Stripes

I found yet another sweater pattern that I really, really like, and I, who still have not succeeded with a well fitting sweater yet. But I am determined to go on until I learn how! I want to walk around in my own home knitted sweaters, with pride. 

I love the look of this, the colours and the loose fitting, long and cosy. Definitely something for the fall, and we all know that we have to start knitting now if we want it done when the cold starts to come creeping in. Though I wanted to try something really bulky next, so this will have to wait I think. 

Its "Dressy Sweater" from Pickles, I have just discovered their store and it looks like they have very nice stuff, and also I consider Norway very close when it comes to postage, other coveted yarn stores are usually located in England or America.

Wind knitting factory

Knitting poetry

The worlds largest knitted poem. 

I so wanted to be apart of this, but as my magazine subscription to "Simply Knitting" , where I found the information, comes TWO weeks after the release in England, there were only plain squares left and I  didn't think it was worth it then, with the yarn and postage. But still it is a great idea and performance. 

Dylan Thomas

In My Craft or Sullen Art

In my craft or sullen art

Exercised in the still night

When only the moon rages

And the lovers lie abed

With all their griefs in their arms,

I labour by singing light

Nor for ambition or bread

Or the strut and trade of charms

On the ivory stages

But for the common wages

Of their most secret hart.

Not for the proud man apart

From the raging moon I write

On these spindrift pages

Nor for the towering dead

With their nightingales and psalms

But for the lovers, there arms

Round the griefs of the ages,

Who pay no praise or wages

Nor heed my craft or art.

Transformers

I wonder if I should try to turn this ↑, into this ↓, any thoughts?

I found this pattern at a fun blog called "365 Saker du kan sticka", translated: "365 Things to knit", looks interesting, worth a visit. 

Accidentally

 Making jewellery.

Midsommar

It seemed to be a pie sort of a day.

Above: Leek pie. Below: Individual Rhubarb pie.

Glad Midsommar Allihopa!

Pattern thinking

I think I have thought out my first knitting pattern, totally by chance! I happened to stumble on Cherry Tree Hill's website and saw that they were calling for patterns for there new line of self striping hand painted sock yarn, I was a bit intrigued, but thought that I wouldn't do it, manly because if I order the yarn it will probably take about two weeks for it to get here from America and then I'd have to try it out and perfect the pattern and then send it back, and by that time they have probably already got the five patters they were asking for. But would this stop my mind? No! In the middle of the night the idea just came to me. I think it is formed in a way that differ a bit from other things that will be submitted and that might be in my favour. Anyway the problems still remain, even if I spent hours on the internet searching for another suitable yarn a bit closer to home, without success, but I will somehow try to realise the pattern and if I cant send it in, I might be able to publish it on Ravelry instead.

Första doppet i år!

Can you believe that this was just a few months ago, today we went swimming for the first time this year. The inaguration of the lake. It was lovely, warm and sweet, well warm after a while, but perfectly acceptable and enjoyable swimming temperature for Sweden. Icky bottom though. I just love swimming, it feels right somehow, all my childhood I spent hours in the water while my friends stood with blue lips shivering and begging me to get up. Funnily enough I get warmer form a cold bath, and I am always so cold otherwise. 

We also saw an ambulance helicopter land just a few hundred meters from our house, when I see something like that I always become aware of that this is the worst day of someones life, but it also gives a sort of comfort, it's a long drive to the hospital and it would take quite a while for an ambulance to get here, so it is nice to know that a helicopter is a possibility if it is really necessary.

Peacocks

Finally something was made with the "too beautiful for its own good" yarn, Cherry Tree Hill Super-sock Merino in the colourway Peacock. Im happy with these, I like a short sock, and on this one the lace is folded over with a rib underneath, so most of the yarn comes to good use and they fit really well. The pattern zigzag anklets from the book "Knitting socks with hand painted yarn" did not work very well for my foot and I had to do a lot of adjustments and do overs. The turned out great anyway.

Sewing horror

I am really not supposed to sew, its like the universe is trying to tell my something. I have several big boxes of lovely fabric, and I could really use a nice summer skirt, how hard can it really be to make a wrap around skirt? The answer is: Really really hard! It is too wide at the hemline, it does not really fit my waste nicely and not my hips ether by the way, and the front corner is doing something funny. Not very fun at all! And it took me the whole day! I can knit without trouble, strange increases, decreases and patters, silversmithing, sure, some fire and teeny tiny details, no problem at all, but I am apparently not ment to sew at all. Even bread baking and gardening is easier.

Lawn Art

... Or, selective mowing.

Ha! And the man in the store said the Jasmine would not flower this year. It must like being in my care.

Crown Princess of Sweden

I cannot "not" comment on this fantastic wedding today, uniting the Crown Princess of Sweden Viktoria with, what he will so forth be called, Prince Daniel, a man of the people. I seem to be a royalist, though I don't think about it often, but today I did, love is in the air tonight. I think the best part of the day, for me, was the intimate pictures from the party, things we have never seen before, the royal family happily dancing and honest and heartfelt displays of love, from the bride and groom of course but also from the King and Queen, I loved that rose. 

A very good day to plant some Larkspur (Riddarsporre) in a deep, deep blue colour named "Black Knight".

Rubber boots

I got a package in the mail today! I just love to order things on the internet and then wait for the delivery. It is easier shopping via the internet because you don't have to go to crowded stores, you can find brands that does not exist in your city or country, and they seem to have a much better selection when it comes to sizes, they are very seldom out of a size. 

Rubber boots is an essential part of living in the country, and I have a huge trouble finding ones that fit, I have the family curse; big calves. You cant really see it and I don't go around suffering over my calves, they make my legs look proportionate, but I cant find boots that fit. I finally settled for a pair that was a bit lower, for sailing, but that is hopeless on a muddy road because they have no traction what so ever. But, finally, I just happened to try on a pair in a store, they didn't even have my size or the colour I wanted, but I got my calf in with the pants and none of that uncomfortable vacuum appeared. So I took a chance, found them on the internet in white and the right size, and believe it or not they actually fitted with jeans and everything. That has NEVER happened before!

Happiness over a pair of rubber boots!

Yellows

Sneak peek at yellow knitting.

I made a swatch, in vain...

You know that sweater I was making, to my own measurements and my own swatches. Well, this is it, I am not very happy with it, as you can see form the hopelessness in my pose, and probably in my choice to cut out my own face too. At least it is done, and I learned heaps form it, such as; keep to pattens from now on,  you can't envision what you see in your head with knitting needles, and your boobs are higher up than you thought. 

Sand and Oil

Check out contemporary jewellery blog Art Forward, today featuring my "I Care A Lot" piece: Sand and Oil. 

Shoes

I don't usually blog about shopping, and this is not such a post ether, but I do love shoes, and I consider beautiful shoes a necessity in life. I always try to only buy shoes that I have use for and that I can actually walk around in, but that is difficult. There were quite a few pairs that were left to their lonely fate in the wardrobe after being worn only once.

I love these sandals, I only have very colourful and fun shoes, there so small a part of the total impression and I feel they need to make a statement.

These I would never buy, maybe just to exhibit, they are totally beautiful though, they are more of a sculpture than a pair of shoes, it looks like a shoe has merged with the bottom of an office chair. I never wear high heals, I am tall as it is and I have a tendency to stumble in regular shoes, I go for comfort.

Cat

Still thinking of getting one of those adorable naked cats. Kind of hard to get hold of a breeder, there out there, there just busy during the summer apparently. Well, I don't want to rush into anything anyway.

Shrimp Shrug

This is what I did with the lovely cascade yarn I bought. I really like this pretty little shrug. It came out a tad to small but still nice, I'd like to make another one in a solid colour with long sleeves too. Very useful little thing, perfect for summer because it is nice and warm wool but not a whole bulky sweater. The pattern is called the Two toned shrug and is from Stephanie Japels book Fitted Knits which I love. It contains lots of great easy to follow, top down, seamless patterns.

Sick

So.. The hypochondriac Frida is actually sick for once. I am very surprised myself. I am eating antibiotics and everything, for the first time as far as I can remember, it is nothing too serious, hurts quite a bit though. I don't know if it is better to feel sick but having the doctors and the test telling you that you are not, and being sent home still feeling sick, which always happens to me ordinarily, or to actually be sick. Both are scary I guess, at least now I can expect to feel better, this time, if the drugs don't make me sick of course.

Pattern?

Maybe this pattern is it...
A nice bit of lace zigzag pattern folded over and then just simple beautiful stockinet stitch.
From Carol Sulcoskis book Knitting Socks With Hand-painted Yarn.

The yarn is too beautiful

Rest in peace, La Digitessa. That is what this pattern is called, it is so beautiful, complicated, diverse and totally horrible to knit. I cant make my self knit another one, there will never be a second sock. I thought I would show it before I rip it all up.

I mean, I did it, I read the terribly complicated pattern and did the tricky toe up start, I proved I can do it, but it was not an enjoyable process for me, and to top it all of it came out to small! I am not a fan of toughening up and doing another one just so I can be finished, especially when it is too small. 

But the yarn, the yarn is still fantastic and beautiful. It is too beautiful for its own good, I have to have that perfect pattern for it and therefore it never gets used, and I really like plain stockinet socks, but that is too simple, maybe that is just what it needs?

Petunia

I have grown this myself...
from seed...
taken care of it for several months...
watering it...
replanting it several times...
making sure it had the sunniest and warmest spot...
then rescuing it from the heat...
giving the roots room to grow in my nicest pot.

Today I was rewarded with this flower. Worth it!

But next year I will buy fewer seeds. :)

15 things...

...You wouldn't know without The Sims:

1. You can get at a job just by choosing one from the newspaper or internet. There is no need for resumes, applications or interviews, and there is no rejection.
2. If another car is parked behind yours in the driveway, and you need to get out, no problem, your car will somehow jump over the other car. Yet it is impossible to walk around a tiny object blocking the door, or to roll over to the opposite side of a double bed.
3. You can drastically change your hair simply by looking in the mirror, ever going form short to long hair in a matter of seconds.
4. The shortest distance between two points is out the fort door, around the house, in the back door, up the stairs, down the other stairs...
5. All burglars wear black and white striped shirts, black pants, and ski hats, and keep there faces in full view.
6. As soon as you meet someone, no matter how casually and how little you talk to then, you automatically have his/her phone number and e-mail address.
7. If people spy on you with there telescopes, it is perfectly acceptable and legal to barge in to there homes and attack them.
8. If you use a telescope regularly, you risk getting abducted by aliens. If you are a man you'll come back impregnated.
9. Even though a food item is spewing green gas and has flies around it, it is still perfectly acceptable to eat.
10. It takes an hour to take a shower but you van go on a date downtown and back and no time has passed.
11. Parties and dates are timed and scored.
12. Money DO grow on trees and you CAN print your own.
13. When someone dies, it is ok, you can bring them back to life with the Resurect-O-Nomitron.
14. Any fish you catch can safely be stored in you backpack FOREVER. That also goes for fruits and vegetables from the garden. Just chuck those salmon and apples in there with all your books. It is totally fine.
15. Orange juice will cure a cold, eggplant gives you skill-points and if you eat cheesecake while pregnant you will give birth to twins. 

Promised peach

The promised pictures of our peach tree! It is very small and unstable right now, but it will grow, and can apparently reach 3 to 4 meters. It has the warmest and most protected spot in the whole garden, right by the garden shed, with lots of sun and very little wind. It has already flowered, they are extremely early, before apples and cherries even, so we have no idea if there will be any fruit this year, probably not. For now it has this not so flattering protection around it, because there is LOTS of dear around, and they like to scratch their horn against small trees. I startled one sleeping in my neighbours bushes, just five meters form his house and ten form ours, so I know they are around. 

Closeup of the peach and below the flowers hanging from our front porch.

It's a peach

On our honeymoon to Scotland, my husband and I went to see Cawldor Castle, a beautiful place, a real scottish castle with a hedge-maze and everything. 

In the garden among a lot of other beautiful plants...

... we found a peach tree! We have always talked about having one of our own as a reminder of that wonderful time, and we though that if a peach can grow in northern Scotland, then we can have one in Stockholm too! So today we planted our very own peach tree. Ola did the digging. More pictures of the actual tree tomorrow. 

At Cawldor Castle we also had scones and tea... :)

Darth Vader driving your car!

There is lots of ways of having fun on a long drive, you can play games, count things on the way, play "car bingo", eat lots and lots of candy or... you could just use this voice on your GPS.

Hats

Well... there are all sorts of knitters I suppose...

Cupcake!

Finally the parcel for my mum arrived! I am not a big fan of the Swedish Post right now! Well, what do you knit for Mother's Day, it is too hot for socks, mittens and hats, so... you knit a cupcake, the obvious choice, a woollen, purely decorative cupcake.
Grattis på Mors Dag igen Mamma! I thought it would look nice on your desk with the harts.