Secret Pal package - again!!

The lovely Nadezjda over at Queenfilo knits and knits has been revealed to be my Secret Pal 9!! I went to get the last package from her this Saturday from the grocery store (which also functions as a post office), and I am amazed! This is what's left from the beautiful package I got:

Pink merino and Nancy Bush’s Vintage socks. (The yarn is from Klazien's Kreatie but can't see any yarn at their webpage, strange...) I got some chocolate beautifully shaped as roses, but as you might understand, they exist no longer. I also got silkwool (bouretteseide = silk??? and wolle = wool) in a sea green colour, and as a tribute to Nadezjda, I’ve started to knit the same shawl (IK's Swallowtail shawl) as she’s knitting right now. Maybe this could be a present to my sister or mum, depending on when I finish it.

Even though this yarn is 550 m/100 g and hence heavier than the recommended yarn, I've seen the shawl in a similar yarn over at Garn Boet - The Yarn Nest, and it looks really nice! And most important of all, Tikru has proven that she only used a little less than 100 g to finish the shawl with the yarn they've been using! Fingers crossed that it works out for me as well!

I have been busy with other things than knitting lately. I remember that this autumn I had a similar experience. No lust to knit. Just an empty feeling, and then suddenly, a secret pal package got me jumping up and down, imagining all kinds of projects that should be worked on! Hopefully this will hold on until I manage to get at least one UFO for the spring!

SP9 Package has arrived!!

Volia! My first package from SP9 has arrived!! A black and white beautiful package folowed by a photo of me (!) I wonder how she/he got hold on that! Anyway, I like the picture, I remember I had breakfast at a fancy place the day the picture was taken. Before I tell you what I got, I just have to say that I'm sooo freaked out of how someone could put together such a lovely package! I think it's rediculous how happy I was over everything in the package. Wow! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!


The package contained Eucalan woolwash, a cuper chique eye masque in black lace (I'll show you next time I have a suitable FO), "Old Dutch" candies (my SP is from the Netherlands) and a cd with the greatest music ever. It's supposed to contain a clue, but even though I've opened the packages I can't understand what the clue is...


Of course, I got yarn, Rowan's yorkshire tweed 4ply in turquise and deep purple.
The other package contained Rowan Vintage Style - the perfect pattern book! I've already cast on for Aimee which I had the yarn for.
Don't you think it's strange that so few people have knitted stuff from the book, when I already want to knit Laurent (a version can be found here), Jarret, Salina and Demi. So I have a hole lot o' knitting to do!!

I've also just cast on for "Anna Socks" from Rowan 40. Since my friend has wished for a pair of knee-high, romantic socks that she can wear when she's at home relaxing, I skipped the Rowan 4-ply Soft, that's recommended in the pattern, and picked Garnstudio's alpaca that is much softer, and can make the otherwise quite stylish socks look more romantic.

I need some advice

I've finished the body of the kata shrug. Now, I like fitted clothes more than bulky ones. As you can see on the picture below (which I've stolen from Pureknits), the sleeves seem to be monkey-sleeves. The body isn't as far down on my arms as it is in the picture, but still, I think this might be devestating for my new year's resolution.

So now I'm thinking of how I could possibly modify this. First choice is simply not to pick up as many sts as the pattern says, but this will lead to that I'll make decreases according to my own liking. An other idea I have is to pick up the right number of sts, not make any decreases and have the cuffs in elbow-hight and make puffy sleeves. Puffy sleeves are trendy now, and they always lok better than monkey sleeves. What do you think? Or is it beyond rescue? Am I defeated? Should I f**g this?

It is a new year!

...and it started better than ever. I don't know why, but M and I took a long walk in the freezing wind and it made me so happy, I think it's going to be a splendid year!

I have some new year's resolutions I want to announce (though my history of keeping promises I've made here on the blog isn't promising). These are the things I will make during 2007:

• My own pattern
  I want to design my own knitting wear! There are a lot of beautiful patterns out there, but noone seem to design exactly the things I'm craving for. Though I figure that I should learn more about knitting techniques.

• No more knitting mistakes
  I know that even really good knitters fail from time to time and make things that they are not happy with. Well, I'm not one of them anymore. This year I will only knit wearable, goodlooking things that I'm totally satisfied with.

• A pair of socks
  Well, anything that is a bit tricky would do, mittens as well! As long as it contains a pattern based on structure or different colors and are made in pairs!
  

Keep your fingers crossed and maybe I'll fulfill at least 2 out of 3!

Speaking of a totally satisfying knit, here's a close up of Birch lying on my bed, blocking.


Isn't she lovely, lace really is fun! Maybe I should come up with my own lace pattern?



Can you spot my very satisfied face in the picture below? I look like a very proud mom looking at her kids. Very smug. But that's how Birch has made me feel! I'm in love with her and I honestly don't know how I'll be able to part from her.

FO: Birch!

I finished Birch yesterday and wore her in the evening when M and I went to the cinema to see The Holiday. It was very warm and cosy. Unfortunately it's a gift so I wont be able to keep it.

I'll post a full picture as soon as she has been blocked and the sun comes out. I've been crazy with Kidsilk haze lately. Part from this knit, I've also started a sweater in Kidsilk haze, a purple color and the Kata shrug is in progress, though that lace pattern is taking much more time than the Birch did!

My sister gave me two balls of kashmere-like yarn in Christmas present, and I'm thinking of making myself a shawl of it. I only have these two balls, they don't have any information of name, yardage etc but it's much thicker than Rowan's kidsilk haze. Do you have any suggestions of lacey shawl patterns?

I also want you to notice the lovely bluish background color. We're using our third room for our creative hobbies; the room is packed with different paint, mosaik, instruments and other music stuff but it has been incredible dull. Not at all a creative atmosphere! White, hardly pattered wallpapers, ugly floor and left over furniture. During the holidays I've painted the walls and suddenly the whole room looks much better. I'm making some other small changes and as soon as I'm finished and have cleaned up here I'll show you some before- and after pictures. The color on the walls isn't as gray as it looks in the picture, but the yarn color is accurate.

Ciao!

Christmas knitting

A friend of mine wanted me to knit a shawl for her. She picked the yarn - Kidsilk Haze in hurricane. And I picked the pattern Birch for the holidays. This has been a very quick and easy knit (not that it's finished yet, but soon my friends, very soon!)

I also have been trying to renew the look of my blog - a big mistake! I wanted to have a dark green blog with pink details. I like that color combination, it's so soft! Anyway, it doesn't seem to have worked out, so I've changed it back to one of the templates that are available until I get some new html-energy!

Just a sneak -peakof Santa's gifts

This year's Christmas present will be a beret! Interweave Knit's easy piecy beret so I've already given my blog reading friend a green one knitted in Rowan's Kid Classic. Below is a picture ofone that will be a present to a friend who doesn't read my blog (as far as I know).

I'm also working on my Kata shrug... It's not going that fast. The pattern is very simple... well maybe not the lace-part, which is taking time. But the main body piece is supposed to be a simple square, more than 40 cm long, and my piece reaches 23 proud cm! And then I'm going to add sleaves to this... I thought this would be a fast knit...

An other picture of the very fast beret:

Have a nice last week before Christmas! Make sure not to but too much presents and food!