Asplund knits

Sleeves and gussets - ärmar och kilar

2012-01-29T21:25:00.007+01:00

Sleeve gusset, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

First of all, thanks for all your kind comments on my previous post!

Ron asked about checkerboard borders, whether they are typical here. I would say they are not uncommon but not exactly typical. Personally, I like how it looks and enjoy knitting it more than stripes as I see progress more quickly. I was quite intrigued by Carolina's comment about checkerboard traditions in other cultures.

It seems I'm going to keep this sweater for myself - those are my initials if you look at the sleeve gusset! (Of course it could mean simply that I made it, not that I necessarily own it, so we'll see how I will interpret it once the sweater finished - and I have tried it on!)

sleeve decreases - ärmminskningar

I'm happy with the sleeve decreases. I usually go for one of two options: hiding the decreases as much as possible or accentuating them to turn necessity into a decorative element, like in this case. I think it has a kind of calming effect in this kind of pattern separating the decreases with a dark grey and a white column, and they go well with the side columns too (which is where I got the idea from).

The cuffs are striped like the bottom border but with the saddle pattern on the inside. I like details that aren't obvious at first sight. The body starts with a red picot edge; the sleeves have a red edge too, but not picots.

I will use a similar pattern for the neckband: stripes, a contrast colour for the edge. Probably not red but perhaps green or blue.

När jag formar ärmar (oftast med minskningar, eftersom jag gillar att plocka upp maskor runt ärmhålet och sticka ärmarna uppifrån) brukar jag försöka att antingen gömma minskningarna så gott det går eller framhäva dem genom att utnyttja dem till ett extra mönster. I det här fallet valde jag det senare med minskingar på var sida om en mörgrå och en vit rand. Jag tycker att det passar ihop med mönstret i sidan på tröjan och så har det liksom en lugnande effekt - det skulle bli rörigt där minskningarna möts.

Under ärmen har jag gjort en kil och på den ena har jag stickat in mina initialer, så det verkar som om jag får behålla den här tröjan - också. Visserligen skulle det kunna innebära att jag helt enkelt har gjort tröjan, inte att jag nödvändigtvis är ägare, men jag lutar ändå åt den första tolkningen. Vi får se när den är färdig och jag har provat den. Kanske ändrar jag mig då!

Muddarna är smalrandiga för att passa ihop med nederkanten på tröjan, men i stället för röda uddkanter har jag nöjt mig med ett rött vikvarv. På insidan har jag samma rutmönster som över axlarna; jag är svag för detaljer som inte syns med en gång. Halskanten kommer också att bli smalrandig, har jag tänkt mig - fast kanske med en annan kontrastfärg. Grönt eller blått ligger bra till.

Tack för alla fina kommentarer!

Shoulder joins - montering vid axlarna

2012-01-22T15:07:00.013+01:00

shoulder straps, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

It has taken me quite a few weeks to figure how to knit the shoulder straps to achieve what I have in mind: a strap that has the right width and length with a pattern that looks nice and will blend nicely with the sleeve pattern.

The cast-on is provisional: I will unpick it and use the live stitches to knit the neckband. I caught the live stitches of the last row when picking up stitches around the armhole to make the shoulder strap continue seamlessly into the sleeve.

My intention is to pick up stitches along the strap sides, knit a row and then do a three-needle bind-off to join strap and body. (Mainly to avoid sewing, but I think it will look and feel nice too.)

Natasha's cardigan is finished! In this case I used the three-needle bind-off method for a shoulder join and added a neck gusset - I learnt how to make such gussets from Alice Starmore's book Fishermen's Sweaters.

Three-needle bind-off and neck gusset; fram- och bakstycke avmaskade tillsammans och halskil.

If I may say so myself and I may, since this is my blog ;-) I think Natasha's cardigan is one of my best efforts! She won't receive it just yet, though. I will be talking about how I modify patterns at my LYS Litet nystan on 31 January, and this is a good example of it. Here's what the original design looks like. Nothing wrong with it - I just can't help changing a few things here and there.

This is possibly related to jazz being my favourite kind of music - I think it's so exciting hearing how the same composition can sound completely different (but still familiar) when different artists put their personal stamp on it. Or how the same artist can interprete the same composition in different ways.

"Thorsten fiskares tröja" (bygger på ett mönster av Celia B. Dackenberg) har legat i träda ett par månader medan jag har funderat på hur jag skulle få till axlar och ärmar; jag visst hur jag ville att det skulle se ut, men det är ju inte alltid samma sak som att veta hur man ska bära sig åt. Å andra sidan är det sådant som jag tycker är roligt med stickning - när jag lyckas lösa problem känner jag att jag utvecklas.

Jag tycker att sadelärmar är snyggt och bekvämt, och jag tyckte att det skulle passa på den här tröjan. Tricket var att få till rätt storlek med ett snyggt mönster som dessutom övergår på ett fint sätt i mönstret på ärmarna. Först gjorde jag en provisorisk uppläggning: den kommer jag att peta bort när det är dags att sticka halskanten, så att det inte blir någon skarv i övergången. När jag plockade upp maskor runt ärmhålet för att sticka ärmarna fångade jag upp sadeln på halva vägen, så att det inte blir någon skarv på den sidan heller.

För att fästa sadeln vid fram- och bakstyckena tänker jag plocka upp maskor längs kanten, sticka ett varv och sedan maska av dem tillsammans med maskorna på fram- respektive bakstyckena.

Natasha's kofta blev klar nyligen och jag måste säga att jag är väldigt nöjd. Fotot ovan visar axeln: jag maskade av fram- och bakstycke tillsammans och kombinerade detta med en liten halskil. Detta är en finess jag lärde mig - som så mycket annat - i boken "Fiskartröjor" av Alice Starmore.

Det dröjer ett par veckor innan Natasha får sin kofta. Den 31 januari kommer jag nämligen att prata om hur jag ändrar i beskrivningar när det är stickkafé på Litet nystan, och det här projektet är ett bra exempel att ha med. Inte för att det är något fel på originalet, tvärtom - jag kan bara inte låta bli!


Natasha's cardigan; unfortunately, the bad light doesn't do the colours justice.

Cardigan progress and cuff grafting

2012-01-12T16:28:00.013+01:00

Natasha's cardigan in progress, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

Now that I have knitted one sleeve, cut the second armhole steek and started the second sleeve, Natasha could try her cardigan on. To my relief and joy the size is right and the sleeve length fine. You don't have to worry that much about size when it's an open cardigan, and sleeves knitted top-down are not too difficult to modify, but it was a relief nevertheless.

Kitchener stitch: right and wrong sides

Anna's cashmere cuffs are finished. I had knitted the first few rows with a different yarn, which I removed to get live stitches at both ends, then grafted them using Kitchener stitch for garter stitch. It worked surprisingly well with the lace part.

For a more finished look I crocheted an edge, and am happy with how it turned out: it goes well with the knitted lace pattern. I should have taken photos before and after, but was too eager to finish them.

Natasha har kunnat prova sin kofta nu när jag har stickat en ärm och klippt upp det andra ärmhålet och börjat sticka nästa. Den sitter bra, och det är förstås en lättnad även om det inte är så nervöst med en kofta, och det inte är så tidskrävande att justera ärmlängden när de stickas uppifrån.

Annas handledsvärmare är klara. Jag hade stickat de första varven med ett annat garn, som jag petade bort för att få maskor i båda ändarna; sedan sydde jag ihop dem med "Kitchener stitch" (instruktioner på engelska här). Kanten vid pärlorna blev lite sladdrig - det syns på fotot i förra inlägget) så jag tog fram virknålen för ovanlighetens skull och lade till en liten kant. Det blev riktigt bra, tycker jag - kanten passar ihop med spetsmönstret, så det blir som en inramning.

A promising start of the new year

2012-01-07T20:46:00.003+01:00

Cuffs for Anna in progress, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

A couple of days ago I was invited to an 18th century party, which was a lot of fun. Some 100 people dressed up in style, beautiful rooms, delicious food and live music. A memory to treasure!

Guess what? Next weekend Anna, one of the members of this 18th century society, is throwing a birthday party, so I'll get to put on the wig I've borrowed again!

I don't know if they knitted wristwarmers in the 1700s, but I believe Anna will be able to wear them anyway - she does wear modern clothes too. This is laceweight cashmere I got at GarnGalleriet, and I use 2 mm needles (US 0) to make sure the pearls won't sneak their way to the wrong side. A lace pattern makes it airy even though the needles are thin. I haven't worked with cashmere before, and already fear it will be an expensive addiction!

Häromdagen var jag på 1700-talsfest: en fantastisk tillställning med ett hundratal vackert klädda gäster, utsökt mat och välljudande musik. Obeskrivligt. Jag har det så oförskämt bra att jag ska på en födelsedagsfest med 1700-talstema på lördag, så det är inte någon idé att lämna tillbaka peruken jag har lånat. (Skönt med en sådan på huvudet nu när det har blivit minusgrader.)

Jag vet inte om man hade handledsvärmare på den tiden, men Anna går inte alltid klädd enligt det modet, så hon får nog tillfälle att använda dem ändå. För första gången stickar jag med kashmirgarn, och inser redan att det kan bli en dyr vana. Detta vackra garn, som jag hittade på GarnGalleriet, stickar jag med 2 mm så att inte pärlorna kryper genom och gömmer sig på avigsidan - och har ett spetsmönster så att det blir luftigt trots de tunna stickorna.

Swenglish

2012-01-02T21:47:00.004+01:00

Natasha's cardigan: sleeve in progress, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

My ambition is to start writing posts in both English and Swedish.

Here is what I came up with for the cardigan sleeves: I took the flower shape from the body pattern (to make the different sections work together) and added small dots between them (to make it easier to knit).

The pattern repeat consists of twelve rows and there are sleeve decreases every four rows. Three decreases in all repeats makes it easier to remember when it's time for them: I like it when pattern and shape go together.

For the cuffs I'm going to repeat the mustard leaves, the pearls and the picot edge from the body to frame the cardigan.

Till ärmarna har jag valt att plocka blomformen från kroppen och använda dem i ett slags rutmönster med små prickar mellan. Jag tänker mig att samma mönsterform gör att koftans olika delar passar ihop även om det inte är exakt samma mönster, och de små prickarna gör att det blir lättare att sticka. (Enklare att sticka en maska i mönsterfärgen än att sno trådarna för att undvika långa flotteringar.)

Ärmens mönsterrapport består av tolv varv och minskningarna ligger vart fjärde varv, alltså tre minskningsvarv per rapport; detta gör det enklare att hålla reda på när det är dags att minska. Jag gillar när mönster och form hänger ihop.

Muddarna kommer att bli som nederkanten på koftan (senapsgula blad, pärlor och uddkant) för att liksom rama in plagget.

The vest designed by Hanne Falkenberg is finished. I'm really happy with how it turned out, but I'm not likely to knit it again. It wasn't difficult, but rather monotonous. A good project to work with on trains, though - and I think the design is fabulous!

Hanne Falkenbergs väst är klar, och jag är riktigt nöjd med hur den blev - men den var nog lite för enformig att göra för min smak även om den inte var svår. Konstruktionen är så sinnrik att det var givande att sticka den bara för den sakens skull.

A helping paw - en hjälpande tass.

Stranded garter stitch

2011-12-27T10:34:00.002+01:00

Stranded garter stitch, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

I'm testing something I haven't done before, namely stranded garter stitch. This cardigan by Tålamodspåsen inspired me - thank you!

It wasnt difficult, but the wrong-side rows were rather slow to knit as I had to make sure the floats stayed on the wrong side facing me). I think it makes a nice frame.

Next step is picking up stitches to knit the sleeves. I may knit a simpler but similar flower pattern, perhaps just white flowers on blue background. The body pattern repeat is 40 stitches wide, possibly too wide for a sleeve. We'll see.

Sigge says "Happy holidays!"

2011-12-23T20:12:00.004+01:00

, a photo by kajsarulta on Flickr.

And I add hope I manage to finish the Blues vest tonight. Not that it has to be finished by Christmas, I'm simply getting tired of making it. I do like how it looks, though - and Hanne Falkenberg's design is equally intriguing and impressive!

"Blues" vest, a design by Hanne Falkenberg

Contagion

2011-12-21T17:15:00.002+01:00

Blending into the background, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

In April I suddenly discovered my new sweater matched the kitchen curtains at work. It still makes me smile - although come to think of it I probably haven't worn that particular sweater to work since then.

Today my Viften-clad colleague suddenly discovered she matched the curtains in her office! :-D

Pre-blocking

2011-12-21T09:14:00.002+01:00

Cardigan progress, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

The steeks are waiting to be cut. I have secured them in two ways. First with chain stitch - I usually do that with a crochet hook (En till once showed me how to), but the few hooks I have were too big. To be on the safe side (haven't worked with this yarn before) I also wetted the steeks and rubbed them gently to make them felt.

It occurred to me I might as well pre-block it, not that carefully but enough to get a better idea of how the pattern will turn out. The blue looks too dull in this photo, but I didn't have the patience to wait for daylight. Not that you can be certain there will be any this time of the year.

Vest construction

2011-12-19T18:50:00.002+01:00

Vest in progress, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

Hanne Falkenberg's "Blues" vest is really fascinating!

You knit the two fronts diagonally towards the back centre and then join the two fronts to knit the back across them. I guess I shouldn't reveal more details than that as I don't own the copyright although it's tempting.

However, it's quite safe to reveal that I discovered I had made a mistake knitting the the first front section, ending up with a few stitches fewer than I was supposed to - and corrected it by adding a few rows with increases and making the same mistake on purpose while knitting the second one.

It saved a lot of time and will hardly make any difference when it comes to size; the important thing must be having the same number of stitches when it's time to join the sections.

The construction and colour changes make this a rewarding project to knit, but I do prefer more pattern, to tell you the truth. I accidentally typed "yell you the truth" first! Must be the season ;-)

Cardigan progress

2011-12-12T07:57:00.005+01:00

This cardigan will be very light: so far I've used only 100 grams!

My plan is to knit two more horizontal borders and then change patterns for the shoulders, probably reusing this idea in some way.White background with small blue shapes and/or pearls, perhaps?

I think the steeks look rather nice, not so nice it's a pity to cut them, but perhaps they can be used as an idea for a future pattern.

Fair trade

2011-12-04T12:20:00.003+01:00

Fair trade, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

Look what I got in advance for the cardigan I'm making! Love all four of them, but possibly the skaters best. Natasha is a truly versatile artist, and you can see some of her works at Uppsala konstmuseum (in the castle) until 22 January.

Cardigan modifications

2011-12-01T14:08:00.003+01:00

Cardigan in progress, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

The cardigan I am making for a colleague is growing fairly quickly in spite of the thin needles (never used 2 mm for a sweater before) and I'm happy with my modifications now that I see how the turn out:

Single strands and 2 mm needles instead of double strands and 3 mm.
Green and blue pears near the picot edge instead of yellow pearls among the mustard leaves.
Simpler, straighter, mustard leaves (to make it easier to knit).
Mustard leaves going in opposite directions from the centre of the back section (see right corner in photo above) instead of travelling round in a circle; I want the leaves to meet in front.
Main pattern also simpler with straighter leaves and the big flowers turned into smaller ones alternating with stars, echoing a sweater I knitted in the late 90s.

Thanks for encouraging comments on my previous post! In particular I took christinelaennec's words about supporting economy to heart :) Guess what I did yesterday? Right. Some more support by purchasing a Hanne Falkenland vest kit I've had my eyes on for quite a while. Those Danes are incredible - such an eye for details and ingenious constructions. The yarn is quite lovely too: a strand of indigo cotton wrapped around a strand of lamb's wool.

Adding even more to my stash

2011-11-27T15:33:00.009+01:00

Cardigan in progress, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

What to do when you can't decide how to go on with your sweater(s)? Well, you can always cast on to make another one!

Even though (useful expression!) I shouldn't (also good!) really (one more!) keep adding to my stash before I've knitted up more of it, I just couldn't resist some of the many gorgeous things I found at GarnGalleriet.

To be honest, I even told myself it was my duty to get knitting-related things for what I earned leading knitting workshops. And I bought the argument without making a fuss. Here's what I got:

A pattern book, 5 hanks of blue wool, 3 hanks of white cashmere, 5 hanks of green wool, a cardigan kit

Solveig Hisdal's "Wedding cardigan" may be my top favourite design from her book Poetry in Stitches. I'm modifying the pattern in different ways, though, mainly to avoid long floats with both strands. Just one is ok, but two is too time-consuming to catch.

I recently found pretty Japanese pears on sale at Litet nystan and decided to use them in this project. Instead of the original's yellow pearls among the yellow leaves, I've added a row of green and blue pearls near the picot edge.

The yarn is thin, and the instructions in the kit tell you to use two strands. Instead, I'm using one strand and thinner needles (2 mm/US 0) - and more stitches. I did this to make the cardigan lighter and because I believe four strands in all might make it too warm to wear very often. And simply to see if it works!

PS I recently started and finished a vest with some yarn bought a few years ago, which shows I am capable of using my stash - and which means it's ok to add to it whenever I like ;-)

Sweater progress

2011-11-14T20:58:00.002+01:00

Thorsten fiskares tröja, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

Back and front done and armhole steeks cut; next step will be joining the shoulders.

Knowing roughly but not exactly what I want to achieve I've been thinking, testing, ripping out, reknitting, rethinking and so on and so forth for a couple of weeks. I've practically made up my mind now:

Keeping the original design's black and white square pattern.
Knitting separate saddles instead of finishing the back and front parts with the squares.
Skipping a horizontal border pattern between main pattern and squares.
Incorporating the saddle live stitches from the provisional cast on and the last row when knitting the sleeve and neckband.

To be continued...

Thanks for kind and flattering words about my needlework! :)

Carolina asked about blocking and using a frame when stitching. I have thought about using frames to make blocking easer, but like the freedom without a frame: easier both to turn while stitching and to carry around. (I sometimes stitch on trains and buses.) Blocking it to get the right shape can be quite difficult, thouhg, but I guess you can see it as good exercise.

Asplund stitches

2011-11-02T11:41:00.002+01:00

Roman head, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

A few years ago I did quite a lot of needlepoint and cross-stitch (Flickr set here) but it wasn't until I came across this needlepoint design by Candace Bahouth at Wincent that I returned to stitching.

I completed the last stitch half an hour ago, and as you can see it will have to be blocked into a square shape. It was a lot of fun to make with all the different kinds of patterns, and I love working with this orgy of colours - you just couldn't knit it, unless you don't mind knitwear about 5 centimetres thick. I haven't decided how to use it, but might make a cushion.

Wrap and sweater progress

2011-11-01T06:46:00.004+01:00

Bressay-ish hap wrap, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

Bressay-ish hap wrap by Sharon Miller: I've finished the centre section, picked up stitches around it and started knitting the border - and it looks as if I'm trying to knit a brain! Or an udder.

Thorsten fiskares tröja (Fisherman Thorsten's sweater) by Celia B. Dackenberg: I'm getting closer to the shoulders. The original has a similar square in front, but with initials and a year. I wanted some kind of picture instead and found a bird in a book by Britta Johanson, modified it slightly and mirrored it, put a kind of tree in the middle and added some of the picot edge red.

About the edge: you're quite right, Ron - there are two purl rows above the join. I've found it helps keeping it from folding outwards.

Thorsten fiskares tröja

The Pale Cast of Thought

2011-10-27T09:16:00.006+02:00

Bressay-ish hap wrap, centre section, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

About a month and a half ago I started knitting Sharon Miller's "Bressay Hap Wrap", a free pattern from Rowan. I do like the design, but should have read the instructions carefully before casting on. After some consideration I have decided to frog what I've made and modify both the construction and the pattern. Here are the two main modifications:

Original design: four outer borders knitted separately with their corners sewn together.
Modified version: stitches for outer borders picked up around the centre section and knitted in the round to avoid seams.

Original design: all garter stitch.
Modified version: a combination of garter stitch and stocking stitch, partly for variation, partly to show and compare the difference in a single garment. (I'm bringing this project to Saturday's lace knitting workshop at GarnGalleriet.)

Encouraged by all the positive comments on my previous post I returned to Litet nystan to add even more to my stash of Shetlandsuld. Thank you! :-)

Ron and Francesca asked about Shetlandsuld, how it compares to Jamieson & Smith and Isager's Tvinni. I have actually never worked with J & S, so I don't know. I'd say Shetlandsuld is slightly rough to work with (which I like - not very fond of slippery yarns) but a lot softer after washing and blocking. It is quite similar to Tvinni, but thicker.

Ron also asked about the picot edge. First, I knit a few rows of stocking stitch; next a "knit two together, yarn over" row (even number of stitches); a few more rows of stocking stitch.

It is possible to fold and sew it in place, but I prefer knitting it in place through the cast-on loops: not only does it look neater to me, but it is also over and done with. I knit through every second loop, the ones about the yarn-over holes - I have found that doing so accentuates the points.

knitting the picot edge in place

Spoiling oneself rotten

2011-10-13T16:05:00.006+02:00

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

Lost & found; right &wrong

2011-10-06T15:55:00.007+02:00

Twined mitten in progress, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

Shortcuts are great in many ways, but it is a major disadvantage that your knitting might get caught by twigs without your noticing it. Fortunately, a neighbour found my twined mitten among the lilac shrubs after it had been missing for days and I had almost given up hope.

I started it for my twined knitting workshop to show some patterns you can make with two colours. This project also shows the pattern effect you achieve when you place the increases for the thumb gusset in the middle of it: the two colours almost look braided.

Speaking of braids, one of the participants asked me about knitting a braid in a contrast colour, when to join it in and for how many rows to keep it.

Twined braids

I said you have to prepare for the braid by joining in the new colour the row before the braid - and was later ashamed to realize I had done exactly the opposite of what I had been preaching. More than once I told the group I didn't like right and wrong, the idea that you have to do things in a certain way because that's how they are done.

I also quoted Dödergök: "Traditions are there to enrich my knitting, not to restrict it." I love traditional knitting and have learnt a lot from knitting old patterns and trying to master different techniques, but after all, what is regarded as traditional now was once new. And quite possibly, perhaps certainly, regarded as wrong by some.

Of course you don't have to join in the new colour the row before you make the braid; it will just look different. I'm working on a swatch testing various combinations.

All the braids have exactly the same structure (if they were all white they would be identical) but turn out completly different depending on when I add a colour, for how many rows I keep it and which row(s). These are about half of the combinations I can think of, and it's quite exciting seeing them take shape! And I haven't even added a third colour...

Which one is right then? Well, I'd say the one you want to make is the right one.

Last but not least, Åsa likes her "Viften" cardigan. I think it's a great colour for her!

Twined knitting with two colours

2011-09-22T09:52:00.012+02:00

Twined knitting, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

I do like swatches, but it's also nice to combine swatching with making something you can use.

The other day I saw super knitter Tålamodspåsen's phone case and thought I'd make one for myself to test a couple of pattern ideas for twined knitting.

For easy comparison I like having different versions of the same idea in a swatch, in this case a pattern with knit stitches and then with both knit and purl stitches. Not only do they look and feel slightly different, the one with purls is thicker too.

Twined knitting with two colours looks a bit like mosaic knitting, but there are major differences. In mosaic knitting you knit with one colour at a time and slip stitches to make a pattern; in twined knitting you knit with both colours and cover stitches with the strand you don't knit with to make a pattern. I haven't knitted much mosaic knitting, but it seems to me it tends to curve (depending on the pattern) in a way twined knitting doesn't. Not that it's a bad thing necessarily - I can see how it could be an effect you'd want to achieve.

All the twisting makes it necessary to unwind the two strands every now and then.
Having just one ball of yarn makes it easier: you just let it hang in the air.

Edited to add: how I wish I could draw like Mattias!

Lace knitting

2011-09-13T16:49:00.003+02:00

"Bressay Hap Wrap" in progress, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

Here's my new lace project, "Bressay Hap Wrap" by Sharon Miller, a free pattern from Rowan. The yarn is also from Rowan, a blend of merino and alpaca called Fine Lace and I got it from Wincent in Stockholm. Thanks, Eva!

Speaking of lace knitting, as mentioned in a previous post I will be leading a couple of workshops with GarnGalleriet in Uppsala. The dates are settled, October 16 (all day) and 29 (afternoon). For more information, write to info@garngalleriet.se

(It feels rather silly writing this in English - as if anyone would even consider travelling from another country for a workshop - but changing languages in the middle of a blog post would also feel silly!)

But first a twined knitting workshop at Litet Nystan to warm up! I'm having fun preparing material and sort of relearning the techniques (studying what my fingers to more or less automatically by now) to be able to explain them well.

"Bressay Hap Wrap" by Sharon Miller

And they lived happily ever after

2011-09-06T21:25:00.004+02:00

Here's the shirt my colleague made for me and the cardigan I made for her. We'd like to see this as proof we're so good at co-operation that our salaries should be raised dramatically!

Grafting "Viften/The Fan"

2011-09-04T11:42:00.007+02:00

Grafting "Viften/The Fan", a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

I like avoiding seams as far as possible, not only because I don't like sewing, but also for comfort: why have welts at the back of the neck and under the arms if you can avoid them?

For this project I have learnt how to graft garter stitch. I have grafted stocking stitch before ("Kitchener stitch") and was happily surprised garter stitch was easier. Excellent instructions here. (Of course, this is a form of sewing too, but I don't mind it that much when the resulting seam looks like knitting.)

I have been asked how I modified the decreases knitting the border.

Here are the four kinds I've used:

1. "knit two together" for decrease to slant to the right.

2. "slip one as if to knit, slip one more as if to knit, put both back on left needle and knit them together through back loops" for decrease to slant to the left.

3. "slip one as if to knit, slip one more as if to knit,knit one, pass slipped stitches over the stitch just knitted" for a double decrease when the middle stitch is top of a purl ladder (to avoid a purl on top). You could simply knit three together (the knit stitch to the left would end up on top instead of the one to the right) but that decrease feels slightly more like a bump in my picky fingers' opinion.

4. "slip two together as if to knit, knit one, pass slipped stitches over the stitch just knitted" for a double decrease where the middle stitch end up on top of the other two.

Same but different

2011-09-01T16:30:00.007+02:00

Here's the first "Viften/The Fan" I knitted a couple of years ago (blue bourette silk) and the third one I'm currently making (yellow merino wool) for comparison. There are a few differences apart from colour and fibre:

1. I decided to cast on a lot more loosely for a more pronounced scalloped edge.

2. There is an extra row (purls on the right side) to make the edge curl slightly.

3. Border pattern two repeats instead of three (to save yarn to be on the safe side).

There are sleeve modifications too:

1. Border five repeats wide instead of four to make the sleeves less narrow. This will make modified raglan shaping necessary, but I've decided to wait with calculations until I get there.

2. Sleeves knitted in the round to avoid a seam. When I get to the armholes I will start knitting back and forth for the raglan shape, though.

3. The instructions allow you to choose between short and long sleeves, but these will be medium length instead (like the previous one I made).

What else?
I'm quite excited about a twined knitting workshop I will be leading at Litet nystan in a few weeks! Equally exciting is planning a couple of lace knitting workshops with GarnGalleriet in Uppsala in October - will write more details about that when we've made more decisions.

Viften/The Fan no 3

2011-08-25T15:00:00.006+02:00

Viften/The Fan no 3, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

I've surprised myself by casting on a project practically identical to one I just cast off. Fair trade: I'm making this one for a colleague who's sewing me a shirt.

Any new modifications?

Anticipation...

Yes!
1. Border knitted in the round to avoid a seam at the back of the neck.
2. Border two repeats (see photo above) instead of three (photo here), partly simply for the sake of variation but primarily to save yarn. Each of the 28 repeats grows from 16 to 24 stitches wide. I think it looks nice this way too, and there's no need to worry about running out of yarn - and a couple of centimetres shorter will hardly make a difference.

Now over to some questions and comments on my previous post.

Ron: I picked up stitches around the armohole with a dark strand and wrapped with dark strands to keep the wraps from showing too much. (After discovering light wraps stand out a lot more.) I believe Alba is a Gaelic word for Scotland. (Incidentally, it is also Latin for "white" which is hardly the first thing that comes to mind when you see Starmore's design!)

Ann: it's difficult to explain why I had to turn it upside down, but I'll give it a try! The pattern itself is symmetrical, in a way that if knitted in two colours only there wouldn't be a problem. The colour sequences are symmetrical in a different way, though: a particular colour would be at the beginning of a pattern shape instead of at the end, for example. (Perhaps it wouldn't show much, but I didn't want to risk it. And it was a challenge I liked.)

Knitgoddess: I ordered a kit from Virtual Yarns. The colours are not identical to the ones in the book (and I believe the yarn is slightly thicker too) but at least they're Alice Starmore's own choice. Where can I see your "Pacific" sweater? Ravelry?

"Alba" progress

2011-08-14T14:48:00.004+02:00

"Alba" sleeve cap, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

First of all, thanks for all your birthday wishes and lovely comments on my previous post!

Back to work after my summer vacation I've had far less time to knit the past week, but have made progress with "Alba" that I thought I'd share.

The sleeves are modified in three ways:

1. Backand front sections shaped instead of straight from armhole to shoulder to avoid excess fabric under the arm.

2. Sleeve caps made using short rows (see earlier post) also to avoid excess fabric.

3. Pattern turned upside down for shapes and colour sequences to blend better where sleeve meets shoulder.

"Alba" shoulder

Now off to finish the second sleeve cap while I remember how to make it identical!

Isager's Viften/The Fan finished

2011-08-08T09:24:00.009+02:00

Viften/The Fan, a design by Marianne Isager, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

Seamed, blocked and handed over to Åsa. The size was right for her, and she was happy with the modified sleeve length! Turned inside out it looks like this.

I'm quite obsessed with Alice Starmore's "Alba", knitting like mad. (A phenomenon not particularly uncommon...) I've modified it by shaping the armholes to make it a little bit less too big (see earlier post) and will modifiy the neck too; I want it slightly deeper and narrower than the original design. How I wish the photo captured the colours! The gorgeous hints of different greens are lost, for example.

Alice Starmore's "Alba"

Today is the last day of my summer vacation, so I'd better make full knitting use of it. Actually, it's my birthday too: I'm going to treat myself to extra extra knitting time! How old? 38. Really good age - my best so far!

Isager's Viften/The Fan

2011-08-03T14:09:00.002+02:00

Isager's Viften/The Fan, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

Only seaming, darning and blocking left - and handing over to recipient, of course!

Yarn: BC Lucca Fino Tweed, 300 grams.
Needles: 3½ mm (US 4).

Modifications in short:

back and front sections knitted together instead of separately
slip stitches on right side (easier to see when to make them)
increases and decreases on wrong side (less visible)
type of border pattern decreases changed for a smoother look and feel
there is a choice between short and long sleeves, but Åsa wanted medium length; I’ve made them 90 rows long between border and armhole with increases 6 times every 6 rows and 5 times every 8 rows
border and back of neck grafted (Kitchener stitch) instead of three-needle bind-off to avoid a welt
an extra stitch added at each side for selvedge, and I’ve slipped the first stitch every row with yarn in front and knitted the second one

I also cast on a lot more loosely than in my first version of this design for the scalloped edge to be more pronounced, and I added a first row (purls on right side) for the edge to curl slightly.

If I make it a third time I will knit the border in the round to avoid a welt where the edges are seamed.

First sleeve done

2011-08-01T15:32:00.004+02:00

Isager's Viften/The Fan in progress, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

There's a choice between short and long sleeves in the instructions; Åsa (who will get the cardigan) and I agree it would be nice with medium-length sleeves.

Here's my modified sleeve size if anyone's interested:

1. There are 90 rows from border to armholes.
2. Increases every 6 rows 6 times, then every 8 rows 5 times.

I've been adding to my collection of works in progress, starting Alice Starmore's "Alba" sweater. Stranded colourwork is really what I like best when it comes to techniques, especially knitting a pattern like this. You just can't beat her sense of colours - unfortunately, this photo does not do them justice.

I can't remember when I was this excited about a project last: it's a thrill seeing it take shape in my hands.

The only thing I can't understand is Alice Starmore's tension! I don't knit particularly loosely (don't think I've ever had to change needle sizes to get the gauge called for) but in this case I get 24 instead of 28 stitches per 10 cm (4 in) even though I use thinner needles, 3 mm instead of 3.25 (US 2½ instead of 3).

I could go down one more size but feel the sweater will be too stiff for my taste if I do. Instead, I'm following the directions for a size smaller than I want - and it will still be a bit too big!

Now, I love Alice Starmore's designs and would love to meet her and thank her in person for everything I've learnt and been inspired by - but judging from her tension I would hardly let her massage my shoulders ;-)

"The Fan" construction

2011-07-26T09:17:00.005+02:00

Isager's The Fan/Viften in progress, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

This is what it looks like folded into proper shape;
makes me eager to start knitting the missing sleeves!

Late last night I finished the raglan-shaped back section from the armholes to the back of the neck. I think Marianne Isager's construction is ingenious!

The border is to be seamed and then attached to the back. I think I will graft the pieces (Kitchener stitch) instead of a three-needle bind-off to avoid a welt. For the same reason I will probably knit the border in the round if I make it again.

Frogging and knitting

2011-07-25T11:34:00.005+02:00

Isager cardigan (Viften/The Fan) in progress, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

My stitch itch returned last week and full force too! What better way to celebrate than to start yet another project?

There was a turning point when I decided to frog a project I felt I wouldn't be pleased with if I finished it and knitted a couple of swatches to check gauge for different kinds of patterns and needle sizes.

Suddenly I remembered I had ideas how to modify an intriguing cardigan design by Marianne Isager that I knitted two years ago , "The Fan" from Japanese-inspired Knits.

Modifications:
1. Different border pattern decreases for a smoother look and feel (attempt to illustrate in photo above).

2. Back and fronts knitted together instead of separately to avoid seaming. If I make it a third time I will knit the border in the round to avoid a seam at the back of the neck.

3. Casting on a lot more loosely for a more pronounced scalloped effect than in my first version. I also used the cable cast-on method instead of the long-tail method and added a row (knits knitted on the wrong side) for the edge to curl a bit more. This may also be seen in the photo above, at least if you know about it!

4. Adding a row between border and main sections. This entailed making slipped stitches on the right side (easier to see when to make them) and decreases on the wrong side (looks smoother from the right side) instead of vice versa.

5. Adding an extra stitch for a selvedge, starting each row by slipping the first stitch with the yarn in front.

What else to say about this project? The yarn is lovely Lucca Fino Tweed from BC, and I use 3½ mm needles (US 4).

Not knitting but rowing

2011-07-18T12:10:00.013+02:00

As I haven't been knitting much lately (sic! at one point a whole week passed without a single stitch) there isn't much to write about my projects.

Instead, I could write a post about something a couple of people have asked me: how I manage to knit as much as I normally do.

1. Speed. I've become faster over the years.
2. Taking opportunities. I usually have a project with me so I can knit a few stitches while waiting for the bus or whatever. Fortunately, I don't mind knitting in public anymore - but it took many years, and I still try to find a corner to knit in.
3. I don't work full time. (It just feels like it!)
4. Not owning a car. I commute to work, which gives me a lot of knitting time each week. Most of the Estonian shawl was actually made on trains!
5. Multitasking. I think well while knitting and I usually plan things, write texts (letters, blog posts etc) mentally while knitting. Typing texts doesn't take much time once they're "knitted" into shape.

So, what have I been doing instead of knitting lately? Well, the most remarkable thing was finding some snow on 15 July during a trip to Härjedalen last week! This involved rowing across a lake, treading through mosquito-filled marshes and across barren hills before crossing the Norwegian border and walking some more. And then all the way back. Not much more than 12 kilometers (7½ miles) in all, but the hills were fairly steep and there wasn't much of a path.

Last, about the blog post title: here's a link to a poem I like, "Not waving but drowning" by Stevie Smith.

Lake Bolmagen

Bits and pieces

2011-07-02T19:08:00.003+02:00

Bits and pieces, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

Back in Sweden dreaming of Italy... It's a good thing it's possible to combine daydreaming and knitting!
I'm working with the sleeves for my twined sweater. My plan is to join the different parts to make a raglan.

In a comment on my previous post Annegret asked why I don't like knitting socks. Actually, I'm not quite sure, but probably it's because I like bigger projects with a lot more space for patterns.

Edited to add: after reading yarndude's comment (not to mention trying to explain in words) I searched for a video that shows how you hold the strands and found this video.

Asplund in Wonderland

2011-06-26T11:46:00.006+02:00

Inspiration, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

First of all, thanks for comments on my previous post! Annie: the party did involve 18th century food. There was a buffet, and what I liked best was a dish consisting of green peas and crayfish. Kyle: it certainly was a lot of fun -hope you get an opportunity to try something similar - and it actually made it even more enjoyable that you didn't have to worry about making mistakes. It was all about having fun in a different setting. Especially dancing looked like so much fun I think I'll have to take a course and try to learn it.

Annegret: They did knit in those days, but not much has survived. Now my ambition is to try to knit something inspired by these stockings from a monument in a church in Italy, where I headed the day after the last day at work before the summer holidays. I don't like knitting socks, but this is a kind of challenge I think could be fun.

Fluffbuff: I don't know if societies like this are especially common here - but I'm fairly certain the Medieveal happenings are far more popular than the 18th century. And thanks for your advice about what to see and to in Emilia-Romagna!

During a day trip to Ravenna I came across a lovely yarn shop between various mosaics sites. There is nothing I could write about the mosaics that wouldn't be banal, so I'm simpy going to say that I left Ravenna with a mind full of beauty and with a shimmering hank of merino-silk-cashmere yarn in my bag.

That day I felt like Alice in Wonderland walking from one unbelievable site to another and another and so on plus stumbling across yarn that practically had a label "KNIT ME" attached to it.

Ponte di Tiberio, Rimini

Having fun without knitting

2011-06-14T15:38:00.012+02:00

is actually possible! This is how you do it:

You make friends with some members of a group devoted to the late 18th century.

They invite you to a wonderful party in an astonishingly beautiful setting.

They even lend you appropriate clothes.

Next day you go to Drottingholm Palace Theatre to enjoy Così fan tutte.

On your way home fellow passengers on buses and subway seem to enjoy the sight of you.

But of course you manage to cram in some knitting during the weekend too.
I've cut the "Moorish" steeks and done the shoulder joins with neck gussets,
something I learnt from Alice Starmore's Fishermen's Sweaters.

More matching

2011-06-02T22:01:00.004+02:00

More matching

Remember when I discovered I matched the curtains at work not too long ago? (Blog post here.) Well, I've just spotted a future possibility to match a silk-screen print at home! What next? Knitting a pair of green striped trousers to match the sofa, perhaps?

Thanks for lovely comments on my previous post! I'm so childish it makes me especially happy to read positive words about Siri Derkert: her art means so much to me I almost take praise for her personally!

WonderMike: yes, it would be wonderful living closer to you. But why don't you come up and see me some time? ;-)

Rod: ha ha - well, I actually gained 12 kilos (26½ pounds) but have lost half of it, not planning to lose any more.

Ann: thanks! Well, the difference in gauge makes quite a difference. I use 3 mm needles (US 2½) for both projects, but in this one I get 22 stitches/10 cm (4 in) and 37 in the twined project!

Edited to add: better photo of the print here. Thanks Annie for pointing it out!

"Moorish" sweater

2011-05-29T15:39:00.009+02:00

"Moorish" sweater in progress
Originally uploaded by Asplund

I'm on a short break from my twined knitting; it's a lot of fun but so time-consuming I needed to start something that's quicker to knit.

A few years ago I knitted a sweater based on a vest design by Kim Hargreaves, "Moor" in a A Yorkshire Fable, adding sleeves and changing the all-black cuffs. I was happy with it but it's too small - especially after I replaced smoking with eating!

Fortunately, I always had a tendency to make sweaters slightly too big, so I can still wear almost all my old sweaters.

"Moor" sweater knitted in 2006

The other week I discovered Norwegian Rauma Finull in beautiful shades of brown at my LYS and it dawned on me it was high time to make a new Moor sweater. There are more modifications (in terms of both pattern shapes and colour sequences) in this one, so I think I'll rename it Moorish.

I managed to knit a few inches yesterday in glorious knitting company: borntoknit, entill, katarina, wynja , anna and toveb. Thanks for a wonderful afternoon!

Just before meeting up with the other knitters I went to an opening of an exhibition at Moderna museet: a truly impressive, retrospective exhibition of my top favorite artist Siri Derkert. There were many things I hadn't seen before and many paintings and collages I've only seen reproduced in black and white. I was quite taken, just as strongly as when her art first overwhelmed me when I was a teenager and saw her portraits. A very good day, yesterday.

Twined sleeve in progress

2011-05-18T16:39:00.003+02:00

Twined mosaic
Originally uploaded by Asplund

Here are four photos of the sleeve to show the distribution of pattern shapes. The increases are on each side of a vertical band with "o" shapes, and my plan is to add more of the same shapes as the sleeve grows wider.

No more time to write - got to knit!

Sleeve patterns

2011-05-15T11:46:00.005+02:00

Twined sleeves: testing different patterns
Originally uploaded by Asplund

I'm happy with the cuffs, but as I was knitting the sleeve to the left I suddenly had another idea, a modification of the big central shape.

After knitting my new idea (actually a shape I tried and liked in my first twined sweater, visible in the background) and comparing the two sleeves I've decided to go for the version to the right.

What makes me prefer it is the single focal point at the centre, the little "o" shape; the version to the left would have had four of them and looked more messy for want of a better word.

This is a good example of one way blogging has influenced my knitting. A couple of years ago I would simply have frogged and reknitted without documenting my choices in either words or photos, not even for myself - and to think that there are others who are interested in the process behind my knits! You, that is :) Thanks for following my knitting adventures! Having readers is inspiring in itself, you know.

Sleeve cuffs

2011-05-13T21:50:00.007+02:00

Twined sleeve cuff
Originally uploaded by Asplund

The sleeve cuffs are finished and after a couple of false starts I've more or less decided how to change the cuff pattern into a similar but different sleeve pattern.

Funny how things change. As mentioned in a previous post this is a project I let hibernate for a year and a half, but now I can't remember last time a project engaged me this much! I knew my feelings about it would change eventually; it was just a matter of waiting for it to happen. And knitting other things meanwhile :)

Thanks for kind words about the new look of my blog! The background is my first twined sweater, knitted in 2008. The photos of me knitting in my aunt's garden when Bessy the Westie wanted to play with her instead were taken in 2006. Time flies! Actually, I remember both what sweater I was knitting (which is why I know what year it was) and the audio book I was listening to: unintentionally hilarious Tarzan of the Apes, an awful book and an awful reading of it. The combination was simply irresistible!

Trees nearly done

2011-05-07T13:35:00.003+02:00

Twined sweater in progress
Originally uploaded by Asplund

I'm getting near the tree tops and it's high time to decide how to knit the sleeves: this will be a seamless raglan sweater, so I will have to think of a sleeve pattern to blend with both the back and front and with the raglan shape.

A tree would be too big, so it will probably some combination of geometric shapes.

Tiny needles

2011-05-05T09:05:00.002+02:00

Tiny needles
Originally uploaded by Asplund

Yesterday at Nordiska museet you could try knitting with old needles. I do like thin needles, but these were too thin to be comfortable to work with - and still they were among the thickest of the needles you could borrow!

Here they are next to my 3 mm (US 2½) needles for comparison.

Twined sweater progress

2011-04-27T08:34:00.006+02:00

Twined sweater in progress
Originally uploaded by Asplund

Here's a better photo when it comes to showing the pattern, although the one in my previous post is a prettier photo.

Asplund the Narcissist is trying to knit aspen trees using the twined technique; six trees around the sweater will make an aspen grove, an "asplund" in Swedish. (For a while I thought the trees looked more like broccoli, but now I'm confident about them again!)

Kerry asked about the technique. You knit with two strands that you twist between each stitch. It's time-consuming but well worth it for the deep-relief effect when you combine knit and purl stitches; keeping the strand you don't knit with in front makes a difference too.

In this post there's a photo of the right and wrong sides and a link to a great blog about the technique.

To answer some questions in comments on the "Reunion" post:

Christine: I love the lingonberry pattern too and found it in a book by Inger and Ingrid Gottfridsson. There is an English translation of it, "The Mitten Book". Hope you find it! I agree with you about being critical right after one has finished a project. It's so easy to (or impossible not to) compare the garment to what one had in mind.

Ann: alas, no new labels. Actually, there's evidence I'm still Mormor because a group of pupils once gave me a mug with that word on it!

About the green ribbing (Martin's green and white sweater): I used thinner needles and made it fairly wide (3k, 2 p in this sweater. If it's still flabby (which happens) I'd knit it twice as long as I want it and fold it in half.

Det som göms i snö

2011-04-26T14:54:00.002+02:00

Twined sweater in progress
Originally uploaded by Asplund

kommer upp i tö. (What's hidden in snow emerges when it's thawing. Perhaps "murder will out" is the closest English expression. Other suggestions?)

At long last I've felt like excavating my second twined sweater project from the (crammed) basket where it has been hibernating for about a year and a half. Not quite sure how to go on with the pattern I put it aside and then didn't pick it up again for a number of reasons. Other projects, of course, but also the fact that I've moved twice and started a new employment during this period.

Actually, the main reason I've stayed away from this project is probably associating it with worries about work and where to live.

Looking at the sweater among the anemones makes me feel completely different about it! And the more and stronger memories and feelings that are attached to a project the better.

Reunion

2011-04-20T22:27:00.008+02:00

Reunion
Originally uploaded by Asplund

Here are two sweaters I haven't seen for quite a few years: to the left one I made for my sister's then boyfriend Martin for his 25th birthday in 1999, and to the right a sweater I made for my sister in the mid-90s.

I haven't seen them for quite a few years; the one to the right had been missing for years when my mother recently discovered it in a box in her basement and I don't see Martin that often after he and my sister split up some ten years ago. (Shortly after he got this sweater, come to think of it - surely that must be a coincidence! Unless there was some kind of Curse of the Green Sweater.)

Anyway, I was very pleased to see them again: I like them a lot better than expected. I remember Martin's sweater didn't turn out the way I had hoped, that I thought the patterns looked a lot better on graph paper than knitted up.

Today I like the patterns, especially details like the cuffs, which I had forgotten completely. I was inspired by the Russian sweater from Unskijposad in Uuve Snidare's book about fishermen's sweaters, although this is far simpler. Echoes from the Russian sweater are the horizontal borders with lines between, and if I may say so myself the two patterns blend nicely across the lines (which was what I wanted to achieve).

As for my sister's sweater, I didn't think the colour combination was that succesful when it was new, but I like it now. The lingonberry pattern is from one of the books that belonged to my grandmother, but the sweater shape is my own. A detail I remember fondly is that it was one of the first times I used a picot edge.

White shawl finished

2011-04-17T13:36:00.003+02:00

"Crown Prince" shawl no 2
Originally uploaded by Asplund

Of the shawls I've made since I first tried lace knitting some five years ago this is the one I like best, almost so much I want to wear it myself!

If I had only known earlier how much fun it is to make shawls I would have given it a try long before. I do like the challenge of making sweaters, joining the different parts into a unity, but it is also nice not having any seaming to do, very few loose ends to take care of and no real worries about size.

I think the "Cyprus" border from Victorian Lace Today turned out very nice after blocking. As mentioned in a previous post I changed it from garter to stocking stitch.

Comments on my previous post made me smile and laugh, not least christinelaennec's suggestion the curtains had morphed to match my sweater :-D Thanks, everyone!

A perfect match

2011-04-14T10:57:00.009+02:00

A perfect match
Originally uploaded by Asplund

This is rather worrying: it suddenly dawned on me I match the kitchen curtains at work! Is there such a thing as Freudian yarn colour choices?
If so, I probably don't want to know more...

Still, I'm more than happy with how this sweater turned out, especially how I changed the pattern of the side panels knitted sideways and blended it with the sleeve pattern.

I'm working on a knitted-on border for the white shawl. It's a modified version of Jane Sowerby's "Cyprus" border for her "Shoulder shawl in Syrian pattern" from Victorian Lace Today.

My modification is simple, namely stocking stitch instead of garter stitch. I'm not very fond of garter stitch, especially not in lace knitting: I want the knitted fabric to be airy, and garter stitch makes it more compact. I also wanted the slight curling effect of stocking stitch.

"Jaws" cuffs

2011-04-09T20:48:00.010+02:00

"Jaws" cuffs
Originally uploaded by Asplund

Thanks everyone for all your positive comments on my previous post - I appreciate them very, very much!

Ron asked about the cuffs, so here's a photo to show what I did: I took a row of "teeth" from the body (slightly thinner needles) and made it smaller, six stitches wide instead of eight. Then I knitted stranded stripes, cast off loosely and sewed it in place.

One of the many things I love about this yarn, BC Shetlandsuld, is how soft it becomes after washing. It's a bit rough to work with - which is a good thing in my opinion. I'm not very fond of slippery fibres like baby alpaca.

I think Marianne Isager would recognize her design "Andes" from Inca Knits in spite of my modifications, in short:

Colours (completely different, 7 instead of 4, and a slightly different colour sequence).
Rows knitted sideways on front and back not garter stitch but stranded colourwork.
Sleeves in stranded colourwork, not garter stitch.
Neckband split in front to match bottom border splits.
Cuffs in “tooth” pattern to echo the front and back.

Jaws: the return

2011-04-07T16:36:00.005+02:00

"Jaws" sleeve
Originally uploaded by Asplund

Having several projects at a time suits me!

My "Jaws" sweater has been resting for a few weeks; I couldn't make up my mind about the cuffs and therefore started knitting the white shawl I had been thinking about while knitting "Jaws".

It's the other way around now: I'm not sure how to frame the white shawl yet, but had made up my mind about the sweater cuffs while knitting the main part of the shawl. When the sweater is finished I will hopefully know how to finish the shawl.

If not, I could always start something new!

There are a few dangling ends to weave in before washing and blocking the sweater, but it is practically done. Unfortunately, the photo is blurred, but I guess it's better than no photo.

I changed the collar by splitting it in front; this was to echo the bottom border. I wanted a line in a contrasting colour but couldn't decide whether I preferred red or yellow, so I surprised myself by having both. A small step for a man, but for a control freak in favour of symmetry a giant leap!

Cries and Whispers

2011-03-30T19:02:00.009+02:00

Shawl in progress
Originally uploaded by Asplund

One "wing" done, so the shape is clearer now. This shawl is actually very much like what I had in mind, which hardly ever happens. There's usually quite a big difference between project-in-mind and project-in-reality, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse.

An example of the latter is this cardigan I made for my sister some ten years ago. The two colours looked great when I held the skeins together, but knitted they ate each other up, and you can barely see the pattern. Stripes would have worked, but not this kind of pattern.

What irritates me most about it is that I saw what was happening and still refused to see it, hoping (as far as I can remember) that blocking would make a difference. Not very realistic... Still, I'm happy with that cardigan because my sister likes it. Recipients' reactions can make quite a difference!

Edited to add: the photo of the white shawl against the red background suddenly made me think of a beautiful but deeply unnerving Ingmar Bergman movie that has haunted me since I first saw it quite a few years ago. Perhaps I should rename the shawl "Viskningar och rop"? (English title: Cries and Whispers.)

Caught blue-handed

2011-03-27T11:33:00.002+02:00

Caught blue-handed
Originally uploaded by Asplund

I'm helping a colleague adding sleeves to the cardigan she is knitting. Not only my hands are proof of surplus dye: you can also see the difference between the sleeve cap I have made and the body, which she made and washed before handing the project to me.

I like sleeve caps but I also like knitted-on sleeves, so I'm experimenting with different ways to combine the two using short rows. There's a detailed description in this post.

Breaking promises

2011-03-25T16:54:00.007+01:00

Shawl progress
Originally uploaded by Asplund

The shawl is a true joy to knit, so I'm making fast progress! About 2/3 done so far.

A few weeks ago I went through my stash and discovered there was far more than I thought - even though I tried to exaggerate! A familiar phenomenon, anyone? This made me decide to try (note "try"!) not to buy any more yarn this year. Complete failure. Not unexpected, but it happened sooner than I thought.

First, I discovered Sannstick's sale: Lucca Fino Tweed from BC, yarn that I've used once before and really liked - and which won't be made anymore. What could I do but get enough yarn for two sweaters, blue and yellow?

Then I had a great evening with Born to knit a couple of days ago. Her knitting library is incredible, rare Alice Starmore books, lots of vintage books and magazines... She also showed me some of her sweaters, and I was particularly impressed with her Starmore design Henry VIII; it is certainly a sweater I'm going to make some day, but I felt it was high time to give in to my ca-ten-year-old desire to get my top favourite Starmore design Alba. So I did. Anticipation...

Some things are so easily done!

Spring feelings

2011-03-23T10:14:00.007+01:00

Airing sweaters
Originally uploaded by Asplund

Spring may be here at long last: does an instant urge to air sweaters count as a kind of spring feeling?

Today I'm going to write seven things about myself as promised in my previous post. First, two things I look forward to this week:

Seeing fellow knitter and blogger Born to knit tonight. We first met live about a year and a half ago after getting acquainted thanks to the internet.

A concert on Sunday with Dee Dee Bridgewater, a favourite singer I'm going to get to enjoy live for the fourth time. I love her gorgeous, rich voice (she can sound like anything from a caress to a grater), her way with lyrics, athletic scat singing, interaction with musicians and her sense of humour - all of which plus some present in this version of "Love for Sale". (It takes about 1½ minute before she actually starts singing.)

Through her albums, Dee Dee's singing is knitted into many of the things I've made since I first heard her some ten years ago.

Last, five favourite tastes, simply because I can't think of anything better to write about: lemon, ginger, garlic, cinnamon and pomegranate.

Shawl shape

2011-03-18T11:14:00.013+01:00

Shawl in progress
Originally uploaded by Asplund

Today I thought I'd share my ideas for the shape of my current shawl project. I want a V shape made up of three equally big sections: the middle/bottom one filled with stars, and the wings with grids similar to the centre of the previous Estonian shawl I made.

You can see a tiny sketch of the shape in the centre of the photo, and in the upper right corner is the start of the grid pattern. The shawl will be framed with a knitted-on border, but I haven't made up my mind about what kind of pattern to use. No need to decide yet, though...

Christine has passed on an award to me, a Stylish award, which is very flattering. Thank you! I'm supposed to write seven things about myself. That will require some thinking, so I'm saving that for next post. In the meantime, I suggest you check out her blog and the other bloggers she nominated.

Last, I'm going to answer a couple of questions in comments on a previous post:

Ron asked about the yarn. It's "Viva" from Wetterhoff in Finland, easily my favourite yarn for knitting lace. It's a glorious wool-silk blend (70-30%) and 100 grams is enough for a big shawl. It drapes beautifully thanks to the silk, and it has a sheen that enhances lace patterns. I just counted my "Viva" projects on Ravelry: this is my tenth since I first discovered more or less exactly two years ago. For most of them I've used 4 mm needles (US 6), but after some swatching I decided 3½ mm (US 4) worked best to make Estonian nupp patterns.

Ann asked about the edge. I simply slip the first stitch, as if to knit on the right side and as if to purl on the wrong side. I find this makes it easy to pick up stitches for a knitted-on border, and at the same time it looks nice enough in case I don't have enough yarn for a border and the shawl has to be naked. (Shock horror!)

Ron also asked about the green shawl I mentinoned in a previous post. It hasn't found an owner yet, but I have a friend's friend in mind. I understand she'd be interested in having one, and I believe it would be a great colour for her.

Edited to add: I just learnt a new word I could relate to instantly, namely shawlcoholic! Liisa's pun sjalkoholist is even better in Swedish, but I think it works in English too.

To rip or not to rip

2011-03-14T10:55:00.003+01:00

Shawl in progress
Originally uploaded by Asplund

My intention was to write a post about whether I should rip 2½ rows to add a nupp I forgot to make, but it's too late now. Instead, I'm going to write about why I did :)

1. I never liked mistakes in my knitting, and even though I've grown more tolerant over the years I don't want to keep major flaws. A nupp missing makes a mutilated star.

2. For a while I toyed with the idea of making a "nupp prosthesis" - it could be a good challenge trying to make one afterwards and get it to blend in with the others. On the other hand it might not work, and I was too eager to make progress to start nupp swatching.

3. An hour or so spent ripping out and reknitting a few rows (even if they're rather long) is far less time than years or possibly a lifetime source of irritation I didn't correct a mistake I discovered fairly quickly. I know myself: one of my sweaters has an ugly flaw that I told myself might disappear during blocking... Instead it stood out even more clearly!

4. I tried telling myself a nupp missing is a scandalously ridiculous thing to think about considering the recent disasters in Japan and New Zealand, what's happening in Libya and other countries etc etc... Still, it's as if I just can't help following my knitting instincts.

Ann and Ron: I will get back with answers to your questions!

Crown Prince shawl no 2

2011-03-11T10:23:00.004+01:00

Crown Prince shawl no 2
Originally uploaded by Asplund

Since I finished my first Estonian shawl I have been thinking about different ways to use the patterns in a different shawl shape. Well, I started thinking about it while knitting the first one. I'm usually most excited about my next project, which I surely have in common with many if not most knitters.

I'm very happy with how the first shawl turned out, but the almost square shape doesn't seem very practical to me: to wear it comfortably you'd have to fold it to make a triangle and then the pattern will disappear.

This time my plan is to combine the star pattern from Nancy Bush's book (which I love, both to knit and to look at) with small groups of nupps in a V-shaped shawl, a shape I tested knitting last year.

My "Jaws" sweater is resting for a while. I've knitted the sleeves but haven't decided how to knit the cuffs. I will probably repeat the coloured triangles from the body but am not quite sure exactly how.

Comparing Russian sweaters, part 2

2011-02-24T17:43:00.004+01:00

Comparing Russian sweaters
Originally uploaded by Asplund

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post about one of my modifications when I reknitted my all-time favourite sweater design from Uuve Snidare's Fishermen's Sweaters.

The red version (which I finished in 1992) has a vertical red line from hip to armhole, which is where the row starts. It is convenient, and I rather like how it looks even though the pattern isn't symmetrical on each side of it.What I like less about it is that it sort of pulls, unlike the other side. (It's a similar thing with the sleeves, but I don't mind it that the red sleeve "seam" pulls slightly.)

The armholes aren't shaped in the original version, which leads to a lot of excess fabric under the arms. (And extra perspiration, I'm afraid!) I shaped them in my russet sweater knitted a couple of years ago.

Also, I added a side pattern. When I got to the armholes I put those stitches on a safety pin, cast on new stitches for a steek, and later picked them up along with stitches around the armhole to knit the sleeve.

The red/russet "ribbons" are knitted separately and sewn on. I've become better at sewing over the years! In my new sweater I made them shorter so it's evident the side pattern continues uninterrupted from hip to wrist.

Evident to those interested in investigating my armholes, that is.

A real man

2011-02-17T14:13:00.008+01:00

Handmade circular needle
Originally uploaded by Asplund

makes his own knitting needles, don't you agree?

Not that I do - Mac the Knitter does, and he was kind enough to send me this circular needle with one point shaped like crochet hook. It arrived yesterday and I tried it immediately. It works beautifully, and I'm going to use it for my next lace project.

I never thought of a knitting needle as beautiful before, but this one certainly is. Thank you!

"Jaws" sleeve in progress

I've knitted enough of the first "Jaws" sleeve to see that I like my pattern idea enough to stick to it. This sleeve is veeery far from Marianne Isager's original design.

My plan is to add some colour when I get to the cuff, but I haven't decided what colour(s) or how yet.

Last, I'd like to comment on some of the kind comments on my previous post:

elisaacampbell & Carolina: I think spreadsheets are a great idea, but actually haven't tried it that much. (Only really to see the effect of many pattern repeats together.) I'm so oldfashioned I like squared paper! Actually, my method is very much like Carolina's. I make sure I get the width right, adjusting pattern and/or needle size and make up my mind about the length when I get close to the armhole.

Annika: I learnt how to use steeks by reading Alice Starmore, first (I believe) from Fishermen's Sweaters, but she has also described the technique in her book about Fairisle sweaters.

christinelaennec: I agree completely about the difference between plan and reality! It's a good thing I really enjoy swatching!

Not particularly helpful

2011-02-13T19:59:00.007+01:00

Comparing Russian sweaters
Originally uploaded by Asplund

As I mentioned in my previous post, I prefer writing to talking. A good example of the disadvantage of speaking is when I was asked in the interview how I match back and front pieces to make a pattern continue across the shoulder join.

I said something like "um, well, it's about planning... put the pattern in the centre of both back and front sections... and then you try not to make mistakes..." How useful is that?

In this post I'm going to try to explain it better. (More vaguely would hardly be possible!) In the photo you can see two shoulder joins with the same pattern. I knitted the red version in the early 1990s, when I didn't dare to make modifications - and didn't have the skills either. The pattern is from Uuve Snidare's book "Fiskartröjor" (fishermen's sweaters), which is probably the most important one of my knitting books. In August I was lucky enough to get to meet Uuve Snidare at a knitting camp and thank her personally!

Even though I was (and still am) proud of knitting that sweater at 18, there are a few things about it that have annoyed me slightly since I finished it. A couple of years ago I knitted a new russet brown version, in which I incorporated some of the things I've learnt since then. I might write posts about all of them, but blending patterns across shoulder joins will do for today.

Placing the pattern so that the centre of a pattern repeat is in the centre of both back and front is crucial. It isn't in the red sweater, which shows when you look at the shoulder join. There is no row where I could have ended to get the lines to carry across the join smoothly.

The second crucial thing is ending at the (horizontal) centre of the pattern repeat, like in the russet brown sweater. The join is a three-needle bind-off: you turn the sweater inside-out and cast off the back and front sections together. The same thing goes for knit-purl patterns, like in this sweater (photo rather blurred, I'm afraid).

"Lerwick" sweater

You don't have to end in the middle of a repeat, though: in this case I ended after a whole repeat. (This design is also from Uuve Snidare's book.) I guess it depends on the pattern. The tricky thing is figuring out how many repeats you will have to make to get them to blend and get the length you want.

Undecided

2011-02-09T17:31:00.013+01:00

"Jaws" in progress
Originally uploaded by Asplund

I'm not sure what I think of the sleeve pattern so far, the beginning of a big triangle that consists of many small ones, but will knit a few more inches before I decide whether I want to keep it or do something else.

The radio show a couple of mornings ago was a lot of fun! Actually, the best part took place the evening before: I was on the train from Stockholm and a woman I'd never met before approached me and said she thought she knew who I was. It turned out she was the one who had phoned me from the radio station a few days before and who was to interview me early next morning - talk about a coincidence!

Riddarholmen, Stockholm, Sunday afternoon

How she recognized me? She saw my reflection in the window (she was sitting behind me) and that I was doing something with my hands. Praying? No, knitting! A male knitter on his way to Uppsala, who could that be... I enjoyed talking to Elin a lot, both on the train and in the studio.

I do prefer writing to talking, though, to tell you the truth. Blogging suits me, but I wouldn't even toy with the idea of a pod cast, for example. Too fond of revising my words.

For those who want to hear the show (it's in Swedish) I'll add a link at the end of this post. A word of warning about the photo of me first: it strikes me I've got cheeks like Polomoche in a favourite book from my childhood! (Well, at least I'm not yellow and I don't have horns - and as far as I know I don't smell of rotten apples.) Link to the show here.
Check out Ylva's incredibly beautifully decorated mittens! I was lucky to get to admire them live at a knitting café Monday evening and was happy to discover her blog post about them.

News

2011-02-06T12:00:00.008+01:00

Red dragonflies
Originally uploaded by Asplund

Imagine my surprise and delight when I read the morning newspaper a couple of days ago and saw my blog mentioned in an article about knitting! Thanks, Karin! Later that day they called me from the local radio station and asked me if wanted to come and talk about knitting on Monday morning. Guess what I answered!

"Jaws" is resting while I think about different sleeve ideas, so I've excavated the "Red Dragonflies" sweater from my UFO pile. I'm afraid it may be slightly out of proportion (the sleeves too wide for the body) but I won't know for sure until I block it. I may have to knit some kind of side gussets to add to the width.

Last but not least, a couple of gifts! I recently knitted a shawl with handspun silk yarn fellow knitter Marguerite in France was kind enough to send me. Here it is on a tea towel fellow knitter James in New Zealand sent me. Thank you both! I'm going to give the shawl to a friend's daughter, but the towel is mine.

Teeth galore

2011-01-26T15:47:00.006+01:00

Side join
Originally uploaded by Asplund

"Jaws" is taking shape; here's the side join.

I made the steek rather wide, since I didn't want to cut it open in the middle but to cut out the middle part of it with all the dangling threads.

Then I picked up stitches along the whole front and the whole back and started knitting the side panels vertically. The original design has garter-stitch side panels, but I prefer stocking stitch. (It's the same thing with the yoke). The first and last ten stitches are garter stitch, though, to blend with the bottom border and to keep it from curling. Also, I chose to have a split, which isn't in the original design.

This is what the wrong side looks like.

I first tested making the side panels all brown, but changed my mind: I wanted to accentuate the construction with some stranded colourwork and decided to knit more "teeth" before a few all brown rows. I ended with a purl row (or, rather, a knit row on the wrong side) before casting the sides off together from the wrong side.

Ron asked about the sleeves. They will get more "teeth" (the more, the merrier) possibly turned into simple lines. Maybe a splash of orange or yellow... I'm surprising myself by not deciding very much in advance - I usually like deciding most things in advance but leaving some room for improvisation and changes.

Jaws

2011-01-21T10:54:00.002+01:00

WIP: Andes by Marianne Isager
Originally uploaded by Asplund

All the borders with white triangles suddenly made me think of sharks and their multiple rows of teeth, so I'm going to rename the sweater Jaws.

The centre back and front sections are finished; right now I am crocheting "seams" in the steeks before cutting them to secure the strands. Next step will be joining the shoulders and then pick up stiches along the whole back and front to knit side panels and sleeves.

Hello sunshine

2011-01-14T14:15:00.005+01:00

"Andes" wip
Originally uploaded by Asplund

The sun made a guest appearance today (it's been very cloudy recently) so I managed to take a photo of "Andes" that shows the colours properly. There will probably be 12 borders of white "teeth" in all, and I'm going to frame this section (shoulders, side panels and sleeves) with the greyish brown used in the split bottom border.

Let me tell you it's quite satisfying looking at all the dangling ends in the middle of the steek to the right knowing I won't have to weave in a single one of them!

In a comment on my previous post Ing-Marie i Säter asked me if the small project was a sleeve or a swatch. It was a swatch, partly to test gauge but mainly to try different ways to combine my colours. (Photo of the original version here.) These are my thought behind my colour choices:

1. My stash: 7 skeins of greyish brown, 3 natural white and 1 warm brown means lots of greyish brown for the frame, side panels and sleeves; leftover colours concentrated to the back and front centres.

2. Natural white used in all the borders for stability and to combine the other colours with (they all look good next to it) - and simply because I have quite a lot of it.

3. Two shades of brown (cool greyish and warm yellowish) alternating for variation.

4. Two purl ridges in differerent colours below each brown section. Yellow and orange looked nice with warm brown, and light brown and dark brownish green looked nice with cool brown.

5. Colour sequence alternating for variation: yellow-orange, brown-green, orange-yellow, green-brown...

There are many good challenges involved in this project. Apart from testing different ways to use the colours and trying a new way to construct a sweater, it's good to practise getting even tension when stranded colourwork and plain stocking stitch is combined.

Returning to Marianne Isager

2011-01-12T16:27:00.005+01:00

Isager swatch
Originally uploaded by Asplund

First of all, thanks for all the wonderful comments on my last post!

Knitting lace shawls is great, but so is variation - so I've been looking for inspiration in my knitting books. Trust Marianne Isager! Here's an intriguing design in "Inca Knits" that I haven't paid much attention to before, but which kind of gave my stash a come-hither stare.

The construction is one I haven't tried and never would have thought of, for that matter. First you knit the multi-coloured sections of the back and front; then you pick up stitches along the sides to knit not only the sleeves but also the side panels.

Any modifications? Yes!
1. Colours. I'm using greyish brown and natural white Shetlandsuld I bought about half a year ago when my LYS celebrated 25 years. I'm spicing it with some leftovers from Zaire. The photo to the left does not do the colours justice, but will at least give you an idea.
2. I'm not knitting the multi-coloured sections back and forth, but in the round with steeks. A bonus is not having to weave in any ends: I start new rows in the middle of a steek and will simply cut the steeks open and trim the edges.
3. Minor modifications in the pattern with an extra colour and two stocking stitch rows skipped between purl ridges.

Estonian shawl finished

2011-01-05T18:25:00.003+01:00

Estonian shawl finished
Originally uploaded by Asplund

This is how my knitted-on edge turned out. Not sure how far my yarn would last I decided to knit a pattern that could be cast off practically any time; this one consists of two different pattern rows and two plain rows.

There was more yarn than I expected, so I ended with a few pattern rows with extra increases for more pronounced points. I'm pleased with the edge (I wanted something airy to balance the fairly compact main pattern) although I think the original design is prettier.

That goes for the whole shawl, by the way, even though I'm happy with my modifications - and even happier that I've left my old fear of experimenting and taking liberties with patterns behind. I've learnt a lot (and still do) from following instructions, but it's nice not to have to depend on them all the time.

My modifications in short:
1. Variation star motif used. It's bigger, so I made this shawl five stars wide instead of seven.
2. Garter-stitch border skipped.
3. Centre "grid" pattern resized to blend with the stars, and I added different groups of nupps to it.
4. Edge knitted on instead of made separately and sewn on. (Which keeps this from being a real Haapsalu shawl, but I guess it's safe to call it Haapsalu-ish!)

The finished shawl measures ca 115x105 cm (45x41 in).

Living on the edge

2011-01-03T00:47:00.006+01:00

Estonian shawl wip
Originally uploaded by Asplund

Here's my first attempt at a border around the Estonian shawl. I really like the one in the original design (easy to see in the shawl knitted by Flickr's annalore) but knitting it separately and then sewing it on - no thanks. So, I decided to pick up stitches around the shawl and then knit the border pattern upside-down instead - and resize the pattern to match my number of stitches. (Anything to avoid sewing.)

Unfortunately, knitting a pattern with nupps in the round didn't work,at least not for me: no matter how I try one of the stitches next to a nupp becomes enormous, looking like a big hole. I thought about knitting this section back and forth instead, but finally decided to try something completely different instead. What I've done so far looks promising, but I haven't knitted enough for good pictures yet. Will get back!

Frogging the edge at least gave me an opportunity to take a picture of the shawl. I'm quite excited about it and wonder how big the finished shawl will be. Unblocked and without a border it's about 70 cm (27½ in) wide. I've knitted lace shawls with this yarn before and they grew considerably during blocking.

This one may not grow quite as much, though, since I'm using slightly thinner needles (3½ mm/ US 4) and I don't know if the nupps will make a difference.

Here are some basic notes how I knitted the baby cardigan:

I cast on ca 90 stitches.
After getting the desired width I knitted about 1/3 of the stitches with a separate thread (for the sleeve) and then went on as before.
When the back was wide enough I did the same thing for the second sleeve and then went on to knit the second front.
Strand removed and stitches picked up around the armholes; sleeves knitted in the round to desired length.
Shoulder joins sewn together.
Buttons sewn on and loops crocheted.
Strings crocheted to be able to tie the two fronts together on the inside.

Happy new year, everyone!

A spot where I didn't bring my knitting

2010-12-29T19:32:00.007+01:00

Cinderella was here
Originally uploaded by Asplund

It would get wet in the outdoors hot tub. I took this photo in the morning of the 24th; it was biting cold and in the evening even colder, -35C (-31F). I thought it was too cold to get into the tub that day, but did the next two when we enjoyed a heatwave of ca -20C (-4F). Unbelievably wonderful, especially when it was dark and the stars were out! And yes, I even got into the lake at one point! The water was so cold it didn't feel cold, but tickled all over the fraction of a second I was in. Once was enough, though.

I've finished the baby cardigan I wrote about in my previous post. I think it's a great construction for a baby garment: very elastic and practically seamless with only two short shoulder joins. Aren't the buttons we found at Yll o tyll cute? There's enough yarn left for a matching cap.

Great expectations

2010-12-22T10:31:00.004+01:00

Baby cardigan wip
Originally uploaded by Asplund

A colleague of mine is expecting a baby and asked me if I could knit her a baby cardigan. She knits too, so we met up at our LYS the other day; there was a cardigan there with a shape that I found inspiring (or theft-worthy, if you like) and we found some baby merino wool there too. Purchase-worthy wool, I should add.

The cardigan is knitted sideways and the two fronts will overlap. I've added a pattern, partly to make it more fun to knit, partly to make it easier to get the three sections the same size. I'm not sure what I think of it, though, now that it's moved from a pattern idea to reality. Green lips, Kaa hypnotizing Mowgli, cabbage... Well, as long as it doesn't look like the evil eye!

Wristwarmers

2010-12-12T17:01:00.004+01:00

Annika's wristwarmers
Originally uploaded by Asplund

For the sake of variety I've been knitting wristwarmers recently. This pattern was a free gift from Ravelry's jdw at the knitting camp I attended back in August. I've added pearls in groups of five and a row of holes. They're for my friend Annika, who has asked for white, thin, warm wristwarmers.

The yarn is BC Semilla Fino, organic fingering weight wool, and I used 2 mm needles (US 0).

They're knitting diagonally; you can see it more clearly in this photo. I do like the effect you get with variegated yarn. These are leftovers from a hat I knitted a couple of months ago.

Isn't it fascinating how different they look compared to the white ones? The shape is the same, but the different colours and the way the diagonal is accentuated give them a completely different look.

Correcting a mistake

2010-12-09T13:57:00.004+01:00

Winter mosaic
Originally uploaded by Asplund

The past few weeks have been unusually cold. I took these photos on my way to work last Thursday morning. It was almost -20 Celsius (-4 Fahrenheit) but fortunately it isn't that cold now.

I'm making progress with the Estonian shawl. My intention was to have identical groups of nupps in all the centre-section quadrangles, but mixed up rows and accidentally started too early the second time around.

I didn't discover this mistake until a couple of rows later, and instead of ripping these out I decided to correct my mistake by simply deciding this was what I wanted instead. Actually, it's a good opportunity to find out how different nupp patterns ideas will look in reality!

Shawl progress and sweater progress

2010-12-01T16:12:00.009+01:00

Estonian shawl wip
Originally uploaded by Asplund

I'm having a lot of fun knitting the "Crown Prince" shawl from Nancy Bush's book, but can't resist making some modifications.

1. The star is the variation motif in the book. I really like it that there are variations of many of the motifs!

2. I've skipped the garter-stitch frame, simply because I'm not very fond of it, especially not combined with lace.

3. I've resized the centre section repeats, making them the same width as the stars. In the original design they are different and don't match, although it doesn't show that clearly thanks to the garter-stitch frame between the sections.

4. Personally, I like symmetry too much not to do something about it, though, and I also like blending pattern sections. Resizing meant making the repeats bigger, so I'm adding a little cluster of "nupps" too, barely visible in this photo. To be continued.

I've been working with my red sweater too: both sleeve caps are finished. I decided to make the second one while I remembered how I made the first one - and understand my hastily scribbled notes. You know, knitting held in one hand, pencil hopefully in the hand you normally write with...

I'm testing a new idea for sleeve gussets too, but I think that will have to be in another post.

Last but not least: dear friend E. is happy with the hat I gave her for her birthday.

Proving myself wrong

2010-11-24T12:41:00.005+01:00

Estonian shawl wip
Originally uploaded by Asplund

In a previous post I mentioned that I'm not very fond of bobbles. Well, seeing this shawl by Rod on Flickr reminded me of my natural white Viva and the fact that I've only knitted a swatch or two testing a couple of patterns in Nancy Bush's book Knitted Lace of Estonia.

This is half a star, the Crown Prince pattern. I like it very much that the bobbles are fairly flat; the combination of them and the lace holes of roughly the same size is very appealing too, in my opinion.

Here's a photo of the shawl, made by Knitting Soo on Flickr. It's very pretty, but I can't help thinking about possible modifications... A frame consisting of rows of holes instead of garter stitch, for example.

Getting the tension right for the bobbles was a bit tricky, but didn't take very long after all. I've had more trouble with the tension in the stocking-stitch areas: for example, getting the loops for a bobble (a "nupp" in Estonian) loose enough tends to rub off on the surrounding stitches - and purling all the loops making a single stitch tends to make me purl the surrounding stitches too tight.

I enjoy knitting this kind of pattern a lot, primarily because it's something I haven't done before. (A tiny swatch about a year ago hardly counts.) Also, dear old wool-silk blend Viva is a delight to work with, and the sheen of it makes the bobbles almost look like pearls in daylight. Not captured in this photo due to severe lack of daylight.

Shaping a sleeve cap

2010-11-15T17:09:00.005+01:00

Shaping a sleeve cap
Originally uploaded by Asplund

Some people have asked me how I shape sleeve caps using short rows, so I'm going to try to explain in this post.

First, I pick up stitches along the armhole after joining the shoulder seams (see photo at bottom of post) and mark the middle stitch with a thread.

I start knitting the sleeve somewhere near the middle; in this case I chose making the 15 stitches in the middle the top of the sleeve cap. After knitting those I wrap the yarn around the next stitch before turning the work (to avoid an unsightly gap).

Next row I first knit the 15 stitches and then a few more (in this case 5) before wrapping and turning. Each row I add a few more stitches before wrapping and turning until all the picked-up stitches are knitted. It will look like this in terms of shape. How many stitches I choose to add depends on what kind of shape I want the sleeve cap to have.

Two finished objects

2010-11-10T16:55:00.007+01:00

"Wightwizzle" finished
Originally uploaded by Asplund

The colour looks a bit strange in the original photo, so I thought I might as well make a black and white version. This was a nice project to knit, quick once past the first few inches and the shape is different from what I usually knit.

Trying something new is always rewarding! Combining alpaca and linen was a good idea too (not mine but suggested at my LYS). We'll just see how my cousin likes wearing it: the garment is rather heavy, almost 800 grams.

The shawl I wrote about in my previous post is also finished. For the bottom border I chose the border from "The Opera Fichu", also in Victorian Lace Today.

As mentioned, I wanted fairly simple lace patterns using this yarn and since I've knitted the fichu before I knew it would curl - I simply cast it off loosely from the wrong side, not bothering about a knitted-on border around the shawl (which I normally like).

My plan is to make it a guest shawl, for people to borrow when they visit. We had quite a lot of snow yesterday, but today is rather wet and windy. And cold: a guest could definitely need a shawl.

Possession

2010-11-04T23:39:00.006+01:00

"Töis wool" shawl
Originally uploaded by Asplund

The other day I surprised myself by finishing a project before starting a new one. "Wightwizzle" is washed and blocked and left to dry while I'm visiting relatives for a couple of days.

Less surprising is my ability to buy yarn. Last weekend I couldn't resist buying two hanks of beautiful natural grey "Töis", soft and light 1ply wool from the island of Gotland.

This wool is quite fuzzy, so I wanted a fairly simple design, something based on straight lines (intricate lace patterns would drown) and decided to return to Jane Sowerby's Spider-web's shawls in Victorian Lace Today. I've made use of it twice before, for Eva and for Anna; in both cases I used wool-silk blend Viva, but I think it works with this yarn too. Come to think of it, starting Eva's shawl coincided with starting this blog!

It takes 5½ hours to go from Uppsala to Västervik, so I managed to get quite a lot done even though I kept alternating between this project and a fascinating book I'm reading, Possession by A.S. Byatt. Read a chapter, think about it while knitting for a while, read another chapter... A great way to digest a great book!

The catsitter

2010-11-02T13:58:00.004+01:00

"Wightwizzle" wip
Originally uploaded by Asplund

I'm looking after a friend's cat for a few days and thought I might as well pack up some projects and books and move in. As you can see, Sally is only mildly interested in knitting.

There's only a sleeve left to knit before "Wightwizzle" is finished. As planned, I'm not knitting the sleeves separately but pick up stitches around the armholes and shape the caps using short rows instead. I find it a lot easier than sewing sleeves in place - and it looks neater too.

Making progress

2010-10-29T16:49:00.006+02:00

"Wightwizzle" wip
Originally uploaded by Asplund

This is a really quick knit once past the first few inches, so I expect to finish "Wightwizzle" soon. It's good exercise too, because the linen makes it rather heavy!

In the instructions the sleeves are knitted separately, but my intention is to pick up stitches around the armhole instead and shape the sleeve caps by using short rows. I've done that a few times before (here, for example) and think it works really well.

There's a small modification around the neck opening: instead of a few rows of garter stitch I added a "p2tog, yo" row to get a row of holes identical to the bottom border - which I modified too... The original design has a row of bobbles, but they didn't look good in this linen-alpaca combination (they looked clumsy) so I simply skipped them.

I should have taken a photo of the few bobbles I made to post here. Maybe, just maybe, I'll make a swatch and show you. Or maybe not! :-D

The colour looks strange in this photo; the photo in my previous post shows it a lot better.

The more, the merrier

2010-10-26T18:38:00.009+02:00

"Wightwizzle" wip
Originally uploaded by Asplund

About a month ago Maria decided to start taking care of her UFOs by devoting extra time to one of them every week. Isn't that a great idea?

Many readers of her blog are following her example; I wish I did too, but seem to do the opposite thing, starting new projects all the time.

"The more, the merrier," I tell myself. By the way, can you tell blue is my favourite colour? :-D

My latest addition is "Wightwizzle" from Louisa Harding's Little Cake. I'm testing a fibre combination they suggested at my LYS, namely one thread of linen and one of alpaca. It turns out very well, and it's nice to work with too. Normally I don't like knitting with alpaca, but the linen thread keeps it from getting slippery. The garment will be rather heavy though!

I wrote about Starmore's Aran Knitting in my previous post. Check out Tålamodspåsen's fabulous take on Eala Bhan!

It's been freezing cold, below zero in the mornings, the past few days. Was it really Midsummer only four months ago? It seems like a completely different world!

Starmore swatch

2010-10-18T14:37:00.005+02:00

Starmore swatch
Originally uploaded by Asplund

The joy and satisfaction of trying and learning something new! I have knitted many kinds of cables over the years, but not this kind of knotwork pattern. The yarn is too fine, really, but it doesn't matter. I simply wanted to learn the technique and used what I happened to have in my bag.

Both patterns in this swatch are from my latest purchase, Aran Knitting by Alice Starmore, which is a treasure – easily the best knitting book I've bought in a long time! There are ten adult sweater designs in it (plus five other garments). I would say two or maybe three of those sweaters are for women and the rest of them are unisex, possibly with major or minor modifications. I'm definitely going to knit some of the sweaters! (But when?)

There are many things I love about the book: the variety of patterns and garments, informative and fascinating chapters about different aspects of the history of Aran knitting with photos and detailed descriptions of sweaters in museums etc, a section about different kinds of pattern elements and how to knit them, and a chapter about how to design one's own Aran sweater. I think Starmore is a good writer too: she has a way with words, not only with stitches and colours. And I find her dry sense of humour very appealing. "To claim that one has discovered something on public view in a shop on a busy city street is to stretch the meaning of the word..." (p. 10)

When it comes to the designs, I really like her combination of traditional elements and personal touches. Some of the patterns are Celtic-inspired, for example. The designs all look timeless to me, which is something I find very attractive indeed - a book to use and sweaters to wear now or in fifteen years.

Anything I don't like about the book? Actually, no. I only got it a few days ago, though, so I haven't studied it in detail. I guess there could have been more photos of some of the garments: I like being able to see many details, and I believe it could be helpful seeing things like the wrong side of “Boudicca’s Braid” and close-ups of the saddles of “Irish Moss” and “St Brigid”. Photos of these designs here.

More designs would have been nice, of course, but on the other hand I easily prefer quality to quantity. There's a lot of quality in this book - and quantity too, in my opinion. Fifteen designs is enough, and then all the other things between the covers count too. A truly rich book.

Not enough knitting

2010-10-07T16:25:00.009+02:00

Work has been rather hectic the past couple of weeks, so I haven't been knitting much.

In a little while I'm going to treat myself to having my shoulders massaged: they're rather stiff and sore, and my pro-knitting theory is that it's due to not knitting enough. Oh, and the great strain of cooking may have added to it. I boiled a few eggs again the other day!

I have managed to start a new sweater project, though. I'm using a favourite yarn, Rowan Feltted Tweed, and have started a modified version of "Nova Scotia" in a favourite book, Alice Staremore's Fishermen's Sweaters. More about my modifications next time!

Edited to add: of course, there's no such thing as enough knitting.

Variegated hat finished

2010-09-13T17:03:00.004+02:00

Sideways hat
Originally uploaded by Asplund

I'm happy with how it turned out! My friend Elisabeth likes it, so I will give it to her. She and I attended a drop-in bookbinding workshop a couple of nights ago, which was fun. In blurred action here.

There's quite a lot of yarn left, probably enough for a cowl and a pair of cuffs.

And returning to something familiar

2010-09-11T13:30:00.008+02:00

"Sideways" hat
Originally uploaded by Asplund

Yesterday I came across a hank of yarn I couldn't resist... Why write a post about that, you may wonder - has that never happened before? Well, two things make this purchase different.

First, I restricted myself to a single hank! (Its weight, 200 grams, may have helped.) Second, I hardly ever buy variegated yarn, but found myself drawn to these soft, muted colours and the gradual shading and blending of them.

I always like the challenge how to display the yarn: choosing shapes, techniques and patterns that will show off the beauty of the material. In this case I thought it would be a good idea to accentuate the fact that it's self-striping by alternating sequences of stocking stitch and reverse stocking stitch. Also, it would help making a hat knitted sideways warm and comfortable, and the short rows would create a nice visual effect too. And possibly it's a way to make up for my English Patient bowl (see previous post), to prove to myself I am capable of succeeding with stripes after all. :-)

Normally, I prefer (understatement!) symmetry, but in this case I actually like it that it will look different from different angles. For a while I toyed with the idea I'd knit it top-down or bottom-up, but decided I'd much rather see the colours in big wedges than in horizontal stripes.

The red yarn in the photo is the provisional cast-on. My plan is to graft the first and last rows for an invisible join.

Edited to add: I bought the yarn at Yllet in Stockholm. It's pure wool and 2-ply, but didn't have a name. Needles: 4 mm/US 6.

Trying something different

2010-09-08T15:33:00.008+02:00

Last night I attended a workshop at gallery Kaleido in Uppsala, how to make a papier-maché bowl using pages from an old book. It was a lot of fun trying something new! Tonight it will probably be dry enough to remove the balloon; I used pictures for the inside, so I'm curious about that.

Hopefully, my bowl won't look quite as much like The English Patient when it isn't upside down... Not that I think I'll keep it anyway - I simply wanted to try the technique.

What I found most rewarding was appreciating workshop teacher Cecilia Levy's skills even more than before. Her show at Kaleido continues until 19 September.

I've started knitting a sweater with some beautiful red - the photo doesn't do it justice at all - wool I bought some time ago. This is a pattern I knitted in 1999, then with blue linen yarn. I think it works with wool as well. It's a modification of a pattern in Uuve Snidare's book "Fiskartröjor" (fishermen's sweaters).

Green Springtime shawl: finished

2010-09-01T17:13:00.001+02:00

Green Springtime shawl: finished
Originally uploaded by Asplund

but impossible to fit into a photo: here's roughly 4/5 of it. I'll see if I can get someone to model it for me for a better photo.

I used almost two skeins (100 grams) of Wetterhoff's wool-silk blend Viva and 4 mm needles (US 6) and 3½ mm (US 4) for the border that frames the shawl.

What to knit now? Take care of UFOs (quite a few) or stash (quite a lot)? Buy more yarn?

Anyway, I'm in the mood for cables after a few months of lace galore. (Just checked: six shawls so far this year! It's a good thing I know people who like wearing shawls.)

A head of cabbage?

2010-08-29T18:22:00.017+02:00

WIP: shawl
Originally uploaded by Asplund

Not quite. Less compact! Would you believe it, I managed to cram all the stitches around the shawl onto a single circular needle! Lace is stretchy, of course, but before picking up stitches around this shape I armed myself with three needles, certain I would have to juggle with them and risking my eyes while knitting the lace edging around the shawl.

The pattern is a modification of an edging in Jane Sowerby's Victorian Lace Today, my Lace Bible.

Last week a Norwegian book I'd sent for arrived, wonderful Usynlege trådar i strikkekunsten ("Invisible threads in the art of knitting") by Annemor Sundbö, who was at the knitting camp I attended a few weeks ago.

Now, I know I'm being really immature, that I should focus on what a treasure the book is with its wealth of patterns and pictures and texts about different aspects of the socio-cultural history of knitting, and on what a great writer and lecturer Sundbö is. I know my Norwegian neighbours must be sick and tired of Swedes' childish comments. I know that words that look identical often have different meanings, even in closely related languages.

However... (You could see that word coming!) The cover does make me laugh. The name of the publishing house would always look, say, rather suggestive to Swedish eyes. Next to a well-worn mitten I'd say it's perfectly mind-boggling.

Kungsängslilja no 2

2010-08-19T13:50:00.011+02:00

Kungsängslija no 2
Originally uploaded by Asplund

There have been so many knitting-related activities since my last post that I haven't found the time to blog about them. (Well, quite a lot of non-knitting activities have kept me from blogging too... Work, for example. ) I finished the second Kungsängslilja vest a few weeks ago and am happy with how it turned out. For a while I was worried the back of the neck wouldn’t be wide enough, but adding neck gussets (something I learnt from Alice Starmore’s Fishermen’s Sweaters) did the trick.

I spent the very last days of my vacation, August 5-8, at a knitting camp held at Väddö to the north of Stockholm. The very start was auspicious, as I got to sit next to Stickigt on the bus. We first met at a knitting camp in 2006 (the first one I attended) and have met a few times since then. It was a treat seeing other blogging knitter friends again, like Marias garnhändelser, Sannstick, Tålamodspåsen, Stickor o spån and En till. (Links to their blogs in column to the right), as well as non-blogging knitter friends I’ve made the past few years. Fortunately, there was time to make some new friends too – one of the many advantages of spending a few days together!

The workshops I attended were excellent. First there was Estonian mitten patterns taught by Estonian designer Riina Tomberg. Then a whole day with designer idol Britt-Marie Christoffersson, testing different finishing touches. Would you believe it, she had prepared her workshop by knitting a square for each participant to work with so we wouldn’t have to waste time. I added a border to it, a kind of frill, and tried different kinds of fringes (photo here). I also tested one of her patterns in all the combinations possible with three colours (photo here). Isn't it fascinating what a difference it makes simply moving colours around?

Last but not least, I learnt tapestry crochet, traditional patterns from Korsnäs in Finland. They’re famous for their partly knitted, partly crocheted sweaters.

There were also great lectures by Uuve Snidare, Annemor Sundbö and Celia B. Dackenberg. In short, a veritable knitting orgy. Feel free to envy me.

My current project is a lace shawl where I’m using the Marianne Kinzel’s ”Springtime” pattern modules to knit a different shape; I found inspiriation in Maureen Egan Emlet’s “Mediterranean Lace” shawl in A Gathering of Lace. The yarn is Wetterhoff's wool-silk blend Viva.

"Kungsängslilja" no 2: steeks

2010-07-31T14:21:00.003+02:00

"Kungsängslilja" no 2: steeks
Originally uploaded by Asplund

The use of steeks is easily one of my favourite features to make knitting sweaters easier and wearing them more comfortable. What's more, my steek skills have improved a lot over the years. Apart from learning by doing, I thank primarily Alice Starmore's Fishermen's Sweaters for what I know today.

Most important, I don't make use of sewing machines anymore. For a long time I did before cutting the armholes open for my knitted cylinders - and overused them too out of fear the sweater would unravel. Those seams are rather stiff, not so much to make the sweaters uncomfortable to wear, but enough to annoy me.

However, I do my best to see them as proof that my confidence and skills have developed, since I don't feel the slightest need to use a sewing machine today. In addition, I must say it's very satisfying not having to use a machine at all as I like doing as much as possible by hand. It's nice being able to do things without depending on electricity!

"Kungsängslilja" no 2

2010-07-10T09:12:00.008+02:00

"Kungsängslilja" no 2
Originally uploaded by Asplund

I'm knitting a new version of a vest I made in November. They're practically identical; however, I'm modifying the shape slightly and have chosen a different shade of lighter pink. I think I prefer the new combination. There's more contrast in the first version, which I think creates visual interest, but the softer change in the second version appeals to me too.

Hard as it may be to believe, I had to have a break from knitting for a few days as my left shoulder was too sore. I first thought it might be due to spending an afternoon crocheting the bind-off edge around the Springtime shawl, but have decided to blame it on cooking instead. (In this case cooking=boiling some potatoes.)

This is my 100th blog post! I had no idea last spring there were so many things I'd want to write about my knitting.

Springtime shawl: dry

2010-07-03T07:46:00.012+02:00

Springtime shawl
Originally uploaded by Asplund

Here's a photo that shows the pattern better than the one in my previous post, where the shawl is folded in half on a blue towel. All I need now is an owner! :-D

6 July:

Rats! I accidentally deleted a new comment I was about to open. My apologies to whoever wrote it!

Blocking the Springtime shawl

2010-07-02T18:17:00.008+02:00

Blocking the Springtime shawl
Originally uploaded by Asplund

I've folded the shawl in half to make it easier to block; not only out of a lack of space, but mainly to make sure the two halves become identical in size and shape.

It's a method I've tried before and I think it's far easier than measuring and rearranging the shawl and all the needles. When it's dry I'm going to dampen the middle of the back and reblock that part to avoid a crease.

Blocking has made it grow considerably in size, from each of the three triangles measuring 46x100 cm (18x39½ in) to 75x120 cm (29½x42 in). In this photo you can also see how much yarn I ended up not using - a close call!

Actually, I had to change my plans and skip the border along the top, realizing there wouldn't be enough yarn after all. Chart C (the big squares without leaves) was far more yarn-consuming than I expected. I had taken it into account how much many more repeats there would be, but hadn't studied the charts closely enough to discover how many more stitches there are in some rows. For example, a repeat consists of 24 stitches in one row, but 32 in another. That makes quite a difference when a row consists of 18 repeats!

This is my first attempt at a crocheted bind-off; I think it suits the pattern very well and it wasn't difficult, so I'm more than likely to do it again. After some experimenting I decided a chain of five stitches would be enough; the pattern has nine, but considering how little yarn I have left it was definitely a good decision to make them shorter.

Springtime shawl progress

2010-06-29T10:55:00.007+02:00

Springtime shawl
Originally uploaded by Asplund

There should be enough yarn for five repeats of leaves plus the bottom section; hopefully, also a knitted-on border along the top.

My plan is to reuse this scalloped border from Jane Sowerby's treasure of a book Victorian Lace Today.

Springtime shawl

2010-06-24T09:08:00.010+02:00

Springtime shawl
Originally uploaded by Asplund

In Marianne Kinzel's First Book of Modern Lace Knitting there's a square-shaped table cloth that I admire and believe would be fun to knit. As I neither need nor want a knitted table cloth I've decided to modify the pattern to make a shawl instead. Not that I need shawls either, but I do need to make them.

The square design consists of four triangles, so by skipping one of them and knitting back and forth instead of in the round I will get a shawl shape I really like and have knitted a few times before (like this shawl). It looks comfortable to wear, staying on the shoulders far better than a triangular shawl. It seems easier to sit down wearing it too, since the back is horizontal.

I first cast on to knit the "Gerda stole", a pattern on Ravelry, thinking this colour would suit the pattern extremely well. I still think so, but ripped it out realizing I would soon get fed up knitting a rectangle. In some ways I'm very patient, in other ways not.

Off topic: I've been house-sitting and taking care of Sigge for a few days. Very relaxing!

If I may say so myself, I got the size and shape of the "Pacific" sweater right! It's far too hot to wear it these days, but I don't mind. Winter was so long and cold I'm still almost surprised every morning to find it's summer!

"Pacific" sweater finished

2010-06-21T09:09:00.009+02:00

One of the many things I love about this yarn (BC Shetlandsuld) is how much softer it becomes when washed. It suits me perfectly, because I prefer working with yarn that isn't too soft and slippery but like most people (I hope!) would rather not wear a scratchy sweater.

Modifications in short:

1. Bluish-green stripes made wider (because I like the colour so much and wanted to make it more dominant).
2. Purl stitches around cables (for a deeper relief effect).
3. Sleeve cap shaped (for comfort and to practise shaping stranded caps with short rows).
4. Parallelograms added to sleeves (to make them more fun to knit than just stripes and cables).
5. Side cable in the middle continued along sleeve (because I like hidden details).

Here's what the shoulder join looks like:

Royal company

2010-06-19T23:04:00.010+02:00

Royal company
Originally uploaded by Asplund

Today I was delighted to get to meet a great knitter and fellow Raveler from Norway for the first time! We first got in touch on Flickr a few years ago. I only wish I could have stayed longer today. Next time in Norway?

Of course, it is always a treat seeing Born to knit, Maria and Karin too. We also caught a few glimpses of the royal wedding (Crown Princess Victoria) from two screens on the café walls, but I do prefer Knitting Royalty and so found it very easy to concentrate on my friends instead.

Speaking of great knitters, my grandmother who taught me how to knit would have turned 90 today. How many knitting hours we could have spent together during the past twenty years!

The joy of blocking

2010-06-16T11:34:00.009+02:00

Anna's shawl
Originally uploaded by Asplund

I love blocking shawls! This time the total width grew by some 38 cm (15 in).

Tomorrow I've got two knitting-related activities to celebrate the first day of my summer holidays: having lunch with Anna to give her this shawl and see how it looks on her, and in the evening meeting up with my knitting & sewing group from work.

I did manage to knit in public on Saturday, joining other members of group Uppmaskan at the train station in Uppsala.

Unfortunately, I could only stay for some 20 minutes, between the opening of an art show where a cousin of mine is represented, and a colleague's birthday party. Toil and moil...

Happy shawl!

2010-06-03T09:37:00.003+02:00

"Lady's Circular Cape"
Originally uploaded by Asplund

The shawl I finished a couple of weeks ago got to meet Annika last night. I hope and believe they will live happily ever after!

More "Pacific" progress and knitting camp

2010-06-01T10:42:00.013+02:00

WIP: Isager's "Pacific"
Originally uploaded by Asplund

Here's a better photo of how I've let the middle side cable continue along the sleeve. Another modification is purl instead of knit stitches next to the cables.

I haven't mentioned the knitting camp I'm going to in early August. (My birthday present for myself - sometimes I'm really generous!) It will be such a treat meeting old and new knitting friends, and I'm more than happy with the workshops I've been allotted:

1. Decorative details in Estonian knitting
2. Traditional tapestry crochet patterns from Korsnäs in Finland
3. Different decorative elements with Designer Idol Britt-Marie Christoffersson! "I guess I'm just a lucky so-and-so," to quote a song by Duke Ellington.

Two other knitting idols will be there too: Celia B. Dackenberg, who wrote Ylle & bläck (Wool & Ink) about knitting in literature and writers' knitted garments, and Uuve Snidare whose book Fiskartröjor (Fishermen's Sweaters) is one of my top favourites - she's the one who reconstructed the Russian sweater from Unskijposad. I'm thrilled to pieces!

"Pacific" progress

2010-05-28T23:00:00.010+02:00

WIP: Isager's "Pacific" sweater
Originally uploaded by Asplund

I'm knitting the second sleeve, shaping the cap with short rows and then knitting in the round.

In the instructions there is no shaping, but I like the way it removes excess fabric. Also, I decided to frame the cable with a white vertical row where I picked up stitches (see left sleeve). I did this with a crochet hook.

Another modification is the way I have changed the sleeve pattern. Instead of the original design's striped sleeves with two cables (which I thought would be too monotonous to knit) I have used the parallelograms from the body for the sleeves too; only two, though, and placed closer to each other.

Still, my sleeve does have a cable too: I picked up the stitches of the middle side cable to let it run from hip to wrist.

Last, I'm happy to be able to brag about getting the Beautiful blogger award a second time, now from Ann. Mange tak! I hope you don't mind my simply linking to the post about seven things about myself.