FO F-ugly Socks

I tried to put this f-ugly socks in the best surrounding. Finally finished Yiha. Will be coloured. The pattern is great - it is Tropicana for the Sockklubb KAL (March, oh yes, Im behind). Also the YARN is great - OPAL - when it comes to knitting and durability. I know, It is tested, since this sock was - in the making - actually TESTED! (read: dragged behind the car on the asfalt for 10 minutes.. in wet asfalt. A bit dirty, but yarn was not scratched! Surprise....) But Im saying, these colours. OPAL needs serious colourhelp. The colour... Is like a curry gone wrong, on re-tour. Or - reminds me of this week, contained in a small so called no-smoking hotel room (but really, was that non-smoking when we asked for it? I mean since the same morning?) filled with textiles, no ventilation but a small "balcony/window" to the square of Eindhoven MARKET.. where some 1000 oranjie fans was collectivly partying their head of in the worst party, beer-drunk with silly hats and lions on their belly, screeming, like the inferno was loose -with crackers going off until my head spun - feeling deaf- all night (with a broken TV) until 2.30 in the morning... Yah. EVERY NIGHT.... do dutch NEVER sleep???? Not a yarnshop in sight, but monday - it was a yarn-relseller just outside the hotel on the textile market. Now - this was a bit nausiating too. Glitter, acrylic with some fuzzy baby fugly colours... Not a sheep in sight. Sorry, I have a yarnroom of class. Im such a snob. No, I want NOTHING: I had enough of FUGLY YARN: This one WAS a gift, well intended. I cannot throw away good yarn. I will colour. well, you here I have had some beer myself (trying hard to join them instead of sounding like a whining viking ;-) I was there all week on this great research trip, but just too much soccer-crazy fans. (btw, the match ended 1-1 we think (I do not read dutch....) against Denmark - which I routed for... anything with orange is just....UGH! Anyhow, seriously good week. I have seen a 3-D TV. Super cool! Can you imagin when the blogs is going 3D.... I love it. Im such a geek. But Im sooo insipred. Even if Eindhoven have NO YARNSHOPS (that I could find...sigh.... of.... relief!)

FO Birch Shawl for Viola, and spring blossoms

Birch. A lace shawl. pattern by Sharon Miller, yarn Rowan Kid Silk Haze 3.2 balls (ca 800 m). A great knit, and my second in this pattern, since I wanted something really easy - and the fact that my dear aunt Viola wanted one like this, in dark blue. The Lilacs are flowering. The entire garden is exploding. It is so beautiful outside, but surprisingly chilly. Frost last night. So, I took my camera around and just clicked. These dark bearded iris reminds me of my visit to Fresno, where I stayed as an exchange student with the famous Irish grower John Weiler. Such a fantastic man. With many prized blossoms, and fields of experimental iris breeding, he was not only chasing the "black" colour, but also many flowers on one stem, and long blooming. .Even if I bought the Rheingold kit from VY (see last posting), my friend N. came by and we are both convinced. The colourkit sent is definitely not the same colourscheme as the picture in the pattern sent with it (which is much brighter). I would have love a brighter hue. So Im getting desperate. Again, my coloursense is challenged to find the original. Appleblossoms cannot really be pictures, but it is overwhealming. Im just so stunned, also with the Peony which we call Dillpeony (you know, like the herb Dill) because of the leafs. This is a simple, and I also have a double, that I got from a dear friend, since the one I bought died. Sigh. It just need a bit more warmth in the air, to get into the weeding. But we just signed for two-bathroom/wc renovation, so we are pretty busy chasing appliances. And of course, my big plan is to make the tiles in at least one of the rooms. Well. It sounds like a plan. It is a lot of hard work. Well, Im into the socks now. Take care out there and comments are always welcome. hugs!

Progress and some yarn-vulturing..

Luskentyre from Alice Starmore pattern Slow like the gourmet-knit it is. Changing one or two colours every row. 2 purl in one colour, 2 in the next (well, I need to "drop" the yarn inbetween, to pick up next colour). I have almost reached the first pattern-repeat in the middle, meaning, it is going to mirror itself to the top. Jamieson and Smith Woolbrokers (Lerwik, Scotland) is just a spongy, well-spun fab yarn. I do 1-2 strands - and one "swap" almost every night. Anyhow, the russion join takes "forever", and Im soon getting how I should measure so it is perfect. Im most of the time just half a stitch to tight. It is so strange how so "ugly" colours can just spark together. Im amazed everytime I pick up a new colour. I knit this, since I would NEVER have chosen this colours myself. EVER.. And I love them. Really mind boggling how colour changes next to each other. Next progress is how far I have come on the Poetry of Stiches Wedding Cardigan. PoSWC! You can see how early I started the sleeve intake, but I think I will have to adjust later, since I did one more repeat than pattern. (8 instead of 7) ok, I have that last one to go. So Steeking, here I come. I realized if it is wider, it will look more propotional if it also is longer. I must say, this yarn is better than expected (Gunga Din) and from Kempes spinnery. I really do look forward to starting with sleeves, since it is transportable, and then goes so much quicker. A very nice pattern. Recommended. (Solveig Hisdahl behind Oleana of course! is the pattern maker - Dikt in Maskor). The latest started (Wednesday - on my way to Aachen) is of course named "Aachen Bliss" (ok, it should be Aachen travel with Debbie Bliss Yarn (Alpaka silk DK). A true Garngamen knit. First I find a needle in wood that is free - circular, and thick enough to be used for travelling The I look in my stash for some BALLS instead of HANKS. Hey, Im in a hurry, I need somehting easy to take with me on the airplain. Stashed - and with nothing else but making it up as I go, I get going. So, what have I learned. For lace, 4 mm could easily be 6. That somehow the stitch definition on the ball has nothing with reality to do... and that it is sohoho, soft and cuddly yarn. I have two colours, both bought on sale from Nysta. And they remind me of spring green and diantus pink....looking at the picture I realize it looks more yellow than lime. Interesting. But that will hibernate until my next long flight. I would not dream to bring Luskentyre on the flight. Having lost a needle and a ball of yarn (to the Birch shawl for Viola) whiles travelling, only "loosable yarn" gets to go. Ok, 3 kits have arrived from Virtual Yarns. The Jade Starmore "Rheingold kit". And then the Strathglass kit (as you see, very neatly packed in individual boxes/packages). And the third is the Zauberflöte (also in Purple hues). Just fab! And I wanted to know how the original yarn looks and feels. What a heavenly package. It is too easy to click and buy on the internet. If you never have seen VY you got to visit their website (virtual yarns).
The Fair-isle "dream". The colour master. Ok. for some reason I have not showed my yarn buying explorations really. So I was in Gothenburg the other week, Strikk (oh heaven). And got Twinni in "highlight colours"... boy has the Starmores inspired me. So I already have a big stash of colours, but you also need somehting BRIGHT to highlight the theme. Twinni is Marianne Isagers (Danish yarn master) yarn. She has by rumour a new yarn, that I have not seen. Need to go to Denmark :-) Anyhow, when in Aachen I also visited my favourite Görg und Görg at AnnaStrasse. A little gem. She had the Rowan Yorkshire Tweed DK left. I added a bunch of balls in a bunch of colours quickly. Of course it is planned for Fair-ilse. Also, I found Noro Sock Yarn, and the owner told me she was one of the first in Europe to have it. Kudos on her. I bought these two little gems. And- to my surprise, it had a feel entirely different than it looks. It is "dry". But now the sock-KAL have a chance to get back on track. Noro is always fun to knit with.

Sailing! and FO! Gran Canaria top in Lorna's Lace!

I finished the Gran Canaria vacation top in yarn from Lorna¨s Lace Lamb and Lion Multi - The colour is called Devon, but It could be any pool - sea! A great an fast knit, that I really enjoyed. The yarn is one of the best I have knitted. Lushious, and soft but heavy and great feel to it. Silk and wool. Yummy. As its colours. Fits like a glove, therefore I have cut it in front... It is a bit to bulgy there now. Hmm. Being lazy (sick) all winter has taken its tool. I did a rather deep neckline, but high in the neck, as I want it. I knitted the last stitches in a weather that is unbelievable for Sweden at this time. It was warm winds (5-9m/s) and clear sunny around 26 degrees celcius at the Bullandö Marina. We took the boat out to our favourite spot - Ladviken with a nice wind from behind. Great dinner (Green curry) and knitting away. With a lazy morning, almost by ourselves in the nice calm nature habour awaken by the birds... Ahh, breakfast is just fab in the Stockholm archipelago. Going home, we had some great legs against the wind in whopping 6.10 knots. /13m/s in the gusts). Im looking like a racoon, with my white eyes behund the goggels and red face. But what a weekend. The evening picture does not make Alice justice. She is a steady beauty. But the calm - mirror-blank sea is just fantastic. I must say, my entire head feels empty of all wordly troubles, and filled with wonderful sunshine and happiness. Oh! I just love this! The best vacation for a long time. Amaazing. And it is just around the corner, but feels like a different world. A weekend to cherish. At home the dandelions have taken over, and the cherry-blossom is at its peak. The yellow peony (Peonia molkowitch) has just open. Time for joy!

Golden Oldies

I found this old great knit I invented in the 70ties... Cat n Rat, fish and anchor, harts and waves... just inventing patterns and knitting... I noted here that this was way to small for me (even then) must be around 60-70cm in the round... so I have already ripped out the ladies and gents. Then I realized I did not have the heart to rip it, and it has been waiting for me since then. In Pure Farmar wool from Domus (!) I still think it is just fab. And now I have figured out what to do with it. Since steeking is no problem (ha, Im just psyching me up for it.... the wedding cardigan is so waiting) so I might just cut it up, add a back, and have a great vest (I do not think the yarn is enough for sleeves) So, when rummaging the wardrobe, I found this other golden oldie, that I knitted 81? or was it 82? It is just wonderfully soft, linen-cotton and something. Sweater and skirt - a little ensemble, that I have used so much, Im surprised it still holds shape. Not my usual color combo "but the yarn was on sale" (heard that one before?)... I wish I remember what yarn it was...... do you remember? Please help me out!

Anyhow, I have been really nostalgic lately... I have cleaned up some old papers and new papers - it is tax- declaration time here... and I also found a box of ribbons that I won on my horse many years ago. That was really fond memories, that seem so far away. Boy it is intersting threw out some stuff, other stuff goes to the bin for re-cycling.... Well, still sneezing like a robot, nose is dripping and eyes itching... m ost of it is the pollen, but Im suspecting a small cold is using the time to explode.... and Im just soo tired all the time. I think I need 3 month off - with hubby. No, back to papers, watering the plants... paying bills and you know...just a bit Ravlery first. And my knittings are growing. Slowly, slowly... Im knitting of 4 different garments right now. And it is time to get back to the sock KAL, and do some more socks. I actually use mine all the time. So it is a good knit. Good knit = often used!

FO- Fetching!

Fingerless mittens, the famous "Fetching" pattern from Knitty. It must be one of the quickest projects there is. 2-3 hours tops. I used Debbie Bliss Alpacka Silk (Aran) on needles 4 (according to pattern). I think the elasticity would make this cable start as a great sock-pattern. Also, I was not too happy about the "picot-bind-off".. which hardly showed. And, some fingers would make this a great glove... hmm.
As you see we are in full spring-time. The air is filled with Pollen (birch), and Im weeding and pruning on this 1st of May - a wonderful holiday. I love spring. All is blooming, Now we can see the buds of the first peonies. The Cherries started to bloom today! How early. Attjo... how fab Ok, I AM very allergic... but how cares that eyes and nose are running when it it is beautiful. Love to you all!

When nothing is happening....

I found this Skåne-embroidery that I started. For some reason the yellow thread kept breaking. Now, 4 years later I realize the problem. Not bad wool-yarn quality as I thought immediately, but I had too thin needle. So I started again (and you can see the yellow wings of the birds..... Anyhow, Yes I can sew, I can! Rewarding.. paining with yarn. I actually done a lot of sewing when I was young(er). But - no, Im not educated by anyone, so Im sure there are TONS of tricks that I can use to make things nicer.... And I have listen to everyone advice Ive got. But the needle thing I figured out myself. That is cool. Im proud of that! So simple... those little life mysteries. So over to another "Life" summary - Im working too hard. Most of my springs work got lost due to the "safety" system (I will trust myself from now on, not a bloody clearcase system i.e. - version-handler? my a-#¤%&/!) Sigh..The sun has been shining. Choclate have melted in my handbag to make a mess. I have slowly knitted a few rows on Luskentyre. (Note, I have different colours than this beautiful site from the pattern-maker and - when I look at this, I wonder why I didn't take this colours. They are fantastic!)...And started Fetching in teal - with yarn from stash (Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk Aran)... and I do understand the buzz with it. Fast and fun! And why is it going so slow with my Poetry knit? I do not know. Im seriously planning a to knit during the weekend. My throat is tickling again. It is easy to dress off to early when the sun comes out. But it could be all Hazel and birch... Pollen is thick in the air. Sewn flowers are safe! No pollen there ;-) Thank you dear friends for your nice comments. Btw. Im always so exited when I see you dear dear people commenting. Really cheers me on... sail-fans, you realize that that webcam jumps around. It was two bridges in picture, where our little Nord 80 is, we are (still without a mast) on the left. (we forgot a sprint!) But tomorrow? Knitting? Hope it is not windy. Anyhow, Birch (check out Yarnharlot's Birch) is really moving on. It is my second Birch, and such an easy lace knit. I do not need a pattern anymore...so Im soon getting there... a week or two at this pace... And to the right? An old project Im thinking if I should turn it into a dress. (it is more like mid T-shirt now.. It is more suitable at the beach.... was handling some of the Rowan summer cotton (silk) and some Colinette giotto... A bit blurry, but taken without my glasses on... I blogged about it 2004, but just realized why blogger eats old blogs. It is gone. Terrible. Really! My Trip to India just gone.

Yarngalore! Stash up 2008 or...

Noro Kabuto (Wool, Silk, Alpacka, Cashmere) Do I need to say more? I have for ahwile being such a good girl, being able to go in and out of yarnshops and actually come out empty handed (even temptation has been VERY severe). I thank the "Stash down 2008" for that..... But since about easter, I have flipped out completly. So the yarn, which I fondled during Christmas break - was put away (like a special sale for me!!) at Anntorps Väv in Stockholm Old town. Not only did she give me a great discount, but the yarn... I mean... I just love this one. 34 hanks of yummy Kabuto at a bargain. It is 12 coloured and the rest in black, which is just great to get my creative juice turn into champange! So.. I have already planned two or three? sweaters). Of course my eye catched a glimpse of another favourite Noro Kochoran... With a purple tone. As always. I have no exuse. It is just to easy. They just came along - three hanks. Im thinking LACE shawl! (ok, I know it is weird, but it could be a Scribbled lace shawl, you know, mix with thinner yarn? I will think about it. Ahhh! Yummy! Ann is a weaving artist, and handpaints her yarn... and she inspired to the first Cornelia Hamilton Noro book to a shawl. What a fantastic sweet lady. Not only have I worked with her dear husband, and son, but she has been around for such a long time (you know survived the time "before" the knitting craze picked up again here).. We had a boom in Sweden in the 80's as well, that was just crazy. Everyone knitted everywhere! Now it is more moderate. OK, do you think my yarncraze have stopped here? No. That is why I think joining Stash Down is counter-productive. I "have" to buy some yarn..... So, when I do, I do. So I have ordered Jamieson & Smith Woolbroker like there is no tomorrow. Of course the main reason is the fab fantastic Starmore pattern, and the great and rare booklet "SC=Scottish Collection" that I got as a fantastic gift by my dear friend Sue). Anyhow, there is no excuse. I can blame this first two yarn-crazes on my recent 3 day visit to Budapest... and the public transport was on a strike - which put everyone into panic, and that you had to try and go to the airport 4 hours before. Well...everyone was so hysteric, the city was empty, and I saw a huge amount of empty cabs just waiting... so - I missed the last day of the conference, and spend it in an airport. I truley deserved 37 hanks of yarn. End of discussion. Anyhow, back to the Starmore and SC patterns. So I have in addition to my yarn-flashing of Luskentyre and Cold Duck also ordered Catriona - and the yarn and some extras just came in the mail. So great! I love it. And dinally the colour shars. Oh, they sure have fantastic yarn! I strongly recommend them for anyone that like quality yarn! And the colour choice is fantastic. Ok. The truth is. I have 33 unfinished or should I say "ongoing" projects. It is time to do something. So, even if it is "stash up" time instead of down (hey, now - really I will ONLY buy yarn when I go to Seattle... Vancouver in July ;-) but, I should get knitting. At least I got somewhere on the Birch shawl. Anyhow, for you sailing-crazy, you could follow us tomorrow. We will be masting. Our sailboat is the only one (this weekend) on our bridge. (the left bridge) Here is the link to the webcam. Then you need to go and click on "more pictures" = mer bilder in the bottom. In the mid row, furthest to the left (or if you count left to right top to bottom it is picture 5´) You can click on the picture to enlarge it... And since it is a web-cam, you might see us putting the mast on, right there! Spring is here! Enjoy... Attjo (sneeze!)

FO Maya Vest & some stash, and Birch-Shawl

One of my fav yarns. Debbie Bliss "Maya". The last 4 hanks in a shop (in the world?): Found at Görg und Görg at Annastrasse in Aachen. I snatched them like the yarnvulture I am. And I knitted a cabled vest... Pattern is really my own, where I twisted those cables around 1,2,3 times..and it is just a bit to small. I got the neck and the cables as I wanted, but just a tiny bit longer would have been fab. But this is exactly as I have viewed it, with a white blouse underneath. And sorry... it is still unblocked, so a wash and block would make it a bit more even... But! I "have to" show you right? I hear you want STASH! and Sailing boat okok.. we were good last weekend, were it felt like SPRING was here. The sun was shining (and yes, I was BACK LAST week from my pneumonia, the worst was during Easter... So, Im fine! Just still a bit "spring tired"). And - that might be Im knitting all night (and planning sweaters in Raverly) instead of sleeping... back to Last weekend, where we did fix the sailboat. Now it is only that last coat of paint before it goes in the deep. And this week it did snow again. And some chilly wet weather, making me really anti-everything. Anyhow, for you dear Sue: Here comes Jamison & Smith Woolbrokers fab balls in endless of colours. First picture being Luskentyre (Starmore from Scottish Collection). It is slow, and all the colours (almost) are not appealing to me... but I think the mix will move me into a new realm. The yarn is very much carded quality spun yarn. But fast? 2purl with colour Q and 2 purl with colour N I do not think so. But, that never stopped me. Ok, so a better look is on the J&S Wb: Cold Duck Cardigan, which I bought all the yarn from. Much more my colours at the first glance. Also Starmore from SC. Well, while I was at it I also plunged into some greens from J&S.... Just good to have colours. No real plan, but will probably be an alternate Starmore colouring. Who knows? In the middle the discountinued "peach". So interesting. Loving it - but it is a virus, so go through all different patterns and planning yarn. Makes me crazy. Thanks I have support from the best.... Scanned colour cards from the original. you cannot go wrong there. Mommy dearest sent me the two hanks of turqoise for my Poetry cardigan. Now I do not have to change colours. It will be perfect. Thank you! So I have just passed the neck-opening.. But friend of everything... I have feeling guilty of not finishing my gift to my aunt - A birch shawl. So I have knitted on that this week. But I wait to publish that blob.

Yarn and knitting thoughts and some OT

It is a horrid picture of me. But that captures how I feel. Pneumonia and antibiotics. Away from the work, and back - now all is delayed. I really tried to conquer my hate to formal methods in research by at least attempting the course on program analysis (you know fix-point theory and such).. sounds great, but as my lovely supportive husband puts it... even my brain get an allergy reaction to it. Well, it is typical me. I attempt what is harderst for me, instead of just using my skills. And - in a whif - it is spring - meaning. Sailingboat must be uncovered, cleaned and painted - garden must get rid of old stuff, and appletrees pruned.. And now! Weed before it is too late. So, what to do when the world is "crumbling down"? Easy answer! Knit! So Im floating on my lovely Poetry of Stitches - Wedding cardigan... reaching the neck - or should it be a bit longer? Wipping away on the Birch-scarf for Aunt Viola, and my socks yah, they are not my fav. I must visit the frogpond, and I hate it. Plus side is: My bald boss I knitted hats for - actually bought me a load of Lindt 85% Choclate. Yummy. An act of hope. Another one is Internet. I sure have ordered yarn! and books. So Stahmans Shawlbook, and Debbie New's Unexpected Knitting finally landed in the overfilled Knitting library. And I and Jamieson & Smith Woolbrokers have started a love-affair. I have already ordered 3 sweaters for that great Alice Starmore book I recieved - Scottish Collection, which is such a gem. Luskentyre already casted on. Cold Duck cardigan and Catriona on its way. Then I decided to go more for my own yarn-mixes. So - you see - when I talk about yarn my brain works fine! It also sounded promising that my dear mom chased down more yarn from Gunga Din, to finish the wedding cardigan...So dear bloggers. Sorry for skipping a weekend. I will be back with a vengance... and lots of pictures! And - yeah I do spin. I just have not spun for awhile. I just have soo much to knit. But this looks really good. So there is hope! Lots of hope!

Old FO's Faroese shawl and Twinni gloves and set!

This is the first gloves I knitted in the danish yarn Twinni (Marianne Ishager) it was on needles size 2mm. Improved pattern. Golden rings around the fingers, and ready made red nails. Lace eding. I have done many hats before, so this was done with the rest of the yarn. I do not know why I never attempted gloves before, since it is really not that difficult. I guess I just did sweaters mainly. Anyhow, this was a rather fun project, that made me convert into tiny needles. Unfortunately I found them a bit chewed on by some bugs, so I have mended them. Not too bad though, but since I had not many cm yarn left, it was a bit of a challenge.Holding an easter egg done in the 90s in stoneware (by me). It is really a box. It has some goldplating on top, and since we played with the photo this easter, I thought it was fitting to wish you a good remainder of Easter with it. And unfortenately - not filled with candy! In the Background are my Hoyacollection now infested with bugs (sköldlöss!) Pyretheum - best cure, but still a lot of work. Anyhow. I promised I show my Faroese shawl. It is also an "old" Finished Object. Done in Snaeldan yarn from Faroe-islands (and Falkland-islands! - to get the best Quality!) That is what I call an Island mix. Knitted on a course for Osva Olsen. So dear Stickigt, At least I have one entry in the Faroese KAL. Now it is time for the second one! But just too many WIP's to finish first. A lot of knitting photos can be found in Flickr - see garngamen! But mostly you find me in Ravelry! The knitting community where we all want to be.

Progress: Wedding Cardigan . my poetry babe!

Poetry in Stiches - Wedding Cardigan. My easter joy! The pattern in the swedish book is of course incomplete (when to start sleeve steeks?) but Im guesstimating until someone tells me facts. With sidelight, every uneveness shows. And Im running out of yarn. The winter is strong in Sweden, and I knit and get served great healthy dinners and T by my beloved. And Im still sounding horse (hi, America Idol 2009!) Im knitting my easter away, watching old movies and Shaun the Sheep. It is so great.
Found bugs on my Hoya. Now they need all need treatment.
Happy Easter blog readers.

FO- Julsjal - It is winter again! Huh?

Finally I finished my Christmas Calender Shawl. It is Johanna's little christmas booklet, that had you tear open a page at the time with a new pattern every day. Started to the Christmas 2006, and finally I mustered up energy to finish it. I felt it was going to be spring... so I really thought it was bad, but what do you know, not only do I have a really bad cold (caught on the way home from Gran Canaria) that my poor father-in-law is also suffering from! But it is Winter again, so this Drops Alpaca 3 skein shawl can be used immediately. Still not washed, but displayed in the snow which cover the current snowy landscape. Well, I like Johanna, but the pattern were a bit cumbersome written. Could be much more.
This is just hysterical spring weather, with snow one minute and sun the next. It will melt, but this particular winter has been bare. I would not call it green, but really dark and greay. Now it is light outside. White and Cold!Unfortunately, the grand plan of cleaning up the garden in Easter seems to change into a knitting period. And get well. The origin is that someone put broth made of shrimpshells in the sauce of the GC favourite resturant. I god slowly poisened- and I mistook it as sun allergy... Of course the immune system has been busy- reacting to everything, and my hole body swollen and itchy. Lightbulb moment the other day when I realized that some allergy pills will do the trick. So, Im soo much better. Now it is just a really bad cold. Well, do not feel sorry for me, I do not. I have really been in the sofa, under some blanket and tapped away on the computer. Nice to have a little break and update the blog here. Well, since GC, I have also been on a healthy streak, freeking out on fruitdrinks. Banana, orange, melon and a stalk of celery. Some pomegranade seeds (granatäpple) to top it. Yum. No cold can survive that.

Gran Canaria

A room with a view. The Atlantic, in perfect temperature, a Hotel by the beach, with sunny salty waves rolling in. A cool pool, calm. Too much good food. A great soft knitting experience. Lorna's Lace Lamb and Lion Multi in great colours. Hey, what else could one want for a week? The very empty beaches and a loving family all around. Mom, hubby and his parents. And me and the knitting. Just perfect. Except, yawn... I really got so relaxed I only knitted through a little piece of all that was planned. So, what does a knitter pack for a 5 hour flight (times 2) and 6 full days of leasure? Here you have my personal ambition vs reality: First day - transfer... from cold to paradise! I knitted on the Hydrangea sock all the way down on the flight. Still on heel... fell asleep on the plane..
Day 1. Started ambitiously on the Gran Canaria Pool top in Lorna's lace. Plan: Knit from top down in sneakily elastic (k2, p1) and then k4, p1, Just cast off for arm, and then cast on. Ok, the first 200 yards done in a day (according to plan). Tried it on. Too small. Had to rip half of it out, redo to larger sleeve-hole. Pool is great. Long walks! Here by Bouganville in my Ballerina (Loop-d-Loop) and yes, I do use my knitting ;-) It is so nice, you can see my super pale starts to rouge nicely. Sunscreen. Sunfactor 20.... Oops. missed a spot.

Day 2. Reknitted sleeve-hole and started on new ball ;-) Realize this is crap - too small. Swimmed in sea instead.
Day 3. Started from bottom. New ball (why ripp it, it looks great ;-) knitted half the ball. Added lace - after all - it is Lorna's Lace (hihi)... MMM.. sleeping in the sun makes you dizzy. More seadipping. Great sunbead in the shade. Great service. Ahh. Calamares. Un cerveza, por favore. Nein, we sind nicht Deutch. Danke. Grazie.

Day 4. Finishing one ball. Ahh. Sunshine. Swim. Walks.... Work? Say what? That great resturant again? sure!

Day 5. Half way through second ball. Ahh. Sunshine. Burns, more sunscreen... But what a great pattern a fantastic yarn. Full, soft, and real pool colours. I love it. Lace. Ahh. and hidden elastic. In my size. Yummy!

Day 6. Last day. Really bade that great sea. Wave-machine for real is fab. Ok, I knit a bit....

Day 7 Going home: Finish ball on and start on ball 3 on plane (of 4). Still have not ripped the first attempt.

Day 8. Unpack the following with a sigh. The not finish Gran Canaria top - but could have if I did not mess up the first two days! Now another UFO in my pile. Realizing that the great pic by the pool is not for the public. Hydrangeasock just got a bit knitted. But more: My ambition was: The Dominosocks in Nickerjack yarn for the March Sock Kal. Finish the Hydrangea sock. Start the Birch shawl for Viola and - I also have one great ball of Artyarns in matching colours to the Gran Canaria top, that would have been sleeves..... Im back! But ohhh what a holiday. Get this one! Almost empty beach. Ohh, I forgot. The pool. Since the pic of Mary (the contrary one...;-) I have this image of the pool on my retina. Etsed in. Like this... This is the evening shot. Still warm wind in breezing. The soft cotton cardi is great. It is still warm.. the pool is soft. The colours are fab. Ohh, Lorna Lace - be ready for this. When will we meet again?
But strangely enough, Work was fun today. The bed was softer and nice than in a long time. Without the roaring sea rolling it was so quiet that we heard the first spring birds singing with the early light. And I love my life. So what I didn't knit. There is always time. Captured in a top. The Gran Canaria top is tip-top!

FO - Sticka (HW's) False Cable sock

So Helen's masterpiece (available at Sticka's homepage for free patterns - in Swedish....) and the February Sock in Sticka Mera's Sock-klubb. I must say, a genious pattern! The super-elastic false cables are over 4 rows, and so fast it grows quickly. Very comfy and well written pattern, which I followed exactly (hmm, except I added extra stitch in two, before decrease... anyhow. This one is worth a second pair. The yarn gave me a blister, but I have knitted like a maniac every evening (almost). It went like this. Cast on and rib 30minutes. The first 12 cable rows until heel started 3 hours (with full concentration - 5 hours when watching exiting TV, like Scrubs, and Cold Case and the Cronicles of R...)
A heel was one way to Västerås (1 hour) and knitting gusset, the way back (including dinner on train).. the foot one night (with distractions) and the toe the next. And do it all over again ;-) Except, I have to add one extra hour getting the yarnmess (after travelling unprotected in my handbag) into a ball again. The yarn is Grignasco Champange. 70% silk and 30 % extra fine merino. Made in Italy. And a scrumptious yarn. Soft and durable. Im already in love with these socks. And tomorrow is the exiting Yarn-festival, and Sticka's yearly meeting, with Osva, the Faroese Shawl teacher/native speaking. What a treat. This year I will chase yarn for my US friend.... Swedish yarn, great quality! Hope I find some in just her colours!

FO- Jaywalker socks

In Regia - Kaffe Fasset Line, the classic Jaywalker socks are knitted. Simple, yet effective. I did a stronger heel, but followed the pattern to the letter. Even if I tried hard to avoid the second sock syndrome, by knitting them at the same time on two dpnds set. One set (of 5) was conveniend 15 cm and the other set 20 cm. Ok. 15cm is soo much easier to knit on. But that foot was slow. Somehow, 10 years warranty on yarn is fantastic, but I notice I just my ring-finger in a weird way, and really get a soar finger with this yarn. Not too good. Colours are great. Anyhow, The SC (scottich Collection) made my yarndiet totally bust. And when you are bust you are. So I ordered 2 sweaters (Cold Duck cardigan and Luskentyre) from J&S. Then today I spent (husbands) money on 3 hanks a 140 SEK on Manos del Uruguay. "Almost" the same as my Debbie Bliss Maya. Reason is Im running out of yarn for my vest.. And the Eskimo I bought in Uppsala will definitely look a bit odd if used otherwise than edging. Anyhow. I immediately have started the Helene Sticka's fake cable sock pattern. In Silver! I have just started, but I like old gal (from the 40s)... Most proud am I for cleaning my "ceramics" cellar. I think it is the first time (maybe second) this garbage collector has been really clean. One reason is we moved down the kitchen cabinets (hubby is soo good tearing them down), and that makes it so orderly. I even put out a carpet! That is an improvement. Otherwise Im thinking why my enourmus amount of Lavender does not do its job in the yarn room. Last night I found one small moth hitting the lamp. I saw it for a second - and gone. Now moth-paranoia started. Just bought the DVD's Shaun the sheep. So, we are really having "life is a treat". Bleet!

From Colour choice panic to a fantastic gift!

It is obvious my progress of the Poetry of Stiches (Dikt i maskor) is slow. But glass beads in place. Now - here is the catch. Neither of the two planned yarn will be enough (the one on very left or very right) but the middle hank is an angora, that is "almost" as the one on the left.. Instincts tell me that the pattern is busy enough without adding an extra colour. My original plan was darker body, lighter sleeves. but now Im backing out of that (for no good reason).. I wonder how much difference the angora does (and don't you dear say the word swatch). Help, I plead help. I have also thought, maybe this slight turqoise teint is taking the pattern a bit off. Should I go for new light blue? when I looked at it it just feel a bit boring. I do not know why. I like light blue. I guess I have been set so long on this colourscheme, it is a miracle if I would change. I of course went through stash, and somehow the only (!) feasible alternative was lavender lilac... and - no, that is too much of a change. Somehow, I like this combo. Please help me? Meanwhile I can show you some real progress... Jaywalker... come on, I must get started (and finish) the Sticka lace socka before Februarys end. At least I have turned the heal, and made the gusset on one of them, and it feels Im turning the corner to reach the finish. Some good knitting today. It is Kaffe Fasset Regia Line (yarn) if you are curious. This is a great story, and I met the grandson of the founder of Regia (which had a different namen in the 40s in Germany during the war). He was proud, and - he is one of my work collegues. Small world, hey? He also pointed out that the yarn is durable, and this has a 10 year (!) garantuee!
WOW is it stainless steel? no just kidding. But I agree, you can feel it when knitting. Not a knot, and very many tightly spun threads. Yes, Jaywalker is a great pattern, but pattern was not as easy to read around the heel. But I know what the aim was, so I got something...Anyhow, I guess this is not all items Im doing progress on. For example, I have a half hour I spend on my "christmas calender Shawl" from Advent 2006... Im at least finishing day 15... slowly. but getting there. It is long and heavy already. But I have noticed, the very dark green will be super-difficult to get a good picture on - with all details and pattern. Anyhow, it is still intresting enough. My last item here is the Maya vest. I really want to wear it. Im too hot for a big sweater, and too cold with none. This would be perfect. It starts with a simple cross, But Im making it more and more crossing the higher I go.... so - cable me down. The Faboulus fantastic great super gift that arrived is from my friend Sue from Virginia. A great person I met in Ravelry (where I spend too much time in all 115 knitting groups). She had found Starmore's et al's The Scottish collection and sent it to me. It is like the collectible item I have really search for. Im just so happy about it, I almost break out in tears when I think of her generosity. So now Im putting together a big surprise for her. I mean, some things just hit the right spot. What a Valentines gift. Wow. that is all I have to say. Wow. So, now, I really want to knit.... and husband is already out tearing down the kitchen cabinets. Great with sundays!

Standstill or just VERY much on my mind...

What a day, what a week. It feels like I have irritated everyone around me. And Im a bit frustrated as well. I was so planning to present Jaywalker socks, and a new slipover.. with my own cabled pattern. And instead I have But this weekend we have been totally crazy, trying to book a trip to Gran Canaria with mom, mother and father in law, dearest husband and me. And we were on our way to nothingness before we succeed in this fantastic trip. Wow, how fab. I will knit and hopefully see sunshine. And get a dip in the pool. But there is really no excuse. We have just being cleaning, trying to get my life, goals and jobs in order. And renovation. It is not that I have not been knitting. It it the fact I do a bit about every knit. Im reaching the heel-flap on both my Jaywalker socks. I have still one upper half of the vest to go (but it is growing), and then there is the christmas shawl, that i knitted one more ball (almost) of - meaning, only one ball left = 1/3 scarf. Finally... Im slowly, like sipping great wine, knitting on my stranded Wedding cardigan with beads of Poetry of stiches, by Solveig Hisdahl. Another great thing, is that I freaked out on books: I have now the following fab books in my Starmore collection:

22 Aran Sweaters for Men, Tudor Rose, Celtic Design, Pacific Coast, Fair-Isle, Fishermans sweaters, American Portraits, Scandinavian Knitwear, Designs from British Isle -- Lovely!

And I have also got a lot of Danish design-books, Isagers "Inspired from" series: Inka, Japan (added to Knitting out of Africa and Strikk) among other gems. Im truley blessed - having found Amazon! Also, I have placed a huge order on Japanese and other asian knitting books and magazines. Im feeling my knitting library and stash looks really good. And with all cleaning, this place is starting to shape up. No winter this year. I wonder if it will be an early spring, meaning high time to get out in the garden and start the pruning.

No FO. 2ManyKAL!

I love Shaun the Sheep. I rather watch every 7 minute session on You Tube than knit. That must be the most smart program after Scrubs. I have no FO's. I think the reason is I was too ambitious. Im now on Jaywalker (for one KAL) and then Sticka's socka is next. Also trying to work on the Christmas calender scarf, the Wedding Cardigan, the cabled west.. and hopefully cast on some mittens before month end. Im thrilled I have readers. My mom confessed she printed my entire blog, and read it all. Now, this entry is so coded mum, you MUST google it ;-) Im here. I will present. Meanwhile. What Shaun on You Tube and tell me. What is the best scene? How to pass a cat blocking the door is great! Painting sheep on windows haha...

My ears are RED....

No, my ears are red, is NOT due to the cold winter weather (it is surprisingly warm now) but to the fact that this blog have been nominated to "you make my day" at dear Millie's blog Stiches and Stories. Well, I think it is amazing that someone across the world even find me. Yet alone apprechiating my "broken" english/american... But it is encouraging, that I have an audience. Having trouble living up to this fantastic grace Im diving into my knits again. That is humbling. This is the current focus: Poetry of Stiches (Dikt i maskor) by Solveig Hisdahl. This is the Wedding Cardigan. But Im not using the kit, Im such a good girl taking the yarn from Stash (bought at Gunga Din) which I very much suspect is Kampes (!) yarn and beads from Indian market... Also, the lighter burgundy (not the purple) is a gift from Zoë in the tea cup swap - Jamieson Shetland spindrift. To this I have also added one strand of yellow silk (you will see...). The main problem with this is: The pattern calles for 30x34 and I have 20x ? (!!!) as gauge. Really something to laborate with. But it makes it easier to "fit" it to my size. Since the biggest complaint is that it is fjord-climing Norweigian models that Hisdahl is knitting for - meaning small and medium. She never met a full size women poor thing. Having also "nagged" at Oleana - who has the greatest patterns, but carries Max XL and only very rarely... Well, It is an experience, since the sweater is a completely different experience, when all patterns is enlarged. So Im knitting "small" and it will become a great XXXL. Well, I have started to exercise, but it is not even close shrinking. I think people who knit a lot - that are mini's that is another thing. But It is really a "third" more sweater on us. Anyhow, when it becomes too much "pattern", I swiftly jump over to a free-knit. Cable- vest done in Debbie Bliss Maya yarn. Quick and easy, but fun with just experimenting with cabling. Very similar to Braid from Rowan..this square lattice... But Im knitting it from the back-side. It is really great actually. It creeps up on me this "I must do things in a certain order" why did I sing up for all this? Two Sock KAL's and one Mitten KAL, and the Sweater a month KAL is ticking. I will so not live up to it all. But - knitting is fun, so keep them jamming! It is obviously the Sticka-sock who is February. And Jaywalker sock.. and then we have some great Cable mittens (in finish!)... Ohlala! BTW. Brother tells me it was Sandviken and not Gävle he had his exhibition, and it does not matter now, it is already back in storage. Sigh...Pictures, I say PICTURES! Im also in the "Knit a MILE" KAL for January - I will not make it. Im just reaching 900 meters... And then "Finish UFO's in February".. well yah, that is i feable attempt to at least finish ONE of all of them. Pressure! Now, I really must knit some more.
Love to you all my knitting - blogging friends!