Monday 31 December 2012

Happy New Yarn

The knitted 2012: My finished projects.
Or it should be: Happy New Year to all of you. I so appreciate all your comments, all your advices and that you even read my blog. I have never thought it should be this fun to share my creative life.

When I saw how much I have knitted in 2012 I took the time to make a mosaic from it. I do not dare to count the meters of yarn used. Nor do I dare put it on the weight. Because, joy can not be measured. The delight feeling of starting a project, casting on and see the garment grow can not be numbered.

I count my blessings - they are all free. They are all the light and fun in my life. Thank you for taking part in that.

I hope you have a lovely start on your new year. With a lot of blessings and creative moments.

Thursday 27 December 2012

One Of Those Projects


When I first saw the pattern for this sweater I thought it was just me. After knitting it I realized it was not me. I found it too small and the stripes does not do me justice...

UGH, just not me...
When Rauma visited my local LYS I tried their model. The only problem was that I was told the model was in size M when it really was in size L.

So I knitted it too small and there is nothing worse than a woolen sweater that is too tight. It gets too warm and uncomfortable to wear.

I was supposed to knit a hood for it. But I did not bother doing that. I do not think I am going to wear this much.

I will try and find someone else who looks better in it and would like to wear it.

It is not often I knit something that comes out in a wrong fit. But I manage to finish it after realizing that.

And I learned something: Always check the pattern and the sizes....

But the yarn is so lovely, and I believe it would be a very lovely sweater to wear.

The Stitch Story
Yarn: Rauma Mitu
Needles: 3.5mm, 4mm
Pattern: Fana genser
My Ravelry Page: Fana In The Hood

Saturday 22 December 2012

Winter Is Back

- I said: LET ME INSIDE - NOOOOOOW!!!!
Just to assure you - Gismo is inside cuddling up in the sofa... This is how he expressed himself when I opened a window. Who says that a cat has no personality - he sure tell me what he means. In this own way.

Only one week after the blizzard - it seems to have returned. Snow and storm is sure keeping the knitting needles warm. And with my cat besides me I must say that every thing is ok just now.

I wish all of you a blessed christmas. Take care of your self - and spent time just breathing.

Friday 21 December 2012

Something For A Cowl Girl

Nothing is like knitting something in a few hours. Working on long term projects is very satisfying. At least when they are finished - but those short ones sort of keep the long projects going.

And they keep me motivated. I knitted two cowls in two days. I discovered the pattern when I saw Meretes cowl on her blog. She had found it online - and had knitted one up very fast.

I was in need of an instant project and rushed to my LYS to get some of that yarn. The cowls are so soft and warm. And so nice wearing. The yarn Eskimo is ok but it grows a lot when washed. For this project it sort of works.

Good to put under the jacket - and under one of my scarves... In that case I can use several of my knitted garments - and have some very good explanations about why I knit so many of them.

Anyway, if you are in desperate need of an instant cowl you can check out The Purl Bee where the pattern is free.

The Stitch Story
Yarn: Garnstudio Drops Eskimo (used 1.5 skeins of each color)
Needles: 9mm
Pattern: Garter Gaiter


Tuesday 18 December 2012

The Final Finish

The gift is finally complete. I knitted a dress and a hat for a little girl for christmas. To make the gift personal - not that it is personal to get something hand made - I ordered some personalized buttons and a tote bag with the name on. 

The dress and hat is going into the tote bag and then gift wrapped. I have a lot of fun finding those small but significant things that makes a present stand out even more.

Just wanted to show you these little things. And of course share where you can find them. I found out about the buttons on another blog. What would we do with out internet?

The tote bag is to be found in Hannah Stevens Etsy shop. If you need some buttons too, you visit a shop in Hong Kong - also on Etsy. You find Yukis shop here.

So there you are - some little items I am sure every one will love. At least I do....
Personalized buttons is a nice addition to any outfit.

Saturday 15 December 2012

Just Winter

Adviced to stay inside - but there were no way of getting out either....
The weather forecast told every one to stay inside today. During the night a lot of snow, along with some strong wind, sort of stopped my part of the country.

Quite beautiful in winter wonderland.
But hey, I have my knitting, my coffee and no reason to complain. This is how it looked this morning. And now the rain is pouring down....
Oh, where did i put that snow shuffle....

Friday 14 December 2012

What I Prefer

Or should I say Work In Progress? My cat prefer to step on them - I thought I should get things done and let my cat prepare for the snow storm that are supposed to hit us this evening.

After all it is christmas soon and time to wish for new works in progress.

Photo from pamphlet.
For some reason there are always some of them lying around for quite a while.

As this Fana sweater. I must admit, it is a really boring knit.

And when the pattern was way off and I had to unravel the first sleeve - I had to convince my self that it is always a good idea to finish a project.

So now I have finished the first sleeve. I dropped the patterns directions and it was a very good idea.

I did not decrease after knitting the rib, and increased stitches evenly until I knitted the star pattern. Also a good idea to go up 0.5mm in needle size - or the sleeves gets too narrow.

In addition to this project I have a couple of shawls, a cowl and a scarf on my needles. Need I say more??


The Stitch Story
Yarn: Rauma Mitu
Needles: 3.4mm, 4mm
Pattern: Fana Genser
My Ravelry Page: Fana In The Hood

Wednesday 5 December 2012

A Gifted Dress


Well, it is soon christmas and every norwegian are supposed to use 10.000 norwegian kroner (about $1.800) on gifts, food and a lot of other things.

I have spent a lot of hours and some money on yarn for a baby dress and a hat to go with it. I prefer to think that handmade gifts are much better and the quality is very special. In fact, things that comes from the heart are priceless.

But, I always wonder why handmade gifts so often are accompanied with department store gifts.

We tend to create lovely things and then run off to the shop to buy one more thing. As if our handmade things are not good enough. I have done it myself a lot of times - and it is rather strange.

So back to that dress. It is knitted from the norwegian knitting book Strikk til nøstebarn. Knitted with double yarn it knits up faster than I thought.

I had to choose some rather neutral colors to be sure. But I took it out on the buttons. They made the dress stand out in spite of the color.

I knitted a little hat to go with it. I have ordered a tote with the name of the child on, to put it all in. I will show it off when it arrives. I really hope it will be used a lot.

So, what do you think? Should I run off to a store and buy some department store thing in addition? I think I will give this away thinking I have knitted my time, love and patience into it. And what more could I give?

The Stitch Story
Yarn: Sandnes garn Lanett held double
Needles: 4mm
Pattern for dress: Hel dress i dobbelt 2-tråds garn
Pattern for hat: Norwegian Sweet Baby Cap (also in english)
My Ravelry Page: Dress For A Girl