Sneak peak of Queen Catherine Parr, A Tudor Rose!

So far, so good. She is shining, isn't she? Hurray for Queen Catherine. I just finished the neck this morning, and have started on one sleeve. But, Monica, for you, I will show you the great Queen Catherine, before she is ready. Maybe I spoil the effect, but she is so great. And that extra one threaded yarn that I blended in, makes the hues so interesting. A bit coppar, a bit darker greem, a bit lighter green. Anyhow, a very cleaver pattern. Now it is "just the sleeves", and if you know how many swaters I have waiting for "just the sleeves" you would be laughing. More than 5 anyhow. I just think the neckband is so fantastic. What a great way to end a sweater: Look at it up close: You can really apprechiate the pattern. It is a bit bubbly, but it is stil unwashed and unpressed...! Great fun anyhow. I so miss going to the festival. And I realize that I had ordered yarn (another Bohus!) from Solveig, to pick up. But a dread walking. I was shortly outside and just up and down the basement (yes, you need to go outside in our house) really took the breath out of me. Imagine running around on a yarn festival. Im panting already. Anyhow, Im glad Sticka's speaker was Katarina Breiditis. I know everyone is so impressed with her, but for some reason Im not. I guess, it is because I think Im much more creative than her, and she is also as sloppy as Im - meaning, that does not impress me. But, Hey, Im not competing. Im not even in her business. Good luck to her. But, It is not like Im hanging over every word she says. And maybe, I detest slaughtering a knitted sweater. For me that is a process of making ugly. And - I guess it is a matter of taste, but I just admire neatness - maybe because that is something I wish I had more of. Im a bit sloppy as a person. Does not really bother, and nothing tight in my mind. A person I do admire is Britt-Marie Christoffersson. I admire her. I admire everything about her. Creative, knowledge like any I know (about knitting, colours, design, patterns), and of course the greatest teacher there is, And, the teacher of me (and Katarina B) by the way. Actually also the teacher of Solveig, hey, there is hardly any Swedish person not being taught or impressed by B-M. She is the true guru. Of course, having heard about ridiculus copyright stuff and yarn quarrels, takes a bit off the guru status of Alice S. But her pattern. My oh my, The Queen is a share joy. I cannot recommend it enough. Not if you are worried about "oversize" or not adding inches to your waiste, but what a pattern. What finish. Anyhow Queen Catherine Parr, who died of a fever. I sure hope that is not contagious, because I have not been this sick for years. It just doesn't go away. How I will go to work next week (physically) will be magic. OK one more look and say Ahh! Horray for the Queen. Horray for knitting. At least I can knit all weekend. (so, Should I sneak off to Stiches festival tomorrow? Last chance. Very last.. I must go, I just must. Bohus, Ahh bohus... Ahh more Naturgarn in white, to colour, great yarn!) Maybe some more fleece.. No, have enough.. HELP! Big help! I have a yarn room. Maybe I should stay the day there!)

Missing yarnfestivities, but hey, Im not bored!

Do I look like I need to go to a yarn festival? (Syfestivalen, nu på Sollentunamässan 3-5mars). THis was my findings after Warp and Wäft, and I have been shopping yarn since then. But I miss the Sticka yearly meeting. Im still fighting that bad cold, but otherwise Im fine. It was worrying that the lungs could fill up so quickly, but now Im just the normal miserable me ;-) Anyhow, that has not stopped me for giving 10 hours in front of the computer every day (I just HAD to submit my research paper!!) And I succeeded, much thanks to my great supervisors. So today friday, I have done minimum of work, checking mail and actually taking it easy, which means I have sawn togheter the Queen! It is now a vest, and I of course tried it on, and - TADA; IT IS PERFECT. SO, conclusion is - Im huge ;-) Actually Gail, do not worry, I think that not all Alice S. patterns are oversize, this one is, you can see a Large is 120cm! and It actually fits perfectly on me. So I started to knit the neckband, and it is a lot of "make knots", and now Im heading into the pattern (!) for the neck. I must say this pattern is one of the most rewarding I have knitted (next to bohus which forever has my heart!). The finish neck is really something else. I cannot WAIT to show it off. Unfortunately, there are still two sleeves (44cm!) to do. and that will probably take all March!. Then I promise I will do many sweater quick-knits, and finish a lot of UFO's. The painting by my brother (last posting) is Oil, He does mostly Oil hardly any acrylics (especially since he got an allergy from it I think).
Anyhow, do not worry about me. My spirits are great. My hubby grows a beard. I have tulips on the table in front of me, and the yarn-room is packed with interesting projects. Actually I have sneakily started (I know I shouldn't) a new big alpacka/silk mix you know, Catalina yarns? Debbie Bliss think aran? I think that will look great. Im doing it so plain. It is my "go to bed" knit. A few rows just before bed. Weird habits? Yepp! Now I must get back to pattern D, the neck... I just looks fantastic. Can you really wait for the finish product? you do you want a sneak peak? No, you just look at great yarn, and wish you were healthy enough to join Stickas yearly meet, and buy more yarn at the festival. Sigh! My thoughts are with you friends out there! Gotta Knit know, Ahh dear queen here I come!

Garngamen at ER - and back again!

I guess this week was not as planned. Monday I took train to Lund (4someting hours one way) to do a work. No seats other than in dog-compartment. I luve dogs but Im allergic. Not a good start. That astma, stress, little sleep and cold started its magic. The day ended by a great visit to Sländan, which is the very nice yarnshop. I of course bought too much Twinni and some thick Alpacka-silk (looking like Catalina Alpacka! yes, both of them was to complete a project, that is at was Im telling myself). It made the trip home next to a flue-sick girl a bit better. And - I had a semla (hihi).. really yummy on the train. I bet a lot of people thought I didn't deserve it, But I did ;-) The thing with semla (a bun with cream and almonddough) is that sometimes they are cheap and use aprticot cernels in the almond doug. Im sensitive to stone-fruits. (You see how this builds up?) Anyhow, Tuesday I got the flue, and used my great option working from home, And at noon on wedn. I just had to call in sick. Hubby also sick. He told me that when Im to sick to water my Hoya's - Im ready for hospital, and - I was breathing rather heavy. So, ER, here I come. (In this panic, the first thing I packed was Queen Parr!) and -realized that I have not enough yarn, so I panted upstairs to wind two balls....Of course, this was when hubby heated up the car (it is COLD here!) because Im also sensitive to cold when I have asthma. I didn't tell him. So - ER, great people, hardworking nurses, and a lot of strange sick and old people. Stay on intense care - so there was a place at the Heart intense ward. Great nurses, they all luved my Birch-shalw. And took great care of me. Then tossed to Medical. And grueling days became better based on: I have a wonderful husband. I came with homemade caffelatte, sallads, served me all knitting magz I wanted. And - The fact that I had Queen Catherine Parr. I tell you it is hard to knit with a needle in your wrist, a thingi on your finger (puls, oxygen), so it was slow between medicins, but now 18 needlesticks later, Much to much chemicals Im home. And I think Tudor Roses is such a great book. It is such smart patterns. I have planned a lot. And Im very soon finishing the back. And - Thanks for all advide my dear friends. But I will tell you this: It is too big to be pillow. It might be better as a blankie. But you know, I learned that this particular model is oversized, and Im a bit oversize, and also, It is the new fashion to be oversized (accoring to all magz I have been reading, first the short trend, then the oversize!) So, If it is to big? I will not care. I will cherish this sweater for the rest of my life. Life could be short if you do not enjoy every stich. Im fine now. But it was scary. I cannot say enough praise of the comfort a big knitting does to all people in a hospital - at especially the knitter! Now, Im home with computer, Tv, Fresh caffe latte and a Vienetta (Chocklate icecream). (Art - Johan Mauritzson in picture above! Go brother!)