tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173173122024-03-14T00:12:06.724+01:00YarnloveLinsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588707075403163973noreply@blogger.comBlogger197125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17317312.post-86838235129868810532009-09-11T13:24:00.002+02:002009-09-11T13:28:48.363+02:00Are you knitting?I'm barely knitting. A pair of socks have been worked, but things are kind of standing still in the knitting department. I've no real yarn desire, like I used to. Surfing the web for new hot yarns is not what keeps me from working these days. Like always, I wonder if it will come back, my knitting mojo, and until now it always has. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.<br /><br />How are y'all feeling? Still knitting enthusiastically?Linsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588707075403163973noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17317312.post-69954513677303334322009-06-04T14:03:00.007+02:002009-06-04T14:23:53.755+02:00Already back!I got so boosted from the two comments I got on my last post, so here's another one - now with pictures!<br /><br />Thanks for the comments. I've emailed Hamilton Yarns back, since you told me so, so we'll see where that leads.<br /><br />And I've finished a project:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLXDgKZT4xGIBJn1VWxa6B2PO70jPUvNTjLEfs6w_vzHa4EmR5IuagSBvQZ48zLbnHR7NOkTQxdaUxHTBGcOhqnVbYEuDvFCWDlvM5kGMPeEYP4yzoPRYENcIrAwSj2bKHlSgy/s1600-h/DSC00331.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLXDgKZT4xGIBJn1VWxa6B2PO70jPUvNTjLEfs6w_vzHa4EmR5IuagSBvQZ48zLbnHR7NOkTQxdaUxHTBGcOhqnVbYEuDvFCWDlvM5kGMPeEYP4yzoPRYENcIrAwSj2bKHlSgy/s320/DSC00331.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343444252229661458" border="0" /></a><br />(These are some lousy pics, and even though I think it's a pity knit bloggers so often apologize for lousy photos and that we should drop it and just be proud of what we accomplish, both knitwise and photowise, I'm obviously not practising what I'm preaching.)<br /><br />Anyhoo. This is a "Vest" from Debbie Bliss' "Essential baby", knit in Baby Cashmerino in some pretty gray colour. Knit in size 0-3 months on 3 mm bamboo dpn's I used slightly more than two skeins. I knit it in the round instead of back and front, and it went swell.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmkHJkv4VYL7TAjKW7F_EdU59CV6datDmtgz1ve1freFyH-bmW3Nx7UhWhTKmUVsXv0vAuvcF_DCaDZC0vrg8YXzrZCTmLQ_eB-GHRNyLzkWdVYUc6MgSM59SGqYXBTJHekq6G/s1600-h/DSC00332.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmkHJkv4VYL7TAjKW7F_EdU59CV6datDmtgz1ve1freFyH-bmW3Nx7UhWhTKmUVsXv0vAuvcF_DCaDZC0vrg8YXzrZCTmLQ_eB-GHRNyLzkWdVYUc6MgSM59SGqYXBTJHekq6G/s320/DSC00332.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343445116913306306" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQTY1mxDZzcq5yA6n461cTd5pLauiUAgfW_M3zi6fL13PTniU01nRC20-B-gAGvxC8PtCvbeS8z3T4g0Ek3Yy6xP5iP9-_Lfe40LjwrQfXTom3PJODuvRyVtB6WxgeLn6gKOw/s1600-h/DSC00334.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQTY1mxDZzcq5yA6n461cTd5pLauiUAgfW_M3zi6fL13PTniU01nRC20-B-gAGvxC8PtCvbeS8z3T4g0Ek3Yy6xP5iP9-_Lfe40LjwrQfXTom3PJODuvRyVtB6WxgeLn6gKOw/s320/DSC00334.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343445519440667906" border="0" /></a>And then I put a cute (but slightly out of focus) button in the back:Linsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588707075403163973noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17317312.post-52858155929339439522009-05-30T14:18:00.002+02:002009-05-30T14:30:30.648+02:00HelloI haven't been around much lately, and my traffic report shows I have 15 visitors a week... I'm getting what I deserve. I've been thinking about not blogging anymore and just Ravel the stuff I knit, but having a blog is kind of nice, so I guess I'll keep on blogging sporadically.<br /><br />This will be a photo-free post, but I can tell you that I'm currently knitting a <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/windmill-bag">Windmill Bag</a> in hot pink linen, and I have a frustrating history with Hamilton Yarns that I don't know if I should handle or just forget about it. I blogged earlier about the miscoloured yarn and that she offered me 20% off in her webshop. As I started the first sleeve on my February lady sweater I realized I didn't have enough yarn left, and emailed Cornelia Hamilton (a reply to her email about the discount) to ask for more of the same dyebath, she had it, and she sent it to me with an invoice, which was kind enough of her. But when I got it in the mail I hadn't gotten any discount. And now I don't know if I want to be such a pain in the arse as to point this out to her, or settle with telling my blog readers how disappointed I am.<br /><br />I got an adorable book in the mail yesterday, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Baby-Knits-Heirloom-Patterns/dp/1584797614">Vintage Baby Knits</a>. It seems to be brand new, and it has some really cute kid stuff in it. And some odd ones as well, as always...<br /><br />And oh: would the Kai who commented on the Stenmarksmössa please send me her (I suppose) email address so we can get in touch? I can't figure out how to reach you otherwise... linn underscore lindquist at yahoo dot seLinsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588707075403163973noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17317312.post-61485214887876942162009-03-31T14:26:00.003+02:002009-03-31T15:54:41.740+02:00DecisionsI've got so much on the needles right now, I don't know what to finish, or if, before I start the next project. It's quite frustrating, and I think it might be stress-related. I want my knitting to be relaxing, and not something I do to accomplish something when I feel lousy in other areas of life.<br /><br />I've frogged the last part of my February Lady Sweater (going on April Lady Sweater), and noticed that the miscoloured part shown in my last post was actually a few meters of a different dye bath felted to the original yarn. Not very classy, Cornelia Hamilton! I did email Mrs. Hamilton asking if this is what one can expect from this yarn (Heaven's Hand), but she claimed it must be a fabrication error and offered me 20% off in her web shop, which is kind of her I guess, but I don't shop online for things I can buy/squeeze/smell at my LYS. Anyhow. I've only got a few centimetres left on the body. Again.<br /><br />To brighten <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEityWut5hvk4Pd0LmSKDfh-_i2f99cCqMAhlv9YmxXRxjdhIpz8kHPuo9QoIJT0_qg8-WPxG86J6fKd2XxOwjmemzi5hcqr6GyoLxrUg3m7f9t2BDUi-ekpuYbB-HAfUq4IMJEQ/s1600-h/baktus1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEityWut5hvk4Pd0LmSKDfh-_i2f99cCqMAhlv9YmxXRxjdhIpz8kHPuo9QoIJT0_qg8-WPxG86J6fKd2XxOwjmemzi5hcqr6GyoLxrUg3m7f9t2BDUi-ekpuYbB-HAfUq4IMJEQ/s320/baktus1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319329452345237538" border="0" /></a>things up I decided to knit myself something light and spring-y to wear around my neck. I fell for the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baktus-scarf">Baktus </a>pattern, and Fi and her adorable yarn-loving three year old son Hugo helped me pick out the colours of Drops Alpaca:<br /><br />I'm thinking of making <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/garter-stitch-mitts">Ysolda's garter stitch mitts</a> to go with it. But then it struck me that I'm going to a ball in a month, and I might need a new shawl for that. Fi gave me a luxurious purple lace yarn a few months ago, and I might turn it into a <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/north-ro-shawl">North Roë Shawl</a>. Very pretty shawl, and free pattern! I'm not the happiest lace knitter, but I like shawls. And balls.Linsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588707075403163973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17317312.post-77423832048694223912009-03-01T22:09:00.003+01:002009-03-01T22:24:29.465+01:00WTF?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBi24lE-5UBHrvNgH1MiXttmKDms3jQ197VSrkpgP7katO0r5Rtwq4h25GPDERhQrup6lhi9BYNRSSaKg4ENlMEXmOAK_PwsZvSNsO8_4X7YPE4ELrlOXSMog9lHHBSXlDI_3Z/s1600-h/DSC00288.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBi24lE-5UBHrvNgH1MiXttmKDms3jQ197VSrkpgP7katO0r5Rtwq4h25GPDERhQrup6lhi9BYNRSSaKg4ENlMEXmOAK_PwsZvSNsO8_4X7YPE4ELrlOXSMog9lHHBSXlDI_3Z/s320/DSC00288.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308329971190068194" border="0" /></a><br /><br />After one month of knitting, and one week of thinking it's not really that bad, I've cast off the body of my February lady sweater, and 15 cm from the edge, at the end of the third skein, the yarn is much brighter than the rest of the yarn (yes of course it's the same dye lot, who do you take me for?) for four rows. I know hand-dyed means variations, but in no othe rplace on this garment is the difference in colour as distinct as here, and not for so long.<br /><br />The yarn is Heaven's Hand by Cornelia Hamilton. What should I do? Frog and reknit? Contact the manufacturer? Live with it? Help me! I'm no fan of frogging, and most of all I'm no fan of knitting the same thing twice, especially not when it's not a pair of something. But I don't want to have knit something I've longed to knit and wear and then hate it. Any advice?Linsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588707075403163973noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17317312.post-33487850668442230542009-02-23T11:05:00.003+01:002009-02-23T11:14:20.499+01:00February updateAs <a href="http://toveb.typepad.com/">many </a><a href="http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog">distiguished </a><a href="http://miastick.blogspot.com/">knitters </a>of today, I currently - <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjoAZCAgQTTl85GftVkTWDL-3liYu2Yz7B9XvtePRB9DoqSLCw5disKitWIuOr7orLvrcIneZ9AiA7C4Fbz35gmvgiHsfrDLkx_ons-GcoLbplFZwHlgYmo8Jp4HHJ12Vvpl3j/s1600-h/DSC00286.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjoAZCAgQTTl85GftVkTWDL-3liYu2Yz7B9XvtePRB9DoqSLCw5disKitWIuOr7orLvrcIneZ9AiA7C4Fbz35gmvgiHsfrDLkx_ons-GcoLbplFZwHlgYmo8Jp4HHJ12Vvpl3j/s320/DSC00286.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305933605676142882" border="0" /></a>and appropriately - have the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/february-lady-sweater">February lady sweater </a>on my needles. Since January 24 I'm turning five skeins of <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/cornelia-hamilton-heavens-hand-wool-classic">Heaven's Hand</a> in "Teal" into a stylish cardigan, and today I'm four pattern repeats from the hem (aiming for 30 repeats). Even though it's not a very intriguing pattern, at least not from the armpits down, I'm not bored with it (wait til I get to the second sleeve...), and it grows steadily. I don't think it will be finished by the end of February, but at least it's (almost) the only thing I've been knitting on this month.Linsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588707075403163973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17317312.post-61738650213895989842009-01-13T13:42:00.007+01:002009-01-13T13:55:36.153+01:00The world's most beautiful mittens<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHIxxafesQELDqkxrwt8RTiV1sUfizAhrYUAB7aQIFtgp2ICoid5wVESw60T-36n4xr-yTG0Dn9k26hHmcE1k_pAsRPWI9XicAmXOIceI8bUFMMNshgfUIG8QYJg6Sj-2tHToc/s1600-h/IMG_1030.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHIxxafesQELDqkxrwt8RTiV1sUfizAhrYUAB7aQIFtgp2ICoid5wVESw60T-36n4xr-yTG0Dn9k26hHmcE1k_pAsRPWI9XicAmXOIceI8bUFMMNshgfUIG8QYJg6Sj-2tHToc/s320/IMG_1030.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290758068837309218" border="0" /></a>Put your needles down, ladies, no point in trying anymore, The most beautiful mittens in the world have just been knit. By me.<br /><br />These are <a href="http://www.twistcollective.com/collection/index.php/component/content/article/60-winter-2008-patterns/137-postwar-mittens-by-mary-ann-stephens">Postwar mittens</a> but with a "manlier" cuff, knit for the person I want to warm most in the world. They are knit in "Shetland wool" bought at Yll & Tyll in Uppsala (in the reciever's presence, but he totally bought the "this could be good to have in the future"-excuse), in navy, a blueish green and honey yellow.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVFZw5a7Gl2LhuIpbrXHH-8qXPPBopQ6KMRFSE6Ob_qyBh7Vk2esCCLNX7IBXG1TPrVOl_yBbcAD5l1qc-m3ssvaYpdoUIYBPOIRvt6Sbm4Cc0WGwqpVTJdE_3tJAE6OsEKZV/s1600-h/IMG_1032.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVFZw5a7Gl2LhuIpbrXHH-8qXPPBopQ6KMRFSE6Ob_qyBh7Vk2esCCLNX7IBXG1TPrVOl_yBbcAD5l1qc-m3ssvaYpdoUIYBPOIRvt6Sbm4Cc0WGwqpVTJdE_3tJAE6OsEKZV/s320/IMG_1032.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290758958619134354" border="0" /></a>Instead of a picot edge I made a simple purl fold<br />edge (again the manliness).<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpHeBNzB-TruH2di8ex7-f8BMMBXZXpZrEZ3ebseHXvzH9hlje7nG7SQ0LJ2LUXi6Ku75K0ncC0Vj8Rwb7TZwxf2kBB4E5sd5fuV5KawALnVHV3mZoXhQ4_Jj2hyqWQXqHinty/s1600-h/IMG_1035.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpHeBNzB-TruH2di8ex7-f8BMMBXZXpZrEZ3ebseHXvzH9hlje7nG7SQ0LJ2LUXi6Ku75K0ncC0Vj8Rwb7TZwxf2kBB4E5sd5fuV5KawALnVHV3mZoXhQ4_Jj2hyqWQXqHinty/s320/IMG_1035.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290759211225864370" border="0" /></a>And instead of knitting only the year on the inside of one of the thumbs, I also knit the full initials of the receiver on the inside of the other one.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNimIipszATVijrNNsLpPiJP9fMfMiBE6PhmKhAXYW2pfYzNqmKe3Xvl9pxLK2-Yow0Breirn7IDzsG9tBNn3sLSUj816vyMV5XkNKaJU1u1Oh7cyU3LBURP-O9mMUxHuy5cGt/s1600-h/IMG_1037.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNimIipszATVijrNNsLpPiJP9fMfMiBE6PhmKhAXYW2pfYzNqmKe3Xvl9pxLK2-Yow0Breirn7IDzsG9tBNn3sLSUj816vyMV5XkNKaJU1u1Oh7cyU3LBURP-O9mMUxHuy5cGt/s320/IMG_1037.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290759825362513618" border="0" /></a>I love the yellow dots and how they light up the mittens, I love how much they feel like artwork rather than knitwear, and I love how much the receiver loves them.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Thanks to <a href="http://www.syltcookie.com/blog/">Fi </a>for helping me invent the cuff pattern.Linsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588707075403163973noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17317312.post-61643892900265826482009-01-08T21:49:00.006+01:002009-01-08T22:19:21.715+01:00Happy 2009!The most difficult thing about blogging so unfrequently is that I cannot remember what I've already posted about. The easy fix is to read my blog before posting, but then on the other hand I can't really expect you readers to remember what I've written if I can't even remember it myself...<br /><br />Anyhow. I went to <a href="http://www.nysta.se/">Nystas </a>yarn sale today, and I thought I was clever going there during my lunch hour, but eleven other clever knitters had just done the same and the place was actually crowded (since we all know the average size of a yarn store). I had a vibrating moment with another woman when she had <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLtBmWN1jKQPsVnP-rM2MmJpNihNGwX0jCBfMPbcZ7gxYlkv48bSrZ3IBy7nDTAp90FOJYH5aOGEe1LzRJiNFjD3vAu1aOmCKZPfa7isZyjLMb-2L2ysK8o45aDhjd5UiywHlX/s1600-h/IMG_1017.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLtBmWN1jKQPsVnP-rM2MmJpNihNGwX0jCBfMPbcZ7gxYlkv48bSrZ3IBy7nDTAp90FOJYH5aOGEe1LzRJiNFjD3vAu1aOmCKZPfa7isZyjLMb-2L2ysK8o45aDhjd5UiywHlX/s320/IMG_1017.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289029625775617138" border="0" /></a>picked two of the three hanks of Ranco in a dark pink and I just realized it might be perfect for the hat for my mum I had in mind, so I grabbed the last hank and tried to pair it with a sale hank of Parisienne, but then I tried to imagine my mum in that colour and it wasn't a too pretty a sight so I went for this instead:<br />(Ten seconds later the other knitting lady had all three hanks in her arms. All is well that ends well.)<br /><br />It's one hank of Malabrigo lace (bottom) and one hank of Colinette Parisienne (top). The story is that when my mother saw my new <a href="http://www.purlbee.com/silk-cashmere-knit-hat/">Simple pleasures hat</a> when I was home for Christmas, she wanted one too, and since it's her birthday in a few weeks I obviously have to knit one for her. She wanted white, but that's too boring for me so I went for this pale gray/pastel composition instead. How very thoughtful of me.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtifgb6erqan9HYQlna4TufBEpLPixvM5_17ECmc_dDB9HA0re5vk1CLhocSZlg9UizUFviNGb3mYxAA1mYIUVtfdbKz6G56B-2x37jdTfXVRabK7hXVEkiD2j5HVI38xpbFfc/s1600-h/IMG_1025.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtifgb6erqan9HYQlna4TufBEpLPixvM5_17ECmc_dDB9HA0re5vk1CLhocSZlg9UizUFviNGb3mYxAA1mYIUVtfdbKz6G56B-2x37jdTfXVRabK7hXVEkiD2j5HVI38xpbFfc/s320/IMG_1025.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289030747388855682" border="0" /></a>Anyhow, this is how my own hat looks like:<br />I have this quest for the perfect hat, which makes me knit one or two each winter. I had already knit one (a great one) this fall, but since it despite my efforts to make it different looked a whole lot like the one I had knit for my boyfriend a few months earlier I can't wear it when I'm with him, which is quite often.<br /><br />This hat is knit with Malabrigo lace, kindly given to me by Fi in our Forever Swap, and Kidsilk Haze in a shade I ordered online and thought would be more like the Malabrigo in colour than it is. The hat is super cozy but I don't like how it's not solid in colour. My quest for the perfect hat continues.<br /><br />The Forever Swap (which is a name I just invented) is one of the best things ever invented by Fi and myself (and that's saying a lot). It began this summer when I was about to order some yarn from Garnkorgen, and I asked her if she wanted to order something too. She did, and after delivery she asked me, clever girl, if I wanted to be paid in money or in yarn. What a question. She paid me the amount she owed me plus some more in yarn, so I suddenly owed her. A few weeks later it was my turn, so I got her yarn worth more than I owed her, and so it continues beautifully forever. Last time I got the Malabrigo lace from her, and a hank of purple Pälsullgarn from <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0q0KYyHV3_0iTybIAoHhrPC_9ShJZPH-6pkQHV4M2ACKQPnHEziuo5NgRtZD4BqCzq-tfYxd3jLeUpQ3zzUN3BAN5aEEwWPZAKR_K3boIVEEg6T1l2imqHmyxlwP-Mp86hfon/s1600-h/IMG_1012.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0q0KYyHV3_0iTybIAoHhrPC_9ShJZPH-6pkQHV4M2ACKQPnHEziuo5NgRtZD4BqCzq-tfYxd3jLeUpQ3zzUN3BAN5aEEwWPZAKR_K3boIVEEg6T1l2imqHmyxlwP-Mp86hfon/s320/IMG_1012.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289033510504067058" border="0" /></a>Östergötlands ullspinneri. For your viewing pleasure:<br /><br />It's wool, and it's super shiny. Perfect for a lace shawl. I also got matching glass beads, so this could be a super luxurious/glamorous shawl. When I get the time and stumble upon the perfect pattern.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I hope to get back shortly (yeah right...) with pics of the prettiest mittens ever knit. I just have to find my darning needles first.Linsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588707075403163973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17317312.post-110709819075160602008-11-19T23:29:00.002+01:002008-11-19T23:31:14.840+01:00Undulating rib sock<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjxor4cfgCdxtAZbH0O7JqJ25p5tnOWBhAAG8k7JaKlhPZ1JS1K4R85hxq14CJdb1JuAcxM1yH4omADBfbn9a85AByS3ZvQz2S9v0VbH8l38h3G0ldU_p_7S-c4DPYSklUzDs8/s1600-h/DSC00195.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjxor4cfgCdxtAZbH0O7JqJ25p5tnOWBhAAG8k7JaKlhPZ1JS1K4R85hxq14CJdb1JuAcxM1yH4omADBfbn9a85AByS3ZvQz2S9v0VbH8l38h3G0ldU_p_7S-c4DPYSklUzDs8/s320/DSC00195.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270499633558128674" border="0" /></a>It's tricky, but it's working.<br /><br />(Lorna's laces shepherd sock, "Firefly")Linsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588707075403163973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17317312.post-62717203345193032082008-10-29T13:28:00.003+01:002008-10-29T14:04:04.107+01:00Socktober<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUo8hA1q6y4zQGXpKkHkRDHBCl0j5hBO8fFATr-HIsPS1l8Ozdn6-iHanK9NH3AojEEisBzyeOPKegfzgHsBksiTg9Tf27v1NLjnrq3JPC_C67DqA3yMsQTCGLSZnKbPfL9RoT/s1600-h/norosock.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUo8hA1q6y4zQGXpKkHkRDHBCl0j5hBO8fFATr-HIsPS1l8Ozdn6-iHanK9NH3AojEEisBzyeOPKegfzgHsBksiTg9Tf27v1NLjnrq3JPC_C67DqA3yMsQTCGLSZnKbPfL9RoT/s320/norosock.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262552468821176210" border="0" /></a><br />(I'm knitting a sock and it's still October. Nothing officially Socktober about it.)<br /><br />I fell crazy in love with <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/noro-kureyon-sock">Kureyon Sock</a> a week ago, and the best thing to knit from it must be a striped sock (or possibly two) knit with rows from each end of the skein. Super cute, and this colourway (102) I brought home from <a href="http://www.nysta.se">Nysta</a> is particularly sweet n sour.<br /><br />On a less brighter note: This picture does not do neither the sock nor the yarn justice, but as you can see I'm having some problems with the striping, since both yarn ends shifts into the same colour from time to time, making the stripes very unstripey. My only plan right now is to make them very long, so the amount of stripes will increase and the blurry fields will seem fewer. I've looked at other similar socks on Ravelry, and it's possible that this happens when you knit stripes like this and that the sock will still look striped in the end. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for stripes.<br /><br />I'm quite excited to try a few new moves in the art of sock knitting. First of all, I'm knitting toe up, with a beautiful magical cast-on Fi taught me. I messed it up, of course, but it's still brilliantly invisible and clever. (I've no idea where she found it. I'll get back to you on that one.) I then knit a Dutch heel backwards, as described by <span class="byline"><span class="byline"> Brooke Chenoweth Creel in her <a href="http://knitty.com/ISSUEsummer06/PATTwiddershins.html">Widdershins </a>sock pattern. I'm not very fond of short-row heels, since they don't give the increased width I feel is necessary for a regular foot as you approach the heel area. (This heel worked out quite OK, I think, though I might have started the heel a bit too late. But nothing serious.) And now I've just started increasing for the calf as described at <a href="http://www.streetsandyos.com/archives/2006/04/knee_socks.php">Streets and YO's</a>. All in all, I might be onto the perfect sock pattern, a quest Fi and myself started earlier this fall. We'll keep you posted.<br /><br />This yarn is beuatiful but has a lot of personality (and not necessarily the good kind). It grips and clings to itself, it's rough and it twists. And it doesn't stretch as much as regular sock yarn, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing. My sock is very tight, and with some calf shaping and tough ribbing I'm sure it will stay in place.<br /><br />I just realized I haven't revealed my own SP12 spoilee: Eija in Finland! Due to a massive workload she didn't get her last parcel until a few weeks ago, but now we're officially SP exes who read each others blogs. She's a darling and a knitting maniac, so go check out <a href="http://varis6.vuodatus.net/">her blog</a>! (It's a good thing she posts a lot of pics, since my Finnish is very very poor.)<br /></span></span>Linsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588707075403163973noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17317312.post-72498983902162697982008-10-06T22:23:00.002+02:002008-10-06T22:31:26.422+02:00Last SP12 parcel!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiInhW7IlMvDtP-ozsE7-E2pxsidEK60nNlDknN9ho87ZuyjA9-Fk81zbaONy03-qAzDUBSlGz2tuU7Augay8EoP-_LcanptIN39ExyLIwkDeVXOc3T7DtW2_AQcCfM2oYBR7SF/s1600-h/IMG_0926.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiInhW7IlMvDtP-ozsE7-E2pxsidEK60nNlDknN9ho87ZuyjA9-Fk81zbaONy03-qAzDUBSlGz2tuU7Augay8EoP-_LcanptIN39ExyLIwkDeVXOc3T7DtW2_AQcCfM2oYBR7SF/s320/IMG_0926.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254139969237706914" border="0" /></a><br />I got my last SP parcel a couple of weeks ago, but life has been crazy and I haven't had the time to blog it. Now I'm done with my bachelor paper, so tonight I've knit a few stitches and managed to squeeze all the stuff I got in the parcel together (minus the chocolate, obviously...) and look:<br /><br />My SP <a href="http://s-knitting.blogspot.com/">Stephanie</a> sent me a really nice pattern book of sweaters (mostly), sock yarn and cotton yarn (I'm close to a lifetime supply now), a notebook, a body oil and a bag with a matching pouch (too small for knitting though). And Yes, there were some really cool "monkey mints" as well, banana flavoured, but they are, as the chocolate, mysteriously missing...<br /><br />Thanks so much Stephanie! It's been a pleasure being spoiled by you! I recommend all my readers to go see <a href="http://s-knitting.blogspot.com/">Stephanie's blog</a> and say hi!Linsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588707075403163973noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17317312.post-2641625982218925752008-09-24T14:16:00.003+02:002008-09-24T15:18:58.249+02:00Photofree updateKnitting has been quite good lately, and I even have two orders (why do I never learn?) for knits ahead, whenever I finish the most urgent things on my needles.<br /><br />Most recently I've finished a pair of socks in Lorna's Laces Shepherds Sock, colourway Tuscany. Very nice colours, for being so many in one yarn. A very nice yarn too, by the way. I really love it. I've even ordered two more hanks but in yellow (!), two secret hanks for my last Secret pal parcel, and two for Fi who is bitten by the sock bug as well. I ordered the beautiful "Favorite socks" and raveled away on what to knit first, only to find my brain was temporarily out of order and I had instead ordered "Folk socks", which is also a beautiful book but not quite the same. I have now ordered the right book and eagerly await it.<br /><br />Most currently on the needles are the two sleeves (yes, I've finally come around and am now knitting them both at the same time) for my gray aran cardigan, which I hope to be able to wear as it gets colder. The front was such a pain in da b--t! After finishing the left upper front I realised the neck was too tight, so after making the right side better I frogged and reknit the left side, only to find when having reached the shoulder that I had messed one of the cables up ten centimetres down. Frog and reknit again. On the bright side it will be a thoroughly worked-through sweater. Now I'm done with the sleeve cuff ribbing, and I'm not sure whether or not to do the sleeves in plain moss stitch or if I should make a cable or two on it as well. The smallest cable is possibly too narrow to decorate a sleeve on its own, but making a wider cable might look funny at the cuff, being almost as wide as the width of the sleeve. I raveled aran sweaters and found that both solutions look alright, so tonight's knit night with Fi will sort it out. What would I do without Fi making my decisions for me?<br /><br />My knitting orders are two lovely projects: a <a href="http://www.laughinghens.com/knitting-pattern-page.asp?patternpageid=6657">First coat</a> from Debbie Bliss' Essential baby, for little Astrid who got the Circle of Friends Baby Blanket earlier this year, and then a pair of <a href="http://yarnlove.blogspot.com/2007/11/moving-forward.html">Solar mitts</a> for a colleague. The mitts were very oddly sized in the pattern, and even though I made mine smaller they are still quite big. Serious pattern revision required.<br /><br />I've also knit one of the rainbow socks in the Regia Nation Colour yarn, but then other things got in the way before I cast on for the second. Will there ever be a second sock? Only time will tell...Linsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588707075403163973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17317312.post-64748156808633455662008-08-29T14:39:00.004+02:002008-08-29T14:56:04.819+02:00On the needles and off the needles<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2-c6PQSgDny-2_pylloKZlovkb18UiNXgf7oi97-3JFyzk5j7t8zbsPtbUbpOqv0IDgexxfkjqonIYajJznisjh32FElpwV3bcV5XV0jUSczwONT0mAhWvvnPQsQ0byNVbBRX/s1600-h/IMG_0797.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2-c6PQSgDny-2_pylloKZlovkb18UiNXgf7oi97-3JFyzk5j7t8zbsPtbUbpOqv0IDgexxfkjqonIYajJznisjh32FElpwV3bcV5XV0jUSczwONT0mAhWvvnPQsQ0byNVbBRX/s320/IMG_0797.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239919400365420706" border="0" /></a><br />A couple of days ago I finished the lace shawl I've been working on for not too long. I caved in at 13 repeats instead of 15, but when I had done 14 of 16 rows of the lace border I was out of yarn, so I'm quite happy with my poor endurance. Look at how nicely it blocks! (I don't block - or knit - lace that often) It's almost 170 cm from corner to corner. Great stuff!<br /><br />Yarn: Faerytale from Du Store Alpakka<br />Yardage: 3 skeins = 525 metres<br />Needles: 4.5 mm bamboo circulars<br />Gauge: 18 maybe?<br />Lessons learned: Not many. It was a simple knit with an interesting/clever beginning and a pattern that never bored me. I never at any time felt sick of this project!<br /><br />From this romantic project to something a bit more gay:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqUbsHLUbWf18cwHAu_4fqxVutxtneuvXBkYYTSg10hhUWiMj2s29OfHD8U67yS6foFTvYsdcPujZznip0vk6wkr-0fVu4pxQ8ouVEVj7XDin9mWpIhAX7tAeWzgKCcOId7zG/s1600-h/IMG_0811%5B1%5D"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqUbsHLUbWf18cwHAu_4fqxVutxtneuvXBkYYTSg10hhUWiMj2s29OfHD8U67yS6foFTvYsdcPujZznip0vk6wkr-0fVu4pxQ8ouVEVj7XDin9mWpIhAX7tAeWzgKCcOId7zG/s320/IMG_0811%5B1%5D" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239922110466516610" border="0" /></a><br />I'm knitting socks for a friend whose birthday party I didn't show up at because I was in the archipelago with a special someone having a marvellous time. This friend is now in Kabul, Afghanistan (luckily doing office-y stuff and nothing that could be dangerous), and I think he could use a pair of socks when the winter comes. I ordered this yarn (Regia 4-fädig Nation Color) from <a href="http://www.garnkorgen.se/">Garnkorgen </a>(which is a great yarnshop for Swedes who wish to try something new and exotic), and I thought it would be a bright multicoloured yarn, but when I raveled it (as in <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/">Ravelry</a>) I discovered that it is gayly rainbow striped, which is quite OK since my friend is gay in every possible sense of the word...Linsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588707075403163973noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17317312.post-19092717281060286372008-08-21T19:07:00.007+02:002008-08-21T19:18:48.954+02:00Pay it forward package!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIKqqIG7QeBJtEhlzP8jvdzD-iXLiG4s-uJoqQlFtc63AkZmPATjsLNRM7KjIYbAOsgsJQISw8CXHdyiaOmqkVswFDkOh0VEKWQ9W5LMXuMsOGHT_APHAwLKnPc1bkqciAfQ65/s1600-h/IMG_0661.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIKqqIG7QeBJtEhlzP8jvdzD-iXLiG4s-uJoqQlFtc63AkZmPATjsLNRM7KjIYbAOsgsJQISw8CXHdyiaOmqkVswFDkOh0VEKWQ9W5LMXuMsOGHT_APHAwLKnPc1bkqciAfQ65/s320/IMG_0661.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237018899116665346" border="0" /></a><br />Yup, I'm a lucky girl these days - although it's been a couple of weeks since I got this package from Karin Malle of <a href="http://strikketanten.blogspot.com/">Strikke-Tanten</a>. This is how cute it was on the outside-><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqtZY2bnBV7wpbtTnF4noX2Zh7m4d-vNxL2gCLiUs5hmi0ijJ_OQ_beIo6cnGlLwAI9Rk0w4YyeXVN8y5enbfAR5GGYUXairyamkYJPnkEfBQXNZChcyGSGdpnVpE_UnrsVT62/s1600-h/IMG_0662.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqtZY2bnBV7wpbtTnF4noX2Zh7m4d-vNxL2gCLiUs5hmi0ijJ_OQ_beIo6cnGlLwAI9Rk0w4YyeXVN8y5enbfAR5GGYUXairyamkYJPnkEfBQXNZChcyGSGdpnVpE_UnrsVT62/s320/IMG_0662.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237019270446907762" border="0" /></a><br />And this is what was inside -><br /><br /><br />Four patchwork coasters! I was very inspired by them, and some day I will start patchworking myself. Not very soon, but hopefully this year.<br /><br />Thank you, Strikke-Tanten, both for these cute coasters, but also for making this world slightly sweeter by paying it forward.<br /><br />I've got one participant in my own <a href="http://yarnlove.blogspot.com/2008/07/pay-it-forward.html">pay it forward</a>, so there's still two openings. I'd love to make something special for you. Leave a comment and you're in!Linsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588707075403163973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17317312.post-50844604158974112872008-08-21T18:51:00.007+02:002008-08-21T19:06:53.925+02:00SP parcel!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdrCDInNuh7qSqraSL6CoTFviAiUC8sf9iaY-4MVcu1zLJKkCwVdjv9gYewrtQI1HuqEoHZw7GG24XevPECpbzlRY5va6kLSCqr90rVFS7dWjPB1rXZIBh_EnQDXvYoHdGr8Q4/s1600-h/IMG_0792.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdrCDInNuh7qSqraSL6CoTFviAiUC8sf9iaY-4MVcu1zLJKkCwVdjv9gYewrtQI1HuqEoHZw7GG24XevPECpbzlRY5va6kLSCqr90rVFS7dWjPB1rXZIBh_EnQDXvYoHdGr8Q4/s320/IMG_0792.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237015558158599154" border="0" /></a><br />Yesterday I got my second SP parcel! It was kind of green/red colour themed - very coordinated. Look!<br /><br />There were two balls of burgundy cotton, two hanks of sock yarn, possibly hand dyed and possible self-striping, more fruity shampoo and conditioner, more chocolate, a compact mirror, and best of all: a Amy Butler sewing book! It's so good I can't believe it - I love her fabrics (check them out at <a href="http://www.purlsoho.com/">purlsoho.com</a>) and the designs are very elegant. Can't wait to make something from it!<br /><br />Thank you, dear SP, for all the nice things! And please tell me more about the sock yarn!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu9kOu9uT3eMzA8StJkQmwUQcibihjvkK6lE-adTDAw2LUhRCb6FKnxf5hDGuPbavmsWAvX4ji3C1ZNrwyQcjw0YMrITeYzF32y5RQGYiIPZNVvxhTYz2ZCvDF5ASKd_CYLjoD/s1600-h/IMG_0790.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu9kOu9uT3eMzA8StJkQmwUQcibihjvkK6lE-adTDAw2LUhRCb6FKnxf5hDGuPbavmsWAvX4ji3C1ZNrwyQcjw0YMrITeYzF32y5RQGYiIPZNVvxhTYz2ZCvDF5ASKd_CYLjoD/s320/IMG_0790.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237016680891209602" border="0" /></a><br />Apart from that, I've done some yarn procurement lately. First of all, I got some Regia sock yarn from Garnkorgen - I thought it was just multicoloured, but it turns out to be rainbow striped. That works fine, since I'm going to knit socks for a gay friend... From the same shop I got two hanks of Lorna's Laces Shepherd's Sock in<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://entill.typepad.com/photos/klart06/alpacasjal.html"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj920aMJtXy6XpPOJDLIo-pUKgOQD-sDb0Dfx5WbLIwJGH_FmB_qSzcPGaZe3e5rPjyxu2y22pySQ6N9CmrUfN9r-js_JSAHZtFpe2KrKQVyZk7ED6xAwufadc4npUwlZDaQGto/s320/IMG_0795.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237017622142055570" border="0" /></a> colourway "Tuscany" - very nice! This will be socks for a special someone, when I get the time... The third yarn in this pic is like heaven in my hands - Faerytale from Du Store Alpacka. It's pink and fuzzy, and I'm making a lace shawl to wear at a wedding in two weeks. Free pattern (in Swedish) available at <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://entill.typepad.com/photos/klart06/alpacasjal.html">Avigmaskan</a>.Linsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588707075403163973noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17317312.post-33352922525966576542008-08-19T16:05:00.004+02:002008-08-19T16:13:45.683+02:00SP question of the week, not sure which weekI've been a blogger on holiday, even though I've been working for two weeks now, for too long. I thought I'd share my thoughts on what olympic sport my knitting resembles, until I find the strength to post pictures.<br /><br />I think some of my knitting can be compared to short distance running (socks, mittens), in some cases with hurdles (socks and mittens with lace and/or cables). Sometimes it's more long distance (sweaters, shawls). Sometimes it's more like wrestling (really tricky cables and not using a cable needle) and sometimes like canoeing, in the sense that I'm sitting still, working with my arms and everything runs smoothly and quickly forward.<br /><br />I'm such an athlete!Linsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588707075403163973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17317312.post-50258365091006693272008-07-23T12:43:00.002+02:002008-07-23T12:58:40.245+02:00SP 12 package!Yay, I got my first SP12 parcel today!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNEj_9tqyWhKULLs-TPvqNFYlVlFeS6e_GrtDPYnOt6uEcw7WkXCSVyj8aePd-WbkKa1-dJsCG6E_Y9697ZN09YELuBpcVjtbHJxccA0glLM_ENF9pwVN6Ml_f6dydhPbGCscu/s1600-h/IMG_0614.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNEj_9tqyWhKULLs-TPvqNFYlVlFeS6e_GrtDPYnOt6uEcw7WkXCSVyj8aePd-WbkKa1-dJsCG6E_Y9697ZN09YELuBpcVjtbHJxccA0glLM_ENF9pwVN6Ml_f6dydhPbGCscu/s320/IMG_0614.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226158650223994530" border="0" /></a><br />OK, shitty picture, but the stuff is good! My SP sent me two different cottons (three balls burgundy and two balls peach), candy (Gummibärchen!), a really cool sewing book, a notebook with a sock monkey on it, a cute tote bag (good for knitting on the go) and a matching set of fruity shampoo, shower creme and leave-in conditioner. It was so funny, I was actually sniffing hair treatment the other day, but found myself too cheap to buy one... And this one smells so much better than the ones I was sniffing!<br /><br />The peach yarn goes great with a lilac cotton I got last summer from my then spoiler, Melissa, and I can totally see them make a girly baby set... Supercute!<br /><br />Sweet SP, thanks so much for great package, so many nice things! I really love adding more yarn to my stash, the shower stuff smells so nice and the monkey notebook is really crazy/cute... Thank you!Linsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588707075403163973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17317312.post-61229558140658634112008-07-22T22:47:00.002+02:002008-07-22T22:50:23.271+02:00Sock hotness<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimFErgsvbLKVI9NUqkTaqhub9SZKONfkK9xpoFyGk9SVlSErQxEo_HIEXI3NJDU44CK6xy51SSmugGOdCUl7sX5EdkIG9fStucpVqWzPzKjp5U9SWXihXL66uSkhvv9rptWwat/s1600-h/IMG_0608.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimFErgsvbLKVI9NUqkTaqhub9SZKONfkK9xpoFyGk9SVlSErQxEo_HIEXI3NJDU44CK6xy51SSmugGOdCUl7sX5EdkIG9fStucpVqWzPzKjp5U9SWXihXL66uSkhvv9rptWwat/s320/IMG_0608.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225943347553674482" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Yum.Linsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588707075403163973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17317312.post-54582264082634278082008-07-22T12:14:00.002+02:002008-07-22T12:23:34.499+02:00Pay it forwardQuite a while ago I found a post on <a href="http://strikketanten.blogspot.com">Strikke-Tantens </a>blog with the same title as this very post, and this is me paying it forward. It is such a nice idea, and I'm happy to have been one of the three first to have posted a comment on Strikke-Tantens blog and I'm happy to do the same for you.<br /><br />This is the deal:<br /><br />I will send a gift, hand-made by myself, to the first three people who post a comment to this post. The conditions are that<br />- you pay it forward by doing the same thing on your own blog<br />- the gifts are handmade by yourself<br />- the gifts are sent out within 365 days<br /><br />So, post a comment!Linsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588707075403163973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17317312.post-743391570902257072008-07-21T19:53:00.004+02:002008-07-21T20:10:32.506+02:00Back in townI'm back from a great week in the Stockholm archipelago. We were eight girls, of which five were knitting! It was the knitting gals from this winters baby blanket project, and I'm so happy they got bitten by the yarn bug because it makes me seem less crazy.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMD5LA-6FZ3lHjs06-f0ZDd37fF2llHc7Aa5RgHueT7g5rz7r2khZgQDXwhGTIjXfPICgTuUa3PahqbOG-YolFNABIfbYgWQW8vbNN_VJnVEp8cu-bLPwwXGiLOBk1YltDPBsK/s1600-h/IMG_0598.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMD5LA-6FZ3lHjs06-f0ZDd37fF2llHc7Aa5RgHueT7g5rz7r2khZgQDXwhGTIjXfPICgTuUa3PahqbOG-YolFNABIfbYgWQW8vbNN_VJnVEp8cu-bLPwwXGiLOBk1YltDPBsK/s320/IMG_0598.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225528174900106866" border="0" /></a><br />Jenny knit her first sock, and even though it might not look exactly like the average sock it was more than OK for a first sock. More importantly, she had excellent yarn, and today I went and got some for myself: Regia's Kaffe Fassett sock yarn. I present to you my very own Kaffe sock:<br />(Jenny's sock had much more vivid colours, but they were out of it at <a href="http://www.wincentgarner.se/">Wincent</a>, so I went for the dusty pastels, like always.)<br /><br />During the week in the archipelago I finally made some progress on the big aran sweater I'm<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMwK8eY6GtpVOqnv4WoBq9Na-ig5uh8byCfBmAQSFXu3cpxvfLD3zZfcrMmHrx5Mz-sFvneuj36PjRJCZWFI3KvUZfGMvKafRS-dwkz6J5VxxWPYE3jPSs0vEYH6ocJluUqhTq/s1600-h/IMG_0604.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMwK8eY6GtpVOqnv4WoBq9Na-ig5uh8byCfBmAQSFXu3cpxvfLD3zZfcrMmHrx5Mz-sFvneuj36PjRJCZWFI3KvUZfGMvKafRS-dwkz6J5VxxWPYE3jPSs0vEYH6ocJluUqhTq/s320/IMG_0604.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225528942894026290" border="0" /></a> knitting for myself and desperately hoping to finish in time for winter. As for now, outlook is good -back and almost front are finished. When I get past the sleeves I'm looking forward to knitting a ribbed collar big enough to double as a hat.<br /><br />SP12 is going great so far, even though I don't seem to get all the SP12 weekly questions mails. I've sent my first parcel and my spoilee was so happy it totally made my day. I've already started shopping for the next one, and it's so much fun! Melissa's great packages last year taught me that it's more fun to just buy the stuff you think your spoilee will like, rather than keeping track of keeping the $60 limit.Linsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588707075403163973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17317312.post-6968712372317498812008-07-12T23:04:00.002+02:002008-07-12T23:06:39.274+02:00ApologyI just had a quick look at my Sitemeter, and I found the "By referrals" section. I hereby apologize to all of you (possibly one out of four hits...) who find this blog by googling "Guichie guichie ya ya da da". You must be so disappointed.Linsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588707075403163973noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17317312.post-24889698826602365732008-07-12T22:54:00.002+02:002008-07-12T23:02:35.847+02:00SP12 question of the week1) Where is your favorite place to go for vacation/holiday?<br />2) Where is one place you’d like to go?<br /><br />I haven't found that favourite place yet (dreaming of a summer house...), but I always like to go see my mum up north. The one place I really really want to go, which isn't really a place but a whole lot of places, is the Trans Siberian Railway. Not only would I see a lot of exotic places, I would also have a lot of knitting time on a trainride that takes over one week...Linsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588707075403163973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17317312.post-26055070750271384092008-07-02T16:35:00.002+02:002008-07-02T16:45:47.286+02:00SP 12 question of the week1) What yarn (that you don’t have/haven’t used) would make your stash “complete”?<br /><br />I've never knit with linen/flax, so that would definitely complete my stash. I'm also imagining having a special stash of mitten yarn in a gazillion of different colours. Having enough yarn for bigger projects is also something I like. Mostly I only have one or two balls of something nice, and it's never enough to do anything that's not just an excuse to use up the yarn in question...<br /><br />2) What yarn do you never want to be without?<br /><br />I'm not a very faithful yarnlover, but right now I'm thinking it's good to always have sock yarn in the house, for when you run out of inspiration for whatever you're knitting. Who would have thought a couple of years ago I'd be a sock knitter?!Linsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588707075403163973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17317312.post-53923487980874744642008-07-02T14:19:00.004+02:002008-07-02T14:35:33.486+02:00InspirationI've been thinking about a simple/basic round-neck cardican with set-in sleeves, little buttons and no fuss. A classic, if you will. I had a look at <a href="http://www.yllotyll.com/">Yll o Tyll</a>, my former LYS, and the had some tasty dishes:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUUuiB0A9MfXT8uCYra70VatqsPGvQhpEPHIjSWctH8DcsWVyRwLk2AyxybkPJpH3uqHF_ZRYQeSbJYg-0gJlVy6djfqvgKodl8y8I8gf1ZjhZvYiLXIRrYLaZ9lQLEcM0gdar/s1600-h/kofta1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUUuiB0A9MfXT8uCYra70VatqsPGvQhpEPHIjSWctH8DcsWVyRwLk2AyxybkPJpH3uqHF_ZRYQeSbJYg-0gJlVy6djfqvgKodl8y8I8gf1ZjhZvYiLXIRrYLaZ9lQLEcM0gdar/s320/kofta1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218392639195648722" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfXJoEO37yA57vLdagEuNssC_zmucqZ4lmSvN93Av-pluyAbrglfvSovR46PEAO4V42n2cwj-o8ZYkLDl3mmf0PnvJwkbfUP7fxCNSh3wuGf6QMNLiFyfsg-Xv0NIGdLNvQ8DP/s1600-h/kofta2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfXJoEO37yA57vLdagEuNssC_zmucqZ4lmSvN93Av-pluyAbrglfvSovR46PEAO4V42n2cwj-o8ZYkLDl3mmf0PnvJwkbfUP7fxCNSh3wuGf6QMNLiFyfsg-Xv0NIGdLNvQ8DP/s320/kofta2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218392727021903570" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzFc3MvR7-VCBt_FaqSzQ3qn2peCItyne-1sgb6RhsRMtrsi3WHw1gL97UTeM1YmkmXBl2b6C_0IU-NCn4kJcE9HOnL5uAI4fpHpC3jw6K1Bd1ze1iDUNCDjaJJ-tvGqex09wT/s1600-h/kofta3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzFc3MvR7-VCBt_FaqSzQ3qn2peCItyne-1sgb6RhsRMtrsi3WHw1gL97UTeM1YmkmXBl2b6C_0IU-NCn4kJcE9HOnL5uAI4fpHpC3jw6K1Bd1ze1iDUNCDjaJJ-tvGqex09wT/s320/kofta3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218392794593102098" border="0" /></a><br />I think I like the blue one the best, but I'm not sure. It's knit in <a href="http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/se/visgarn.php?garn=silkealpaca">SilkeAlpaca</a>, which I can imagine would work. It seems to give a good drape to it. But then I also like the green one too, knit in Malabrigo. (I'd knit the sleeves longer though. Sweden is cold in the winter.) The last one is knit in <a href="http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/se/visgarn.php?garn=Alpaca">Garnstudios Alpaca</a>, a classic yarn that works for everything. I like that the top two have pockets. Pockets are both useful and stylish.Linsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588707075403163973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17317312.post-56608479298822976412008-06-28T23:39:00.002+02:002008-06-28T23:41:42.628+02:00Cute<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_p_h7xYDgGKr63RB0bmlpyU5i1yAzOy-ORHS_BxKDmt981ph07UHFuKhxkarZnTdhCZQCsbUSXZqKCcmm7T0RnjkymW1OnuL5wN2dz6wQm7UD1fZqXjRl2u5jVBoDY2rjqEyH/s1600-h/IMG_0544%5B1%5D"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_p_h7xYDgGKr63RB0bmlpyU5i1yAzOy-ORHS_BxKDmt981ph07UHFuKhxkarZnTdhCZQCsbUSXZqKCcmm7T0RnjkymW1OnuL5wN2dz6wQm7UD1fZqXjRl2u5jVBoDY2rjqEyH/s320/IMG_0544%5B1%5D" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217050730876281810" border="0" /></a>Linsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588707075403163973noreply@blogger.com0