Kris-bel

The Ishbel for my friend Kris is finally done.

M was very helpful during the photo shoot.

I knit this in the small (shawlette/scarf) size. There was not enough yarn left to knit a full repeat of chart A and B to make it bigger. I'm very happy about how it turned out. And actually, the size is perfect.

Christmas 2007 (eek!) I gave Kris a gift card of something hand knitted by me. She requested something chocolate brown, soft and for the neck. I made 3 false attempts and I'm so happy I finally found a pattern and yarn that works together. I'm sure she'll love it as much as I do. At least I hope so.

(There are more photos and better viewed images in my flickr-album, click on the picture on top to go there)
Ravelry project page

Summer is officially here

School's out today! This years teacher gift is done and delivered today.



Blonde, by Pinneguri/The Needle Lady.
Knit in double stranded Klippan by Mora, five pattern repeats.

The house is full of antisipation. All the laundry is done and the big bags are out of the closet, ready to be filled with all our holiday needs and don't-needs. I've mentally packed all my needed knitting, and it's not a small bag. Starting off with Laredo for my brother. Hoping to get it done by his birthday July 15th.

For the next couple of weeks we're going all the way to the very southernmost part of Norway, to the inlaws holiday house. It's been a couple of years since we've been there and I'm looking forward to it so much. Just look...







We'll be going to the lighthouse for ice cream, sunsets and to hear the great wide ocean crash to the shore as often as possible. It's only a 5 minute walk... And I'll find that one spot in the garden where there's no wind and just knit and knit and knit. Internet access is going to be scarse, but hopefully we can get online at least a couple of times while we're there. And if not I'll be back with finished things and pictures to share.

Speaking of finished things, the wrist warmers were just an inbetween project. I've been wizzing through an Ishbel the last week. Only the two last charts to go, and I'm ready to block. I'll be sharing that before I leave.

Pioneer!

Pioneer is finished!



I love it:)
It fits and everything is good (everything but the curling neck line).

Even the blue, that was so overpowering at times when I was knitting it is now just plain gorgeous.



The cables down the arms and back add so much to this sweater.



I got to wear this on Saturday, and got so many compliments on it. I am one happy camper! I've got some other big stuff coming this summer and I now have confidence that I can actually finish projects that require more than three balls of yarn. The big (big?4 mm needles?) help a lot though. I'm already planning more sweaters for me, and another Pioneer for me, in cotton, with the cables slightly different. We'll see when I get around to that.

Ravelry project page
And please remember that you can click on pictures to take you to Flickr to see a larger version. The cables are tiny...

Tuesday blues

Almost finished with the sweater. Browsing around Flickr to remind myself that blue is indeed my favourite colour. I'm getting a bit sick of that very blue sweater now and want something else. I'll keep going though, because this sweater, once it's done, is going to be very, very good! And blue!

THE dress

Finally, I'm able to show you what I worked on for the major period of May. It's quite possible the cutest baby dress I've ever laid my hands on to this day. Maybe... I could be modest here, but I won't be! A lot of thinking (and thinking ahead) went into the making of this dress. Working from a pattern that was not for this day and age, and not for a knitter who likes to have her hand held by the pattern writer. Also, I started off by provisionally casting on 300 stitches, and I will not do that again any time soon. In addition I'll confess to one and all that I will not be working with Rowan Fine Milk Cotton any time soon. It splits, it has knots on knots and snargles and snafus aplenty. I was very disappointed. When this happens in non-wool yarn I find it especially frustrating, because splicing the ends together is out of the question.

All the brain churning, fear, pressure of time, gazillion stitches on small needles, ends to weave in and fiddly snaps to sew in were so absolutely worth it in the end! The result turned out 99% like I wanted it to. Cuteness galore, and it's not even pink! And today I got to see the happy face of the mom to be holding it, way over in the U.S., and I'm happy I did it all.

And I'll be doing it again (sans the Milk Cotton), and that time I'll be writing down a pattern and it will be without all the things I found frustrating when I knit this one. Just in case you wondered.

Coming up next is the now nearly finished very blue sweater. And in near future I'll be tackeling my very first man garment. My brother has asked me (again) to knit him a vest. And I will! Because I love him, esp. now for being alive and turning 26 in July, and for actually wanting a vest and for agreeing on a pattern with me and choosing his own colour yarn. Laredo, just came out and looks great.

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The downside to knitting sweaters from the top down; once you've knit the body and start the sleeves there's a whole lot of stuff hanging down from your needles. And this has to be flipped around along with your knitting or else you get your work balled up in a knot. I've been making excellent progress on a sweater and now the sleeves are bugging the shit out of me. I have to kick myself in the butt and not start anything (small and free dangling) all the time. Also considering making short sleeves, and must remind myself of the stupidity of wool sweaters with short sleeves. I need my long sleeves!

The sweater is gorgeous though, a great fit and very, very blue.



Even more blue than this! When I first started knitting I almost thought it was too blue. I love blue!
Blue like the summer sky, like fjords and the great wide ocean. I long to go to the summer house soon... But first I have to finish the darned sleeves!

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