donderdag 24 februari 2011

Let's come togheter, right now, oh yeah...

Started out with a skein of yarn in a really nice colorway. Green, dreamy, fairytale like. Ordered it online and the moment I had it in my hands I knew this yarn would be on my feet one day. I had no idea however what pattern would be good for this yarn so it marinated in the stash for a couple of years...

araucania
Yarn: Araucunia Ranco Multi

The yarn has a nice sturdy feeling to it. It's variegated, but not too variegated to obscure a cable. A textured pattern would actually emphisize the nice colorjob. So, when I stumbled upon The Eclectic Sole I knew I had 'hit the jackpot'.

Rivendell

rivendel

rivendell

rivendell2

vrijdag 4 februari 2011

Simple knitted bodice?

Way back in 2006 I was a new knitter with big plans. I went to a crafting market and bought Noro Silk Garden. It was like holding the holy grale of knitting. I'd never spend this much money on yarn - I did on a later date - and I spend a lot of time to pick out the right pattern. This was pre-ravelry, you know.

So, I picked up the pattern for the Simple Knitted Bodice and started knitting fall 2006.

What went wrong?

1. I didn't have the right needles. Well, I did have the right size, but they were cheap and not very comfortable. I struggled with stiff cables and too pointy needles.

2. I can't count. So I had to rip back several times because I didn't have the right number of stitches cast on.

3. I can't count. So I forgot to increase in the right places. Stitchmarkers helped a great deal after I realised I can't count.

4. I didn't pick the right size.

5. The sleeves were too flary for me, so I had to improvise and rip back. Improvise and rip back.

But, 5 years later, here she is:


IMG_0962IMG_0961

zondag 14 november 2010

Grandma would be proud

Hubby got some pretty socks out of Kureyon Sockyarn last year. They were a present for him when he moved in with me. I was pretty pleased with the way they turned out, Nice colorway, great fit. I knew the yarn is not as sturdy as Opal or Regia, so I took some black Regia for the heels and toes and I handwashed them. It wasn't enough for these socks to be as durable as other socks.

sok1

I had darned them before, but the ball of the foot was totally worn out. What to do now? Throw them away after sparsely a year of wear? And the legs and heel were fine, wouldn't it be a waste of work?

sok 2
So, I took a pair of scissors.

sok 3
And with some carefull picking up stitches again with some very bright and colorfull left-overs...

sok 4
I worked up new toes.

Grandma, darner extraordinair, would be proud.

donderdag 28 oktober 2010

Echo Flowers

Many many moons ago I was hooked on Etsy and bought a lot of yarn. This is one of them:

chewy spaghetti bucatini

Brand: Chewy Spaghetti Bucatini (discontinued)
440m/100grams
Colorway: Pragmatic
100% merino

Last year I created a little basket of sockyarn from the stash and put this skein in it too. Because the yarn is pretty thin, I didn't want to make socks out of it. So I wandered all year how to use this nice yarn wisely. One day I was surfing on ravelry and found it: The Echo Flower Shawl


Echo

zondag 3 oktober 2010

Socktober

Slowly the leaves are turning golden, red and brown. The door to garden gets closed again. Outside it's getting colder, but inside it's still nice. I'm on the couch with a blanket, waiting for the coffee to get ready.

I've cast on a new pair of socks last week. You know, together with rain and wind Socktober has come. Time to grab some nice yarn for the mystery socks of 'Through the loops".

knitty rocks mystery sock clue1
Socks that rock light weight, colorway: Knitty Rocks

So far it's going great with two socks on one needle. I was a bit worried about getting the yarn getting tangled, but it's going allright. Friday the next clue is going to be released.

IMG_0474[1]

donderdag 16 september 2010

Coming Around Again

Carly Simon, you know :)

What happened since last time I blogged? Long story involving a lot of knitting, strangely.

First, I got into
a big fight with my parents about my new Manfriend. Not going to get into detail there, but parents and I needed a break. So, I worked a lot and did a lot of voluntering for scouting to keep my mind off some personal things. Didn't sleep, drank too much and worked hard. I was right on course to crazy ville.

Then I broke a backbone in a motorcycle accident.


Screwed


I can say that I got off really good. After a couple of months I was back on my feet with a lot of new socks, shawls, hats and a sweater :)

Another sad thing happened. My dear dear Nebbus died. After nine years of taking care of this little creature, I was devastated.

nebbus

After a couple of months had passed Little Dragon, my other cat, declared me her new lifepartner. Every second I was home, she was within arms reach. Terribly cute at first, but after a while I got a bit tired of her cries behind the bathroom door. So, for her benefit and my pleasure I introduced a new man of the house:

mighty in sjaal Mighty Man, Here I Come To Save The Day

How that turned out, I'll tell you next time I come around. Soon, I hope, 'cause I have a lot to tell.

dinsdag 16 juni 2009

Apparently I've been living under a rock. Thank you Turtlegirl for making me aware of the mystcal circustances. Never knew that the company called "Mystical Creations Yarns" got itself in big trouble. Stories of bleeding yarn, orders being late or not filled at all, felting and tangling.... Just check out this thread on ravelry.

I'm taking the MCY out of the drawing, but I do have something in it's place:

opal hagebutte
Opal Hagebutte. I got two by mistake :)