123 Silk Tweed

The Danish knitter behind 123strik is about to start selling a wool/silk blend that looks superb. It's wool spun with recykled silk, and the silk gives a multicoloured tweedy look to the yarn. There will be twelve shades available, around Easter. Clapotis? Rogue? A zippered plain cardigan? I can see many possibilities for me and these beauties...

Straight from the fridge

I know some pretty cool mothers, but I wonder if any of them would be coldhearted enough to let their babies toddle along with plucked chicken on their heads? A very weird thing to knit, but as all tasteless things, it sure has attraction... One of these attractions is of course to work in a pattern called goosebumps...

Chicken Viking Hat by Sarah @ Aloha Misc. Media House (Link via Creating Text(iles))

Creativa Brussels

I'm thinking of going to Brussels and visit the Creativa expo. Along with the usual craft supplies sellers they have invited artists selling products of their own design and creation, this photo is from last year, I think. The same expo - it seems to be a roadshow with partly local participants, was in Metz this weekend, but then I was in bed, kept company by a fever and his friend the Cough from outer space. The comments from the Metz event have been mixed, some people think the kits have taken over, and that true creativity has a minor role to play. I tend to agree. I really, really dislike scrapbooking with colour-coordinated ribbons, buttons and perfectly cut little snowflakes. Still, people tell me it's addicitive, so I will detest it from a distance. This year's show seems to focus heavily on beads and embroidery, mostly in kit-format.

I don't have enough time to continue my rant on creativity versus handicraft, so I 'll stop here.

Creativa Brussels

Hiding yarn...

I don't read Finnish, so I don't have any opinion on the on-line knitting magazine Ulla. But someone pointed me to this universal cartoon...
Ulla - Ullakko - Nurja puoli

Glove of flowers

The prettiest glove ever, a true piece of art. A scaled-down version might be wearable...
Felieke van der Leest: Glove of flowers I like her jewellry too, this Giraffe with Zebra Legs
for example...

I found this Dutch artist via the ever-inspiring "Art for housewives"

(And speaking of pretty things, don't miss the Japanese links Britt added in the comments on the posting below this one!

These: http://www.jomon.ne.jp/~tf47825/sakuhinsyoukai/amiokasi1.html

http://www.jomon.ne.jp/~tf47825/sakuhinsyoukai/amiokasi2.html)

A knitted room in Tasmania

It never ceases to amaze me, what people can do with a pair of sticks and a piece of string...
Strathaven folk knit themselves a room :: ABC Tasmania

Film maker Robin Carney swapped media to pass on her creative guidance to the folks at Strathaven home for the elderly. A group of ladies from the home, some volunteers and friends from the local community have recreated a living room set in the 1950s - all knitted, mind you - there's even a knitted window with a knitted rural outlook.

(Thanks for the tip, Britt!)

Being a secret friend

I participate in the second round of the Nordic Secret Friends exchange, and soon it's time to send off the first package. We are supposed to buy something around 100 SEK/NOK/DKK. This is of course a very low budget, if you want to buy something nice. I took a trip to one of the yarn shops in the neighbourhood and found this lovely Plassard Estival in gorgeous colours. My budget would hardly be enough for two 50 g balls. And what would someone do with that?

In the end I bought something Useful to a very good price, and I hope it will be appreciated. I'll send it off soon, and then we'll see...

January Collection

My version of Sophie, free pattern from Magknits. I used Lana Grossa Oxford, bought at Monopol for 55 cents/ball. This yarn felts A LOT, and I had to use a sharp knife to separate the sides of the bag from each other. It could have been a good idea to place a plastic bag inside (and secure it with a few stitches) before throwing this lady in the washing machine.


A scarf knitted lengthwise on a 100 cm circular pin. Yarn from Phildar's sale, and some Rowan cotton I swore I would never use for anything just a few weeks ago!

The pattern is really simple, garter stitch and the same pattern repeat as in the Morning Surf Scarf.

I finished this yesterday, on the train to an outdoors event. My son was certain he wouldn't need either cap or gloves, but in the end he was quite happy to wear this, and his brothers' gloves. The "dubbelmössa" is knitted from a provisional (crocheted) cast-on, until high enough (I used my doublepins as a measure) and the decreases begin. When the first half is knitted, unravel the crocheted chain and pick up the stitches. Continue in the other direction, using a matching/contrasting yarn, or the same. (Make sure you secure all loose ends, in the end you will have a closed structure.)
I used Fortisimma Socka, and I think it is slightly thinner than the yarn in the original pattern, from Elann. Joel's friend looked at the cap and said "It looks store-bought!". I took that as praise... (I found this pattern via Blogdogblog)

Liquid Sky Arts

Liquid Sky Arts

Alive, and knitting

I took a longer pause from my knitting blog than I had intended, but here I am again!

Knitted:
I did a knitted and felted bag to match the Koolinette wrap. No photo, sorry.
I did a knitted and felted bag (a slightly modified Sophie) for myself using Filatura di Crosa Oxford and an anonymous eyelash/lurex/bump mix from my latest eBay adventure. The felting became an adventure in itself - the Oxford yarn felted like there's no tomorrow, and the bag came out as a tweedy blob. A small sharp knife and a lot of patience was needed before I could take my Purple Sophie for a walk.
Then I bought some yarn at the Phildar sale, and knitted a scarf in Phildar Diamant, Phildar Velours and double Rowan Cabled Mercerised Cotton.

Photos? Sure. Later.

Now I'm working on a hat, a "dubbelmössa" for one of my sons. I'm using Fortisimma sock yarn, and so far it looks nice.

Among other un-photographed things: I have received my first Nordic Secret Friend II package, containing a row counter, 2 mm doublepins and three balls of very soft and blue Almedahls Plus. Thanks, Anne Elise!