Monday, 14 February 2011

Kebnekaise Sock

This is my first home grown pattern! I have constructed my very own sock, that is truly unique, well, as unique as a hand knitted sock can be, which is both a lot and also not so much. Sock knitters know what I mean. :)
The pattern is not written up in legible terms yet but I have the basics down, I know what I did and I know how to reconstruct it, let hope I know how to write it down too. 
The sock is named after Kebnekaise, Sweden's highest mountain, because somewhere between the facts of the ice and snow colours and that it is a very comfortable sock that would be great for hiking.


This is a pattern that truly follows the colour of the yarn, and you can never tell where it will take you. This is the fabulous part. It is as unpredictable or predictable as your yarn. But for it to work properly you need a yarn with a colour accent that is no more than one-fourth of the colour repeat, it can also work if the yarn creates wider stripes and then the accent can be about half the repeat. I am going to try this out, as soon as the yarn arrives with the mail. This yarn I dyed my self with food colouring.


The sock has a reversed stockinette stitch folded cuff.

The reversed stockinette stitch is also repeated in the heel, toe and underside of the foot. This makes the sock very comfortable to wear. I can vouch for that, as I tried on the sock for a long good time.

 There is the usual heel flap and gusset pick up heel. Somewhat insideout.

It has a toe with spiral decreases, which are discreet and makes a rounded toe.

If you are interested in the pattern, which of course will be available for free, let me know, and Ill let you know when it is finished, I'd love some test knitters. Ill put the pattern up on ravelry as well.

Friday, 11 February 2011

Yarn/Rope

I was testing the limits of Anastasia, my spinning wheel, making 2ply yarn/rope out of cotton fabric strips. It actually worked pretty well, I had a sort of yarn in the end, it is stiff and rigid but would probably make a great bag or bowl or something. Though I had lots of trouble getting it trough the wheel, it demanded lots of hand maneuvering, swearing and pleading. Maybe it would work better with thinner stripes or a more elastic fabric, Im thinking t-shirt.


 I couldn't stop thinking about my grandmother, Gunnel, who had whole drawers full of balls of wind up fabric strips. She wove beautiful (trasmattor) carpets out of them.



 Big needles and a simple pattern should do it.

Wednesday, 9 February 2011

Plant school




If I ever feel a bit down and tired of the winter, a visit to the "Gustavshill" plant school is sure to pick me up. I love that place! In the winter they only have the inside store open, with pots, seeds, some tools and mostly house plants, in the summer they open up the outdoor section with trees, roses, perennials and bushes, and you can wander around under lots of apple trees smelling the herbs.
These are Geraniums (Perlagoner) still green and lots of blooming African Violets (Saintpaulia). I also brought home some more seeds and a blue spray bottle, for the seeds.

Tuesday, 8 February 2011

Tulip show

We visited a tulip show. There are so many sorts and colours and shapes! The highlight was that you could pick your own tulip bouquet, choosing colours and sizes, pulling them up out of the flower beds with the bulb and all. Ola the husband and I made a beautiful bouquet together with all pinks. I would love to grow my own tulips in the garden but we have lots and lots of deer here on the island, one lives in the neighbours bushes and apparently tulips are deer candy and they eat off everything to the ground long before any flowers make an appearance. 




Monday, 7 February 2011

Addicted

I cant help my self, I just love sock yarn!!!!


Friday, 4 February 2011

Chocolate dipper

Oh, what a lovely chocolate luxury, expensive but glorious. You boil two decilitre of milk and then you dip your chocolate spoon in, take it out and lick it once in a while and stir until you have hot chocolate in your cup. Valrhona hot chocolate! Made by Chocolate Company.



Thursday, 3 February 2011

Yarny Thursday

Not only are there a lot of new yarns in the shop, I have also got a new juicy batch of wool in glorious colours waiting to be spun.






Wednesday, 2 February 2011

Circular needle case

I made a swap with another etsy seller, yarn and some fiber for this lovely circular needle case. It has room for lots and lots of needles, a plastic zip pocket for knitting notions and other stuff, then folds neatly together and ties with a bow. Finally I have some order among my circulars, and circulars are my favourite so I like know where they are. Beautiful fabric both in and out, and expertly sewn. It is made by ZigZagStitches. 




Tuesday, 1 February 2011

And an orange

I got this beautiful hand crafted plate/bowl from Ola the husband for Christmas. It is quite big as you can see by the size of the orange. It sits in the middle of our kitchen table and is usually containing fruit. And a few days ago a silent kiwi explosion. I love unique beautiful objects.