Great LYS day! (Part 1)

I have been shopping today!
First I went to Maria's Garn. Great windowdisplay as always. All purple yarn, wow. So purple. Flowers, yarn and two fab knitted garments. A sweater and a coat!. I mean, she is a shop-window Godess! How impressive. The store was of course filled with Goodies - lush yarn! And - I met Sanna there (who is arranging the next Stickstämma - Knitting Meet in Dalarna). She told about the usual hassles with arranging a meeting like that... since the person she booked with had stopped working where we are supposed to be. Scary. But she and Karin (Uppstickaren - no blog!!) is so clever, they will sort it out. No worries. It will happen. Im counting on it. Anyhow, the business is going fine, and it is so great to see the younger than me generation, popping in to Maria's store, saying "I just want to make a quick scarf" then buying three yummy Fonty Kidopale (Mohair) and size 10 needles. Of course I squeezed and planned carefully, no I have a yarnroom. Carefully... not buy anything on impuls.... But then I saw Sanna with the Como silk thread from Warp and Wäft, and thinking WHY? Well, I now know why! With a one-threaded colourshock like Färgkraft new Tulip (turqoise, pink and blue.. wow...) or the great Trollskog (my favourite) in blueish deep green and forest green, you knit your scarf with a thread of silk. And admiring Sanna's on-going Ikarus (Interweave Knitting 2006). I'm sold. It just looked absolutely great! 750 m, I will definitely have a closer look. Then I found more of my summer Aracunica (well, I cannot pronounce or spell it)... but, then Maria kindly told me that I might not need so much - maybe I have enough. But then she showed me how great that fat uneven cotton goes with Muscat (Garnstudio), in its silky contrast.
So now the hunt is REALLY on to find a fitting colour. Of course I noted that new dark turqoise (almost blue-greenish) special tint I have just fallen hard for lately (the same as the new Linnen colour from Yllet).
Ok, so first LYS was Maria. And Tomorrow you will see what I bought! OK. I GOT One hank of the new handpainted silk from Colinette to the too much silly prize of 200sek (Nysta has it for 180!) But look at the colours. Isn't it great?

Yarn Splatter - Yarn craving - yarn restraint?

So frogging the too large sleeve on Cocoon, or twisted floated shrug, makes many small balls of yarn. These are currently splattered all over the place. (This picture is from the summer course at of the colour nestors Färgkraft that I have rambled upon. I guess, I really feel weird. I have now a 62 item work-planning-list. My job is fun (still), and it is just not enough time to knit. Julia sleeves had got some rows during the week (actually, 20 minutes to my new Kista office is ok, but the hour to Västerås (MDH) is better). So, Im called disträ (scatterbrain?) by my hubby - but at my age, I can live with that. Tomorrow I will go to my LYS's (hmm, realized there are at least 4 that I regularly visit in the Stockholm area!) And I do feel like doing a Poncho (how late am I in fashion?) A quick big knit before really digging into Catherine. (ok, I am planning to finish Julia and Modisett Twisted first! They are getting there. And - best of all - we are having a Sticklings-meeting in two weeks. Finally. Thanks Eva! That is our little group of knitters that went together for 2 years at HV (and some of us even 3 years!) in the knitting course. THe problem is I would like to induldge in yarn - but I have so much. Endless much! Anyhow, I'm going to Lund next week (Sländan?) and then Budapest (Hungary) and Helsinki (Jorvas), so, I doubt there will be much time for yarnshopping. But I hope I have some time for it. (Then again - I have a filled yarn-room, it is just so much fun with yarn!).
Oh.. this is old photosession... haha.. sometimes I think I should go out an pour all my yarn in one big pile. That would stop me from buying more yarn. This is just like one hank from each colour.... Summer linnen.
Oh, I forgot. Yarnshops in BUDAPEST anyone? I at least know some yarnshops in Helsinki...(very off main tourist track!) Take care and see you in the yarnshops tomorrow ;-)

More Crazy books on net! Really crazy!

So, I thought the Starmore was a Queen of Knitting. But I bought her Scandinavian Knitting (her first book), and I was lauging in tears. Not only did the book hurt my wallet. But it was so filled with so many faults it was ridiculus. That was an overrated book. Mixing Binge and Skåne. Wow. Not a pattern I did not know. What a waste. So frustrated (this behavior is called "contrafobic") I of course bought the fair-Ilse Knitting book from her. I sure hope it is better. Of course, I found it on half prize on ebay just after. It is so my birthday soon (ok, Sunday!) I'm turning 45! Scary! I guess I should go for the herbrides and Aran knitting. Well. It hurts. Lets give the Tudor roses a better hand. That is good enough. But no clue on yarn. Wow. Weird that is.¨(Sorry Blog do not want picture today!)

What a week, what a weekend..

What a week! 3 nights in a Hotel. Working like a dog. Exhausted. Conference, talk, hold a one day tutorial... good friend in trouble.in Germany. But home to lovely! Bliss.
Boat motor fixed. And beautiful weather for Sweden in September. It could be freezing, but it was 20 Celcius. Fantastic. Friday nite - inspired by Ulla (Garnlek's) finished Cocoon (ok, Twisted floated shrug), I though, what the heck. It is time. So, We packed up, and half of my luggage was the sweater. Bullandö and to the (in)famous Sandhamn. Full!. But a place at Lökholmen. Then "taxiboat" to Sandhamn. Finally, the real hip place in the archepelago (20 000 islands) outside Stockholm. Beautiful small village, but all closed (evening). Us and our friends went to DB (Dykarbaren) or diving bar. Last nite. Ridiculus place. "Fjollkaffe" 300 sek (i.e. Caffe Latte for 35 dollars!) But a beer for 40 sek (5 dollars). No, do not use the word Fjollkaffe for Lattes- It means sissycoffee! But the big Sandhamn Hotel was more reasonable. We were tired anyway after a day sailing.
Here is the proof I at least tried to knit in the break. But what differs Sweden september to June, is that it gets dark 6.46 now, and in June, It does hardly get dark at all. (11.30 at nite). Well, Great sailing back today, but strained a muscle behind my shoulderblade, so it is actually hard to breath. Weird. Notice the wonderful yarn from Estonia (turquoise in the middle and purpelish), slowly transforming. As usual the neighbourghing boat commented about it. On the other-side was a party boat, that rumbled through the nite, so I think it will be the last time staying there. But, amazing. We have had a almost 4.5 month sailing season, which is fantastic. Well, my new job will require much more of me - a lot more travelling. So, I will definitely slow down this blog to about one posting a week if nothing spectacular happends. Take care out there, and thank you so much for the comments. I luv them.

My name is Garngamen!

Well, "My name is Earl" is going here, and I also get into Karma-stuff. Not that I have a list. I only have a list of KNITTING projects. In Sweden we have a calander that hands out names on each day. So today is my name-day. No - it is NOT Garngamen! Celebrated with Penfolds Koounga Hill Shiraz and some Lindt 85% chocolate. Well back to the Knitting-list. I feel lousy about the KAL's I have joined. I hoped they would encourage me to get done. Instead they fill me with guilt. All these knittings are in trouble. I'm not super happy with the Tudor rose: 1. Catherine Parr. I´m thinking secretly about doing 2, Katherine in Rowan Harris DK Tweed but definitely need to stock up more yarn then, or just order Henry? I do not need more yarn. I just need to copy the pattern for myself, so I do not have to carry around the book, which I have in bubbly plastic (!). 3. The wonderful Twisted float cardigan is so big it cannot be moved. It means sofa time to finish its last sleeve. There has not been enough sofatime in my new job. And I doubt I will do anything more than work, eat and sleep next week. Big conference in Linköping! Wow!
And then, my last Dear Danish Hanne Falkenberg, in 4. Studio 9 and Da Capo (nr 5) that I have two kits. They are just in the wrong place. Need a smaller more carryable bag. and I was frogging, because one stich looked bad in my increase. So.
What am I knitting? Carrying around Julia's sleeves (6). Started on a new grey (7). My Green night silk sweater 8. My one thread patent (9) cardi..and my spinning exploration (10). My Fardhem SORK and homespun (11) and (12) my Ishager diagonal (13).
And, ny Noro (14) experiment in Shinano. My second Latvian mitten (15). Ok. That is the "closest" knitting project that I really have ONGOING. I need time!Anyway, the library got filled (a reward from winning best speaker), with knitting books. The fox and geese mittens was very american, and contained for me most old news. But, ok, some hints. Inspired Cabels was ok, but, gave me dejavue. I didnt get a book I have? Crazy. But "Best of Lopi" is a treasure. I'm in love. Got to knit a Islandic sweater very soon. And I must work on my Twinni Speede- (in IK called Nattetröjor) from Skåne, south Sweden. And Bohus. I luv Bohus. So much thoughts, so little time. I need to be weaned of the computer. I spend my time blogging instead of knitting. PS: Vadstena was cool. Especially the scrub-spa treatment I bought. Ahhh. Aloe Vera.

Workloads - insights

Sorry, Im boring you of the same hanks of spinning, but I read this fantastic book "Merino-wool" from a self-taught spinning-lady in Kiwi-land (N.Z). She really explains the difference of spinning with washed and unwashed wool. That makes it very visible how the wool puffs after washing. Also interesting, that spinning directly from fleece (från tott) will accentuate this unevenness. Anyhow. I'm drowning in workload. Up 6 and finishing work around 9. Going to Vadstena tomorrow. Work around the clock! Need a knitting with no pattern."Brainless-knitting", best for talking and knitting at the same time!

Empty? Or filled with love?

A bottle. So, no comments. I guess people are busy, not having time to read. Being sick and not energy to more than blog with some other outburst of spinning or knitting. Silence is obvious. Today my mother is 75! Congratulations. I wonder what life has is store for me. Found this TAROT quiz. I have used tarot for years. It has not to do that they are right. Any card is right, and they expand your outlook. But this looked like the state I was in right now.

You Are The Moon

You represent the unconscious side of life, what happens in dreams. You are capable of great genius - but also of great madness. Emotions tend to be primal for you, both your fears and your fantasies. Your intuition is always right, listening to it is the difficult part. Your fortune: You are about to embark on a very important journey - and a very difficult one. Some of your deepest dreams will be realized, as well as some of your deepest nightmares. Follow your creativity and visions; stay away from your weaknesses. You are taking a voyage to the center of yourself, and you may be pleasantly surprised by what you discover.

What Tarot Card Are You?

Knitting recycled silk.

This is my "in the middle of the night knitting. The yarn was bought at a yarnshop Eustasia who folded! So this yarn was on sale (still not cheap). The owner had coloured herself the white recycled silk. I really like it. So, I did the bottom first. Realizing - AGAIN, that should be in the Ample-Knitter category, and not in my imaginary skinny size. So the bottom is to be frogged, but serves as a Swatch right now. So, I started on the sleeve, and
got the right frill that I wanted. So, I have only reached the elbow. But, very nice to knit. I think I go for a V-neck with a frill. The thing I'm contemplating is making a little red square somewhere. But I do not want to have Christmas-tree associations.
It was sunny outside. But not that real heat. It should be a little extra warm next week. I'm regaining my energy. That must be the reason I gave myself permisson to be lazy. So I knited a headband in this weird Noro yarn. Also started as a "night"-knit. So, I would try some necklace too with this yarn. Take care out there!

Spinning Merino!

This is 100g merino that I spun myself. The two hanks on the right (especially the one in the middle) are a bit "unbalanced" in the Twining.To much spin, and too little twine. The one on the left is balanced. Every hank is an improvement. And this last hank felt like an step change! It is so soft and really great. Now, what to do with this? I'm thinking starting with the sleeves to my "spinning sweater" below. But they would do a great market-mitten, i.e. half-mitten without fingers, but not just "Swe: muddar" =wrist-warmers. It is too thick for a shawl, but ok for a more cosy winter snugging "Swe: halsduk" (hmm that cannot be shawl too? Shawl are triangular, and neck-thingi is long and reqtangular). Well, it wouldn't hurt to comment as my NY friend says.It is soo nice to have comments. BTW. I'm recovering from cold spell. Getting better, but not well.

Slightly better! Hope! There is hope! Spinning again!

I have a headache. My cold is hiding in the sinus, and my caugh is bad. Burning nose, but throat is not hurting, so it is better. I can swallow. Another way to say I'm better is I got hope. I did feel terribly sorry for myself, but when I realize It is passing. I definitely do not want to be a victim of the "poor me"-syndrome. No, Just a cold, but great that someone cares. I think that is the solution of most problems. Caring. Instead I care of the wool. This fantastic merinotop from Kartehuset in Denmerk, was great. Last time I spun merino it just became a big blob. (actually, that is visible in the last picture - find the "blob of white"). But, the net is great. You can learn about everything there. Why not share your findings more? I perfer being generous. I will share my experiences.
Someone told me to spray the top with water and oil (coconut is best, but I used olive which also is ok - any veggy oil or lanoline) Dampen it makes the fibers more chewinggum-like when you spin . The other (rather obvious trick) which I didn't figure out is that already prepared and carded top, ready to use should be divided to very thin strands! "Prepared". How easy was that then! I used to take a piece instead of a strand. Huge difference. Interesting to see the top with and without a flash isn't it? But I'm just doing a little bit. No it is resting time in the sofa again. And I do have piled my work infront of me.The real one. Spinning makes you heal faster! Takes my mind of a head filled up to explosion. I think it is interesting - to spinn yarn and knit it immediately. In this very white part, you can - if you look carefully - see the difference between spinning directly from the sheep, or do some carding before. The carded is on the right, and much more even. Last picture is one of those - patches - cardigan.The long is left fron, and it goes around the back. I will be adding on. Interesting exercise in exposing your spinning and knitting.
The bluish grey below the white (and the white) is the latest spun. As I say, I do experiment with spinning thickness, occassionally trying both to make even, and really uneven yarn. I also follow the fleece a lot. But I need more spinning and knitting.
But it is fun. Real fun. And I It will be fun to see where this is going. It was supposed to be heavy cardigan.
Im thinking about having it more dark, but - again. It seems to be the fleece decision. Im going to try my Islandic "candy-bag" that Hallas mother got me from Island. It is 1 kilo of ready fleece looking like English candy. You know, licorice and pink and blues... But that even looks dry, so that will definitely need planning. And I'm an impulsive lady. Better? Absolutely!

Oh no! Not a bad cold!

So, that weekend scare was just the start. Now I have suffered through the day with an aching throat (Dearest hubby gave me soothing choclate ice-cream and pistachio when I came home). How was your day? I did get to bed last nite at 2.30 (actually 12.00) but felt weird, went to my yarn room and knitted until I "fainted". Woke up at 3, 4 and quarter to five (just before the clock). Snuck out, prepared breakfast, noticed my throat was bad. Real bad. bike, sub, . Waiting too long and bought three (!) knitting magz! (Vouge Knit simple - too simple but a good article on resizing, Simply Knitting (UK) - no, I just said, I want it complicated - and FILATI -in all Lana Grossa, but some real ok patterns). Read them on the train 6.20 from Stockholm to Linköping and blowed my nose - drinking tee (no knitting.) Bus to Mjärdevi. Went through four packs of Kleenex and two packs of Läkerol (throat pastill) during all meetings (ok, brought a cake to my new work in Linköping) - Swedish work tradition called "squeze-in cake". Got worse. Told I would not be on work the next days to my new boss, who replied "I bet you would answer the phone": Took the overfilled train back 5.. Had more tea, fell asleep (no knitting). Woke up by a sound I probably made. Girls staring. Hubby picked me up at 19.00 and well, 3 more packs of kleenex, Tea and some more ice-cream. And throat is a bit better, but my head is on explosion. Just saw "While you were sleeping", ohh so romantic. Missed Scrubs. Red Nose. Knitting? Hard with a running nose. But I will try to go to bed without yarnroom. I had forgot how bad a cold could be. It was because I excercised like mad yesterday. Ohh. what new life. I just get sick. Sigh! Start over. It is like Fia with knuff (a stupid game I have no idea what it is called in English).

New life decision

Fuzzy Peony from spring. But it feels like a new life decision. I'm glad you all are back! 1. Catherine Parr swatching is not so great. I must go down in size, but I'm decided. It will be green with orange (or blue?) pattern. WHy? Because I have a lot of this yarn (thanks for asking!) It is my fall project! just trying hard to finish up 2. Julia sleeves and 3. Twisted float shrugs last sleeve! Hmm! And one hour of exercise a day! Husband asked me if I would get fit for a skitrip this winter. (
Note, I have been begging for years, but when I finally dragged him ;-) I had lost all fitness. So this time, I will give him a match for more than the first days. But it is time to practice! So, I had to buy Norah Gaughans Knitting Nature. Have a look what all the fuzz whas about. Ok, she has a matematic mind! Really intresting. But, you know! I'm finishing up, and I'm not starting anything new. I got a bunch of Bohus as well to knit. Life is just to short. I just love going around the world on the blogs or in life with a knit. Finally some mittens from Estonia. No, they are NOT MINE, the hand on the wall in the island of Kihnu. Of course! Now, I'm taking the 6.20 train to Linköping tomorrow. Which means leaving home about 5.30, so interesting. Do you think I will knit on the train? If I'm awake. I'm so happy of the phones with alarms, so you can fall asleep on the train!

My hubby reads my blog! But this is one of my favourite pictures. Good to think about now, when the first day I had a jacket on to work. 12 degrees Celcius. Brrr! It is all about work. I have timed my new way to work. Before it was 15 minuts walk or bike. That length is only the first third. Now there is also 30 minutes by commutertrain, and then another 20 minutes walk... ? Hmm.. I might get into walk-knitting. But backpack (well still ok in Sweden!) and people..... I'm now knitting what I spinned. It will be my rather heavy jacket. But I just feel great about it. I spin a bit, and knit a square that I add. It is growing. Sort of fun to feel the different textures of the yarn. I must go to sleep now. I wiggled my way out of the statistics course, but I still have a lot to do. Glad you are out there. When it is only work, work work, knitting, spinning and yarn is so grounding. And your comments, Thanks Zoe for adding me up and HpNYKnits is too nice. Anyway, I have gotten into this procedure. Don't laugh.
I stop my knitting, TV, blogging frenzy to go to bed. But, on the way I pass the yarn-room (yeah, you KNOW I have one!) And I just have to sneak in and do some rows a a project. Right now it is green silk sleeve (hey, I do listen to your suggestions) that I'm doing. It has a very wavy edge, and narrows down. I'm half way on first lower arm. I did start on the body before (and knitted an entire hank), but I'm frogging it. To get the A-shape it must be even bigger. But I hope that walking will get me in shape for the current size, so, I'm doing arms first :-) Always hopeful.

Spinning galore!

I just cannot understand. It is so silent here. Well my dear friend Christina O, Textil artist sent me a letter to Garngamen (yepp, that is what the letter said!) with an invitation to Formex. Thank you so much. She is of course exhibiting her latest textile art. I have been wanting to go to this trade-fair for a many years, and now when I got an invitation, both me and hubby struggles with a soar throat and a cold. Instead, I have been spinning. Spinning like a maniac. I greased my wheelup, and it was a bit uneven, but now it spinns like a cat! ;-) But here smells like a sheeps stable. And camera will not cooperate for flash. A true software bug I assume. Anyway, the left brown is what I twined together yesterday. The middle is Farhem fleece with coloured blue fleece from Gudruns Ullbod. The white wool (now washed!) is from the spinning course at the knitting-meet in Gotland, where Ing-marie was kind to sell me some unwashed lambsfleece. So the white is not really dry, and it is something special to take out sheep-nuggets from the fleece. Im glad that our noses are stuffed, so it doesn't smell as bad. Should I wash the fleece? It feels fat and nice to spin though, so Im not complaining. Thinking about ordering more sheets of fleece from Fardhem. It is so nice and soft to spinn from. Interesting, that is for sure. Im sort of working through my fleece stash.

Ahh, spinning and Wermland women!

I am so impressed by the lovely Wermland Women. I had just arrived home, and in the middle of the night blogged that I'm alright and back. And - Dearest wonderful friend Marianne immediately welcomes me home over the net (see last posting comment!) I just get that mush wolly feeling immediately wanting to blog and give a warm hug back. Ahh. And I just start to do my laundry (it has piled up!) which I do not mind!It does not require much effort, and still you are "doing something". Anyhow, I decided to spin. And, in an brown envelope I really through I give this fleece a try. And, I realize that another of those fantastic wonderful Wermland women, Barbro, actually sent me this fantastic fleece 2 years ago (almost on the date!) And, have I thanked her? Well, not at all in parity of the greatness I feel this fleece has. It is so far the easiest and most fantastic wool I have spun yet. Just the right greese. Of course the sheep have had hay encounters, but it could be worse.
Just look at it carded. Oh, Barbro what sheep is this? I'm in love with this sheep. It has this light brown, dark brown hue, that when carded changed into a much lighter brown. I asked hubby (poor thing has a cold) to take a photo of me "posing" spinning. So you really could see the yarn, but posing also means it is not my "natural" position. Wow, Wonderful wool, Barbro. THANK YOU! What an orgie! You are just so kind and genererous. What great fleece! I'm spinning on "all levels".
I just had to have a short break and blog a bit.
But the result. Doesn't it look great? Well, I'm not finished at all, that overtension of last week was rather exhausting. But, to my great surprise I was elected "Best industrial presenter" of the conference. And that was a tough crowd of experts in my research subject. So I'm proud as a LAMA! (well, have you ever seen this great animals? having there head in the air!) It feels fantastic after so much struggle. So, spinning - what a cleanser of mind. Soft, rich woolsmell, a slight greese on the hands, and it is forming just right there. Your knitting yarn. What a treat. What it should be? Hey, that is next phase. Now spinning is happning. Well, Wermland sheep is like a great memory of my teenage years where I dwelled in Karlstad. And I did marry a Wermland man, just as it says in the traditional swedish song (sortof) except now is more empancipated!

The Yarnvulture on hold!

So, Yarnvulture (= Swe: Garngamen) have been working. New job, courses, and a fantastic conference, workshop at Windsor (at The Great Park) Do you see the Queens castle down there?). Met a knitting friend (though we didn't find out until we said goodbye). So, I have carried my knitting with me - and just have had no opportunity. Hey, when there is an english lager in the hand you cannot knit! Airports are crazy. Just did not want to press my luck at Heathrow knitting on the plane either (as I always do).But, it feels so good being back home. With spinning, knitting and my dearest. I have no idea of what is going on, but I'm not leaving the house - that is for sure!
So, updates will come! Hang in there! Meanwhile, enjoy some from my collected yarnstash.

Dreams. When there is no time.

I dream about knitting. I have had hectic days, and now on my way to a a sailingtrip, to immediately go to UK (Windsor!). I have now very few hours to say THANKS for your encouraging comments. Yes I will go to Linköping quite often, and probably one night occasionally at a hotel (I will of course check the local Knitters meeting!). But, right now, all I have is my dreams of knitting. And, they are soft. Organic, healthy. Supportive and very colourful. Like my yarn. Ready to be coloured? Ohh.... summer was so great. More summer holidays.

Julia update, 1 UFO done and some spinning

This is how dearest Julia looks today. The little red is holder fo the neck stiches. I have just started with the sleeves. This I'm doing with a pattern. And, great advice coming to start with sleeves just do not work for me. When I see the result I get happy. I'm actually fond of this Rowan Summer Classic Garden 11 pattern Julia in Cashcotton 4ply. It is soft, lace and has the right colour for a use all fall. Looks like a little too open neck, (yes, I DID follow the pattern, almost).Of course I had to add size, since all Rowan sizes are for Twiggy models and ends at L or XL. This is XXXL, hoping to fit me. Also, I did remake it into circular (have I not told you this before?) But my great new job in Linköping (and Kista) but same company will definitely give me 1-2 hours knitting on the train.
So, sorry Linköping knitters, going on a saturday on a train excursion to knit has too much work-flair to me. Even if the company would be great. Second summer progress is doing the sleeves (YES, THEY ARE TOO BIG) but I refuse to frog them. The pattern is all my own, and it is done in Garnstudio's yarn Muscat (mercisised cotton). It is very comfortable. I just do not feel finished with them. I wanted to do an Icord in dark purple to finish neck, sleeves and bottom (no it is just rolling). But somehow It didn't look ok, and I might do that next summer. Now it is in use. And heavy like my MC-tires (ok, car-tires!). But that is a result of sitting to much on my butt, and my hubbies excellent cooking. He have promised to lay of with the coconut-cream wooks (green curry), which are fantastic but builds. On the other hand. I use a lot of yarn ;-) But sweater takes a long time to make compared to those small medium persons, I really envy. Yes, I know I can do something about it. I do not envy them enough,and knitting is FUN! But, Now I will show my spinning progress. And I know this is not the "best even spun yarn". But, I have been experimenting of making it, with different tensions, different ways. So, from the left is "spun directly uncarded, unwashed from raw fleece" (Swe: spinna från tott). Second is spun from Fardhem (swe: Kardflor") carded sheet of wonderfully soft Gotlands pels sheep. I experimented trying to make it in the same thickness as SORK (which was not easy) but it is very soft spun, ok most of it. I realized I do not have SORK yarn enough to a sweater, so I better spin in myself ;-) The third brown-white (also in close-up) is shetland (brown) and swedish (white) wool done on my handspindle, and is only one threaded. It will be a shawl. (Here you see my skills by hand is far beyond the Elizabeth Ashford wheel, which feels a bit wobbly. Need to check it with Gudrun - my specialist and trainer ;-) The far right is just shetland on the wheel 2-twined. I was actually quite happy with that since it is a start of my "falling leaves tree- coat." I think it is a bit dry, but easy to spin, but I might try and spray it a bit with water and oil. On this loarge picture you see the softspun and 2- twined gotland hank (that I actually did today) in comparision. Very rewarding. It just did itself. I had a plan to spin up all I have got rather quickly. So nothing lies and get bad... that would be a disaster. But Sleeves are on the agenda. I have some more that is waiting for that. But first I'm hard working Julia to the end. I'm surprised by myself. I really want something completed for a change. Maybe because I need something to wear at my new job. Take care dearest friends out there.

Catherine Parr, SORK and knitconfusion

How nice you all are, I just cannot believe all nice things people tell me on comments. That is encouraging. Anyhow, Here are some raku items I have done in the past. Two tea-pots in the left. What have I been upto? Working, sleeping. And spinning, and really worked through and twined a hank. I have also frogged Catherine Parr with shetland yarn. I just felt the yarn and the needlesize just didn't fit.Went into stash and are now swatching again, a swedish green woolyarn (Kilafors?, or is it Kempe?) well, It is not a super quality yarn, ordinary, ok, nothing wrong with it, even and 1.2kg. But Alice S is really knitting tight. Back to understand the yarn in a swatch - and Im NOT into swatches! And I found, my Gotland Fardhem yarn SORK, which is a thick, very loose spun yarn, on 5mm needles, different grey, that I just had to start (directly from the hank.. yes, it was late, I will do it!)
But what a nice knit. Then I spotted the candy mix of coloured fleece from wåhlstedts, and really thought how to "spiff" it up. I just love to start a sweater, and then design along you knit. You feel what the yarn wants to do with you. But, now I'm in knit confusion. I have too many ongoings, and 4(!) are now waiting for sleeves. It is about time to have a sleeve fall. Or many wests. I will take some pictures on the summers knitprojects this weekend. I must. Here is a reminder of Julia before summer. Ahh, must comment on Swedish Telly, we have Miss Marple (Agatha Christie) that runs on our CH4 from BBC. And it is so great, because this version is just filled with knitting, and nice knits. Great! More knitting and knitted artifacts on TV.

Sailing and knitting

Sailing cleanses the soul. When I just thought summer was by, my lovely and I went to the boat. It was raining. But we were packed. Waiting for it to clear up, thunder and a great meal at Bullandö Krog, we went out for two fantastic nights in the archepelago, with sunshine, stars and full moon, and magical warm swims in the evening. Julia on the knitting needels, and now I'm starting in the neck so it is soon "just" the sleeves left. Well, I got stung by a whasp (actually, I squeezed the poor thing between my arm and torso). And I slept like I have never slept before. The astma disappear, and we had great food. A Dajm-ice cream at Möja. This morning leaving Säck we got a new record speed on 7.15 knots, on our little Alice, and we had not all sails out. Tomorrow starts the serious business, so I guess the summer "frenzy" of publishing knitting trips will be different. But who knows? I have not yet taken any pictures of all my knitting progress this summer. Actually I really got into spinning again. Ahh, what a Caffe Latte can do! Take care out there, and be nice to each other (and me ;-)