Yarnlove

Sofie and Joy at the cafeteria at Nordiska museet today.

I liked the knitting exhibition, and was quite inspired by some techniques, even though most of the stuff had "librarian" or "middle-aged cultural worker" written all over it. The exhibition consisted of some garments but mostly really big swatches (40x40 cm) displaying different techniques. I was disappointed not to be able to see the backside of the works, since that's where you can actually see how it's done in some cases. I was however slightly disobedient and lifted a corner here and there, and particularly one technique caught my interest. I'm trying to figure out how to use it, but I might just make a swatch to see if it works in my hands as well...

As we sat down afterwards to have coffee and knit, I could really feel my knitting mojo slowly returning! Joy was knitting a Tärnabymössa in something called "double knit" which I thought was really cool, so I'll have to try that sometime, and Sofie's debut sock knitting made me want to knit some socks myself. For friends babies, maybe. That way it won't take too much time, and you can still give something handknit to your friends' babies. A win-win!

Now I have to go curl my hair for a party tonight. With my new shorter 'do I might get an afro.

Today me and a few other knitters are going to Nordiska museet to see their knitting exhibition. I'm quite excited, I don't know if it's any good, but meeting up with knitters (bringing knitting is mandatory) for coffee and knitting afterwards has never turned out badly.

Quick update:
Sofie was here yesterday. I showed her how to cast on for socks, and she got a good start on her first sock ever, in a Regia yarn bought in Germany. I wonder if she got any sleep last night... I got pretty tulips:

I can also show you almost the first and least interesting part of my crocheted skirt, held up to a level I won't wear it when it's done:(I'm taking pics with the webcam, hence the odd composition/posing.)

And last, but not least, my first attempt to bead knitting (or beaded, I'm aware that there's a difference but I can't tell what it is):

Drop's Alpaca in black, with lilac beads. It's for a colleague who really wanted a pair, so I gave it a shot and after only ripping a centimetre or two I'm on track. The good thing about knitting is that you always learn new things. I've just learned to knit with beads and that I make wobbly edges in garter stitch.

Creativity accidentally hit me the other day as I bought the latest issue of Kreativa kvinnor, a Danish but translated magazine for creative women. The stuff looks really nice and they are generous with patterns for both knitting, sewing and crocheting (among others), but the patterns are often ridiculously brief. "Suggested yarn: mohair". Say no more.

Anyway, in this last issue there was a crocheted skirt pattern, which I astonishingly enough fell slightly in love with. Yesterday I went to Marias garn and got two hanks of a mercerized cotton (this pattern didn't state any suggestions, but at least yardage) in a crazy hot pink/coral colour. I went for a colour I imagined at least wouldn't enhance the greenish light of my summer legs. As soon as I've come beyond the boring beginning I'll take pictures. ..

Yesterday I had my weaving class. It’s so much fun! After three full evenings of warping and preparing I could finally weave for twenty minutes last night, and it was so gooood! It struck me that what really appeals to me about knitting are the same benefits as weaving has; the row by row growing and the intense satisfaction of creating something incredibly regular by hand.

When I started the actual weaving last night, it struck me that my rug won’t look like grass and summer as I had planned with my yellow warp and green weft: it looks like something very Brazilian. Like the Brazilian flag. (A particular newspaper ad comes to mind, with a fit, tanned and very hairless girl in a green and yellow bikini, promoting painful hair removal.) This rug might not be well suited for my bedroom, even if I had one, but I can however see myself having picnics or sunbathing on top of it. I would have taken pictures if I hadn’t left my mobile at home. Better luck next time.

The thing I like most about living on 27 square metres is that vacuuming is done in no time. The backside of it is that when you're laying out to cut fabric, you have to do it on the floor (since the only table you could fit into the room is too small), and then there's no space left for yourself to move around. All the squatting makes my feet fall asleep.

I bought the prettiest floral print cotton from Fabric Tales, and I thought I make a dress for a friend's 25th birthday party in a couple of weeks. Fabric Tales has an impressive selection of japanese fabrics, not at all expensive and with great service. I was very happy to have my stuff in only a couple of days after ordering. Sent from Japan!

Here's a closeup:
Now I can feel my feet again, so I best get back down on the floor.

I'll try to get myself together and not be such a bore. SP10 kicked off today, I got a sweet email from my spoiler and it made me a bit softer. I've also had a look at the blog of my spoilee, and I think this can be the beginning of a terrific spring.

Yesterday I had my weaving class. It's kind of funny being the only one under the age of fifty. The other day when I went to buy weft for the rug I'm making, the weft shop owner made a happy remark about how nice it is to see young people take interest in the noble craft of weaving. A sixteen-year old passed before my eyes, and then I realized it was me she was refering to.

Oh well. I better try and write some more on la région d'Île-de-France. I should have written one page a long time ago, for my distance course, but this week is absolute deadline. I have eight rows. If anyone has something interesting to say about this region, please email me. If you could write me in French it would be even better...

I'm a bad blogger. I'm a bad knitter.

It feels quite odd to have signed up for SP10 when I don't have any desire to knit, but maybe SP10 is the cure. Maybe I'm a having a spring depression.

I have started my weaving class though, and so far it's loads of fun. Next week I might even start to weave! It's not knitting, but it is yarn.