Home Made Merino Wool

The wool I got from a friend a couple of months ago, was transformed into
100 gram one thread merino wool by my step mom (who is a textile artist). She will make more for me if I need. I love to knit with thin needles, so I am looking forward to working with this yarn which needs needle 1,5! Now... what would be the perfect project?

Secrets

Secret nr.1 - This gift was given me from a "secret friend". I have no idea who it is who sent it to me, a Hobby forum arranges gift swaps, and this is the first time I participate. I managed to wait until Christmas eve to open it, and what a surprise!

This is all the wonderful things I found inside: I really cool nisse (gnome), Two skeins of Sock yarn designed by Kaffe Fasett, which I have been looking for for a long time - and also the exact right colour, Bamboo needles in one of the few sizes I still don't have but really need, my favorite marzipan (my sons favorite too, so i guess i have to share), lots of tea (i am addicted to tea, and my secret friend might know i regularly travel to Japan because i got a lot of green tea too). But what might touched me most was the hand made bracelet. My secret friend used some of the hectic time before christmas to sit down and make a beautiful gift to me, who she doesn't even know. That makes her a special person.



Here is an update on secret nr.2: The seeds my son gave me for my "green january" are growing like i water them with steroids. I have no idea what it is, but due to the speed they grow, i tend to believe they are eating humans for breakfast and decided to treat them with caution. This picture is taken four days after it was one cm long! And I can see more of the scary things growing too.
Contest: The first to guess the right kind of plant will receive a gift.

Finishing things Pt.5

This pompadour is made of three and a half skeins of Rowan Handknit Cotton and a too small needle to make the shape more solid. I think I can use this bag together with a dress as well as with jeans. Don't you think so too? The size is 15 x 15 cm (6x6 inches).

I received a couple of books today that i ordered some time ago. One to make cute sewn cosy dolls and cuddle animals, like Pink Bunny, Kidnapper, Liar, Panda Robot etc. I just have to make a cuddly Kidnapper first. The other is Last Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts, which seems to be a wonderful book for a sewing challenged person like me.
Chaos the cat was as usual more interested in the box. He has a cardboard box fetish thing going.

Green January Sneak Peek

I wanted to give myself something green for January, and my son suggested I plant seeds - and if doing it now, I would have plants by January. My son bought the seeds and removed the label from the package, so I have no idea what it is!
This was a week ago, and when i watered today I saw three one cm long plants already! Now I really hope my son gave me LEGAL plants, then I can post the progress here. Maybe you can help me guess what it is later when the leaves grow.

I have to start rebuild my little garden, so I love my sons gift. All my bonsai trees died last time I was in Japan. I even phoned home regularly to remind my husband to water them, but he forgot anyway. But my son and the cat survived, and I guess two out of three is not too bad.

kaos' zigs and zags socks -free pattern

During the 60s my brother, me and two cousins all had pullovers knitted in this pattern. Our pullovers were “technicoloured” – pastel yellow, pastel green, turquoise and pink. Attacked by some sentimental memories I decided to find out how to knit the pattern, – and make socks. The zigzag pattern makes the socks very elastic as well as nice and warm. And the pattern is very easy as it is knit and purl only.

You need 5 or 6 double pointed needles of 3 or 3,5 mm and 100 g sock yarn – gauge 24sts=10cm. Size S-M

1: CO 52 sts. 13 sts on each needle.
2: Cuff: K1tbl, P1 until cuff is 5 cm.
3: Change to pattern:
– Row 1: K1, *P2, K2, P2* (repeat until 1 sts left), K1
– Row 2: *P2, K2* (repeat all sts)
These 2 rows form pattern.
4: Knit pattern until sock measures 14 cm (including cuff).
5: Knit heel on needle 2 and 3 with stocking stitch over 26 sts. Work heel on three needles (9+8+9 sts).
6: Knit short row heel.
W&T: wrap and turn. On RS rows, bring yarn forward, sl1, move yarn back, slip st back to left needle, turn. On WS rows, take yarn back, Sl1, bring yarn forward, slip st back to left needle, turn.

Row 1 (WS): P to last st, wrap and turn
Row 2: K to last st, W&T
Row 3: P to last st before wrapped st, W&T
Row 4: K to last st before wrapped st, W&T

Repeat rows 3 and 4 until there are 8 unwrapped sts on the (middle) needle.

Row 1 (RS): Knit to first wrapped st, pick up the wrap from front to back, and K together with the next st, W&T (yes you wrap the stitch twice).
Row 2: P to first wrapped st, pick up the wrap from back to front, and P together with the next st, W&T
Row 3: K to first double-wrapped st, pick up both wraps, and K together with next st.
Row 4: P to first double-wrapped st, pick up both wraps, and P together with next st.

Repeat rows 3 and 4 until all sts have been worked. The st on each end of the needle will still have wraps. Pick these up, and work together with the next st as you come to them.

7: Begin working circularly again. Continue pattern on needle 1 and 4 and stocking stitch on needle 2 and 3 until wanted size.

8: Knit toe:

Needle 1: Knit until 3 sts remain on needle, K2tbl, K1.

Needle 2: K1, K2tog, K remaining sts.

Needle 3: As needle 1

Needle 4: As needle 2

Cont until 2 sts remain on each needle. Cut the yarn, leaving a 15 cm tail. Thread a blunt needle with the yarn, and run it around through all 8 remaining stitches twice. Pull tight, tie off, and weave in the ends.

If you want a pdf of the pattern instead, please send me a mail.

Finishing things Pt.3

Så oppskriften på denne lua som ser ut som den er strikket av tentakler. Garnet ble gravd fram fra stashlageret - noe som viste seg å bli en arkeologisk utgravning som avdekket flere grusomme moteminner enn jeg strengt tatt behøvde å minnes på - og lua ble ferdig på en kveld.

Finishing things Pt.2

Desember er akkurat riktig måned å få ferdig sommertopper.
Tekkelig forside...


En smule mer utringet bak.

Finishing things Pt.1

Fra serien "kaos lærer seg selv å sy".
Jeg så en lignende veske i Japan, lagde noen skisser og har siden prøvd å finne ut hvordan man syr den. Etter omsider ha forstått at man må vrenge veska gjennom seg selv for å få foret pent på, begynte det å løsne. Den skulle fores to ganger også, siden jeg skulle brodere i hullene, og ikke ville at baksiden av brodereriene skulle synes inni. Mye pirk og bagateller etter, begynte det å ligne på noe:



Mer pirk og bagateller:

Red

The December days are short and dark. I will need a warm and bright Red to keep me going.
And this month I will have to take a closer look at all those loose ends. The WIP/UFO-tower is overwhelming.