Swedish Knitblogger who loves spinning, knitting, dyeing and yarn. I will do some other roundabouts about life too.

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Knitting Books and more Speede

Remember us? Malabrigo - Noro Enterlac? That is so on the needles...WIP very WIP and I successfully joined the neck (with a sweaty hands- since I make up pattern as I go along).... But wow how fun this is. Anyhow, I have spent almost 1 hours surfing through Amazon's books. And totally flipped. There is no excuse. And I see a lot of rare things there- A knitting book from 1700+ UK POUNDS! I hope it was just wrongly entered, but anyhow! So, now Im 14 books richer (ha, there went the company bonus!) - no, I did not buy that! Among them: Starmore's British Isles sweaters... Sharon Millers Heirloom Knitting, and some other interesting stuff. I can REALLY recommend Britt-Marie Christofferssons - Swedish Sweaters. That is for the experienced knitter to bite on. I have it in Swedish, and here it is a rarity. In the process, I almost ordered books I already have! And today I found (in my self) Sheila McGregors Traditional Scandinavian Knitting, that I have earlier rejected as boring, with a new interest. For a weird reason (p.82) the Speede (which is a short for Späta = Sticka = Needle) is listed on Danish section, but hey, Southern Sweden (Skåne) where Speede comes from was also once Danish - so I guess the exchange was rich also back then (not only me going to Copenhagen to lust in yarnshopping). The same/similar style was also in IK Knits (called Nattetröjor)...Anyhow. I have been back at the Speede course today, trying to finish my sewing on my sweater (which is of course a modern "re-make" version). I do not swatch. I do trial Sweaters! So, a LOT of work, but fun. And - I realize Im a knitter, NOT a sewing-anything. So this is an old photo.. But, that is until Im done ;-)
PS! Today is summer warm in Sweden. Really crazy to be inside! Also, thanks for all nice comments! I just love to hear from you!

Monday, April 09, 2007

Butterfly traces - Fjärilsspår!

Presenting: Recycled Silk Sweater - Butterfly traces - "Fjärilsspår". The spring feeling was overwhelming - and I finished the very summery Buttefly traces. Named by hubby who saw my yellow traces. It is hard to see, but I added a butterfly on the chest. It is snuggly fitting, and feels very cool. (Brr...) In the background you can see - IT SNOWED this past night. It is melting away, but it is chilly. Definitely not the weather for this - which is made for Texas heat ;-) Anyhow, Im pleased with my design, and it was really a quick knit. And - I started with the sleeves! then knitted it circular and added sleves, and then raglan. I still have some yarn left, and thinking shorts would be ok to match, and a headband. O maybe, doing a top..... Anyhow. This is February entry for Sweater a Month KAL. Im catching up (soon)! To finish the continuing story. Bohus is resting. I just realized - My dyslexia played me a trick, instead of 4 extra added I just added 1 extra stich, and I have to rip half of my collar up. We are so not friends today -Mrs Yellow Bohus and I. Sigh. I have not even started frogging. But, that is good. Now Im back to original UFO plan...And yeah, Mary, I missed Orange and Bouton D'Or, but it was Easter - and I assumed it was closed, also I really wanted hubby to have my attention. A factory of yarn. That could have been me going crazy ;-) And Monika, Jaeger Aran is in dark grey almost black. Impossible to shoot a good picture of. But.. we will see when it gets ready!

Sunday, April 08, 2007

Happy Easter my friends!

Easter lilly (Narcissus) are blooming in my garden..and tonight was almost frost again. It looks decievingly warm. These little cuddly yarnballs were bought in Arles at a horrific price of 9.50 Euro at La Farandole du fil. The girl in there was great though. It is Anny Blatt's Angora (70%) 30 Wool yarn, in a mixed colour. Lately I have noticed Im becoming somewhat of a colour- control-freak, I like to control the colour myself, and it is so easy to mix yarn in if it is even colour. If you have a blend, you need to really work something out. And Im still thinking why I didn't buy the strong Rose-pink colour, but then again, that is not my colour. There is a right place for everything, so this yarn will eventually find itself in a knit. Back home,now Im in a mess. I started on an Bohus, even if I promised myself to finish UFO's, but again, (which means the sofa is jammed with half finished knits). But they were not possible to carry around as is (on plane's and stuff).
But now there is no excuse.. except the Bohus is such a seductive knit - Im into TRANS- knitting. It is great. Hey, Im two! sweaters behind for the Sweater a month KAL, and looking on HpNYKnits, I realize, I have not understood the Project Spectrum KAL. So the aim is to post pictures on the KAL blog? Im not even sure I am a member. And - I obviously missed first quarter. I thought it still was some time. But hey, I guess I do it my way then. Back out gracefully. Great pictures there. And the new Bohus fits great with the current colours scheme. Im really great at justifying things... So I have one-2 days to finish the green silk sweater. It is still to cold to wear anyhow - so there is no rush. I could knit my bohus (ok.. probably most likely). Or I can finish my enterlac in Malabrigo and Noro. Just two sleeves and the neck. Or I can do the grey Jaeger sweater in Aran? Also just two sleeves and the front. Is there not Knitting therapist out there? Well you will be the first to see the result of what is going on. Anyhow, Im celebrating, since my research paper got accepted, which means a lot of stressful work, but also, that Im going to Tallin this summer to present it (great place to buy cheap wool yarn!). Yeah, I agree Gail. I'm so lucky to have a job like this. Happy Easter! (Which in my case right now means: Go and fix up sailboat - wash, scrape, buff, paint, buff and more cleaning.) Nothing comes easy!