On this last day of the year a quick update . The Christmas presents were all well received and in full use already. Because I had already packed this hat for DH I didn't have the chance to take a picture before it was unwrapped. He really needed a basic hat which wasn't to bulky and was nice and soft to the touch. I'm very glad it fits ! While knitting I wasn't convinced it would be big enough, so it was excitement to the end :-)
I washed it because this yarn really needs that. It's Colourmart Cashmere which is sold on cones, the yarn is still oiled from the machines it was spun on and doesn't show it's true beauty untill it's thoroughly washed.

Pattern: Seaman's Cap by Needle Beetle
Yarn: Colourmart Cashmere, DK weight from singles, colour Denim Indigo
Needles: 4 mm, US 6

Eldest daughter kindly asked if I would make her a matching hat to go with her scarf ( see previous post). I showed her some patterns on Ravelry and this is what she chose. Only thing is it's not knitted but crocheted. My crochet skills were a little bit rusted so to speak, so I had to do it over a couple of times to get it right. It fits my head ( no, no pictures of me with a hat on this blog !) and mine is just as big as hers so I'm sure it will fit. She hasn't seen it yet, I hope she will like it.
Sadly there a no modeled pictures to show, they were all too busy or not in the right mood to pose. But I will make them, I have my ways...

Pattern: The Darling Diva's Snow Day Hat from Through the Loops.

Yarn: Manos del Uruguay,colour Kelp.

Crochethook: 5 mm.

I always get kind of sad on the last day of the year, yet another year has flewn by. Opportunies and chances are gone, new ones still to come. Oh, I won't bother you with boring intentions , but I will share just this one with you. I truly intend to spend more time knitting than spending time behind the computer and when I knit I want to enjoy every minute of it !

Wishing you all a Very Happy New Year !!!!!!!

It's almost Christmas.....

And even if I didn't intend to do Christmas knitting I did give in at the last moment. Everyone seemed in need of something when suddenly the cold set in.
Eldest daughter wanted a warm, thick scarf. So I made her one.

Pattern : My So Called Scarf
Yarn: Manos de Uruguay, color 7325 "Kelp", 2 skeins
Needles: 8 mm, US 11
Modifications: I made it wider (because she wanted it that way) so it turned out shorter too.

Middle daughter was in desparate need of some warm fingerless mitts, I searched for some patterns and this one seemed to fit the bill.

Pattern: Fetching Yarn: Posh Yarn Emily, color Mmmm. Yarn held double to create a thicker fabric. Needles: 4,5 mm, US 7 dpn's . Modifications: I added 2 more repeats at the arm and 1 more repeat at the fingers to make it a bit longer. Her fingers are much longer than mine which are more child size. Or plump and short is also a way to describe them.

Youngest daughter always has to leave early for school on her bike. She complained about her cold ears so when Kirsten offered this pattern I knew it was just right for her !

Pattern: Thorpe Yarn: Manos del Uruguay, color 113, Wildflowers. Needles: 5 mm, US 8.

It's not finished yet, I still have to attach the trimming to it, but it is still drying after I gave it a bath to soften up the yarn a bit.

After Christmas I will show you the hat I made for the husband, I alreay packed it before I thought about making a picture of it. The last week has been quite hectic this way,that is what happens if you don't plan ahead and start knitting with only 1 week to spare. Now it's time to celebrate ( and do some shopping and baking) so I'm wishing you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!

It's cold outside !

Of little scarves, little men and little houses

First I would like to thank you for all the nice comments you are giving. I can't reply to them directly (thank you Blogger) but I cherish them all !

After seeing Anne's pretty little scarf I really got inspired to make something like this myself. Anne is so talented, she knits with amazing speed ! Have you seen her newest shawl design ? It's so pretty !
This kind of color for a scarf would be perfect to match with several sweaters and I just happened to have some yarn in this colorway. Really, the stash I have is getting out of control, I am afraid to show it to anybody ! But I didn't want it to be a shameless copy after all, so I searched through my pattern books and came up with this :

Pattern: Scroll stitch pattern, page 200 from Barbara Walker's Treasury of Knitting Patterns, volume 1. Yarn: Posh Yarn, Eva 4-ply, 55% silk 45 % cashmere in color Bronze ,I used 1 1/2 skeins. Needles: 4,5 mm.

I used 5 repeats for this scarf with no side stitches and slipped the first stitch .

So far Juno has been growing slowly but steadily, I am almost through 3/4 of the pattern now. And no, I haven't abondoned my cardigans, I am picking them up from time to time. Maybe next time I will have something more to show you.

And this has been growing too, it doesn't look like much now but I hope it will look like one of these little men in the end. And that he will be finished in time for Christmas.......

The Yuletide Gnomes from the Bumper Book of Knitting.

I found some very cheap (acrylic) yarn in the little shop nearby. You won't be able to find a 100 % wool in this shop, and the owner never heard of handddyed yarn in her entire life. She doesn't even know what a rowcounter is, or a cable needle when I asked for these. Oh well, thank goodness for the internet !

Before I started knitting again I was making miniatures. I had a very good friend who also liked to do this and we came together every two weeks to make things, drink tea and chat a lot. Last year this time a very unexpected phone call came, she died very sudden from a stroke. Since that time I haven't picked it up again, I can't find the pleasure in doing this anymore. It will come back I'm sure of that, but I need some more time I guess.

This is the dollhouse I build together with the help of DH. We made the outside together, the inside is decorated and made by me. I also made the flowers in the garden with paper and moss. Sadly it doesn't quite look like this anymore, we moved it upstairs this spring when we redecorated the livingroom and a certain black little rabbit had access to it. She ate most of the moss and shredded the flowers to bits...... I still love her. *

Granny standing in her kitchen, she is wearing a little cardigan I knitted for her. This is really the tiniest thing I ever knitted !



A closer look at the garden with the rabbit hutch and the chickens on the lawn. It really looked nice ONCE didn't it ?

* I hope she enjoyed it !