Thursday 13 October 2011

Spoiling oneself rotten

Adding to my stash by Asplund
Adding to my stash, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.
Well, well... I decided to make an another exception to trying not to buy more yarn before using up a kilo or two of my stash - and instead have actually added about a kilo and a half. Good boy!

A sale that coincided with getting my salary for the twined knitting workshop resulted in twelve hanks of Shetlandsuld, and then there's irresistible wool-silk lace yarn that I got thanks to Good girl Francesca. Grazie mille! I've used this yarn, Jaggerspun Zephyr, only once before and have dreamt of getting my hands on it again since then.

What else? I've cast on yet another project, yet another sweater. After all, sweaters are my favourite thing to knit, stranded colourwork is my favourite technique, and this particular pattern is from a favourite book: "Ylle & bläck" (wool and ink) by Celia B. Dackenberg.

This gem of a book is a collection of essays about writers (mainly poets) and knitting, sweaters they wear in photos, knitting in their writing et cetera. Some designs are reconstructions of real sweaters, others are knitted interpretations of fictional garments. The sweater I'm knitting is dedicated to fisherman Thorsten, main character in a work by 18th century poet Erik Johan Stagnelius.

Modifications
  • Bird added (from a mitten in "Knitting in the Nordic Tradition" by Vibeke Lind).
  • Straight red edge changed to a picot edge.
  • A narrow horizontal border pattern between stripes and main pattern skipped (because I didn't want the vertical lines interrupted).
My photogenic neighbours

    9 comments:

    EvaL8 said...

    Det måste vara lycka att hitta shetlandsgarn på rea!Var gör man det? Kanske kommer Starmores bok http://www.adlibris.com/se/product.aspx?isbn=0486484637 i morgon. Då får jag också lite lycka.Sticka lugnt.

    Asplund said...

    Litet nystan: 4 härvor till priset av tre på de färgade denna vecka. Jag gjorde en välgärning genom att ta med mig 12 hem...
    Måste bevaka Starmores bok! Man kanske får se den på Linné någon gång?

    RodPrjónar said...

    I totally understand why you made another exception... the colors you chose are wonderful. I like all of them! What does a kilo and half do anyways? It doesn't harm anybody : )

    I am really curious to see how the sweater develops!

    fluffbuff said...

    Your new sweater will become one of my favorites; I can tell already.

    The Shetlandsuld colors are wonderful. How does Shetlandsuld compare to similar yarns? It looks quite close to Isager Tvinni, but it's hard to tell from a photo.

    Nice chickens!

    KiwiJames said...

    Does one ever need to feel guilt for stash enhancement???

    I can't wait to see what delights you'll create with the purchases!

    Carolina said...

    I love what you are doing with your new sweater. And I love the colors you chose for your new yarn.

    Anonymous said...

    I am addicted to Jamieson and Smith Shetland wool from Scotland. I wonder how it compares to your favourite, Shetlandsuld?? Do you honestly mind if we use your ideas?? I particularly like the red picot edge on the sweater - was it added after casting on for the corrugated border?
    Ron in Mexico

    Anonymous said...

    What lovely wool you brought home! It probably needed rescuing, anyway ;-) Your new sweater looks beautiful - I really like the picot edging. And: hens for neighbours! (Here in Scotland, 'hen' is slang for any woman of any age.)

    Annie said...

    That is some yarn haul! And the Jaggerspun Zephyr ... lucky you!!
    I have a new word, SABLE ... Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy. I'm certainly nowhere near yet but it seems a noble aim to me ;D