FO - Cloud 9

Hi there - No no, do not worry, I do not HAVE a broken rib. That was the NAME of my last sweater, you see Rib also means "kant" in Swedish. I am all well (just a strained knee - too much training to early!) I am happy - since I succeed to finish my number 9 sweater of the year - called "Cloud 9" - which is a great expression of "being in the clouds". I must say - the luxurious yarn - Lorna's Lace: "Lion and Lamb" was a thick and wonderful silk - merinowool soft yarn, in the great colourscheme "Black and pearl". I love it. This is ONLY 2 hanks. Well used! Much better than Clapotis, which I though I would use it for. The pattern Cloud 9 is Ysolda Teagues free pattern (I think an elongated version is Liesl) - they seem related. I think it was intended as a bolero, but I just knitted on - and with 8mm needles, it was fast and fun - from top down. But sure needed markers. In fact, I had to finish it to release markers to my other two sweaters ongoing (Arbour and FLS). But the drape in this simple feather and fan. I am sure to pull it to larger size... Of course I wish I had some more yarn, and maybe someday ;-) But I am happy with the two gold buttons. Otherwise we are MELTING in the heat. And we had a wonderful sailing time this weekend. Just perfect winds! Enjoy the summer.

FO - Broken Rib Top (with sleeves)

With a somewhat tired look - I pose in the heat with the Broken Rib Top - that became a Tee. It was a quick and easy knit. I have used it all day and the Elsebeth Lavold Cotton Patiné yarn is super soft. The only problem I have is that the yarn was bought at a sale, and not until I came home I realized it must have been in the window, and the "outer layer" of the yarn is bleached. Not so nice.... Otherwise it is just hot hot hot.. and the strawberries are cheap!
I forgot to thank you all for your nice comments on my Spring Green White Peony sweater. It is rather special!
Also - I would like to wish you a wonderful summer (if you are not having one already!) I have a new content feeling. It is good to live.

FO- Diagonal Lace Sock - and Cast On Mania

I finished a pair of socks for the 2009 KAL Diagonal Lace. It just did NOT work for me. I knitted them both (according to pattern from toe up) and they just did not fit, since nothing indicates how far away you are from the heel. So I frogged the whole thing and reknitted from the top down. Still not happy. The wonderful Australian Bambo yarn just did not fit. The socks sag. I will wash them, an we will see then if they ar better. I have got some questions about a "training camp" I wrote on. No - I did not go anywhere but to my yarnroom. It was a trial to try to cast on as many knits as possible (my goal was 10 selfish garments). It is VERY hard. The first is easy, then you fall in love with a knit - and then it is HARD. Just have a look! First knit casted on was of course a sock - Bush harvesting Estonian Lace knits - and renamed it "fox-faces". Great in Noro yarn. Secondly, I just had to cast on Persephone Shell from the last Interweave Knits mag. A wonderful top, enough complicated And no, the pink is not going there.. it was when I was in "choosing mode". I am not now. And - the name. All who know me, know I must knit Per-SE-Phone haha.....shell...I got most of the body done, before I casted on number 3, Broken rib Tee: OK, I have bought a lot of turqoise yarn. This is what really got me hooked. Cotton Patiné, a really bleeding cotton. colours my hands and the bamboo needle. To be honest, I am already done with the pattern as it was, but with two balls of yarn left - I got to knit sleeves. Soft though, very nice and super simple. Still being good, I have then casted on Arbor a cabled top. But the pattern designer really warned about silk/alpacka blend I choose, and claiming it has no elastics, which is true, so I am staring at the cast on and thinking was should I do then? But this yarn is FAB and I can just see it in pink, so I think I will take a chance. As you can see, not much has happend since cast on. And then there is of course White silk swagger. Utterly difficult to knit with recycled silk. So, I put in a string of wool. I also tried some glass beeds, but they really did not show. Anayway - that is in "free-form" so it is always exiting to get fit and pattern created on the fly. Another one of those "casted on, but not really going yet" is the wondeful Elsebeth Lavold "Glenn" I guess named after Glenn Close in her "Sophisticated Ladies" booklet. I wanted to knit that a long time, and bought the kit some years ago. Realizing - the kit had different colours than the booklet. Also that the swedish pattern was incomplete. I am glad I have the english version. And I tried to make it in the round, only to find out the patterns are really for back and forth knitting. So - I will do both back and front at the same time, but back and forth on a round needle. This will definitely take a long time to do. Finally, the latest fab, is the wonderful Ysolda Teague free pattern called Cloud 9 bolero. It is wonderfully lace - and with 8 markers it is just the math you need for two absolutely gorgous balls of yarn. The wonderful Lion and lamb (silk and wool) in Black n Purl. Thick soft and a pleasure to knit. And I am already half way. It will be fun to see how it works out. So - yes, Here is where I iterate right now. I still need to cast on a few before ends month, But I tell you - it is not as easy as it sounds. Yarn has to be wound, pattern ready, needles available and....yeah - you got to have want to cast it on, because if you love your old project you are knitting on - it is not happening. No wonder I need a training camp ;-) In September - they have a MONTH of cast on - and one of my friends casted on 35 objects. I definitely need more training ;-) Happy midsummer.

FO- White Peony sweater

It is just stunning - The wonderful flowers that blum, and that I made a sweater that fit just perfect. Ok, I admit, I had to reknit the collar (after fastening it was much to big following the Solveig Hisdahl - Poetry of Stitches (Dikt i maskor)) pattern, I ripped it up and followed my heart, and I am so content. It is just perfect. Colors are so me, and And the yarn PT2 (Per Tyving 2-thread) in pure wool was just honest norweigan wool. It was a really rewarding knit, and I knitted ONE sleeve in a day - but each row of the body took almost a week, so. Im so happy. It is not blocked yet.. but it does not matter. As long as it does not shrink ;-) It is called peony sweater, and of course - I love that I have my garden full of white peonies. (actually 4 different bunches blooming right now. Stressful time though, Weeds are growing, kitchen still needs more work, and both work and research is just very very busy. And all we want is relax and enjoy the beautiful summer (even if it rains it is just fab). And did I mention the sweater is comfortable too? What a hit! I love the lime-olive - and the marine blue edge makes a great edge. Well, I finally got some yarn (from England) so I can complete the COAT. Warm and wintery, but it would be nice. Otherwise I have decided to go on "Cast On Mania - training camp" in June, and cast on at least 10 new items. It is so exiting.

Wonderful Summer!

White peony sweater is in full progress. The bottom roles a bit and my fingers hurt. But one more week - or maybe two. Beautiful, and I would have loved to pose in the finished item with my white peonies. Yes, I have knitted a lot to reach that, but giving in for a "in progress" picture. I guess the beautiful garden and all the work and a sneaking cold and the pollen is getting to me. Regardless of knitting ambitions, I just long for a few more days off to cherish this wonder that goes on in the garden. The wonderful Irises. Brings my mind to my time in Fresno, living with the University professor Mr Weiler and his family, who breed and competed with beared iris, in the race to produce a multi-stem flowering and black beared Iris. I still love Iris - and have a lot everywere, and the memory of my generous host family stays with me.

FO- Sunkist

Or should I call it "Sun-kissed"? Or maybe it is "birds" or "doves", after the fab buttons I found (yes - I made them myself -years ago!) . This is such a great pattern, and after that fair-ilse, I had to have a quick knit to rest my hands.. so I do not get strained... I do feel the muscles in my hand, had a thing or to to tell me, after stretch knitting the second sleeve of the peony sweater IN ONE DAY! (Oh yes, also a fair-isle) No, this lovely pattern was perfect for the yarn I found in stash, Patagonia Nature Cotton, which has the beach colours for me. And in one week Sweden went from super cold to superspring hot - so it really works great with this little shrug. Ok, I could use both one and two hanks more, but I doubt the colourmix is still around. Anyhow, the fun part of this quick pattern - only four days of knitting (actually - could have gone faster If I did not weed the garden! - also the weeds "explode" now). PS! Thank you all for your nice comments on my Wedding cardigan!

FO- Wedding Cardigan - Poetry of Stitches

Dikt i maskor (Poetry of Stitches) - Solveig Hisdal - the so called "wedding cardigan" is finally finished. With a extra row of beads on the bottom, it is still drying. The yarn is from Gunga Din - and probably Kampe's 2 trådiga. But there are also some Estonian spun yarn, and also Jamieson and Smith (purple). White beads from India (picked up at at one of my travels), and the green glass beads are hard to see. I had only one clasp, but that was enough to make a snug (already).. either poor yarn or... But so happy it is done. It was a lot of hard work.

FO -Dragspelsbasker for Mom.

Ok Mom, it is ready. Your daugther does your smallest wink. Buy yarn, drops all her stuff to make your hat. Here it is. I hope you like it. And even if I forgot that there is nothing that can fill the void and loss of Folke right now, please forgive me for not being perfect. Now it is MIL and FIL her, and we have pruned all six apple-trees, and now everyone wants me to stop blogging, so we can go and fix the boat!!! But I have to tell you, I am sneaking off knitting on this wonderful piece: Peony sweater - Poetry of Stiches book - Solveig Hisdal (you know, Oleana)....It is fab inspirational. Now it is only taxes, and surviving the allergies left, and starting my new work! How exiting. The first day of the rest of my life.

FO- Falling Tears finished.

Finished the Falling Tears socks - with the wonderful yarn I won (Zauberball). StickaMera Sockklubb - April.
Still have half a sleeve, since I got interrupted with moms urgent request from a "Ebba Stålhandske" -pattern called "Dragspelsmössa". I was really trying to find Kochoran nr 31 to finishe my long coat, but dearest Ann (Ann-Torp's Väv) in the Old town did have a lot of wonderful yarn, but not just that. Had a great stroll in the city - and got to see the horse Cavaleri (hmmm) have their change on the castle. And then paining kitchen. And pruning apple trees and enjoying the wonderful cookies of my aunt. Dear husband made a claim of the socks... so, they do have some ease.

Falling Tears on the needles

Not ready just yet, but I guess it was time to show you that there is lots of progress here in all aspects. I have knitted one sock of the "Falling tears" pattern, from StickaMera SockKlubb (you see the banner on the right). Progress is good since all knitted under transportation (mostly car, but also train) it is the time to get the boat ready for summer-time. I have also done almost one sleeve of the Hisdahl "Wedding cardigan", and yes, now half the kitchen is painted, but still many more layers to do. I also celebrated my "new job" - same company, with getting myself a present. The Solveig Hisdahl "Festjakke" from Hifa, in white and lilac. Beautful. Might move up the PIG's ladder. I am so exited. The pattern just went bust, and I hunted it down - I am so happy I got it. I have glaread at it for years. Our Japan travel will be rebooked, but neither hubby or I are sad about it. We still need to paint kitchen, prune 6 Apple-trees not to mention prune many many roses.... gardening is wonderful. and most of all we need to work more on the boat. Never have we been so happy to move a wonderful vacation. I guess it is the ashes, and my heart is with all in consequence. Well, better to be safe than sorry.

OT - Paris in spring!

In business suit - matching the cherry tree at Jardin des Plantes.. Sometimes work brings you sun when you need it the most..... Paris in spring.. do I need to say more? and yes, I also got to buy some cashmere to my "collection". The Magnolia were superb too... and I started to knit a sock..... "Falling tears" with Zauberball. I feel so blessed, but a bit tired. Also succeed to catch a cold..or was it just the "other side of spring"?? It was much warmer than at home, where it is still some snow... a tiny pile lingers on.

FO-Garngamens Braid

Wonderful Noro Silk garden in my favurite colourscheme is finished. A typical garngamen sweater, invented on the fly, reknitted more than once, and finally from a very old UFO into working.. and I love it! I can tell I threw in the cables on sleeves and the front a bit late - to ease the fitting, but it did the trick. Also notice I have it on a bit slanted, but hey, I had to catch the last light of this weekend - busy as ever. Yes China was fab - forgot my camera, but my mobile pics needs some special work to get here, so "later". So - why am I so busy I cannot blog? I have been on a funeral - my mothers man for the last 22 years, have stopped feeding the wonderful birds. I got a picture of Mr Woodpeckar (or is it Miss?) and also a wonderful quick snapshot (sorry for poor quality) of my dear cousins "OS-cap". Remarkable. He just got all info from the web - and just did it. He is really smart. He told me that the ladies in the shop really gave him a stare.. The story going like this....He just liked it - and he needed a cap... so he went to the yarnstor (I think it was Yll and Tyll, Uppsala) and asked for the OS-hat pattern yarn and hook. He asked what a "luftmaska" was (rather basic)...The lady asked him if he knew how to crochet - which he did not. But there were many people in the store, she did not have time to teach him.. He explained not to worry, "how hard can it be?" walked home, and got all information from the web. That is pretty cool. He have now done two more (girlfr5end and his FIL), and also made a lining inside (in fleece) to handle the artic visit they are planning... Sweden "very up-north". He sure impressed both me, mom and hubby... And his mom also want one... I wonder if he gets hooked?? One can hope. Anyhow - the rest of the weekend has been painting the kitchen - it is a bit crazy in there - we are doing "flax-seed oil paining"- which really means doing it three times....So it is a slow process, but it will be so wonderful. Real wood-kitchen cabinet. Rare this days... I am so exited. But most of all - it is lack of space - so slowly it will get painted in the light clear grey...With the "dove-blue" walls it will magically become a blueish kitchen. Where the white is - that is where my home-made tiles will go - oh no, I have not even started them, but it will be a busy spring. Somehow I do feel very happy. A lot of exiting things going - and I LOVE wearing my new cardi. I mean - the colourscheme is just fab. I still have some yarn, so I am heavily discussing pockets, and collar. I am not sure.. It works fine as is, but it is very rewarding to have all the extra's and additions too. Ahh, I love the colour and comfort.

FO: OS in the Bag and Hubby scrap Socks

First there is the "final" entry of the Ravelympics. "OS in the bag".. finished on time, but long time for me to blog about it (oh yes, I did get a 4 gold medals ;-) I am still thinking of "embellishing"... and maybe a larger "lid" to cover.. But not much yarn left. This was also Noro Kureyon brown 3 hanks. Button from Laura in Blue Mountins in Australia - who is by the way flooded (I do feel for them). We are only suffering a little leak through the already fixed roof... which of course make us very confused. It might be the thick is in the gutter that created a build-up. Anyhow - we have to mend the ceiling. I am on my way for two weeks to China - whilst hubby holds the fort here. So it might be hard to make a posting next week (have not found the cord yet! for the small camera) To make hubby a bit happier - I at least got him some loving socks, made of scrap-bits of Östergötlands Ullspinnery yarn. Lots of Cable's it is. Both of the patterns are my own invention. No time to chat now. Dinner, then shower and off to airport... so stress....
Take care out there.. I brought 3 socks and one UFO/WIP with me (cardigan)... That will be intersting to see how much time I will have. I feel so over committed right now.

FO- Hearts on my Sleeve (Ravelympics)

Hearts on my sleeve - Finished! My Ravelympics "sweaterboard cross" event sweater. From scratch and done in a week. Ok. Today was a bit hectic - especially today. When I realized the sleeves were not fitting, I had to do the little extra" underneath. Now they might be slightly too big. But it is 17 wonderful hanks of Noro Kabuto yarn, and - yes - maybe hard to see - but there are pockets. Two of them, and real ones - with home-made cearamic buttons. This means I concluded the third of the four events. Unfortuntately no "beads" involved so I have to drop out of that event, but definitely sweater board cross medal. I also used a small very expensive ball of "Habu" in a strange flimsy yarn for the sleeve edge, the collar and the pockets. Now - this is gray hour in Sweden. Look at the next pic done at the same time with a flash. Amazing. It is pretty dark -blue outside. Tpmorrow our kitchen will arrive! How great! then it is just three layers of Linseed-paint to get it in shape. So, this is the first days there has been warmer than freezing here, so it is becoming wet!
Have a nice knitting Sunday. I will at least attempt my last event... "OS in the bag".. but I might not get it. I have to work tomorrow.

FO- Freeform sweater - WIP Dance!

Finally the Free-form sweater is finished. I entered this at the "Ravelypics WIP Dance Event" The sweater has long been lurking, and with 60% to finish, it was a bit more work than anticipated, but it has been a fun ride. It is a little pocket there (black-patch in front). And of course I had to add a heart on the Valentines, a lot of weird twists and turns and some parts knitted in pieces, and added on. It all started with the long "filled with holes" lime green beltshaped thing, that swings around - and from where I built the sweater. I just LOVE it. This is REALLY true me, when I let go of conventions and express my inner fun. Of course It is super cold outside - and there are still a lot of small see through "holes" that might have some additions. And I am still contemplating doing a turtleneck (Swe: polo-krage). Being a bit behind on my OS-tracks, I need to get going with the rest. I am not sure if it is flattering, but it is fun! Of course not the same from front and back. One sleeve knit in a spiral. Yarn: Most it is Debbie Bliss Silk-Alpaca Aran, then there is three wonderfully thick and lush silk-alpaca from Catalina yarns (bought at the London Stitch and Knit show 2004). A tiny todd of a discontinued Noro yarn, that had "glitter" in it (here it mostly looks grey) but it sparkles in green! I am so happy I am finished. It was a lot of stitches putting it together, sohoho nice... to get done. This also concludes second sweater - February for the IntSweMoDo (International Sweater Month) the Do we are still discussing if it is the Simpson "Duh" or "Doit" or Done or Dodedacon (12) which I think was the original...Happy knitting....

Olympics! FO - OS Hat! One skein!

It is the Olympics! And also Ravelympics for us knitters.This is HatHalf-pipe, Stash busting and one-skein! Good old Noro Kureyon that I had in an odd colour. Embellished of course in good OS colours! Still short days, but it slowly getting better. But we are painting doors, and fixing wardrobes... The usual work at weekends, except wash and dishes and all that everyday work that seems to pile up on week-ends. Anyhow, this little gem did not take many hours to knit - it is fun-crazy... An the colours are so wrong they are right. It sure brightens up a dark day. Now I am "wip-dancing" with a sweater... Rather fun actually. Then it is off to the complete new sweater... But I had to do a "warm-up" event first. We knitters - so much fun. Heja Sverige! Go Team Sweden! Soon preparing for Sock-Hockey....

Did you like the change?

Ok - The layout is changed. Do you like it? Cleaner some how. At the same time I managed unfortunately to drop a lot of info. That is life - going with the flow and embrace change. I have for example totally changed the colours of the "Butterfly" cardigan - originally designed by Solveig Hisdahl (you know - the main designer at Oleana). And - I am using PT2 (Per Tyving 2-thread) for the pattern - so I am using the colours I have collected. Starting with the sleeves for a change. Is yellow ok there? Hmmm, I am still not sure about the colour combo - it feels wild. But burried in snow it feel ok to knit warm wool. I am of course working on many knits as usual, and this "scrap" yarn collection is an inspired cable-galore for husbands socks. Nevertheless, it feels good. I have only three balls left to knit on the huge Windfell coat! That will be so wonderful now when it feels like winter never ends. Happy knitting my friends!

FO-Kristina socks, and FO: Stinglingar mudd

First these wonderful socks. StickaMera (or KnitMore in Ravelry) has done the pattern "Kristina" - my middle name, Yarn: Gepard CottonWool (from Trassel), and the January knit/KAL entry for StickaMera SockKlubb 2010. If you have not joined - do it NOW! and I love the simplicity with the running cable. Pure joy to knit them. Thanks Ulrika! But - the wonderful times does not stop there! I was the very lucky winner in the SockKlubb draw - and I won these wonderful sockyarn from Garnkorgen! It is amazing. I got to choose the colours myself - and I took something that worked with jeans - since I use my socks all the time now. So the third year of socksclubbing And then - Santa's little helper - my dear friend from the US, send this fantastic shawlpin in silver as a chrismasgift.. Is it just so beautiful... Thank you so much Sue! You are truely the most generous person I know. The silverartist is Brenda Rajkovich, also known as "Silversiren" in Ravelry. Just so fab looking. Million dollars. And yes - I have picked up and old dear UFO from the pile. Started 5 years ago - when we were the little knit-group "Sticklingarna" - Dear Pia made this pattern of leafs to make cuffs/wrist-warmers. With Beads I tell you - and Kid-silk Haze yarn, they actually turned out great. Many many shortrows, and pre-stringing.... I am still very happy it is over. Sorry for this terrible photo... But the light goes so quickly. Still VERY cold here and lots of snow. I definitely feed the birds a bit extra. Otherwise I am planning for Team Sweden Ravelympics (like a knitting olympics ;-) and I am of course entering in more than one event. Knitting on and working. But happy when the fireplace sparks.

FO Opal Rush!

I am so happy! My Opal Rush is finished! And also my research paper is finished and sent to print. Yippie! It is pitch black outside, when I got the last button in, so I had to do an indoors shot, but I will take one outside with me in it - next weekend. Then it might be washed and pressed to (or it might not ;-) A really great project, started on boxing day, 24 days of knit! The yarn is 2.8 "cakes" of Plötulopi (förgarn) and 1.5 ball of Färgkraft (one in Peony, one in Tulip) and one strand of Forsell's merino in colour Amethyst (it is superthin, even if it is called "3-ply"). Where one of each yarntype is held together. The buttons were horrific expensive at Mattsons band, but since this is a gem - I thought it needed pearlcoated (sv. pärelomor) buttons with a little print. I must say, the original pattern is from Vouge and called "Cropped cardi" and the bell pattern on the side is just fab. Of course, I cannot have cropped, so I elongated it to cover the belly - and also re-shaped the straight "military jacket" to a more A-shape - this especially accentuated in the front! The big picture is way to light, and I think the colour is more true inon the button picture. But - I think the extra is that I found a little piece of Angora, in navy blue that I coated the inside of the neck in. I think that was really the thing, since Lopi can be a little scratcy, a smooth neck makes it so wearable. Another feature with the coated neck is that it got some stability, since it is a very lightweight cardi/jacket. Of course - now I wish I could do sewing, then I would put an inside in thick silk, also in dark blue, so it would be a wearable dress-jacket for work. Ahh, well, I guess it has to do. But are the buttons not just great? Finally - 2010 is for the year I do "break" it. Not only am I going to knit from stash, I am also aiming to finish off a lot, and then both doing 12 sweaters and 12 socks. So, first sock of the StickaMera (KnitMore) SockKlubb 2010 is Kristina. My middle name. And the sock is going well in this supersmooth grey!

Still cold - and that drives knitting motivation...

The cardigan is still in my head - but here is a project - The Butterfly cardigan (Hisdal). Probably ready when the butterflies are flying.... But brrr,,,, it is so cold here... Windows have big frost roses, the snow is lightweight and making sounds went stepped on... glittering like dimonds. I have so many ideas on what to knit - it is hard to stay true to a project, but this colourful gem in the snow is in my mind - but knitting the raglan part on Opal rush. I have also not only promised to knit a sweater a month but also a sock a month this year (StickMera/Knitmore SockKlubb) is so great that of course we hang on for the third year in a row. Another "new-years promise" is to try and clean up the UFO list. One for two. One new - two UFO's. It is not starting neat.. It is more two new and....hmm--- but if I focus on sleeves it should not be impossible. At least I brought out some unfinished mittens, and more socks, hats and scarfs should be there.... So many new fab projects coming up. Now I only need more time!