Starmore-mates

Starmore-mates, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

Dear friend and soul knitter "Born to knit" and I at a get-together for knitters yesterday afternoon. We'd known each other for quite some time through our Flickr photos before we finally met a few years ago - and today we even live in the same area of Stockholm. Thanks Maria for being a photographer as well as knitter!

Alice Starmore's "Henry VIII" was so much fun to knit and I'm in love with the colours: they're stunning indoors and almost explode in daylight. Well, daylightish. I normally choose projects that I want to make and am less interested in the finished garments - but in this case I wanted the sweater just as much as I wanted the joy of making it.

The sweater is very comfortable too (Starmore's 2ply Hebridean wool), and so warm I actually hope it gets a bit colder. Never thought I'd write something like that - until the sweater was finished I actually enjoyed our mild winter.

shoulder join

More knitting than blogging in December

Cowl and hat, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

The double-knitted cowl has been finished for a couple of weeks, but it hasn't befen cold enough to wear it. Not that I really mind. Spring, please! There was enough yarn left to make a new "Sigge" hat, a pattern (in English) I published as a free pattern on Ravelry.

I'm making progress with different projects instead of simply casting on new ones. However, I haven't decided where to go next with my double-knitted jacket.

The back and fronts are done, and I've tested a couple of pattern ideas tor the collar but I'm not satisfied. I might simply make it blue on one side and green on the other. I also have to make sleeve decisions: how to knit them (probably top-down, first back and forth and then in the round) and what patterns to use.

Alice Starmore's Henry VIII sweater

It's nice to have a pattern to follow while thinking about other projects - and Alice Starmore's Henry VIII is pure joy to knit! I've modified it slightly, though, letting the centre of the side pattern run along the sleeve. I think it looks nice, and a pattern between the decreases also helps me keep track of what rows are decrease rows.

Tudor armpit

Happy new knitting year!

Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble...

Brioche shawl: casting off, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

Actually, I like the bubbly effect, so I'll try not to block it too hard once it's finished. (Unless I change my mind, that is.) Two thirds done!

It is rather monotonous work, though, so I add a few rows to Alice Starmore's Henry VIII for variation now and then. I love everything about this design!

Poly-Starmore-mania

Alice Starmore's "Henry VIII" in progress, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

First of all, thanks for birthday wishes! I had a very nice day and am fortunately far from suffering from any kind of midlife crisis. On the contrary, finding oneself knitting three different Alice Starmore designs must surely be a sign of extremely good health!

My most recently started Starmore design is "Henry VIII". There are more rows without colour changes than in Donegal and Alba, which makes it quicker to knit - and it is such a treat seeing the pattern take shape. I have just finished the first repeat. They consist of 64 rows, so there will be three in all and the shoulder join will be in the middle of the part with red background.

Here is a birthday present I'd like to share with you, a beautiful rose that Cecilia Levy sent me. Look at the petals! The medium-sized ones are all cut from pages no 40 - and the smaller ones inside them from no 39, like years unfolding. Too elegant for words.