christmas knitting

Finally the holidays are kind of over and all the knitted gifts have been distributed. THat means I can show you the two I'm the most proud of here on the blog! Yay!
So for your pleasure I present to you Mum's Selbu:


and a Winter's Gail:

Christmas

...means that all knitting projects are secret, so there's nothing to blog.

And the new Knitty is up. It's been too much to my taste on knitty so far, that honestly... I donät feel like making a single thing on there! And that's a first.
The closest I get is the collar cowl Poinsettia, but I'm making one of Mandy's neckwarmers before I even consider adding that one to my queue.

So my queue is: Finish Christmas stuff, a green toque for me, something gorgeous, something soft and something to match all of the above... I think.

I got it

It has begun.
Life.

Somehow that's how it feels, after years of worry, insecurity, project hopping and the feeling of never doing enough... I just landed a PhD position at my old university. I get paid to research the subject I consider my speciality for the next five years.

It's amazing.

I have a desk, keys to a room, a computer, login for a computer system, keycard... In my world all these things tell me that I belong somewhere. I've found a place that is all mine.

My research will be along the lines of making the democracy process and citizen involvement smoother, more natural and more influencial when planning new housing projects. I've only read stuff for two days, and I haven't exactly narrowed it down to a descriptive title yet, but let's just say it's right up my alley! Architecture when it best benefits the ones using it, rather than the ones designing it or discussing it, you might say.

I haven't been this hungry for more or inspired by something for a looong time!

more Rolff

And I think I need to show my English readers some more dog photos.





(click for big)

Selbu Green

Look! I knit!
This time a Selbu toque for myself. It'll look awesome matched with my green winter coat and my brick-red shawl don't you think?

Rolff

This is Rolff. He just moved in. Rolff is two years old and has apparently had some bad luck with previous owners, just looking for some consistency, some calm. So he was given to us, and he moved in today. We'll try and provide that calm and consistency this guy so badly needs.
Welcome home Rolff.

Isn't he just gorgeous?

Done!

Can you believe it!?

Jodi, I LOOOOOVE this cable pattern and I love You for it!
I still need to steam it a little, and pamper it a bit, and fasten a few thread ends that I've ignored, but it is essentially done. I've never done so much seaming in my life! I learned how to make invisible gorgeous seams, but I'm not sure I ever want to do it again... Top down raglans for me for a while I think.

I'm incredibly proud though, that I actually pulled it off!

A little one

When a friend gives you good news that give you reason to make a tiny little dress, you have to knit it right away. So I did.

I made my own version of Anouk - from Knitty. Now, let's just hope the recipient and her parents like it...

Oh, and I'm getting word about a job I applied for this week. Will you please all cross your fingers that I get it? I want it so bad!

Durrow

... is coming along nicely.
I made the sleeves my olympic project, and I'm halfway through!
Casting on the other tonight. Go go go!
(click this whole post to see the pattern)

wordomize

Looks like I've started an armory or opened war on something... When did my blog become this violent? ;)

all buttoned up

I wore my newly made button clipon earrings today. My ear lobes hurt after a full day, but damn they're cute! Several people actually bothered to tell me so too.

In other news I'm making progress in my battle with the sewing machines! They've been the siege engines of my life - always in somebody elses army working against me.
My crafts teacher in school made a good job convincing me I can't even hold a needle...
But with a little help and a lot of will power I now own a medieval gown! Or rather it's just a long tunic with a red dress over it and a purse and a little hat and a big hood... Oh, I guess it's a full outfit isn't it? Exiting!

We're going to this medieval fair thing this weekend so I'll try and get photos of my 1200-something self. Me. Sewing. Who'd have thought huh?

ETSY

I'm on etsy! Can you believe it!? I finally got my thumb out of my... well... I finally got around to actually listing a shop. So far only four brooches made it on there, but there are more, prettier and exiting things coming!

sharp pointed weapons

A friend once uttered about knitting that it has to be the manliest thing one can do:

"Armed with sharp pointed weapons in both hands, and usually surrounded by women"

...was his take on our favorite hobby (loosely translated from Swedish).

Now I have truly sharpened those weapons as I finally got these babies home - iron knitting needles! Made by hand by a real blacksmith. Can you imagine something cooler? I can't. Not very comfortable, heavy and loudly clanging to knit with, but hey -
Iron Needles!
I have big plans on how to display them best... But anyone who comes to visit will have the opportunity to try them out. That's a promise.

fraggle knits

Remember fraggle mountain? Then take a look at this! (You can fast forward to 3.40 in to the clip if you Just wanna see why I made a knitting reference)

Too bad the dozers preferred building to knitting huh?

still knitting

After having moved (!), finished two projects for work, worked my pretty little ass off... I picked up some yarn and some sticks and began creating something again! I finished Rogue - the knitted parts - some time ago, but I have big plans for that baby so you'll have to wait longer for pictures of that. It is so far the best thing I ever did.
Now I've cast on Seascape and Durrow.

The Seascape almost became a disaster until I remembered the golden rule:
It's my knitting and I'll alter if I want to
So I'm making it a Seascape based stole.

I'm using the pattern but not exactly as it was intended. Mistakes can be such creative tools sometimes.

Then for the Durrow. Ribs, ribs, ribs...

I see what you did here Jodi. You make me long for the cable work and thus I'm speeding through the boring part first? Is that the idea? Anyway - since I'm making it in a humongous size it's a lot of ribs, but give me a dull enough movie and I'll be shaping the neckline in no time at all.
Also considering adding a hem, but we'll see about that.
Still - I can't wait to get to those sleeves!

“Worry is like a rocking chair--it gives you something to do but it doesn't get you anywhere.”

endpaper

Being my first multicolor project ever, it might be considered odd that the backside is actually more awesome than the outside... But the koigu yarn is just magical! When daylight hits this mitten - it has a clear pattern. In the shade it's just greenishly beautifully random.
The backside is stripey and shiney. I might actually wear these inside out! When I get around to making number two.

rogue

I'm making a very personal version of the rogue sweater. First of all I'm making it a cardigan. Second of all I'm making it huge. Much longer than the pattern says it should be, and thicker. And I'm planning on lining it with a burgundy or black thin inner jacket. But now it's stitched together and all the knitting I have left is an i-cord edging along the zipper. And I'll block it with gentle steam and lots of pressure before measuring anything.
I'll take more photos shortly.



Wish me luck!

In other news I'm moving in a month to a big apartment, so I'm getting a yarn cabinet! And we'll be able to have the sewing machine out! And... I'll be decorating rather than knitting for a while I guess.

swatch

This yarn. This stitch pattern. A dream come true.
Now let's keep our fingers crossed that in a lifetime or two I'll have combined them into an equally wonderful design of a garment.

haunted house for sale

Apparently this Roadside Attraction Haunted House (Road Side attractions are the Stone Henges of America - please read American Gods if you haven't yet!) is closing and selling everything on auction!
But I always have my knitters' eyes, and all I could see was this display case for yarn - also known as spectacular bookshelf..
There are some hideous and crappy pieces in there too (most of it to be honest), but I wouldn't mind a mirror, an exit sign or a suit of armor. Go take a look!

hunters' toque

I got a knitting request today. (Read this next tongue twisting sentence out loud:) A hunter wants a hat for when he's hunting hares. (I should have written toque, but hat went better with the rythm) The requirements were very specific, and he made very sure that I knew how he meant, and I just smiled. This will be so much fun!

He wants to be able to pull it down like a ski mask - Are you thinking what I'm thinking? And he wants it to be in a rather special shade of green. No problems.
What he doesn't know, is that I'm making him a pair of half mitts to match. I already bought the yarn, and I'll cast on tonight.