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

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Summer cardi/top in Cotton

It is summer. At least summer feel to the green and lush. I knitted this top/cardi. It is actually yarn from an old (20-25 years old??) cotton sweater that I frogged, that I never was very happy with how I knitted it, so this is so much better. It is almost (swe. veke-garn) wick-yarn, with a thread of linnen around it. Did some flowers to make it happier and used my ceramic buttons. Surprisingly warm. Otherwise it is the first and very nice day relaxing and home. Rain is in the air so we see how gardenwork is going. But all is in bloom, and it just great.
Have a great day! And thank you kindly for your nice comments. It cheers me up and motivates me to keep posting here, even if times are busy.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Lopi mittens done...and some OT..

I have been very good posting almost every week (often sundays) on this blog. So, sorry dear readers for the short break. First we were at the wonderful London (with work) which also included some yarnshopping at Loop in Islington (Bought Handmaiden..and some stuff) I could have gone to Uppsala.. but the pound is low, so ok, Lovely shop! Lovely people. Of course, I am getting so exited since I did get into KnitNation in July. Will be such a great event to meet people. Anyhow - another highlight (except Liberty ;-) was the resturant "The Pearl". A once in a life-time thing. I can strongly recommend their tasting menu. Not cheap, but worth the sacrifice. I eat porridge for weeks to redo that. Now last weekend was equeally intensive. 80 year or birthday of hubby's uncle. And 30 year reunion of my dear schoolfriends. I am truely blessed. Now - to the MITTENS! My own little fish-pattern and the colours are in Islandic Plötulopi and the white is mohair/wool blend (handspun) from northen Sweden. Best part is that they fit to hat and cardi. A set. I did some aha - knitting these "free hand". Here it goes - "advice" for knitting Bulky Yarn" mittens.


  • If you knit loosely, they will not be very warm, since big wool = big loops. So - Oversize them and felt them for a warmer mitt. Note it is very difficult to get propotions right.

  • Note that the more felted the heavier the mitt is.

  • The wrist is really sensitive to "harsh" wool. If you make it tight around the hand wrist, coat it with something soft.

  • Decide if you want large cuffs - that can go "outside" your jacket, or they are a plan for "inside" the wide jacket arm. You do not want a gap between the sleeve and the mitt.

  • Personally, I like a little decrease just to make the mitt have a snug fit around the handwrist. It stays in place.

  • A slender mitt makes the hand look slender. That also goes for the thumb. Elegant!

  • But the younger you are, and also - depending when you are using your mittens, they might be wider - wide mitts is good, since you can wiggle your fingers inside!

  • Fair-ilse mittens (meaning, patterns with two or more yarns. are best to make a mitten warm), the more yarn carried - the thicker it is - you aslo need more "room" in them.

Enjoy! PS. Several sweaters in the making... ;-) I will be back!