Win win win

1) Musikhjälpen got 110 kronor
2) I do not have a hat that will fill my drawer and never be used
and I hope that
3) Klara in the south of Sweden will enjoy my FO for November - the OS inspired hat.

Support to Musikhjälpen, #mh14

On sale to support "Musikhjälpen 2014".

I knew half way that it was going to be too big. Why stop and redo???? I know I have a small head.

This was my UFO for November (started in 2010). It is the "OS mössa", the hat that the Swedish skiing team had that Olympic, but in different colors.

Anyway it's out for sale to support Musikhjälpen in their work raising money to stop HIV.
The auction is currently on 1 SEK so I hope for more :-)

First Christmas ball

I bought the book at a sales in a books store this summer and additional yarn at Syfestivalen in October.
I started with No 1 and it is now completed and also wrapped and given away. We gathered parts of the family for "Little Christmas" Saturday.
One gift each in a bag and then you walk home with another present.


I promised to knit me daughter another one (she actually gave me a list of 4 different models)

Note to self

Don't leave knitting on the floor.
Don' step on it.

New knitalong - cardigan

I just signed up for this knit-along.

http://stickameraskoftkal.blogspot.se/

Lila sweater completed - soft and cozy

I bought the yarn in Berlin and it was very soft and nice to knit with. I made Lila and the model is a bit "baggy" in the sides (maybe because I haven't blocked it).
I increased the length both of the body and the sleeves with approx. 3 cm/1 inch.

I think this will be a new favorite for the coming winter!

Requirement from a designer

I want you to knit this for me!

Designed by N, an original.

My eldest daughter N (age 7) explained that she wanted a new cardigan with stars, hearts and moons.

I guess it's just for me to find the yarn and the time to knit this :-)

Tiger girls!

I've made us all tiger socks!

I know I need to learn to-up and also not to be too optimistic that 2 skeins is sufficient (it's not). I still like my socks even with the yellow toes. I've moved in and change to them the first thing at home.

Syfestivalen Saturday

I went with friends to Syfestivalen in Älvsjö and had a great day. We looked at a lot of things, met familiar knitting friends and new faces.

The ambition was not to buy one skein of all the nice yarn but to have a plan for the investments. I almost succeeded.

I bought:

• Rauma finull (white, red and green) to make Christmas decorations ( I have the book by Carlos and Arne).
• Their book to make dolls and clothing.
• Isagers Highland wool to make Daffodil.
• Fiber (in color) now I need to start spinning before I buy more
• Band for lining and just because they are pretty
• Stich markers (because they are pretty)

FO October

In the monthly challenge to finish a UFO I pulled out a bought sweater that I had started to fix after a hole appeared on an elbow.

Restart and a few hours with orange/pink yarn, a crochet book and a hook and I made something to cover the stiches.

I like the red color and now the sweater will last at least this season.

My first own yarn.....

A day of inspiration and a long for yarn in grey and in wool (maybe even itchy).

 

Erika and Helene held a great course today about wool, spinning and knitting lace.

 

Here is the first result of my own yarn. I have always been afraid of spinning and for a good reason. It was fun. I look at my yarn stash and wonder how I should be able to expand it and also explain the need for wool to make own yarn.

 

 

 

Shopping in Berlin

I searched some yarn stores but then decided to let my friends decide the agenda for the trip. Luckily we passed LaLaine and I have now as part of the shopping result some Lang Yak yarn to make a Lila.

Weekend in Berlin

I'm on a weekend trip to Berlin.  Today we had 20C and my Zilver shawl in yak grew while I enjoyd the sun and a beer.

Skansen - Ull & lindagar 2014

Today I took the girls to Skansen. Wool and flax/linen days was on the agenda but of cause also to visit a "Sven". (if you have seen the movie Frost you know that it's a rein deer).

Apart from that it rained in the afternoon we had a great day. We followed the process of wool from the sheep to duying yarn and the kid´s were allowed try the carding comb.

We spent most time with the animals and this time we were lucky to see wolf, seal, bear, wild boar, lynx (that is rare - this time 4 of them) and rein deer and a long list of other.

Great day but not a stich in the whole day!

Bute - a story of my summer project, now completed and delivered

Bute. A great cardigan pattern. It started last winter when I decided to knit a cardigan to my dad for his 75 year old birthday in June this year. I looked for hours in my magazines and on Ravelry and finally decided that I wanted to knit Bute.

My dad is a typical "navy blue cardigan but I thought (hoped) he would like it.
At Syfestivalen in February I found the yarn at Wincent's, it was Rowans Amy Butler Belle Organic DK on sale. The yarn felt very soft and is 50% wool and 50% cotton.

During the Spring so many other things happened., at work, with the family and also with finding other more "fun" projects (for me!). The idea to give away the swatch and a note that more will come felt like a good solution in June. Came the summer vacation and celebration plans were changed to meet my dad last weekend at Gotland instead. Vacation period and Bute was my first priority (knittingwise...). I made the size 2XL just to be sure

The pattern calls for making the body separate but I decided to make it in the round and steek. This (still) feels a bit risky with a wool/cotton mix but counting the number of threads to be woven in made it an easy decision to try.

I made the first sleeve on dpns but the second one back straight. The patterns isn't that bad with fair isle on the wrong sides. I think it is one row out of 6. With the yarn a bit "slippery" I didn't get the changing of colors neat but gaps showed. Most of them was possible to correct. I think the second sleeve also went faster with one circular needle.

I tied knots on the body  and then took out the sewing machine, 3 times for each side.



The cardigan was completed the night before the plane left for Gotland (you can survive with little sleep for some days).









More news at arrival The pattern calls for 54 cm long sleeves. That is a lot and as it turned out - too much, far too much. So I had my second part of the project, shortening the sleeves.


I put all the stiches back to the circular needle, cut out the part and knitted a new cuff. As the picture shows I removed more than 10 cm.

I have now a happy dad in a new cardigan and I'm pleased and proud to have completed this project in 6 weeks.

Left to do is to put in a zipper and a band to cover the edges after the steek.

Surry Hill - new summer knitting

26C at 7 in the morning. A swedish summer day at its best ahead.
I finally start on the Surry Hill Cardigan. THE cardigan to knit right now.

Ice Coffee

Knitting on the second sleeve for Bute in the shadow and drinking ice coffee.

Luxury knitting basket

I have a few baskets for yarn and my knitting project. Most of them handpainted by my Mother.  She used to do a lot of differtent type of arts and  crafts.
It is almost 19 years since she passed away. Using this basket on the island for summer projects and I feel that she is near me and my work.
The project in the basket is the Bute cardigan. One sleeve to go, then it is time to sew and cut.  It will be interesting in a cotton wool mixed yarn....

Emelie completed

It fits fine and I'm happy with the result.

Using my mobile and we are not at all in agreement jow to publish post.

Vacation!

New project for my vacation. Bute from Rowan in 2XL....

I love my view.

May knitting

I started Praline around Easter in April and I think I've send most of May knitting on it. I've completed the body and only have the border left to complete. I still need to buy buttons.

Lovely yarn, very nice pattern, gorgeous color. Just hope it will fit as I imagine.

The only other knitting was my UFO for May, a pair of legwarmers for my oldest daughter. I made in some old sock yarn from my stash in a cotton blend.

UFO May - Leg warmers

I promised my 7-year old a pair of leg warmers (some time ago). Other projects turned out to be far more interesting and this was put in a bag.With my new needles I hope to finish them during May.

FO April - mittens to my 7 year old

I managed to complete the mittens. The warm weather came and made the project halt but this morning we had snow in the garden. There might be time and occations to use them before the summer.
Tha pattern was easy ut the yarn is not really my favorite. It splits if I make a mistake and need to go back.

Split pee

It has arrived. My present for myself from the US.
It made it to the postal office and I collected it yesterday.
It is 9 skeins of Chikadee in the color Split pee. I also bought the color chart if (when) I decide to buy more yarn. Current plan is to make a Heathered, but it might change. (A pointed out the best pink color!)

Feels like a lovely yarn and I want to start knitting right away.

It is now very difficult to be faithful. I have already put Emelie in a bag and there is a risk that Praline goes the same way. I better not swatch just yet.

Bella, now completed

During the winter break we went swimming uin Uppsala and I got 5 minutes at Yll & Tyll and grabbed Lene's book.
The first project I made was Bella. I knitted from my stash using Muskat soft. I alterbated two skeins on the sleeves to make the stripes look almost as the body.

I would like to make more of the Bella cardigan, next time in one color. Before that on my knitting list for the girsls is the dotted cardigan. Adorable!

I has been used but my 7 year old is not at all keen to support mom with a FO picture.

Praline in Malabrigo sock

I treated myself with 3 skeins of Malabrigo sock (disguised as a birthday present to me) in Terracotta and Praline pattern.

and I'm off........

 

Glad påsk

 

 

Morfarskofta completed

I've finished the cotton striped cardigan.

It was a fast and fun knit. I bought one pink skein to make my soon 4-year old happier. She is entering the pink-era. I was reminded how boring it is to sew in threads. It feels like it takes longer then the knitting. However I'm pleased with the result and A liked it (apart from the green pocket).
Even the buttons are from my stash.