something to wear when a scarf or a shawl is to big.

I used 6 strands of the yarn and needle 6 and only a few hours of knitting. Description is posted at Ravelry

62 gram and nice and warm, and not to thick to wear.

A hat called Dancing ladies

2010-02-18T07:52:00.007+01:00

I do have (honestly) to much fingering yarn. Currently I'm testing the possibility of using two strands of fingering yarn to get a DK/slightly thicker than DK alternative. If that works, the possibilities of using the yarn is that much bigger. Also then I can start kniting all those cabled jackets etc that I so much want to wear :).
I've tested with sock. This time I've tried double Wollmeise in a stranded hat.

The chart for these ladies is an old russian chart.

Gauge: 21 stitches equals 10 cm AFTER washed and blocked. Note - when knitting the hat I was not sure that it would be big enough to fit my head. I did know that 100 stitches normally would be enough - but it was so thight. When finishing I thow the hat into the washing machine- While still wet I gave it quite a hard treatment and then "blocked" it on my head :). This morning when it was completely dry it did fit perfect.

Pattern notes: Casted on 100 st in waste yarn - provisional cast on. The waste yarn shall be frogged in a while. The reason for uing provisional cast on is to have an inside band making the hat thicker "around the ears" (I'm always cold there when it is dropping to far down below zero celcius and windy). You can of course eliminate that and start knitting directly on the chart.

However in both cases - the I-cord is needed to keep the hat in place and to make a smooth and nice "start".

Started knitting with Ebenholz held duble on needle 3.75.

Knit 11 rounds. Purl 1 round.
On next round start chart and at the same time change to needle 4. Knit until you reaches the round wherein the “leg” of the ladies are finished.

NOW take out the provisional cast on and place all stiches that now star living again on another needle. Turn this needle inside and held it together with the main needle. On next round, when you start knitting the skirt, take one stitch from each needle. NOTE the brown yarn have to travel rather a long way. What I did do was to make that travel “inside of the folded part to avoid having long strands. Another possibility is to make sure to twist a lot.

Continue with chart as it comes. However at the top I didn’t make the last red star but continued alternating the colors as I thought it would be a little over the top.

The decreases is made as indicated on the chart. Note that the first decrease is made by knittin two together - knit the stitch that shall be decreased together with the next one IN the color of the next one.
On next round - no decrease.
Thereafter - on every second round - Knit till you reach the stitch before the two one in same color, ssk and k2together - both in the color of the prevous - next stitch respectively - i.e. you decrease 2 for each subsection.

The last decrease I made I did make a sssk and the whole round was knitted in brown/black.

Add an I-cord. The purl round is on the edge of the hat. I wanted to add red. What I did was to pick up one stitch per loop in the purl round. (100 loops). It is easier to pick up if you use smaller needles I used needle 2.5.
Then with a separate needle 3.5 cast on 3 stitches and knit 2 st. The 3rd is knitted together with the first stitch from the “loop-stitches”. Set all three stitches back on the 2.5 needle and start again knitting stitch 1 with the 3.5 needle. Knit 1 and 2, and 3 together with the next loop stitch. Put bak again. Cont. till all loop stitches are off the needle. Stitch together with kitchner stitch. Note when you start knitting the first stitch, make sure to slightly pull(?) your yarn to make the I-cord nice and smooth and not to big.

May I proudly present; I Østerled (or Leaving for Miklagaard at Sunset)

2010-02-16T14:02:00.005+01:00

The last day of July 2009 I got an idea. Sandnes Garn has published (free on their home site) the pattern for the Viking ship sweater. But a Viking ship sweater, will I use it? or is it a little over the top or isn't it? However socks are a completely other story.

The pattern/chart provided shows a "half" ship. But since I wanted the pattern to "go all around the leg" I needed to make a rather huge adaption. I had to draw the rear part of the ship, and also have it in some sort of perspective. Further the main pattern needed lots of adaptions to fit a sock. I started, made the drawings and started knitting the first sock. It was fun.
However when I should start with the other, I had a problem. The pair would be nicer if I flipped the pattern. That is easier said than done, when my printer doesn't help me flipping. After a while I figured out that if I used my lightbox I could have the chart on the box flipped. But then I needed to sit put for a while.

The OL was the solution. I did sign up the Vikingship WIP as one of my entries, and since I'm watching TV for quite a few hours each night, I'm enogh "put" to knit the second sock.I started the second sock immediately after finishing the first entry, and it went off yesterday.

It is in Wollmeise - of course - and details on color is posted on Ravelry.

I love the finished pair - but will never do it again - or will I ?

Knitting and watching TV

2010-02-16T01:18:00.005+01:00

Last week Kate showed me the Valentine sock pattern from Drops. However I do not have any "thick" sock yarn in my stash and the pattern called for needle 3.5. Comparing double strands of Wollmeise sock yarn with Wollmeise Molly I figured out that using normal Wollmeise sock yarn kept double (two strands) would fit the gauge.

And what a fast and fun journey that was. The first pair took approximately a day. 64 stitches casted on,decreased to 56 during the leg.
I did have the color True Love (sock club color) in stash and combined it with natur.

Then the Ravelympics started, and I did want to start with a fast project. So I designed these as I went. The design is a combination of different standard charts to be found in reference books, on old knitwear etc. I'll promise to write down the pattern shortly.

Wollmeise, double strand and needle 3.5.

A fast and a slow project

2010-02-11T17:34:00.004+01:00

The indeed fast one - socks in double Wollmeise. Started this morning. Hopefully finished a pair tonight. I'll post more later

Finally finished the cardi. I'll will give a more detailed description tomorrow, in particular the steeking.

Small feets

2010-02-02T07:55:00.003+01:00

I did buy a lot of Regia Silk sock yarn at a sale about a year ago. It is a nice yarn, but I don't like the way the stripes shows up on "larger" sizes.

Below is the latest pair, needle 2, 56 stitches and size 28. Small feets are also cold without knitted socks.

There is something about Bella

2010-02-01T23:40:00.002+01:00

I'm in Norway and it is cold here. I forgot to bring mittens, hence I had to make a pair. One pair was knitted in a jiffy and it was fun. As of today I've made 8 pair of Bellas Mittens Below is a photo showing 7 of them. The last pair is gifted already

It is a white photo - taken outside in minus a lot of degrees and lots of snow.

Didn't quite make it

2010-01-21T01:29:00.002+01:00

My aim was to finish this cardi this week. That will not work - as I'm not having time to get out my sewing machine for a while. I'm also taking a short blog break and will be back in February. See you around

Divided love

2010-01-19T10:39:00.004+01:00

I'm knitting on a cardi in Bugga - Rösslyng (erica). The name reflects the color of the cardi - autumn, dark pink, purple and of course yellow and green.

Knitting with Bugga is a threat for a knitter. It is so smooth and the colors are indeed beautiful. It is my favorite - or is it? I cannot make up my mind if Bugga or Wollmeise is the choosen one - can you? For me Bugga is far much costly and also not that easy to get hold of, Wollmeise is easy to get and have lots of nice colors. May be I shall not choose and divide my yarn love :)
I've finished one sleeve and started the other. My problem with cardi's (and tunica's and that sort of knitting) is those "neverending" parts of plain boring st stitches. So I have to keep up knitting to avoid another UFO.

A peek into my stash - or part of it. The yarn on the table are skeins that I'm looking at for a couple of new projects. I need to look at the yarn for several days prior to choosing yarn for a project.
a

New week - new projects

2010-01-18T10:43:00.004+01:00

My goal this week is to continue with the yoked cardi in Bugga. I'll probably not finish it, but the goal is to get to the yoke. I really love the semisolid variation.

The dress is finished, washed, blocked and I'm wearing it. I'll surely knit more dresses in Wollmeise. It is so great on. Not to heavy, not to warm. Details are posted on Ravelry
A close up:

And the whole dress:

Dress - day four going on to day five

2010-01-17T11:46:00.002+01:00

The dress went off the nedles last night and on the needles again today. I did not like the neck cast off. I should have known that. A simple cast off is never great as a visible neck line.

I wonder - have Norwegian yarn companies never heard about I-cording. So I picked up the cast off and did an I-cord cast off this morning. Now it looks great.

What's left to do?
Weaving in all those ends. I try no to have those strands travelling upwards on the back as that make the dress less flexible and the back "ugly". So I cut yarn and weave in - from the front dublicating the stitches already knitted. That make the change of yarn much less visible - which is a great bonus.

Further I'll I-cording the sleeve "hole" as well.

I've made the dress slightly longer than the original as well as slightly wider. I did use more than 2 skeins of twin blue (for those who wonders).

Dress - day three

2010-01-16T11:45:00.002+01:00

Another day and more knitting on the dress. 150 gram of blue "old" Moses turned into stitches. Next step is starting on the yoke. I'll reach the goal - a new dress this week.

Dress - day two

2010-01-15T13:32:00.003+01:00

Continuing knitting "a million" of rather boring blue st st. Hopefully I'll see some color on my needles again tomorrow.

Dress - day one

2010-01-14T10:44:00.004+01:00

I've been a "good" girl this time and finished at least one project prior to starting another.

My Miralda variation is off the needles.

I've started another project. A spring dress in Wollmeise 80/20 sock yarn. Casted on yesterday afternoon. Below is a pic of the first day knitting. Now the real challenge is to continue knitting blue st stitches "forever". My goal is to finish this week - I really need a tight goal this time to stay put on the blue st stithces.

2010-01-12T12:29:00.003+01:00

I do have several 10 grams skeins with pure cashmere 1 strand as well as cones of grey. I do "need" something soft for my neck ;D, so my 4th project for the 10 shawls in 2010 will be a project wherein I can make use of the cashmere.

Back to the subject matter - one shall always read through the pattern to avoid surprises as one knit. I usually do that, but...... I was going to have an “easy” project after the Maplewind with noting going on on the purl side. I did like Miralda and started the project.

Some side tracking. I did have 2 skeins of the yellow-brown-greenish from the same update at Hedgehog . When taking a closer look, the color intensity was INDEED different. One was “glowing” and the other more “dull”. If I should make an one-color shawl, I either had to change every second row - which would make the one side of the shawl different from the other (and it would be stripy darker lighter because of the big difference) - or use another yarn or make another solution.

I’m so not satisfied with this that I’m not sure that I’ll buy anything from this dyer again. When one orders 2 skeins from the same update, my assumption is that they are so close that I can knit a project with the two skeins.

Back to the subject matter - one shall always read through the pattern to avoid surprises as one knit. I usually do that, but...... I was going to have an “easy” project after the Maplewind with noting going on on the purl side. I did like Miralda and started the project.

Some side tracking. I did have 2 skeins of the yellow-brown-greenish from the same update at Hedgehog . When taking a closer look, the color intensity was INDEED different. One was “glowing” and the other more “dull”. If I should make an one-color shawl, I either had to change every second row - which would make the one side of the shawl different from the other (and it would be stripy darker lighter because of the big difference) - or use another yarn or make another solution.

I’m so not satisfied with this that I’m not sure that I’ll buy anything from this dyer again. When one orders 2 skeins from the same update, my assumption is that they are so close that I can knit a project with the two skeins.

1,247 m / 1,374.6 yards

2010-01-10T14:06:00.003+01:00

That is the amount of yarn needed to make this :

It is Maplewing by Anne Hanson. Details on my Ravelry page.
Yarn is Wollmeise Lace-Garn in color Die Auster. I did make the larger version and followed the pattern. The only modification made is that I used 3.5 and not 3.75 needle.

I did make it rather fast. The shawl is not a "fast knitted shawl". I only spent far to many hours during a cold winter week. I did figure out that I needed to stay put on this and knit it fast to complete it. That's mainly due to the fact that the purl rows are not "plain" purl, but knitted in pattern and lots of 2 purled stitches together through back loop.

I do however enjoy the result of the work. It is a wonderful shawl. I did make it large to have use of it during summer, to go with nice summer dresses.

The shawl is my second one in the 2010 10 shawl knitalong at Ravelry

Next milestone - 1 000 yards

2010-01-08T11:06:00.003+01:00

Another day and still knitting on Shawl 2. This morning I reached the 1 000 yards milestone. Next goal is to get below 200 stitches. I need milestones to continue knitting on it. Hopefully I'll reach this milestone today.

The next pictures is of the charts. I need both to see the written description and the chart for this particular shawl. The main reason is that the chart does not show the decreases in the middle of the shawl. Of course it is "only" to make k2 together or ssk, but mistakes happens. When I do control for each second row that my decreases is as said in the description, I'm sure not to have forgotten a decrease or have had a loop to much on the needle.

It is on the big Knit-Pro stand - I do love that gadget.

Reached 40 000 stitches

2010-01-07T00:58:00.003+01:00

Another day knitting. It is cold and icy outside and lovely days for knitting. I've made som progress and I did finish the two first sections of the shawl today. More information on my Ravelry project page. It is starting to look great :D

27,992 stitches done

2010-01-06T10:51:00.004+01:00

I'm doing several KAL's in 2010. One of these is 10 shawls in 2010. My first shawl was Fountain Pen. The second is Maplewing from Knitspot. My progress and notes while knitting will be posted on Ravelry as usual. I'm knitting with Wollmeise Lace-Garn color die Auster.

I've started on January 2nd, but slipped a lot of stitches and had to restart on January 3rd.
I'm on section B. 90 gram yarn used and 27,992 stitches done. Hopefully I'm reaching the halfway point today :D
The color is so "me". I can't wait to starting using it - so back to speedy knitting.

A shawl

2010-01-04T12:33:00.003+01:00

I collect lace yarn and lace pattern as well as lace books, but do I knit lace - hardly.
Well 2010 shall be journey in lace for me, as I've participating in 10 shawls in 2010 on Ravelry. So I'm "forced" to knit shawls.

My first one has been on the needles for a while. I did start this when I got the spring issue of Interweave last year.
But after having knitted 2-3 repeats I did figure out that I had started on to large needles. The "holes" were to big. Did I frog it immedeately - no - it started a long rest in the basket.

When the challenge came up, I decided that this project should be the first one. So when returning home I did frog the few repeats I've knitted, and then waited for the kick off.

It went fast - it is so easy to knit.
I used needle 3.5 and got - for me - a perfect result. Not to heavy, not to light.
It is rather large and it is neither easy to catch the colors nor the pattern. A close up on the floor.
And a close up of the blocking.

Happy new year

2010-01-02T12:01:00.003+01:00

Happy new year to you all and thanks for visiting my blog in 2009. I'll hope to see you around in 2010 as well.

It is one of those few white days in the Netherlands. It is snow outside - or at least the ground is white.
I started this year by finishing a long overdue sweater. It is in Molly lavendel. Molly was only available in a few updates, and I did not manage to get enough of the lavendel to get one skein with equal colors. Also I do not have enough to make a stranded sweater, so I had to make do. I tried alternating skeins, but that did not work, so I finally decided to start knitting - top down - with the most solid and then using the most varigated on the body and the next most solid on the sleeves.

I'm starting to like the project - i.e. the sweater. The quality and thickness is perfect, and I alos tend to like the variation in color intensities. However it is always the possibility of dying it black :D
It is a cabled sweater based upon a pattern from Interweave which I adapted slightly to fit my body. Also I did make the sleeves a little longer. I used the 5 skeins I had (with less than a meter left). More at Ravelry.

Winterwonderland

2009-12-29T10:35:00.003+01:00

It has indeed been a white Christmas. No further description or words needed.

At night time:

Christmas is not the time for knitting anything with pattern or chart. Easy going socks. Yarn is Regia Kaffe Fassett, needle 2. Cast on 52 stitches. One ball is enough for two socks (one pair). They are my no 30-32 of plunge socks.

Nå har vi vaska golvet og vi har ..... It is the big Holiday Season

2009-12-23T13:14:00.004+01:00

It is the last day before Christmas. Here in Norway the "big" day is the 24. It is cold outside and white. A peek through the living room window. We are in an old log cabin house in the Norwegian country side. It smells, looks and taste like old, traditional Christmas.
Two of the three kings are here - the last one rests at home. They are also waiting for tomorrow.

Yesterday, finally I did finish a pair of socks - again. These are no 29 in the 52 pair plunge. So I'm two pair ahead of schedule and hopefully I'll end up with 52 pairs by end of May 2010. These are inspired by Alice Starmore's Tudor Roses. The chart is from the Jane Seymour sweater, adapted to fit socks. The sock pattern is a standard toe up pattern. Yarn; Wollmeise Twin 80/20. More details on Ravelry

Have a nice day all, counting down for Christmas.

Christmas is around the corner

2009-12-21T18:01:00.006+01:00

Only a couple of days to go. Finally all presents are made.

The two last ones are necessities for a doll bed. I have used some "left-over" quilt fabric with pink ballerinas and a few yards of pink yarn, spent approximately an hour for sewing and knitting.

The next one has been on the needles for a week. Finally the Wollmeise has dyed some pink yarn - Tutu. I've used close to two skeins of Tutu medium twin (80/20) and Dörnroschen as contrast - the latter 2/3 of a skein. I have used contrast colors for the cables as well as on all the I-cords and the buttons. I did see a coat on Sandnesgarn's homepages, brought the leaflet and was determined to knit the pink coat. However after reading though the pattern as well as after having had a closer look, I thought that it would be far to much work on a coat compared to how often the little girl will wear it. So I decided to go for a jacket. Also when having a clooser look - it looked a little booring, so I designed my own coat/jacket.

I started with the cable border. After finishing the cable, I picked up the stitches for the upper body, and knitted double moss stitches. I completed the upper body with collar before starting on the lower body - i.e. did sew together on the shoulders. I did leave all stitches from the front bands as well as the collar on the needle - i.e. did not cast of anything but the shoulder stitches

Then I picked up the same number of stitches for the lower body, and started a 5 knit 3 purl rib. After 2 cm I increased two stitches in each 5 knit - to 7 knit. Then I did knit 20 rows and increased 2 stitches in each 7 knit to 9 knit. Then I knitted 30 rows and increased to 11 knit. Finally I knitted 36 rows.

Then I picked up approximately 3 stitches per 4 rows on each front "band", and casted off those as well as all stitches on the collar and the lower body by using a 3 stitches I-cord.
The sleeves are not sewn together with the body, but knitted together. When finishing both sleeves I did pick up the same amount of stitches on each sleeve and on each "sleeve hole". I casted on 3 stitches in contrast color and knitted the sleeve together with the body using an I-cord that is attached to the body at one end and the sleeve at the other end.
Finally I finished up by covering the buttons with crochet stitches and adding one bead in the middle of each button.

A cold and early Monday morning

2009-12-14T07:17:00.002+01:00

It is December and dark outside. It has been one of those cold but sunny week-ends, hence I have not been much inside. I'm still knitting on that little very, very pink jacket. It is not a fast moving project. Using needle 2.5 and having 308 stitches per row takes a while. Hopefully it will "grow" a little today, enough to post pictures tomorrow.

Also due to preparing for Christmas the promised patterns for the two sweaters will be posted after Christmas.

Take care all.

Changing the project while knitting

2009-12-13T10:16:00.005+01:00

A few months ago I did see a pattern at Sandnesgarn that I really wanted to knit.
I thought I got the right yarn for it when getting my hands on Tutu, the new pink from Wollmeise. When getting the yarn I thought that it would be a little boring knitting with only one color, so I decided to use Dornroschen on the cables and the collar. Then when having completed the upper body, I kind of got tired of knitting one purl one knit, and I also started to rethink the whole coat idea. A sweater is more practical. Also I wanted a "swagger" - i.e. more body, wider etc. So when starting the lower body, I changed the pattern to 5 knit 3 purl and also I will increase the knits as I go - making it wider and wider.

Here is the status after a day's knitting (progress will also be posted atravelry):

Something for DH

2009-12-11T13:02:00.003+01:00

Winter is around the corner and also DH needs something to face King Winter.

I did have some really nice Campolimi Roberto Filati Cashmere in stash. It is so soft and light. So I pulled out that part of my stash earlier this month and started knitting on the scarf. The scarf went off the needles yesterday. Then I realized that he needed a hat to go with it. DH did not want to have a "stripy" hat.
I've had the pattern for the Koolhaas Hat (link to my ravelrypage wherein you can find link to the pattern) for "forever" - or at least since the Holiday issue of Interwave Knits was delivered to me in 2007.
I'm not sure that Koolhaas is one of my favorite patterns to knit, but the hat is really a favorite. All those tiny, tiny cables are not a favorite when knitting with double yarn and needle size 4 (European).
The scarf is easy going garter stitches. Cast on 40 on needle 4 and start knitting. Change colors whenever you deem fit.

I'm so satisfied with the set.

Being able to knit to the last stitch may sometimes be a struggle

2009-12-10T10:43:00.003+01:00

Late spring I ordered the lovely Gaia DK yarn.

I did fell in love with it at its arrival and started knitting. I knitted the body and one sleeve and then the second. When I did cast off the second one I did see a really big mistake at the start of it.

I frogged the sleeve and buried the project at the far bottom of my WIP basket.

It slept well for a long time - may be a beauty sleep?

Earlier this fall by miracle it resurfaced.

However it is something about frogging, it is not that fun to knit the replacement after the frogging.

On the other hand I did realize that I would indeed love the finished project. So lately I have knitted 15 minutes, half an hour and so on on the project more or less each day, and yesterday morning I made the last stitch and casted off. I immediately put it together and throw it into the washing machine. This morning it had dried up and was ready for use.

I so like it. It is soft. It is warm and not to warm at the same time. The colors are perfect for me.

The remaining question to be asked is - why didn’t I do this half a year ago?

I should have learned this by now – finish the partly frogged project before starting 10 new.

More information as well as link to the pattern is at my Ravelry project site. The patten is from Rowan.

Nötteliten for a little girl.

2009-12-09T09:46:00.003+01:00

The (Eurasian) red squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris, is the theme of a very well known Norwegian children’s poem by Alf Pröysen. It’s main theme is that little child that never has finished his play when he is due to leave for school. The poem (sorry only in Norwegian):

Nøtteliten bor i toppen av et tre,
han er aldri ferdig når han drar avsted,
han skal spise fire konglefrø og danse litt grann,
han skal erte frøken Skjære og en gammel kråkemann.
"Nøtteliten," sier mamma, "er du der?"
Nøtteliten svarer: "Nei da, jeg er her."
Og hopp og sprett og tjo og hei
og fire kvister deler seg.
Så brummer Nøtteliten: "Her er jeg."

"Nøtteliten," sier mamma, "du må gå,
og vær snar og flink på skoleveien nå.
ikke fly og finne nøtter, du kan spise før du går,
du skal sitte pent på stubben din til skoleklokka slår."
Nøtteliten svarer: "Ja da, ja da, ja,
men nå tror jeg jeg må stikke, ha det bra."
Og hopp og sprett og tjo og hei
og fire kvister deler seg.
Så hopper Nøtteliten: "Hei på deg."

Nøtteliten gjør så mange rare hopp
ifra tre til tre og stamme ned og opp,
glemmer skolen og det hele, han gjør kast og sprett og sprell,
plukker mange fine nøtter, han er nøtteknekker selv.
Men så hører han at skoleklokka slår,
ifra tre til tre så bustehalen står,
og hopp og sprett og tjo og hei,
og litt før den har ringt fra seg
så sitter han på stubben: "Her er jeg."

I have collected Bugga! for a while. As an average “yarn collector” I have, until for a few weeks ago, limited my collection to one skein of a color. I thought that I should use Bugga! for socks. However the yarn is so nice to knit. On needle 3, European, it knits up to a lightweight , easy wear sweater or cardi. So why limit that really nice yarn to something to cover ones feet.

My limitation was the lack of doubles/triples in a color. I had to make do with only one skein in each color.

On Saturday I sat down and amended the drawing I’ve earlier made of the squirrel, a drawing/chart made to be used for socks. I needed to redraw it to make it fit for a yoked sweater. The sweater is intended for a little girl. She is only 3, and such a little girl will eventually want to have some pink in each garment. That goes with the territory of being a little girl. I did have one pinkish Robberfly and some leftover Northern Purple Gold Beetle from the Elephants on Parade sweater.
I added Tashina fly and Spatula Ant, and started knitting. I did not have enough yarn of one color to have the body and sleeves in one color, so I needed to do something to make that work.
Here is the finished sweater. My goal for the remaining part of this week is to write down this pattern as well as my cabled sweaterpattern.

A milestone

2009-12-08T22:08:00.003+01:00

This year I have made a note of every gram yarn used in finished project, i.e. WIP's are not counted until they are off the needles. Today another project went off the needles and into the washing machine, and I reached the 15 kilo yarn milestone. I've used 15 kilo yarn this year.

All those single skeins

2009-12-07T16:18:00.004+01:00

Our house is in a city with traffic, noice, pollution etc. but not without nature only outside my window

My study is on the first floor. This is the view:

I do prefer indy dyer yarn. However as most yarn collector's, I have limited my purchases to single skeins.
A single skein is enough for a pair of socks, a pair of mittens, a hat and may be a shawl.

For sweaters, cardis, etc. one skein is far to little - or is it. My current project "Nötteliten" is a single skein project - sorry; several single skein project. I did pull out 4 Bugga! skeins that I thought could work together. Then I started designing the main part of the sweater, and the remaining - sleeves, body, etc. are made as I knit. It is fun and at least I think that the sweater has the potential to be a favorite (for the little one that shal use it). Progress onRavelry

Lazy Sunday afternoon

2009-12-06T20:44:00.004+01:00

I know, I should have made the patterns, cleaned house, made dinner and worked in the garden. That's what I should have done. I have not been into my study today and the pc have had a nice rest up until now. I did not make any dinner as dinner was served in the local restaurant. What have I done? Nothing at all, walked a little,knitted and indeed I've had one of those Sundays doing nothing. I have indeed had a really nice Sunday (even if it has been one of those rainy days).

Below are the main ingredients of the remaining hours of this Sunday; something to knit, something to eat and nice flowers on the table

I have knitted on my new project yesterday and today. It is a children sweater in Bugga! You can follow my progress on Ravelry

Have a nice Sunday afternoon/evening.

A tam and finally started on "Nøtteliten"

2009-12-05T12:52:00.004+01:00

It is windy in Haag, hence a tam is a necessity.

I did have lots of leftover yarn from the sweater, so why not use it.
The tam is knitted Friday afternoon/evening. It is very, very fast. Hopefully I'll manage to write down both patterns tomorrow - so shortly patterns to both the sweater and the tam will be posted here.

It is one of those it starts raining in a minute - weekends. It is one of those dark days. Not much lighter outside either. So I'll use the rest of the day inside - may be knitting.

A close-up of the tam. I've used the same pattern as in the sweater for the red border. However the centre is different. The decreases are made in each "arm" of the 7 pointed star. It is fast and easy to knit. And also a light and nice tam to wear.

I've used this morning to design another sweater for the twins. Nøtteliten is finally on the needles. Updates will follow.

I do have a Bugga sweater !

2009-12-03T18:15:00.002+01:00

A quick update today as I wanted to share that the sweater is finished.

I'll write down instructions/pattern and blog it later this week - but not today. Off to the dentist and then out for dinner.

Some progress but still working.

2009-12-02T01:05:00.005+01:00

I have done quite a bit of knitting since the last update.
First a close up of the sleeve. As you see - a tight fit finished up with a colored rib and a feminin cuff.

What I have acomplished since my last update is to finish both sleeves as well as starting on the body. I've close to finish the decreases on the body. The work left to do is to start increasing again and knitting approximately 20 cm before starting ribbing again.

It will take a day or two until the sweater is off my needles.

Side tracking?

2009-11-30T16:12:00.003+01:00

Stranded work and watching TV are not a good combination if one want to watch and not only listen to TV. Hence I need to have TV knitting as well as "ordinary" knitting.
DH needed a new scarf to meet the Norwegian Christmas. I have had quite a few skeins of pure cashmere sitting in my stash for "forever".

Finally some of it is out of stash and on the needles.

It is an easy going scarf. No pattern, no purling only knitting.

I did cast on 40 with two strands on needle 4 (European) and started knitting. Stripes is made as I go.

However as I'm limiting that one to TV watching, I did manage to make some progress on the main project yesterday evening and this morning.

On sleeve is finished, and I have started on both the second sleeve as well as the body. I needed to get rid of all those set aside wires that tended to get stuck in the yarn.

My goal is to make 10-15 cm on the body tonight.

Still working

2009-11-29T18:40:00.004+01:00

But it is growing.

I've close to completing the first sleeve. As you will see of the (not so good pictures - not easy with self timer and inside/after dark pictures) pictures, the sleeves are made with one color (as far as you can see - but they are not finished yet) and cables.

The reason for making cables, is that I wanted a tight fit and hence the ribbing and cables.

The main border is finished.
It consist of 4 harts set together to form a flower. They are knitted in the amazing color "Tomato Red".

To make the color combination "right", I needed to add the third yellow border before starting on the lower part of the sweater.

More close up of the sweater as well as the sleeve.
I'll continue tonight and hopefully I can blog better pictures as well as a completed sleeve tomorrow.

Until then, happy knitting all.

Very very early Saturday update

2009-11-27T23:55:00.004+01:00

Knitting a sweater in a, for me, relatively "new" yarn, without a written pattern and also top down is a bit scary. Will it fit?

A not so great picture - self timer set on camera - that really is not fair to the colors BUT it shows that I've made the increases perfect :)

I'll continue with the main border - that does not show that well on the picture - in lovely tomato read Bugga.

Can't wait to get this sweater off the needles.

My journey to finally having a "Buggasweater"

2009-11-27T14:33:00.004+01:00

I've participated in an international swap, and got some "goodies".

In particular the very light green, was a very welcomed color because now I have the color I need to make my long longed for Bugga sweater.

It is not Bugga, but the color Fern from String Theory Handdyed Yarn Caper Sock. However I can use it together with the Bugga's as it is very similar to Bugga and had the contrast that I was looking for.

I also got another very nice yarn as well as needles - I always need needles and tape.

I'm not going to use a pattern, but make my own top-down yoked sweater "as I knit".

The main color will be a blue/purple Bugga. I think it's name is Earth Boring Dang Beetle (the only "negative" I can say about the Bugga Goddess is that her handwriting is not so easy to read).

I started yesterday afternoon, and it is not a very fast project. Mainly because I have to do some math while knitting and also trying to place the various border "correct".

I'm really pleased with the threes. Now I'm on a Selbuadaption - "selbuharts".

Come back in a day or two and I'll keep you updated.
Also, when finished I'll post the complete pattern on the blog.

Have a nice weekend all of you.

Kiss the frog

2009-11-26T09:22:00.002+01:00

Yarn; approximately DK. I’ve used one strand of sock yarn – Wollmeise 100% and one strand of KidSilk Haze (shawl).
Needles; 2.5 for ribbing, 3.5 for anything else.
Gauge; 24 X 32
Size – approximately 4-6 years
Note the rnd of each color (stripe) has to be divided with 2 to make the side “bar” nice.

Body
Cast on 92 stitches (loosely) on needle 3.5. Knit garter stitches for 16 rows (counting every row). Set aside.
Cast on additional 92 st and repeat.
Join by knitting one row of st stitches. Place marker at each end.
NEXT rnd Rnd I – purl 5, knit 6, purl 2, knit until 13 stitches remain before next marker, purl 2, knit 6, purl 5, marker, purl 5, knit 6, purl 2, knit until 13 stitches remain before next marker, purl 2, kit 6, purl 5. End of rnd.
Rnd II – knit all.
Rnd III – repeat Rnd I
Rnd IV – knit all
Rnd V – Repeat Rnd I
Rnd VI – knit 5, put 3 stitches on a cable needle, held back of work, knit the next 3 stitches, knit the three stitches from cable needle, knit until you reach the other side of the work and the “6 knit” stitches. Put 3 stitches on cable needle, held in front of work, knit the next 3 stitches, knit the 3 stitches from cable needle, knit 10 stitches, put next 3 stitches on a cable needle, held back of work, knit the next 3 stitches, knit the three stitches from cable needle, knit until you reach the other side of the work and the “6 knit” stitches. Put 3 stitches on cable needle, held in front of work, knit the next 3 stitches, knit the 3 stitches from cable needle, knit the remaining 5 stitches on rnd.
Rnd I to VI forms the cable pattern in each end.

AT THE SAME TIME AS KNITTING THE ABOVE RNDS make the stripes as you go.
Knit until the work measures 29 cm. On next rnd, cast off 5 stitches on each side of both markers (10 for each sleeve). The knit each side separately. Next 2 row cast off 2 stitches at start of needle, and then next 2 row cast off 1 stitches on start of needle. Now each needle shall start and stop with the 6 cable stitches.
Set aside.
Sleeves.
Cast on 44 on needle 2.5 with double strand of KidSilk Haze only. Start ribbing 2 r 2p. Knit two rib rnds. Cut yarn and start with one strand of the other yarn. Knit rib until the rib measures appr. 6 cm. Note the reason for only having one strand of yarn is to make a more close fit.
THEN, on next row, still with only one strand, increase to 58 stitches. This is the last rnd of rib.
Next row, change to needle 3.5 and start using both strands and st stitches. Knit one rnd and place two markers – one for the start and one after 29 stitches.
Then
RND I – purl 3, knit 18, purl 2 knit 6, marker, knit 6, purl 2, knit 18, purl3, marker.
RND II – knit
RND III – repeat rnd I
RND IV – knit
RND V – repeat rnd I
RND VI– knit 23, put 3 stitches on cable needle, held in front of work, knit the next 3 stitches, knit the 3 stitches from cable needle, put next 3 stitches on a cable needle, held back of work, knit the next 3 stitches, knit the three stitches from cable needle, knit 23 end of rnd.
These 6 rnds are the cable pattern
AT the same time – make stripes.
AT the same time, increase 2 stiches appr. every 2 cm 10 times – as follows. Knit 2 increase one, knit until 2 left before end marker, increase 1, knit 2.
AT the same time – the increased stitches shall start to form the same pattern as you have on the body, so you have to make sure that the 3 purl at the start and end of rnd + the increased stitches is knitted in that cable pattern. Also make sure that you manage to do all 10 increases – i.e. if you want a shorter sleeve, make the increases more often.
NB MAKE SURE TO CAST OFF THE 5 STITCES ON “SAME” CABLE PATTENR ROW AS FOR BODY.
Knit until sleeve measures 30 cm. Cast of 5 stitches on each side of marker for beginning of rnd. Next 2 row cast off 2 stitches at start of needle, and then next 2 row cast off 1 stitches on start of needle. Now the needle shall start and stop with the 6 cable stitches.
Set aside.
Make another sleeve.
TOP
Put all stitches on one needle sleeve, body, sleeve, body AT the same time place start of rnd marker – Find the place where the body stitches on the previous end of rnd for body all are on the right needle and sleeve stitches on left needle. Place the 5 last stitches from the body to the other needle and place marker. Then you will see that those 5 stitches will form a cable patten together with the 5 first stitches from the sleeve. Start all rnds here and also make all changes of stripes from here. Place marker. Continue with the cable pattern HOWEVER NOTE
- The raglan decreases shall be on each side of the “2 stitches garter stitches”, i.e. the stitches as a round start with. I made sure to make all decreases at an all knit row /cable row and not on a rnd wherein I made purl stitches.
- The cable pattern in the raglan decrease shall be on the same rnd as the cable on the middle of the sleeve.
- The raglan cable pattern is as follows – knit 2, 3 stitches on cable needle, in front of work, knit next three, knit cable needle stitches, knit 2 – knit until cable in middle of sleeve, continue that cable pattern, knit until you have 3 stitches left on “sleeve”, set on cable needle and held back, knit the next 3 stitches from body, knit the 3 stitches from cable, continue till next sleeve.
The raglan decrease start at the first rnd as follows.
Knit 2, either knit next 6 stitches or make a cable if you are on a cable rnd, knit 2, knit the next two together, continue till you have 7 stitches left on what was the former sleeve, ssk (decrease 1), knit 2, next 6 is knit or cable, knit 2, k2tog. Repeat for the other side. I.e. on each raglan decrease row you decrease in total 8 stitches.
Next rnd, no decreases AND this rnd please make sure to continue with patten it is a purl round in the pattern.
Continue decreasing on every second row in total 17 times. Cut yarn.
Move start of rnd to the mid front – i.e. move stitches until you find the middle of the front of the body. Put the first 5 and last 5 stitches on a thread. FROM now on you have to stop knitting on the rnd as this mark the set aside for neck band.
Continue striping, cable pattern and decreasing for ragland.
At the same time, on beginning of each row, set aside 2,2,2,1,1,1.
Continue knitting until 10 rows from the start row wherein you set aside for mid front.

NOTE The raglan decrease will continue into the cable pattern, making sure that the decreases is made on the middle of sleeve cable pattern, and that you make the last decreases so that the middle cable will continue with fewer stitches.
Note you will “run” out of raglan decrease stitches against the neck. That ok continue decreasing on all other raglan decrease places.
I did stop with a cable row
On next ROUND, change to needle 2.5, pick up all set aside stitches and also stitches on the decrease rows enough to avoid holes. Start ribbing – BUT THIS TIME WITH TWO STRANDS. I did make the rib double (i.e. turned the band to the inside – i.e. then you need to make it twice as long as it shall show)– you can choose not to do that. The neck band should measure 2,5 cm. Cast off.

Hood.
Cast on 143 stitches, on needle 2, two strands.
Rib for 2.5 cm. Continue in st.stitches – i.e. knit on knit row and purl back.
ON first row and the next 12 rows, decrease one stitch in each end – i.e. 2 stitches decreased each row. Make the decrease one stitch from start-end of row.
Knit until it measures 10 cm. Knit to 4 stitches before middle stitch, ssk, knit 3, k2tg, knit remaining. Purl next row. Make same decrease on next knit row. Continue decreasing in total 12 times.
Continue until the hood measures 21 cm measured over the 3 middle stitches. Cast off.

Sew to necband (inside). Weave in ends. Sew holes under sleeves. Finished with knitting.

If you want a frog - you may make it now. I did place it at the lover front of the sweater. As I only had a "not well made drawing" you have to make do by looking at this picture.

Another sweater

2009-11-24T00:56:00.003+01:00

It was so fun knitting the dress. The combination of Wollmeise and KidSilk give a great result as well as being a nice combination knitting. So I did start a new sweater yesterday.
I'm not sure that the sweater will fit - this year, as I think it is going to be a little to big. But that is not important. The boy has enough sweaters for this winter, and there will always be a next winter.

As for the dress, I'm playing with the colors. However no pink this time.

I'm making the stripes "as I go".

One day gone, and I've finished the body up to the sleeves and 1/2 sleeve.

Hopefully I'll be on the raglan part by end of tomorrow.

Next color on the sleeve will probably be the lighter blue.

Come back and have a look in a couple of days, and you will see the finished sweater.

Flowerpower dress

2009-11-22T18:10:00.007+01:00

Size - don't really know. Something around size 4 years + approximately :).
1 thread KidSilk Haze and 1 thread Wollmeise 100%. Needle 3.5 for everything but the ribbing which I did with 2.5 (and one thread Wollmeise) on the sleeve and 3 and both threads on neckline.
Gauge 22 x 32.
Cast on 480. Knit six rows of st stitches. Next row join the ends and continue knitting around. I did continue one round and then started stripes with one round of each color 8 times. Then I did knit 4 rounds in the first color.
On next round decrease by knitting two together the whole round – i.e. decrease to 240.
On next round place markers – 6 in total. The first at the start of the round, the next after 40 stitches, continue and place the remaining 4 after each 40 stitches
On next round change to brown. Knit brown for 20 rounds. (A better drawing of the flowers will be posted here in a day or two)
I started the flowers on the third brown round and used the chart as shown. Note that you will need to decrease in the middle of the flower chart. What I did do was to make sure that I did start the row with the flower which has one continued middle row of pink. Then on the decrease row the decrease will be made immediately before and after every second of these flowers.
On the 8th round decrease as follows.
Marker for beginning of round - Knit 2, ssk (one decreased), knit 32, k2together, knit 2. Then you are at second marker. Repeat the decrease 5 more times – i.e. in total 12 decreases.
Then on every 10th round continue to decrease 12 stitches – i.e. on the first 32 is reduced to 30, on next to 28 and so on.
Make stripes as you like it. I did have 5 dark red and 5 rounds pink and did the decrease on the 4th of the pink rounds. Make sure not to start a new color on the decrease round, because then the “line” around will not be straight.
Decrease in total 10 times – remaining stitches 120. I did change to brown after completing the pink stripe on the 10th decrease. On the tenth decrease, take away all markers except the beginning of round and the opposite side. Knit 4 rows. From hereon the front and back are knitted separately.
On the fifth row decrease 3, knit to 3 before next marker, decrease 6, knit to end, turn. Purl back and start with decreasing. Turn, knit, decrease 1, turn. Purl back, decrease 1. Then continue to knit/purl until you have knitted/purled 30 rows. On next row cast off the 14 middle stitches. Purl back (to the middle). Turn cast off 3, knit to end. Turn. Purl to end. Turn. Cast off 2. Knit to end. Turn. Purl to end. Turn. Cast off 1. You have now 13 stitches left. Continue for 6 rows. Set stitches aside. Do the other side of the back similar.
Front. Decrease as for back for sleeve. Cont. knitting/purling 24 rows. On next, cast off the 6 middle stitches, then the next four, three, two (on start of each knit row) and then continue decreasing 1 until you have 13 left. Knit until the piece is as long as the back. THEN knit one more row and sew front and back together. NB the extra row is to make the stripes continue with two rows of each color.
Make the other half of the front equal.
Sleeves. Cast on 44 on needle 2.5. Knit rib – 2 knit 2 purl for 6 cm. Change to needle 3.5 and start striping. The green stripes are made with three row of each color. Increase 2 stitches on every 6th row. Then after 12 green stripes, change to pink and to stripes with 4 rows and continue the increase on every 8th row. Knit until sleeve is as long as you want.
Cast off the first three knit to end. Turn, Purl and cast off 3. On next row and on the start of every row decrease 1 stitch until you have knitted 20 rows. Then decrease 2 stitches on the next 6 rows. Then 3 on the next two rows and then cast off the remaining on the next row.
I did make a green “ribbon” for the flowers. What I did do was to pick up a little less than one stitch per row on the body. Knitted three rounds. Turned outside in. Picked up – on a separate needle one stitch per row from the sleeve. Then I had more stitches on the sleeve than the body. I marked the top of the sleeve and the body and with the body inside out and the sleeve put into the sleeve “hole” in the body, I knitted together the body and the sleeve, however as often as I needed I did take two stitches from the sleeve to one from the body. When body and sleeve are joined I did cast off all stitches on next row. Turn work back again. Then I did make embroidery as shown on pictures.
Below - a picture with flowers only on one of the green bands

Neckline. Pick up around neck – all stitches in front and back and approximately 3 per 4 rows on each side. Rib 1 knit 1 purl for 5 rows, then k2 together, one cast for one round, then rib 1 knit 1 purl for 5 rows. Cast off.
I did make a crochet border at the sleeves and the hem, mainly because I needed to ad that color.

Close up of flowers.

Dress is growing

2009-11-20T00:24:00.002+01:00

I did some knitting today, however the waste part of my knitting time was spent on my knitting machine trying out tension and pattern.

I did finish one sleeve, added a hemborder and the neckline today.

Quite ordinary - or not?

2009-11-19T10:56:00.002+01:00

I have been on a short trip to NYC, hence no time for knitting. However when having to sit in a plane for quite a few hours, one need something to knit on.

I've starded a new cardi on my way to NYC The cardi is based upon a pattern from Dale (published a few years ago). The main pattern is quite easy to knit and hence rather boring. Yarn - as always - not Dale but Wollmeise.

However Christmas is approaching and back home I have to put the cardi aside and start knitting on presents. I've started on this dress on Monday. Still it is quite ordinary, but please pop in in a day or two and then you will see that my plan is to make it everything but ordinary.
It is knitted with one strand Wollmeise and one strand KidSilkHaze.

I've been to NYC and of course visited a few places to buy yarn. I was not that impressed with the shops. However I did find Purl Soho and Knitty City as places that I would revisit on my next trip (hopefully in April - if we do not decide to stay in DC). I did not buy lots and lots of yarn, only a few skeins of the lovely Jade Sapphire and a few skeins of indy dyers.

Noro - wonderful colors but...

2009-11-10T09:45:00.007+01:00

Christmas is coming and I need presents. I also have far to much Noro.

Noro has wonderful colors, but - yes there is a but - no skeins are like, there is always one or more knots in a skein. Thus even if one skein is enough for one pair of socks, at least I have a hard time trying to make them equal.
So my Noroskeins sleep well in the basket.
However a shawl can be made with not-identical-skeins.

What I have done is to use one strand of Silk Garden Sock and one strand of Rowan Kid Silk Haze. The Kid Silk I have used is one skein of blue and one skein of green and I've changed colors when the Noro skein changes color. The combination give a really good definition of the stripes.

The pattern is the same as used for Josa Sjal.

It took two evenings to knit - while watching TV. A fast and fun project and a great result as well.

First visit of King Winter

2009-11-07T09:40:00.004+01:00

I've been in Norway the last two weeks and have visited King Winter.

The first try of new owl mittens
The two other pairs of owl mittens ready for use.

A close up of the first visit of the winter:
Early morning with new mittens and new snow:

Baje Bitte Lite Gjanne Josa (Pink for a little girl)

2009-10-20T11:49:00.006+02:00

There are lots and lots of pattern in English available online, but not that many Norwegian. So today I'm making a Norwegian post as I'm making available the pattern for my newest shawl.

Navnet taler jo for seg selv - R er vanskelig å uttale og de som liker josa sier også ofte baje.

Dette er et veldig enkelt sjal å strikke. Mitt sjal er laget i barnestørrelse – til en treåring – men det er jo bare hvor mange repetisjoner man gjør av hhv rilleradene og mønsterradene som avgjør størrelsen.

Mitt sjal er 110cm langs skulderen og 35 cm midt bak. Det veier 86 gram, ca 75 gram fra det gjennomgående tykkeste garnet.

Sjalet er strikket slik at det er identisk på retten og vrangen – for ellers ville jo et barnesjal alltid hatt vrangen ut.

Mønsteret er jo et tradisjonelt mønster, egentlig. Og det å bruke riller først er heller ikke noen "ny oppfinnelse". Tradisjonelle Shetlandsgarn har jo det. Det eneste "uvanlige" med sjalet er at jeg har endret rad 4 fra de tradisjonelle mønstrene hvor rad 4, som jo er en omgang fra vrangen, strikkes vrangt - dvs at man da på retten får tre rette rader over hverandre. I dette sjalet strikkes alt rett/riller, og det blir ingen rette omganger over hverandre. Mønsteret forsvinner da litt, men blir likt på begge sider.

Det er gjennomgåene to tråder i sjalet.

Jeg har brukt Koigu Painter’s Palette Premium Merino som den gjennomgående fargen. Det er et mangefarget garn. Av norske garn kan man bruke for eksempel bruke Fabel – selv om det er litt tynnere.

Det andre garnet jeg har brukt, riktigere de andre, har vært mer fluffy og tynnere garn. Jeg har brukt forskjellige farger av Rowan Kidsilk Haze og annet garn med samme tykkelse/fluffyhet. Dette garnet er tynt, i sjalsgarnkvalitet, og litt ”loete”. Det gir sjalet en veldig myk overflate. Garn nr. 2 har jeg endret, dvs jeg har strikket noen riller og så byttet farge. Dette gir stripeeffektene mellom mørkt/lyst, rosa/ikke så rosa. Jeg har ikke hatt noe system i da jeg skiftet farge.

Jeg har brukt pinner 4,5. Men pinnevalget er helt opp til deg selv. Jeg har valgt en pinnetykkelse som gir et ganske stabilt sjal. Sjalet mitt skal ikke blokkes bare tørkes i fasong. Grunnen til det er at skal et barnesjal være brukelig, må man unngå unødvendig arbeid. Jeg kommer til å lage tilsvarende til meg selv (etter jul antakelig).

Sjalet er strikket i rettstrikk – altså ingen vrange masker som nevnt over.

Finner noen feil - send meg en beskjed så retter jeg opp.

Start:
Legg opp 3 masker. Strikk til du har 5 riller.
Neste omgang.
Strikk de 3 maskene, plukk opp 5 masker – en i hver rille strikk disse, plukk opp 3 til – langs oppleggskanten – strikk disse. Du har nå 11 masker på pinnen.
Omgang 1: Strikk 3, et kast,strikk 1, et kast, strikk 3, et kast, strikk 1, et kast, strikk 3.
Omgang 2: Strikk 3, et kast, strikk til du har tre masker igjen på pinnen, et kast, strikk tre.
Omgang 3: Strikk 3, et kast, strikk alle masker frem til og med kast nr 2 fra omgang 1, et kast, strikk 3, (disse tre er midt bak) et kast, strikk til det er 3 igjen, et kast, strikk3.
Omgang 4 = omgang 2
Omgang 5 = omgang 3 bare det at nå skal du strikke frem til og med det annet kast fra omgang 3 – altså et kast rett før de tre midtmaskene .
Fortsett med omgang 4 og 5 til du har fått et så stort rillefelt som du ønsker. Mao annenhver omgang så øker du en maske etter de tre første og før de tre siste maskene. Annenhver omgang øker du en maske etter de tre første og før de tre siste maskene SAMTIDIG som du øker med en maske på hver side av midtmaskene.

Mønster:
Mønsteret går opp i 18. Det er således veldig kjekt å fortsette å strikke rillestrikk til du har et antall masker mellom første kast og kastet før midtmasken som går opp i 18 eller noe som nærmer seg det.
Jeg fortsatte til jeg hadde 91 masker.
Så til selve bølgedal /skum mønsteret:
Mønsteret går over 18 masker og er som følger
***[(2 rett sammen)*3, (ett kast, 1 rett)*5, ett kast, (2 rett sammen)*3, 1 rett]***
Det som er plassert mellom ***[]*** er mønsteret og utgjør 18 masker.
Husk å kontrolltelle når du starter med en ny mønsterrapport. Jeg sjekket alltid at siste maske i 18 maske rapporten var den masken som strikkes rett og som blir en rille som aldri strikkes sammen med noen annen maske eller er med i noe kast. En annen ting som du kan sjekke mønsteret med er at rettmasken etter tredje kast i mønsteret alltid kommer rett over hverandre – altså de maskene som kastene lager ”beveger” seg langsomt mot høyre og venstre via sammenstrikkingen.

Så til selve strikkingen;
Mønsteromgang 1; Strikk 3, ett kast, 1 rett, Mønster gjentas 5 ganger, kast, 3 rette, ett kast, 1 rett, Mønster gjentas 5 ganger, ett kast, 3 rette.
Mellomomganger – tre til sammen. Disse gjentas mellom hver eneste mønsteromgang.
i) 3 rette, kast, strikk til det er 3 masker igjen, kast, strikk 3.
ii) 3 rette, kast , strikk til du kommer til de tre midtmaskene, kast, 3 midtmasker, kast strikk til det er 3 igjen, kast, strikk 3
iii) 3 rette, kast, strikk til det er 3 masker igjen, kast, strikk 3.

Mønsteromgang 2; Strikk 3, ett kast,5 rette, Mønster gjentas 5 ganger, 2 rett kast, 3 rette (midtmasker) , ett kast, 3 rette, Mønster gjentas 5 ganger, 4 rette, ett kast, 3 rette.
Tre mellomomganger
Mønsteromgang 3; Strikk 3, ett kast,9 rette, Mønster gjentas 5 ganger, 4 rett kast, 3 rette (midtmasker) , ett kast, 5 rette, Mønster gjentas 5 ganger, 8 rette, ett kast, 3 rette.
Tre mellomomganger
NB på neste mønsterrad starter man såvidt med to ekstra repetisjoner av mønsteret. Skal du sjekke at alt er riktg, tell 18 masker tilbake fra siste maske i mønsterrapporten – altså den ene rette som ikke strikkes sammen med noen. De nyopplagte masker før første mønsterrad er de man nå starter ett nytt mønster med.
Alternativt – noe som er enklere er å vente med å starte en ekstra mønsteromgang til man har 18 masker hvor man starter å telle fra masken før første mønsterrapport. Det gjør det mye enklere å få til mønsteret.
Nedenfor har jeg forklart hvordan jeg gjorde en glidende overgang. Og så gjentar jeg ; Husk å kontrolltelle når du starter med en ny mønsterrapport. Jeg sjekket alltid at siste maske i 18 maske rapporten var den masken som strikkes rett og som blir en rille som aldri strikkes sammen med noen annen maske eller er med i noe kast. En annen ting som du kan sjekke mønsteret med er at rettmasken etter tredje kast i mønsteret alltid kommer rett over hverandre – altså de maskene som kastene lager ”beveger” seg langsomt mot høyre og venstre via sammenstrikkingen.
Mønsteromgang 4; Strikk 3, ett kast, 4 rette, kast, rett, kast, rett, kast, (2 rett sammen) *3, Mønster gjentas 5 ganger, 6 rett kast, 3 rette (midtmasker) , ett kast, 7 rette, Mønster gjentas 5 ganger, (2 rett sammen) *3, kast, rett, kast, rett, kast, 4 rette, ett kast, 3 rette.
Tre mellomomganger
Mønsteromgang 5; Strikk 3, ett kast, 1 rett, (2 rette sammen)*2, kast, 1 rett, kast, 1rett, kast, 1rett, kast, 1 rett, kast, 2 rett sammen) *3, en rett, Mønster gjentas 5 ganger, 8 rett kast, 3 rette (midtmasker) , ett kast, 9 rette, Mønster gjentas 5 ganger, (2 rett sammen) *3, kast, rett, kast, rett, kast,rett, kast, rett, kast, (2 rette sammen) 2 ganger, 1 rett, ett kast, 3 rette.
Tre mellomomganger
NB HVIS DU IKKE STARTER EKSTRA MØNSTERREPETISJON PÅ RAD 4 SÅ STARTER DU DET HER
Mønsteromgang 6; Strikk 3, ett kast,3 rette, Mønster gjentas 6 ganger, (2 rett sammen) *3, kast, rett, kast, rett, kast, en rett kast, 3 rette (midtmasker) , kast, rett, kast, rett, kast, rett, kast, (2 rett sammen) *3, rett, Mønster gjentas 6 ganger, 2 rette, ett kast, 3 rette.
Tre mellomomganger.
Jeg sluttet der. Hvis du slutter der er det jo ikke noe poeng å starte med en ny mønsterrapport mot midten så alternativt til å strikke sammen/kaste etter mønsterrapporten er gjentatt 6 ganger er jo å strikke rett.
Skal du fortsette, kan du legge inn nye mønsterrapporter på denne måten, ELLER, vente til det er 18 nye masker slik at man starter med en hel mønsterrapport.

Avfelling.
Strikk to masker, sett disse tilbake på venstre pinne strikk to sammen, strikk en maske, sett de to maskene fra høyre pinne tilbake på venstre pinne, strikk sammen, strikk en maske, sett de to tilbake, osv. til du er ferdig.
Det er bare litt rosa - kanskje hadde candy stripes vært et bedre navn :)

Quiet Sunday

2009-10-18T18:49:00.006+02:00

Nothing much to show today or to blog at all. It has been a nice weekend with a little travelling and also finishing up some project. However the main reason for bloging is photo. Sometimes a small photo like this
doesn't show the details. It is easy to fix. When you read the Html of the picture you will see this: WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bbCRFiRAtDA/Sa45DnLQ4dI/AAAAAAAACvc/54oeymMIkgw/s320/eieren+027.JPG" border="0"

Here it comes..
Change:
- WIDTH: 240px into 480x
- HEIGHT: 320px into 640px
and read a bit further change - s320 in s640 and the picture goes like this. Isn't that great for showing off details :)

Winter is around the corner

2009-10-15T17:24:00.002+02:00

And I am almost ready.

I did have leftovers from the Bobbie gloves (I hardly ever manage not to have leftovers). While watching TV yesterday I started knitting on a Tam to go with the Bobbie gloves.

I used the same yarn as in Bobbie (Wollmeise of course). The Tam, that is out of Interweave Knit Holiday 2007 - is a very fast and easy project to make. It took me 3-4 hours to complete.

Enjoy

For my friends at Hobbyboden

2009-10-13T20:24:00.002+02:00

A post in Norwegian.

For å markere at jeg runder 10 000 vil jeg sende en hyggelig overraskelse til en bodenvenn. Når jeg passerer 10 000 innlegg, vil jeg trekke ut et navn fra de som setter inn en hilsen i kommentarfeltet. Deg vil jeg kontakte og så får du en overraskelse i posten

Sunday High Tea

2009-10-11T15:55:00.005+02:00

Ravelry is the place to hang out if you are a knitter. The problem is that new projects seem to be coming when I should indeed concentrate finishing up old ones.

Bobbie (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bobbie-9) was one of those projects. I started on the gloves earlier this week with the aim to finish them up by the weekend.

They are knitted in Wollmeise - what else. The pattern did call for only one color/skein. But I thought that the I-cord should be more visible. Hence I changed color for the I-cord. The main color - Gazpacho - does have a light green as one of the colors. However when trying a more solid that was closer to the light green, that did not make enough contrast to the main color.
So I finally decided upon a very dark green - Schottenrock. In my humble opinion, adding the solid green made the gloves. Further I thought that the gloves should be really Sunday gloves so I did also make flowers (in Rosenrot). No need to say that they are going to be my favorite gloves. More at my Ravelry project page - http://www.ravelry.com/projects/MariannAn/bobbie

Make do with what I have

2009-10-06T16:44:00.006+02:00

In Fall 09 of Vouge knitting/Designer knitting page 69 I did find a cardigan that I really wanted to knit. The rib and cable cardigan is knitted in Filatura di Crosa Thaki. Filatura di Crosa is one of the few yarn brands that are fairly easily access-able from the Hague, as the yarn store in Delft carries it.

However I did not want to purchase new yarn - for obvious reasons.

A couple of years ago, before she became so "hot" on Ravelry, I did purchase some all cashmere Sophia yarn from Posh yarn. The problem is that I did not buy enough for a sweater/cardigan in one color, and it is really impossible to get more. Also the bright orange is a little to orange for me.

Also the gauge was really off.

Then I did remember my stash of Rowan Kid Silk. One strand of each made the difference. The color is better and the gauge is perfect.

In addition I finally did find use for my Debbie Bliss Pure Cashmere - which is far to expensive to continue sitting in stash. The red cable is knitted in Pure Cashmere

Monday morning

2009-10-05T10:48:00.003+02:00

If you need a fast and easy project - i.e. some TV knitting - I can recommend Yarnissima's latest pattern KawKawEsque. I did knit one sock during one evening watching TV. Knitted in Wollmeise Twin La Guitane. The pattern doesn't show that well when using this color way, however the stripes are nice.

New sweater

2009-10-04T15:20:00.003+02:00

I'm trying to get a grab on the "project in work" basket. Hence a new day and a new project finished.

This one cannot be claimed to be an "UFO" as I started approximately a week ago.
The Wollmeise came out with a new color - Olio vergine - a color that was an instant love. I had to do something with it at once.

The sweater is based upon a pattern from issue 9 of the Knitter - the Lochalsh by Amanda Crawford. The pattern however calls for another yarn and needle 4. I wanted to use Wollmeise 100 og 80/20 and needle 2.5, hence I did not follow the pattern. Also I wanted longer sleeves.
The main part of the chart is however as in the original sweater except that I did us beads to mark the middle of the red "dots".
I also used beads in the middle in the black and red part and not a third color as stated in the pattern.

New day - more socks Faith, Love and Hope

2009-10-03T13:00:00.004+02:00

Another UFO off the needles.

I did start these socks when I went on vacation, and as usual finished the first sock.

Back home lots of other project called and also these socks were forgotten.

When they finally went out of the "forgotten items basket" it took only a day to complete the remaining part of the second sock.

I've named them Faith, Love and Hope - the Wedding, with the groom and bride.

The bride is on one sock and the groom on the other.

Above them are the symbols of Faith, Love and Hope.

In addition lots and lots of harts.

Finally one UFO out of the basket

2009-10-02T10:23:00.003+02:00

On October 17th last year I did "win" in the Wollmeise update and managed to get one skein of Red Hot Chili. (No need to tell anyone that there have been lots and lots of "win" thereafter).

I did love the color and started immediately thinking about a project.
In the Norwegian book Norsk Strikkedesign there is a sweater with cats. What I did do was to use part of that chart and tiny needles and started with my cats.

The first sock was finished within a week. Then other new projects came along, and the cats were forgotten.
I have taken the project out of the basket every now and then and looked at the single sock and loved it. But not started knitting...

Well the 52ppiii challenge made me do it. I need to finish up all those single socks to make the 52 pair goal this year.

So yesterday I did pick up that single sock, needles, chart, yarn and started knitting.

At 09:15 today the last stitch was taken. So the socks have been completed in one week and a day - with close to a year sleep in between.

Back to knitting more socks.

No socks today

2009-09-27T18:37:00.003+02:00

No socks today. Of course I'm knitting on socks as I aim to reach 52 pair of socks by June next year. But as I'm ahead of schedule, I can "relax" with knitting on my 3rd sweater since mid August.

This sweater is based upon a pattern published in the magazine "The Knitter". However since I did not want to use the suggested yarn - I'm hooked on Wollmeise as you probably know - and Wollmeise is far thinner than the suggested yarn, I'll have to adapt the pattern to fit Wollmeise.

As of today I'm on the second sleeve and close to finish the lower part of the body. The sweater is a yoked sweater, and hopefully I'm on the yoke in a couple of days.
Flowers are inexpensive in the Netherlands. My fall flower for the week;

Not all projects are finished in a jiffy

2009-09-13T11:25:00.004+02:00

I started these socks early last December and my goal was to finish the project before Christmas. Christmas came and went, and 2009 started with new projects. My selbu variation socks were forgotten.

Finally, a couple of weeks ago I did go through my basket of unfinished projects, and up they went.
I had knitted half of the first sock last December. When I restarted a week ago, I could not remember why I did not finish it up that long ago. The project was fun. So bright new socks today and one UFO less.

Wollmeise - of course. If you want to know more about the project, please visit my Ravely project page.

Lots and lots of Elephants

2009-09-02T08:56:00.003+02:00

Einar wanted a yellow sweater, and I did not have enough yellow yarn to knit it. So I traded Wollmeise for Bugga. With a little help from "friends" in Australia and USA I did get enough yarn.

The sweater is knitted in Bugga and I've used an adapted chart from Alice Starmore's book Children's knitting for the elephant. The remaining part of the sweater is made as I knitted - no pattern. It did turn out great - don't you think that?

Some more knitting and not only socks.

2009-08-26T09:49:00.004+02:00

I've neglected my blog lately. I've been busy, going on vacation and knitting.

I've made the first of the viking socks. The next one will hopefully be finished by end of September.

We went to South France by car. I did not drive, I knitted the Maze socks.

I did never find my way around Rick, but the August socks in the Cookie along went fast.

Finally - my big project the last weeks the Unskijposad sweater in lovely shades of Wollmeise reds. All details on the project is posted at my Ravely page.

A dance for Maus Jong – or where is Cinderella?

2009-08-04T10:44:00.010+02:00

When the Wollmeise finally came out with a grey color line named after mice, I had to make at least one fun project of it prior to making a sweater.

The grey is marvelous – as all her colors – of course. I’ve used Maus Jong, a light grey with at touch of pink to knit socks with mice.

When Northknitter saw the first sock, it remained her of the mice in Disney’s Cinderella.

They are knitted toe up. Casting on 14+14 using Judy’s Magic loop method. Increasing 4 stitches every second row. (Knit 2, increase 1, knit until 2 stitches remains, increase 1. Repeat at next needle. One round without increases. Continue with these 2 rows until you reach 80 stitches.

First pattern is cats. Note that I’ve used 3 strands on the eye round of the cats, but the blue eyes of the mice are added after finishing the socks. As you will see I've not added blues on the second sock as I want them to be slightly different. I've also used another green on the top, respectively Wasabi and Fruling. It is more fun (for me) not making the socks 100 % identical. I've also flipped the pattern. What I do is using a portable light box. You can of course flip them in your computer and print them. I've not followed the charts 100% when knitting the socks.

The first chart - dancing mice;

Thereafter one round with background color and then start on the dancing mice chart. When that chart is finished, there is two rounds with only one strand at the top and two colors at the sole. What I did was to cut the yarn after making the sole stitches, then knit the top. Then start the sole with a new strand of contrasting color, knit the sole, cut the yarn. Knit the top with the background color, and then continue with two colors.

HOWEVER you can avoid doing that with adding a few more rounds between the toe increase, the first pattern and after the first pattern, as I (for size 38) only needed 4 rounds after having done the shift to the second Mouse pattern before starting the heel.

For heel, knit short rows using only the sole stitches. First row knit all, turn, cast one, purl all. Turn. Cast 1, knit all until 1 stitch and the cast (2 “stitches”) on left needle remain, turn. Cast 1, purl all until 1 stitch and the cast remain on left needle. Turn. Knit until 2 stitches and 2 casts remain. Turn. Continue until you have 12 stitches and 12 cast on each side of the remaining stitches. Then on the next knit row. Knit till the first cast. Knit the cast together with the next stitch. Turn, cast and purl until the first cast. Purl that together with the next cast. Turn. Knit until the first cast. Knit that cast, the next cast (you should how have two cast immediately following eachoter) and the next stitch together (3 “stitches” to 1), turn, cast and continue as this until all cast except of the first one is knitted/purled together with the stitches. You shall now have 80 stitches and 4 casts. The two casts at each side shall be knitted together with respectively the first and the last on the top to avoid holes.

Continue in pattern until finished with Mouse 2 pattern. I did add year and initials on the back. I did not provide any chart thereof.

Second chart - knitting mouse;

Repeat the cat chart row.

Rib 3 knit 1 purl for 13 rows. Change color. Continue for one row with 3 knit 1 purl. Then change to 1 knit, 1 purl. Make 2 more rows. Then knit all knit stitches and slip all purl stitches with yarn in front. On next row purl all purl stitches and slip all knit stitches with yarn in back. Cut yarn but make sure to have appr. 1 inch yarn for sewing off all stitches. The last stitch on the remaining row should be a knit one, and start sewing in a purl stitch. Sew off using Italian cast off. (Sewing needle through purl stitch from front to back, down in the knit stitch from last round by putting the sewing needle through the middle of the stitch and up on the side of the left of the stitch. Sewing needle in the knit stitch on left needle from the back and to the front, then put the sewing needle through the first purl stitch from the back and to the front, and slip the purl and knit stitch from the needle.

Thereafter, for every pair of purl and knit stitch. Sewing needle through purl stitch from front to back, into the right stitch that you immediately prior to that have slipped from the knitting needle, sewing needle in middle and up on side, then from back to front through the next knit stitch and finally from back to front on the first purl stitch. Slip purl and knit stitch from needle. Continue until all stitches are casted off.

Tudor Roses

2009-07-29T11:11:00.002+02:00

I’ve had a copy of Alice Starmore’s book Tudor Roses for a while now, without making any of the projects therein. As I participate in the current 52 plunge (52 pair of socks in 52 weeks), this was the opportunity of using at least the charts from the book.

The socks are knitted in 4 different Wollmeise colors and I’ve used the main chart from Henry VIII and the roses from the Tudor Rose sweater. I’ve made a few adaption’s to make the chart fit for socks. Needle 2, toe up and 84 stitches.

Since the chart is based upon Alice Starmore’s book I cannot post a picture of the chart as such, sorry for that.

Current projects

2009-07-21T10:56:00.004+02:00

Or at least two of my current projects. And socks of course. I need to continue with socks to fill up the 52 plunge goal; 52 pair of socks from June till June.

After returning home from Pfaffenhofen with the car booth filled with lovely yarn, my head started ”spinning” with ideas for new socks.

Hence I cannot only knit on one pair a time but have started several (and have several in my head as well).

My two latest projects are named from the yarn name.

On the top is Flower Power.

FlowerPower is named after the first row; wherein I used the color FlowerPower. The FlowerPower chart is based upon Kaffe Fassett’s jacket in Vouge Knitting, but adapted to be used for socks.
The two other pictures show Maus Jong.

Mouse Jong – the lovely new grey colored yarn from Wollmeise needed to be used for its purpose. And Blue Susanne sets off the grey perfecly.

Sheep and duck

2009-07-20T11:51:00.005+02:00

This is not a pattern as such, more a description of what I’ve done.
Important. The socks need to be flexible over the ankle. Hence do not have any pattern on the last 5-8 row prior to starting the heel, and also knit at least 5 rows on the foot before starting the next pattern.

I’ve casted on 56 on needle 2. If you want more stitches, the duck row needs 8 stitches and the sheep 14. However you may add one or two stitches extra between the ducks and sheep to get more stitches.
I’ve ribbed for 10-13 rows and then started the pattern. You might want to have the rib shorter. When the leg is long enough, divide for heel by using 27 stitches for the heel and 29 for the top.
Heel; on the right side, slip1, 1knit, slip 1, 1knit, until end of row. Each wrong side, do not purl first (slip it), purl the remaining 26 stitches.
I did knit in total 26 rows but you may knit as many as you like. Turn heel by knitting short rows. On first row knit 15, two together, wrap and turn. Purl 5, purl 2 together, wrap and turn. Continue till all stitches have been knitted. Pick up one stitch per slipped stitch. I did pick up in total 26.
Decrease for gusset each side on every second row until in total 56 stitches remains.
Decrease for toe when the sock is long enough. On the one pair I did decrease 4 on every second row, on the other on every row; until in total 16 stitches remain. Sew together.
Here is the chart - If you want "thicker" sheep add one or two rows on the rows where you are knitting 10 stitches of the sheeps body and 4 background. Note to make it easier I've made the sheep red :-)
On the foot I only knitted sheeps at the top. At the bottom I did try to make a fence. Please note that you will need to use three strands at some row and only 2 on others, and have to have that in mind when making the "fences".