tirsdag, september 25, 2007

strikkestrikkestrikke

Kiwa har kommet med en utfordring: Å gjøre ferdig en ting til 7. oktober. Jeg slenger meg på, som vanlig i seneste laget, men jeg skal virkelig prøve å bli ferdig med alpakka-vesten som jeg begynte på i påsken. Så langt har jeg kommet:
Dette er bakstykket, og jeg skal begynne på felling til ermhullene. Jeg tror dette skal gå forholdsvis raskt. Og så gjenstår jo forstykket, som har et lite hullmønster øverst. Ribbestrikken bør gå raskt. Men jeg kjenner jeg har det litt travelt...

Jeg er godt i gang med Evas lue, men den blir veeeeeldig stor! Jeg skal prøve den på eksens hode, og hvis den passer skal han få den. Hvis ikke får jeg sjekket hvordan pt3 tover... Jeg har begynt på en ny, i svart alpakka med pinnestørrelse 3. Det bør gjøre susen. Foreløpig er jeg bare nesten ferdig med ribbestrikken, så den er ikke så spennende ennå.

Å ja. Jeg begynte plutselig å blogge på norsk, ser jeg. Jeg tror ikke jeg har så mange internasjonale lesere, men jeg tror jeg kommer til å bli litt tospråklig fremover. Jeg skriver på engelsk når jeg har tid :)

onsdag, september 19, 2007

Search for a cardi

Over the last few days autums has arrived - as always, unexpectedly. And I start longing for warm, knitted clothes. I am not a fast knitter (I hope to finish my alpaca vest within the next month or so), and resigned myself to buy a knitted jacket. When the weather is warmer, I am addicted to zippered hoodies, but at the moment they are just not warm enough. Which is kind of strange, seeing as they are in constant use all through the winter. Maybe I just need time to adjust. But I digress :)

Anyways, I wanted a knitted jacket, preferably a hoodie, and I wanted it right away. But allthough all the shops are filled with knits, they are all acrylic or some other sort of synthetic mix. And I really hate synthetics. Comes from having a Rudolph Steiner upbringing and wearing raw wool next to the skin all through my childhood I guess.

So, there is nothing else for it: I'll have to knit one myself. But how on earth will I manage to make one before spring arrives? How do I make one that is quick to knit, but not too bulky, and still warm? I haven't been able to find anything I like at my trusty resource Garnstudio either. Well no, that is not actually true. I like this, and this, and this... but neither are really what I need. And since I am a slow knitter, I have to choose my projects carefully.

Ah well. Enough with the whining. Any tips, hints or suggestions are welcome, though :)

I am learning to knit with five little needles instead of a circular needle. And it's difficult! I can't seem to get into rhythm... But the result will be worth it! I am making Eva's hat (this is her picture):
Mine is nowhere near finished yet:

I am making this in army green pt3. Please note all the extra aids I need in order to do this: hairbands on every needle as well as a stitchmarker :) Hopefully, it will be easier as I get used to this method... The going is even slower than usual.

torsdag, september 06, 2007

Productivity

Being ill for a couple of days does wonders for the crafting part of my life.
I've made a new calorimetry, one that actually suits me:

And a neckwarmer to match:

I'va also made a Bainbridge scarf from the yarn I bought from MamaLlama at Etsy:

Hm. All the pictures are very blue. How strange. Well, the calorimetry and the neckwarmer are made from a thick, lovely grey alpaca, and the MamaLlama yarn is purple and green.

I cast on 100 instead of 120 for the calorimetry, but it seems I could have reduced to 90. I will try that the next time, but it works well enough. And it is really lovely and warm :) The bainbridge was fun and fast to make, and I will definitely make more as gifts. Instead of knitting the ties, I crocheted them (just because I find it easier). I will try some more with different stitches, and possibly some crocheted ones?