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September 30, 2005
Block the sock
Nothing exciting is going on right now. I'm still knitting the Mega Boots Socks, I'm almost down to the second toe.
I hope to finish them this weekend.
Allison asked: I love the picture of that hanging sock! How did you get it to look so perfect? Did you block it? Or is it in a form?
To make the sock look like that, I put it on this:
It's a sock blocker, made from a wire coat hanger! I found the instructions here. It's really easy to make, the hardest part was finding the coat hanger in the first place. Somehow they don't seem to be available in the Netherlands.
I don't really block socks at all, I just use it when taking pictures. I think it makes the socks look much better, especially when it has a stitch pattern that draws in a lot.
Posted by saartje at 6:30 PM | Comments (2)
September 26, 2005
Monday again
Thank you all for your suggestions regarding the Flora issue. I can't re-seam her, because she has no side-seams. She was knit completely in the round, using steeks for the front and the arm holes/things (what are they called in English??). Maybe I can do what Jacqueline suggests: steek the sides and put in seams. I'll have to think about that for a while, before using the scissors on my knitting without putting in steek stitches first... Anyway, I really enjoyed knitting it, so not all is lost!
Biba, I know what you mean about bicycles getting stolen in Groningen, but I still think it is the best bicycle city in the world, at least of the cities I've lived in!
Socks
I took the finished Mega Boot Sock to the park for a photo shoot.
Fall is here....
Just hanging out
How about those colors?
The unfinished sock is coming along nicely, I started the heel flap this morning on the train. However, it prefered not to have its picture taken.
Posted by saartje at 8:14 PM | Comments (1)
September 23, 2005
Flora
The Mega Boot socks are coming along nicely, I started the second one yesterday. Not very interesting to take pictures of, so instead I want to show you something I made in the beginning of the year.
Meet Flora:
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A pattern by Alice Starmore. I bought the kit just before new year 2005, at De Schapekop in Nieuwpoort. I enjoyed knitting it immensly. I did my first steek and finished the thing in about 3 weeks.
And I haven't worn it yet.
Somehow, the shape is wrong for me. Wearing it makes me feel big and awkward. I think it has to do with the lack of shaping, but I'm afraid nothing can be done about that now. Or do you have a brilliant idea for a modification? Please let me know!
Because I do like the colors....
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I've got wheels!
Well, I already had bicycle of course, but it was very old. Too bad I don't have a picture of it, but it was given to me on my 12th birthday. I had to cycle 12 kilometers on it to school everyday, for 6 years. After that, it went with me to university, so I drove it all around Groningen for another six years. Then it moved with me to Utrecht and Nijmegen, and after 20 years of faithfull service, it was time to retire it.
So here it is, fresh from the shop, my new bicycle!
It's a Batavus, it has 7 gears (or whatever are they called), very special breaks and, best of all, a hub dynamo! So no more problems with dynamos that break down: this one works in all conditions!
Can you tell I'm happy with it?
Posted by saartje at 9:49 PM | Comments (7)
September 21, 2005
Sunny day
Today was a beautiful day, the temperature was around 20C and the sun was shining all day. One part of me wants it to stay like this, while another part longs for cold days, so I can wear my winter coat, the hat I just finished and mittens.
Oh who am I kidding, in the next weeks/months we'll get terrible Dutch weather with lots of rain, wind and temperatures of around 10C and grey skies. Better cheer it up with some bright hand knits!
Not exactly brightly colored, but I'm still knitting away on these socks:
The colors are a bit off in this picture, because I took it in the late afternoon sun with a crappy camera. I like the yarn, it feels nice. Although it looks very loosely twisted:
I hope think the socks will wear well because of the 30% man made fiber in the yarn.
Posted by saartje at 7:55 PM | Comments (0)
September 19, 2005
Ready for winter
Thank you for your birthday wishes! I had a great day, surrounded by family. And now on to the knitting content:
The Nordic Sweatheart Hat is finished!
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Well, almost. It's lacking a tassel, but I won't be in the same place the yarn is in until thursday, so that will have to wait. I like how it turned out, even though I think it is a bit too small. Next time I would use 3.5 mm (for the outer hat) and 3 mm (for the inner hat) needles instead of 3 mm and 2.5 mm.
Here's a picture of the construction:
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Clever, isn't it? And the pattern is completely free!
Posted by saartje at 9:24 PM | Comments (5)
September 17, 2005
Hurray!
Today is my birthday, I turned 32!
And what makes me even more happy: I've got another FO to show!
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Yes, this is my second Branching Out. I used some tweedy wool I bought ages ago at La Droguerie in Lyon on holiday in France. On the first one I made I used the same yarn, but smaller needles (this one is done on 5 mm needles). I like this one better because the fabric is drapier. I find that because I knit so many socks on 2 mm needles, I usually pick too small needles for my other knitting. Also, I find it hard to judge the gauge, because with socks I like a tight fabric, while this isn't desirable with many other knits.
Anyway, I'm happy with the way it turned out. Unfortunately, the color is completely wrong for me, so I'm giving it to my aunt who is a true autumn type. Hope she likes it!
On the sock front
I started a pair of socks from this yarn I haven't tried before: Lana Grossa Meilenweit Mega Boots Stretch. It's 70% wool, 23% polyamide and 7% Elité, whatever that may be. I like it so far:
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I'm using a stitch pattern from Nancy Bush's Folk Socks, the Highland Schottisch Kilt Hose, to be precise. I really like the colors of this yarn and the way they slowly shift into each other. Of course, I got a bit of a sharp color transition after I finished turning the heel and returned to the foot, but I decided not to let it bother me.
Magazine
Last week, I bought the fall 2005 issue of Marie Claire Idées.
This is a magazine I'm really fond of. It's French, it comes out 4 times a year and it is full of inspiration. There are lots of things you can make yourself (instructions are included). In every issue, there are a couple of items to knit, but I don't usually make any of them. It's usually more about inspiration.
From this issue, I might make this beret:
Of the non knit items, I like these cushions:
My sewing skills are very limited, but maybe I'll try these someday.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to eat some cake!
Posted by saartje at 12:51 PM | Comments (7)
September 16, 2005
Still knitting
Almost a whole week has gone by since my last entry. I did try to post earlier this week, but as it turns out, I was out of server space! Guess I will have to reduce my images in size...
Anyway, this is what I was trying to show you:
It's Bubby from the fall 2005 issue of Knitty. He was a quick knit, using some leftover Lana Grossa Numero Uno.
I found some more finished Bubbies on the net: by Missa, Bogie (using bouclé yarn, nice! She also lists some errors in the pattern), Andrea and Terhi (cute bunny version). I'm sure there are and will be more!
I started a pair of socks using Lana Grossa Meilenweit Mega Boots Stretch (I guess they couldn't think of an even longer name) in color no. 707. If I get the chance, I will post a picture tomorrow.
Posted by saartje at 9:10 PM | Comments (0)
September 10, 2005
All kinds of stuff
Coming down the stairs to go to the living room in the morning, this is a common scene in our house:
I made these felted rabbits using this great pattern by Thuy. Actually, it is more a very clever set of instructions than a regular pattern. Anyway, the rabbits usually sit on the window sill. But during the night, one of our cats, Dropje, sometimes picks them up and one by one puts them at the bottom of the stairs. Or sometimes right beside our bed. I have no idea why she does this. When I ask her about it, she pretends she had nothing to do with it.
Life with cats is never boring!
Nordic progress
Yesterday, I closed the crown. I decided to ditch the hearts on the top, somehow, I didn't like them.
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(Please notice the brown leaves in this picture - fall is just around the corner...)
I pulled out the invisible crochet cast on and started to knit the inner hat. Maybe you hadn't noticed, but this hat consists of two layers. When you fold the brim up, you will have four layers covering your ears. The inner layer is knit on smaller needles. I tried with some circulars I had lying around, but the joins were really working against me. I nearly drove me mad. So I put the thing on dpns, which will do for now. When I get to Leeuwarden on tuesday, I will by a good circular needle (Addi).
Maybe I will start something else in the meantime - I have a ball of Lana Grossa Meilenweit Mega Boots Stretch (couldn't they think of a longer name?) calling out to me....
The new Knitty
The fall issue of Knitty is out. So far, none of the patterns look like something I would knit, but sometimes it takes a while for a pattern to grow on me.
Well, even as I write this, I'm thinking I might make Bubby. I like it when small knits like this are knit in the round (seaming is not my forte).
Posted by saartje at 9:37 AM | Comments (5)
September 7, 2005
You're too kind
Thank you so much, everyone, for your very kind words about my Union Square Market Pullover. I'm overwhelmed!
Stefanie asked what yarn I used. It's 100% alpaca (50g = 155m), which I bought in Toulouse, France on holiday. Maybe you've heard of the shop, it's called La Droguerie. This branch has shops in the larger French cities and one in Tokyo, Japan. I wrote some more about this shop in my july 24 entry (sorry, don't know how to link to it!). They do mailorder I think, but they don't have an online shop.
Karma asked about the amount of ease in the bust. Well, you guessed it: not very much. I'm a little worried that because of this, the front flap won't behave the way I want it to, but we'll see when I actually get to wear it.
Hat
The Nordic hat is coming along nicely.
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I'm leaving for work in five minutes, and of course this hat is coming with me. I have to sit on the train for 40 minutes.
Pure knitting time!
Posted by saartje at 7:25 AM | Comments (3)
September 4, 2005
USMP: The final photo shoot
Even though it is very warm here today (not complaining...) I put on my Union Square Market Pullover, complete with buttons, and asked my SO to take some pictures.
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I'm happy with the way it turned out, although maybe I could have made it just a little bit bigger. I'm sure I will wear it this winter.
Nordic hat
And now for some more winter knitting. When I saw the Nordic Sweatheart Hat on Tina's blog, I knew I had to make one. It's a free pattern from She Ewe Knits.
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My new winter coat is bright red, so I chose matching colors. I really enjoy knitting this type of knitting. Once the pattern is set up, you rarely have to check the charts and it's easy to develop a rythm. Just like Tina, I'm using sock yarn.
Posted by saartje at 1:23 PM | Comments (15)
