Vogue Swing Jacket

I finished the Swing Jacket (#19 in VogueKnitting Winter 07/08).

It is mainly knitted in Drops Alpaca in this lovely blue-green colour - and some Filcolana New Zealand Lammeuld and a little Spinni. Compared to the original version, my color changes are very subtle, but I like it that way.

I modified the pattern: I knit it in one piece meaning that the sleeves became raglan-like, and I added a front band and a neck band and moved the button.

364 g of stash used.

Twinkle knitting!

Yesterday I picked up my shipment of yarn from Wollbox. They have been so kind, and have specially ordered this yarn for me from across the pond: Cascade Magnum:
The colour in the left is more purple and the charcoal on the right is darker, but my camera constitutively refuses to reproduce purple colours correctly. 1 kg of each: colourways #9464 and #0075, i.e. not a modest purchase this time, but these chunky knits do use up some yarn! Cascade Yarns must have the same camera problems, as my photo is in fact more true to the actual colour than the one on their website. Fortunately, that is.

Picking up the yarn I got all set up for starting to knit TWINKLE! Woohooo. I really appreciate fashion designers entering the knitting scene! I've got the books, the needles, and the yarn! BTW, Wenlan Chia (the Twinkle designer) now uses her own yarn, Twinkle Soft Chunky, but as that is only available in the US and I couldn't find any European (= no fees for being allowed to pay tax) retailers being able to import this, I chose the Cascade Magnum, which I'm told is the yarn Wenlan Chia used before getting her own brand. And it's a lovely yarn, I must say! This is mainly sold in the US only as well, but as Wollbox sells other Cascade Yarns, they do special imports of other Cascade yarns as well as long as you pay in advance. Service.

The only thing left was to decide which pattern to start with! And that was indeed a tough one! Keeping in mind that chunky knits make people look - surprisingly so - chunky, I also had to take the amount of yarn I had into account and consider which garments I'd actually wear. I ended up thinking that the Twinkle Hoodie that I first set my eyes on must be the right choice.

Winding up the yarn, I ended up with the comically big ball:

Knitting at needles size 12mm and 15 mm really does get you somewhere fast:
I started out around 3am, and in spite having done other things today besides knitting, I've already finished the body and the sleeves! Too bad it is too hot for wearing the hoodie at this moment! Well, I'm sure the cold will catch up on us eventually.

In other knitting news, I started out on the Central Park Hoodie as well. I'm knitting with 2 strands of Shetland wool held together. I modified it to a size 34" (the pattern comes in 32" and 36", etc.) meaning that I had to modify the centre back cable, but I think it's allright. In addition, I plan to try out the EZ saddle shoulder on this one, as I think it would match this garment nicely.

Tomorrow (or any day soon) I'll show you the finished Vogue Swing Jacket. Possibly, I'll show you the Twinkle Hoodie as well, but I need some buttons before I can finish it, and the shops are closed on Sunday and Monday!

Puff Sleeve Jacket

I finished the Puff Sleeve Jacket (Vogue Knitting Winter 2007/08) knitted in 226 g of Jo Sharp Silkroad DK Tweed, colourway Magnolia. Ready for wearing with summer dresses now that spring has arrived! I'll post a photo with me in it some time soon.

Swatching

I did some swatches today - on the sunny terrace, where I spent about 4 hours today - for some small designs I'm considering to make. Even if I never get around to do anything more about it, I did at least use up 22 g odds and ends. It all counts in the Stashalong - and gives me more room in the baskets :)

I've got lots to show you!

- now that the camera returned from its very first business journey; to Stavanger, Norway.

First up it this scarf made from Habu Wool/Stainless Steel and Spinni giving the contrast between the airy, but crisp, Habu Wool/Stainless and the denser, yet still light, Spinni:

I knitted it up this week in order to give it away as a birthday present yesterday for Peter's sisters 40th birthday - she wears scarves most of the time, so I thought this would be an ideal present. And light: it's only 38 g.

I put my label on it and a small instruction note - almost professinal, right? ;)


In other news, a third elephant has emerged: Just as cute as its sister and brother. I wanted to have one for myself - and use the rest of the yarn purchased for knitting its brother.
It seems that I've been having this urge to clear put the bits and pieces from my stash lately: I've gotten rid of all the sock leftovers and cotton yarn by knitting this!
But since no babies of that size are around for the moment, I'll just keep it until some of our friend or family members produce some - I know that some of them will do so quite soon. Just don't worry/hope that I'll do so myself - I just knitted all this to use up the yarn, knit small pieces and - first and foremost - try out Elizabeth Zimmermann's February Baby Sweater (in front) - beautiful, isn't it?

While clearing out clothes and accessories a while ago I stumbled upon this vest I've hardly been using, knitted from some handspun yarn (read more here). I frogged it and out came the Shetland Triangle from Wrap Style:

Finally, the Stashalong information:

Habu/Spinni scarf: 38 g

Elijah III: 24 g

Baby gear from stash: 292 g

The Shetland Triangle will not contribute to the Stashalong since this frogged yarn was not a part of the original stash pile.

In total: 354 g of stash presented in this post.

I'll count all the baby equipment as one item, giving me 3 finished items in this post (not counting the Shetland Triangle). Added to the other 2008 FO's this gives me another couple of free days for Stashalong. I guess I'll have plenty of those!

Now, what's that?

8 WIPs?! Yup. I just had to cast on for another 2 of them - and plan a third for the Stashalong April KAL within KAL.

The process was initiated by the Vogue Knitting Spring 2008 issue entering my mailbox. Not really finding any designs I liked in that magazine, I dug out the old ones, knowing that I especially liked some of the design in the Winter 2007/08 issue.

Firstly, the Swing Jacket: I've made some modifications I'll tell you about when it's done. My colour changes are also quite a lot more subtle that the ones in the magazine, and I think I like it that way. So far this seems to be a promising project. [For Ravelry users trying to look this pattern up on Ravelry: For some reason or another this particular pattern is missing from the magazine's site. Peculiar.] You can find an IRL completed version here; I'm mod'ing mine into a shorter and more roomy version. I hope.

This is going to be my project for the Stashalong April KAL within KAL calling for a spring-y project. I swatched to make sure the yarn fits the pattern, but I cannot start knitting before the KAL sets off on April 1. It's the Puff Sleeve Jacket (#22) from Vogue Knitting Winter 2007/08:

The last newly started WIP is an EZ February Baby Jacket in red cotton(!). No photo here.

Ultimately, I just wanted to show you a progress photo of the MI Solen:

Uhm.

Warm wrists

- but not for me :) A tiny gift I made for one of Peter's old friends who has visited my blog and liked these. The pattern comes as a swatch in Marianne Isager's new book, Japan (published in Danish only).

38 g of stash.

The Cabled Spiral Pullover

My experiences with Knitting Nature just gets better and better. I absolutely love this new sweater! It has a great fit, the yoke pattern is beautiful and makes the shape, fit, and look of the sweater just perfect. In addition, it's a pleasure wearing it, and I'm very pleased with the yarn and especially the colour I chose. It's just sad that my camera never figured out how to capture purple-blue colours; I'd call it gentian after this cute little flower (ensian in Danish - and in Austrian for that matter*) - the colour is slightly darker than that of the top of the petals in this photo.

I'm so happy with my sweater! :D

Information:

Pattern: Cabled Spiral Pullover from Norah Gaughan: Knitting Nature
Size: the smallest one - petite or small?
Needles: Addi Bamboo 4.0mm, and 3.5mm bamboo dpns
Yarn: ÅLJ from Henrichsens Uldspinderi / Marianne Isager; 342 g.

Modifications:

1) I knit it in the round! Why purl when you can avoid it?! This sweater is an obvious knit-in-the-round sweater. The chest shaping in order to make the collar fit on the front are easily made even when back and front are knit in one piece; making this shaping you have to knit back and forth for a few rows though, but there's no need to knit the entire sweater back and forth.
2) I made a minor waist shaping (I only de-/increased 2 stitches)
3) I made EZ's afterthought hem on the body as well as on the sleeves; I did not like the rolling edges.

Apart from this I followed another wonderful pattern from Knitting Nature. This is my 5th project from that book, when not counting the two stitch patterns I tried out as well. Must be the best knitting pattern book ever.

Information for Stashalong:

342 g used.

My 8th finish this year, earning me my 4th free day. I also got one from the February KAL within KAL on Stashalong, meaning that I now have 2 unspent free days. I guess I'll have plenty :)


*About that little gentian flower: it grows in the peculiar moor-like landscape behind the sand dunes where my parents have their summer cottage. It's has such a strong yet tiny appearence in that rough - or at least rather saline - climate. Furthermore, it grows in the Austrian Alps as well - it probably grows in all the Alps, but the Austrians use it for making schnapps... I tasted it last week while I went skiing there, and I must say: never pick this beautiful little flower to make schnapps from it; that flower water tasting liqour does in no way give the flower the credit it deserves! Eeew.

While I remember it...

I'm just posting this to remind myself that I used 342 g of ÅLJ, on sale from Henrichsens Uldspinderi - a lovely yarn! - which can then be withdrawn from my stash; I'm counting for Stashalong.

I'm looking forward to showing you a photo of it, since it is such a nice sweater; I've worn it 2 days this week but as of yet I've been to tired/busy/too-late-to-get-a-daylight-photo. I'll try to get one during the weekend!

More details then. Edit 14/03/08: now more details and photos here.

Beginnings

As soon as my photographer returns from work in time to photograph me in my new sweater I'll present to you my new Cabled Spiral Pullover. Finishing that means the end of several major WIPs, in turn meaning that I can now cast on for loads of new knits. And so I have.

This afternoon I took a photo spree round the flat to photograph all the new knits I've started up recently. Most of them are just a cast on and perhaps even an edge. Only one has gone further that that - that'll be the scarf (can one get to many of these?) I brought with me on my skiing holidays because the almost finished Cabled Spiral Pullover would be much too big to carry along.

I'll start out with those knitted after a pattern.

1) The Shetland Triangle

They kept popping up here and here, so I thought I might make one myself. I had to find some heavy yarn to make it brooklyntweed-style, hence I frogged a vest I've had lying around for a couple of years but not really used; it was knitted in some dark brown (unevenly) handspun wool with pink/heather spots - from Lystbækgaard. It is quite hard to see the pattern in this uneven, dark yarn. Let's see how it turns out. Warm, I reckon.

2) Solen from Marianne Isager's new book Japan
I'm making the narrow version in black; with 6 different red/pink/orange colours for the circles. It'll be interesting to see how it fits, since I made it a litte narrower, which is usually necessary for me when knitting models designed by the oldest of the Isagers.

3) Elijah III

Secondly, the designs I'm making up myself:

1) A summer cardigan in Posh Yarn's Eva (laceweight silk/cashmere)I've swatched and figured out how the design should be during a lecture. This is the cast on and the first row I've finished here, I guess.

2) My pocket-y scarfI came up with the idea ((C) Birgitte Zeuner, 2008) for this scarf earlier this month. The colours inside the "pockets", i.e. the colours on the back of the scarf changes in stripes, using all the matching leftovers I have around. I'll show you more as I progress.

Well, I guess that this will be enough WIPs to keep me going for a while. But you never know, do you?

Photo of me wearing the Color on Color Scarf

- the way I prefer it. Almost a piece of art.

My stash has grown by 28g today...

... but not by any kind of grams: the 2 Habu Textiles Wool / Stainless Steel 14g-cones in dark dark brown and wine-purple, respectively, arrived from Glasgow today (or rather, earlier this week but I went and picked it up today). Uuuuhm.

Photos of the Color on Color scarf

I think those over-sized, soft buttons I made are really cute

So I found the time to block the scarf anyway. It's 26 cm x 140 cm (approx. 10½" x 56") and flamboyant.

Details below.

Unbelievable yet true: I finished knitting the Color on Color Scarf!

I still need to block it before it's done and before I'll take photos of it. That may have to wait until I return from the skiing holidays; then you'll have something to look forward to ;)

288 g of stash used: 41 colours using 20 different yarns. This is a real stash-busting project. The pattern calls for a certain kind of yarn available in numerous colours (1-200 I believe). I, on the other hand, collected all by stash (especially bits and pieces) to get as many colours as possible, found the colour chart of the yarn used in the pattern on Google, and sat down and combined the colour numbers given in the pattern with my own yarn, making sure the amount were almost similar to what the pattern called for. My mother provided me with a green and an orange colour, since these colours are rare in my stash. I go for blues and reds instead.

I started the scarf more than a year ago (I do not quite remember when), but it has been a slow process: I've been knitting a stretch and then let it lie for months; you have to do loads of reading for this scarf - the pattern covers 12 pages, photos included - because something new happens all the: a colour change, stitch pattern change, or a new section starting. Finally I had to weave in loads of ends (I didn't like how weaving in as I went along looked) and knit a huge number of i-cords. Today I made buttons! The pattern said to use real buttons covered with knitted fabric, but since I don't have any and don't intend to buy any, I made my own soft, over-sized buttons. Photos of these will appear after blocking.

If you're up for a stash adventure, you should knit this scarf, but you'll have to have patience :)

Edit: I forgot to mention that the pattern - called Color on Color - is from Scarf Style and made by Kathryn Alexander.

Now with photos, above.

Foxy lady... ;)

Yesterday I finished the Colette Pullover (link to Ravelry) from Interweave Knits Winter 2007. My beloved Peter not being home before sunset I had to go and play with the self-timer to be able to show you photos of it today:


Above is my favourite picture (well, not because of the look in my face) but I'll show you some more just for the fun of it:



I am immensely pleased with the result! Being unable to structure a text properly this late in the afternoon, I'll put all the facts I want to share with you on bullet form:

• I started this project in order to (1) practice my jacquard knitting skills (I think I've got hold of that technique now!), and (2) to see how jacquard and body shaping go together without having to think it up myself: they go together quite nicely, I must say! I'm very pleased with the result!
• As you may have noticed, I'm still contemplating what buttons to sew on it. The buttons I originally planned to use are too large for the buttonholes (explanation for this below), and I haven't decided if I can live with some of the other buttons I have, or if I'll have to go and buy some. Until I decide, it will work perfectly well without the buttons, as you can see in the photos.
• As I actually expected while knitting it, it turned out a little too large. I had a larger gauge (that's what you get when knitting from stash!), and even though I knit the smallest size (but fit the second-smallest) I was pretty sure it would still be a little too big for me. My suspicion turned out to be correct; but not to worry: I knew that this yarn would felt quite easily. However, felting in the washing machine is pretty uncontrollable... Luckily, I know how to felt by hand (I have made this jacket for myself; no knitting involved!), so crawling around on the kitchen floor I reduced the sweater size by 8 cm (~3") in the round and 3 cm lengthwise (~1.25"). 'Twas worth the trouble: the sweater now fits perfectly!
• The felting and the jacquard pattern knitted with 2 strands of each colour makes it perfect for the chilly environment in which I move - and for the skiing holiday in Sölden (Austria) we're going this Saturday! What an incentive to finish the sweater.
• And just a peculiarity: I did the sewing-before-cutting of the two neck opening steeks by hand! :)

And now for the stats (Stashalong-wise as well as general information):

• Knitted with 2 strands of yarn all the way. The black main colour is wool from Henrichsen's Uldspinderi resembling Marianne Isager's Tvinni, though much cheaper when bought at the factory kilogram-wise. The two pink/heather contrast colours are both a single-ply yarns from the local farm Lystbækgaard near my parent's summer cottage in Western Denmark.
• Knitted on needle size 3.5 mm in the round.
• I used 542 g of stash yarn.
• My 6th FO in 2008, giving me my 3rd free day (more on that below).
• One of the items on my Stashalong list for 2008.
• It is my February contribution to 12 projekter.

Regarding the free days (part of Stashalong): I have finished 6 items this year, and since I earn one free day (with the limitation of never buying more than I have used up so far) for every second item I finish, I've earned 3 free days this year. I used the first one in January on a rather modest purchase. I used the second a week ago - and I got the yarn today:

6 skeins of Jo Sharp Silkroad DK Tweed in colourway Magnolia. 300 g of yarn added to the stash, but since I have already used more than 1500 g this year, it is quite all right, and still what I'd call a modest purchase.

Having finished my 6th object I've gone and spent the 3rd free day: It seems that modest purchases is my way to go this year: I've ordered 2x14 g of Habu Stainless Steel Wool. I've been wanting this peculiar yarn for some time know, so when Ysolda directed me and my fellow readers to a new Edinburgh yarn store with a webshop on the side being the only European(= no taxes or fees to be added) Habu Stainless carrying shop I know of, I couldn't resist making an order! I'm looking forward :)

Elijah II is born!

Just as cute as his older sister, Eliza.

He is my February KAL within KAL project for Stashalong, and he is a birthday gift I gave away this Saturday. You may think, that the recipient has his/her 1st birthday. Well, not quite. Mentioning Eliza above, I can also tell that she now lives with my mother who (like me) happened to think that the litte raspberry coloured elephant looked immensely cute. As Eliza was made just before my mothers birthday in December, I gave the cute little elephant to her. At that occasion, her aunt saw this little creature and immediately wished for one for her 80th birthday (which was this Saturday) - though, it should be light blue! And here it is: Elijah the Elephant.

Pattern by Ysolda. 26 g of Arwetta sock yarn used.

As a matter of fact, as you read this, Elijah's twin is emerging :)

Awesome!

Helga got her Amimono Knit Kit Shop up and running! Yipee :)

Photos of Amimono Oak

Well, not the best photos ever seen: shot in a hurry (as you can see) by my dear boyfriend this morning while I was putting up my hair... At least you can see the fit :) It's incredibly nice to wear, and keeps me warm at the cold university - and hopefully fashionable as well, though not too many are concerned about fashion at that particular university... ;) I can live with that; it saves us loads of money!

A button-y little neckwarmer

I finished this neckwarmer today. I found the inspiration here. I knitted it in moss stitch and with a cable edging do get another (and in my opinion better ;)) look. I also added decreases at the edge and short rows to get some shaping.

It's knitted from Jo Sharp's Silkroad DK Tweed, colourway Celestine - I bought just one skein of this to see what it was like when it arrived for sale in Denmark about a month ago. It's a lovely yarn - I think Nanna of 123knit.com can expect another order from me :)

The thing I like the most about the original neckwarmer is the all different buttons. Some time ago I inherited a sewing box from my grandmother (my mother's mother) and it was full of lovely old buttons - so I went for a button hunt, and found this:

I especially like the metal buttons; and the one on the bottom with the "Norwegian knitted star" in particular. Fortunately, there are still plenty of those in the box! The button second to the top is made of glass - I've never seen glass buttons before. Peculiar.

50 g of stash used - and no longer with this (deliberate) odd ball in stock.

Coincidental blogland adventures

As you probably all know, browsing through blogland can lead you on numerous adventures. The one I had today was a little out of the ordinary - to me at least - so I'll share my way round it with you.

Starting on Ravelry browsing for yarn from my I-would-love-to-have-this-yarn-but-I'm-not-willing-to-pay-tax-on-a-U.S.-shipment-list I came across projects made from one of the Habu Stainless Steel yarns. That lead me to Olga's profile, where I saw a lovely Wenlan Chia sweater she made (links to Ravelry). That lead me to another profile because Kelli had made another beautiful version of this sweater. That, of course, lead me to Kelli's blog. I discovered that Kelli has a wonderful eye for fashionable knits and went on looking through her blog. At some point, I encountered a post, where she showed her new necklace from - and here comes the interesting part seen from my point of view - Jennifer Zeuner Jewelry. Apparently, Jennifer Zeuner makes jewelry, which is somewhat popular, even in the Hollywood circles.

In case you're still wondering why this is so interesting... jewelry designer Jennifer and I share the same last name. To say the least, this is not an awfully common surname - in fact, I've never met anyone apart from my father and his mother with that name, yet. As some of you may have guessed, our name is of German origin, but it is not as if Germany is crowded with distant family members of that name. I know some people in Denmark share my last name - 55 to be exact - but I've never met the 53 of them. Hence, when I encounter someone with my last name on a blog, and find out the woman grew up as far away as in Puerto Rico before she became a U.S. jewelry designer - well, I smile a little and wonder :)

WIP knitting

I'm very pleased with my self as I reach the end of this weekend (and my day off on Thursday: pre-weekend): In between lab work and correcting Peter's master thesis I've been knitting on WIPs only! I haven't started a new project!

As you can see in the sidebar, I have only(!) 4 WIPs. I've even taken up the Color on Color scarf, which I thought I'd never finish. I'm almost done with the last section, meaning that all I need now is to knit a .... lot of i-cords, weave in even more ends, and make some buttons. I don't say that it'll be done by the end of the week, but I'm confident that it'll be done by the end of the year.

Thursday I plugged away on the neckwarmer (inspiration here) in Jo Sharp DK Silkroad Tweed. Today I washed it, and it's now ready for the 6 different buttons that I dug out of the fully equipped sewing chest that I inherited from my grandmother. I think it's going to be nice!

This weekend I've been knitting on the Colette Pullover: I finished the first sleeve and cast on for the second. I'm suprised how incredibly fast one can knit the rounds on the sleeve when being used to the body rounds! I want to finish this one soon as it's going to be very thick and warm. The weatherman spoke about the winter arriving by the end of the week.

I've also taken a few rounds on the Cabled Pullover. I'm almost at the chest shaping (I'm knitting in the round although the patterns says otherwise - I adhere to EZ: avoid purling by all means!). I'm thinking about casting on for a sleeve for lecture knitting as the semester starts next Monday. Unfortunately, I have no bamboo dpns size 4 mm; bamboo needles are required for silent(!) lecture knitting!

Meanwhile I'm contemplating what to start next. I'm thinking that it'll be MI's Solen and a well-known little elephant.

I'm wearing the Amimono Oak again today - apologies for forgetting to photograph it...

I wish a nice last week of the long month of January :)

Comments

By coincidence, I saw on Britt's blog that not everyone has been able to leave a comment here. I went and changed the settings immediately - I hadn't noticed that only Google Account owners could leave comments as it was.

Now everyone can leave a comment! :)

Thanks to Britt for drawing my attention to the problem - and for giving me the award! :) - and to all of you who leave comments now and again; I really do appreciate them!

Award time!

I'm very honoured to get this You-make-my-day award from Lise:




The rules are as follows: “Give the award to 10 people whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel happy about blogland. Let them know by posting a comment on their blog so they can pass it on. Beware you may get the award several times.”

According to Google Reader - the very nice tool (when you install the "Next"-button in your browser) that I use for reading blogs more easily - I read 36 blogs regularly; and even more a little more randomly. I picked out the 10 blogs I appreciate the most, and here they are - in random order:

Hverken fugl eller fisk
Knit in Denmark
Pindsvinet
Lykke & Løkker
Knitting Hurricanes
Aalerusen
Ysolda
Mettetations
Slagt en hellig ko
Brooklyntweed

Now I'm off to commenting on all these blogs to let them know about the award :)

I would have liked to link to even more of the blogs I read, since there is so much inspiration out there in blogland. Maybe I'll do that some other time.

Happy knitting and blog-reading to all of you.