Chronicle over 2007 = NEKHIAD

Time for the chronicle with the title NEKHIAD = Not enough Knitting Hours In A Day! A travalling year. I have been to France (Marseille, Nice and Riviera, Grenoble) and some great Anny Blatt Cashmere (among others). Seuol in Korea, Shanghai and Beijing in China with some great yarn (picture), India (Chennai), London (Stash and Loop) and Windsor in UK, Aachen (with great yarnshop and finds e.g. Maya from Debbie Bliss from Görg und Görg in Annastrasse) , Dusseldorf in Germany, Budapest in Hungary, Tallin in Estonia and Gotland (Swedish great island.... with LOTS of great Fardhem spinnery yarn Huskroken etc!). Not to mention all Swedish great and new places...Travelling it has mostly been knitting on Lotus Blossom tank top (see last posting), time consuming lace! But lets LIST this years accomplishments!

1. Alice Starmore's "Tudor Rose" Catherine Parr in Kampes mixed with estonian laceyarn, and Mojärvs mixed with färgkraft. 10 weeks knitting! Posting a 18th of March here!


2. "Buttefly traces", own design, in recycled silk! Finished on 9th of April!


3. Turquoise Enterlac, own design, in Noro Kureyon and Malabrigo Emerald, May 1


4. My 1st "Enterlac", own design, in Jaeger Matchmaker merino, May 20 Definitely was an UFO....


5. "Ballerina" by Teva Durham in Loop-d-Loop, adapted (sleeves) by me..in Aracunia Cotton, June 10 ! That was quick... a one week knitting (in Grenoble!)


6. Circular Sweater or "Twisted Floated Shrug" by Annie Modisett from Vouge fall 2005, a UFO from 2005 finally finished 30th of June


7. Kochoran Cosy Sweater, own design and buttons. July 18. Got addition on collar...and might get more...


8. Handspun socks, knitted own design. Fleece from Kartehuset 6 oct


9. Six different "Jacuzzi hats for boss", own design. All six finished ad Blogged Oct 31 and on Oct 26. I hear the sun in the house adopted the dark blue for regualar use! Great!


10. Domino-modular Knitted top, own design based on Vivian Höxbro's square! Nov18


11. Good-night Quick-knit Sweater, my own design in yarn Colinette Point Five bought on Sale from Fantasy (Arvika) ages ago..., Finished Dec 9th.


12. Lotus Blossom Tank Top, from Interweave Knitting by Shoji, and added sleeves in yarn Du Store Alpakka Baby-Silk posted 30th of Dec.

And maybe a "cheat" entry, just outside the list... but I made this UFO into a west. Maybe it s a "half sweater"? anyhow, my own design, and Jaeger Aran yarn, on 27th of Nov. All in all a great knitting year. I did not achieve all I wanted, but I had a good run. at least 10.5 sweaters! Also, the stash got organized in shelfs with glass doors (some of it), and I got my tech. lic. degree. Not bad at all. Other great knitting news is of course me joining Ravelry, which is absolute fab for knitters. Im afraid I have started some knits in the same pace as finishing them... So I guess I will not make any promises at this point Finally a chronical also need some reflections.

• Best knit of the year? No doubt Cathering Parr. Great result, quick and fun to knit.


• Worst knit? My first enterlac sweaters last sleeve (the first was easy), which had uneven number of squares, which ment an unfitted sleeve, re-knitted 3 times, until I gave up and did it from cuff and up. No wonder it was an UFO!


• Greatest yarn-buy? I was extatic when I found the yarnshop in Shanghai! Not to mention my "find" in Aachen - Maya a discountinued yarn (now Manos del Uraguay) from Debbie Bliss. Or maybe was it the Kochoran buy (on the net and also at Strikk)... no it must be..


• Worst yarn? Match-maker merino from Jaeger. Not only superwash (which I did not see at purchase) but it also behaved like an acrylic and lost all spoonginess in wash, ruined the first enterlac.. How depressing!


• Best Knitting book? When I found the oldest Bohus knitting book original I have been searching for at least five years to find.


• Worst knitting context experience? Realizing on the Swedish Knit-meet in Leksand that the wedding was on Saturday and on Sunday, having me forced out after only 1.5 days. What a disaster.


• Best knitting context experience Gotland vacation and yarnhunt - Summer and fibers. What could be better?

On that note I let it rest for looking back. Beware of looking forward in the next few days. Take care out there in 2008!

Last day! Last FO Sweater!

Happy Old year. In the last minute the IK Lotus Blossom Tank top (with added sleeves outside pattern) is finished. Maybe I will add a lace row on the sleeves, but with just a few hours before the new year - I declare it finished. So, Sweater a Month KAL get another contribution, but I still have some more to finish 12. I must count. I guess I managed until September? or was it October? I still have some in the 90% bracket to be finished, but not this year.
Anyhow, a great KAL to keep me focused on finishing some sweaters. This was a time-consuming knit, and I used Du Store Alpakka's baby alpacka-silk yarn. It is heavy. Also I added on a bit to make it "my size". Sleeves to hide bingo-wings. They do look uneaven but I guess Im stretching around... it needs a press. Anyhow, In front of the librarys knitting book shelfs, re-organized. Typically vacation ideas.
Well, now we have lit the fire in the "kakelugn" (which is a special stove from the turn of the century). Most people go to parties, (except us, who are just enjoying a quite evening) wear silly hats, drink lots of champange, and toast the new year - with a lot of fireworks. Im glad there has been a bit wet snow in this rather green holiday, so the fire risk is not so bad. Also, I live in a neighbourhood, where it seems like everyone is competing to win the "most expensive and extravagant fireworks" because we just climb to our balcony and look out at the spectacle that lasts for 15-20 minutes where the whole neighbourhood is polluted with cemicals. At least, we are not buying any. I hope they forbid it, it has gone too far. Or an age-limit of 30 something. Well.. other New Years musts in Sweden? We also watch a stupid sketch with "James" and the countess (he pretends to be all 4 guests and the servant, and of course get drunker by the minute) We just saw it "I kill that cat" - said after he "accidently" drinks the vase instead of the glass of port....Tomorrow will be the 2007 chronical - and all new years promises, goals and hopes for 2008! Have a great Happy New Year to all of you!

Nostalgia - Bobble Sweater

In Alpacka Sport this old warm and fuzzy sweater is knitted. I promised I should have my blog updated during this holiday, but sorry, holiday got me. Still being sick (time to visit the doctor on the next free day)... with a soar throat and some coughing. Hubby the same way. But we have put some hours every day packinf down our kitchen. Wow, wedding cutlery (IKEA) for 50 persons.... take a lot of room. And it seems like I have collected my entire families heirlooms in the kitchen. Two days ago my Mother-in-law and F-I-L came. Today we have have thrown out the freezer and fridge. And the kitchen is moved to a small "dorm" kitchen at the upper floor (they use to rent it out for students....) Now it is just tearing the rest down ;-) and find some great handy-men. Something difficult in Stockholm-area... now that is another story. Anhow, I have been at Nysta caressing yarn and buying "Simply Noro" with some great patterns. Then - to my surprise - Svensk Hemslöjd (on Sveavägen) in Stockholm had new yarn "Värmländskt skogsfår" = Wermlandskt Forest sheep - in brown. One spun thread. Had to buy some just for the nostaliga. And I found a new great book called "BINGE" that was released from Hallands hemslöjdsförening. A good piece of Swedish heritage knitting patterns and some new. Featuring BM Christoffersson (a knitting guru of Sweden) and Kersti (from Halland!). A must buy. Anyhow this was two days ago. Today all of us went out in the RAIN (global warming) to Old town, and visted Ann-Torps väv. Filled with great yarn as usual and much handdied silk. She is just great. I rummage in the Noro shelfs, and found Kuyeron 150 (which had great colours) but - I did not buy anything. But she and her yarnshop is just great as always. Well. And - now Im doing the second sleeve ont he Lotus Blossom Tank top (that should not have sleeves I know - but Bingo-wings.... I still laugh to myself saying that... ) Anyhow- Reason for too much talk and too little picture is - I have the photo converter at the other computer. And I just noticed - this is filling up my quota in a second... ahh work work work. Take care!