KolmikMaluka / TriMaluka

Päev enne ärasõitu avastasin, et mu varrastel pole ühtki sõiduks sobivat tegemist. Ees ootas 14 tundi reisimist ja oleks patt kogu see jõude olemise aeg ära raisata. Avasin muude toimetuste vahel ja patuga pooleks Ravelry - patuga pooleks, sest seal läheb alati halastamatult palju aega kaotsi. Leidsin mõned variandid sokke, mõned huvitavad mütsid, väheke kihvte labakuid. Viimaks vaatasin ka pisemaid õlasalle. Ja otseloomulikult leidsin. Maluka. Poolkuukujuline, esmalt ääre"pits", siis lühendatud ridadega sall ise.

Kiusatus oli ootuspäraselt suur ja vardad lõin sisse kohe. Kahe ärasõidueelse päeva jooksul olin pidevalt kimpus kudumishimuga. Nii mõnus muster kududa. Kordused jäid kohe pähe ka.

A day before leaving for holidays I discovered that I had not one single knit on needles suitable for travelling. I opened Ravelry, though it is a pure sin when you are supposed to wash, clean, pack and buy last minute gifts. I found some great socks, some interesting hats and some cool mittens. Then I searched for minishawls. And of course I found a thing to my heart. Maluka. Half circular shape, "lacey" edging, short-row body.

As expected, the lure of a new cast on was inevitable. So I followed that urge. Repetitions were easy to memorize, so the wish to knit and leave all else undone was very hard to resist.

Kollase salli äärepitsi sain valmis lennukis Amsterdami. Jätkulendu oodates kudusin juba lühendatud ridu ning lennukis kodumaale lõpetasin. Amsterdamis tuligi mõte, et salle võiks teha kokku lausa kolm, kuuse alla kingituseks nii mu emale, õele kui ka mulle. Seega sai teine sall alguse kuskil Poola kohal. Õhtuks oli jupike kootud, väsimus murdis küll varakult, aga 25 kordust teise salli äärest oli juba tehtud. Järgmisel päeval ei kudunud ma ridagi :( ja jäin rahuliku tempo kuduplaanis kõvasti maha.

The yellow shawlette's edging I finished on the plane to Amsterdam, during the long wait there I knit almost all the short rows and cast off on the second flight of the day. The blue one got its beginning on the same flight so 20th December found me with one shawl finished and second one on its 26th repeat of the edging. That day though, I didn't knit a row and was severly behind my schedule the next day.

21 detsembril võtsin end kokku ja jõudsin peaagu valmis, uni siiski murdis ja seega jäi töö veel varrastele, hommikul aga kudusin silmad maha ja lõin uue salli silmused varrastele. Sinine sall valmis seega vaid kaks päeva enne pühi. Kogu jõuluaskelduste raames pidin veel kolmanda salli ka valmis saama. Ajsa tegi raskeks see, et õde polnud, kes tavaliselt pühade ettevalmistusi juhib ja me emaga pidime esmakordselt üksi kõigega valmis saama - märksõnaks peataolek. 24. detsembri varahommikul kell kaks küürutasin vaba madratsi kohal ja lükkisin sallide sisse nööpnõelu. Vaid viis tundi hiljem ajasin end suure vaevaga soojast voodist välja, et enne rahva ärkamist kõik teo jäljed peita. Sinine sallike oli veel niiske, selle kuivatasin salaja ahju kõrval paari tunniga. Lõpp hea kõik hea niisiis.

I did manage to finish the second shawl on 22nd morning, leaving me mere 48 hours to knit the third one and block all three in complete secrecy during the night. Let's take into account also the preparations for Christmas that this year me and my mother had to do alone, without the help of my sster whoi usually leads the preparations. It was a mad rush and I used every single moment I had alone. 24th december found me madly blocking the shawls at 2 AM. Only five hours later I was up. I had to hide the shawlettes before everyone got up and about. the blue shawl was still a bit moist, but luckily it dried up quickly once hung. All's well that ends well.

Jõuluhulluseks oli siis seekord Maluka sall. Kudusin kollase ja sinise sallikese vastavalt Dubai Knitsi BFL'ist ning Faith, Hope and Love'ist ning pruunikirju Malabrigo Sock lõngast. Siit saab Ravelry'sse projekti lehele.

So it's Maluka. Yellow shawl is knit out of Dubai Knits BFL and blue one out of Faith, Hope and Love. The brownish one is made aout of Malabrigo Sock. Link to the project In Ravelry is here.

Kaks kampsunit / Two cardigans

Nende kahe nii pikaaegne valmimine seisis puhtalt nööpide/kinniste taga. Mulle teadaolevast kohalikust kaubandusvõrgust ei leidnud midagi kõlblikku, seega ootas Tangled Yoke ainult viimast nööbiliistu rohkem kui neli kuud.

The two cardigans have been in such a long making for the mere reason of lack of buttons. From local haberdashery shops I know of (there are not so many, what a pity), I couldn't find anything remotely suitable.

Tangled yoke hakkas mulle meeldima sel samal korral, kui ajakirja numbrt käes hoidsin, mul oli peaaegu olemas ka lõng selle tarbeks, 6 kera Jaeger Luxury Tweed'i, mis juba siis oli tootmisest maha võetud. Arvutasin küll kõigest väest, aga vajalikku metraaži kokku ei saanud, puudu jäi täpselt pool kera. Seega ma vardaid lõnga ei löönud ja jätsin mõttepoja seedima. Sel kevadel surfasin parajasti Ravelry's, kui leidsin ühe daami Euroopast, kes enda 10t kerakest müügiks pakkus. Saimegi kohe kaubale mõitsliku hinnaga ja aprillis lõin silmad varrastele.

I instantly took to Tangled Yoke when I first noticed it in Interweave Knits. I also felt it would look fab in Jaeger Luxury Tweed, which I had in stash, but was already discontinued back then. I only had 6 skeins, so I did my maths and figured out, I would need a minimum 6,5 skeins. I tried to find some more, but to no avail so I did not cast on. This Spring I was surfing Ravelry, when I found a lady from Europe who was selling her 10 skeins. I contacted her and we made a deal. So in April I cast on for the cardigan.

Roheline kampsik, ei oleks üldse pidanud kampsun olema. Algselt pidi sellest lõngast saama mu meheõe pojakesele tekk. Tellisin lõnga kohale Dubai sõsarlõngapoest, jäin ootama kõnet paki saabumisest, aga seda ei tulnudki. Nädal hiljem hakkasin oma lõnga taga otsima, käisin poes, helistasin Dubai poodi, kust olevat lõng juba ammu ära saadetud, lõpuks helistasin otse juhatajale, kes müsteeriasse valgust tõi. Abu Dhabi "sõbralik" müüjaskond oli mu lõnga kellelegi teisele ära müünud, hoolimata kotile kirjutatud minu nimest ja telefoninumbrist. Nii et tekike sai hoopis teisest lõngast.

The green cardigan was not supposed to be a cardigan at all. It was supposed to become a blanket for my nephew born in July. I ordered the yarn from Dubai, to be sent to Abu Dhabi branch. I was waiting for the call from the shop for a week and then went on to inquire about the fate of my yarn. After a visit to the shop, where no one had never heard of a yarn order and a call to Jackie, our yarn person in Dubai, we found out that the package had arrived and then had been sold off to someone else. It was for the better though, because I cast on blanket in another yarn and it came out beautiful. This green yarn turned into a Mondo Cable Cardi .

Link to the Tangled Yoke Cardigan in Ravelry.

Link to the Green cardigan in Ravelry.

Suvetöö / Summer job

Muud moodi ei saagi kirjeldada selle salli tegemist. Alustasin kudumisega suvevaheaja esimesel päeval ja lõpetasin vaid päev enne vaheaja lõppu. Arvestada tuleb sellega, et suurem osa kudusin Eestis olles ja Itaalias ei õnnestunud kolm nädalat midagi kududa kuniks oma perega suvekodust hotelli ümber kolisime. Väikesed vastsündinud tited ja nende raskest sünnitusest taastuvad emmed ning trall, mis selle kõige ümber käib, ei ole kudumist soodustavad. Palavus ei olnud ka abiks, Itaalias on Augusti esimene pool alati põrgukuum, selleks ajaks oli sall juba nii suureks kujunenud, et süles oli teda paras hulk ja siidi-villa segu all hakkab lihtsalt kohe palav. Aga valmis ta sai.

I don't think there is any other word that describes this project better. It began with the first day of vacations and ended on the last. Most of the shawl was produced in Estonia, the first 3 weeks in Italy I knit maybe one row in total. Newborn babies and their c-section recovering moms with all the fuss that goes around them are not productive in terms of knitting time. Of course the weatehr factor was an issue as well, first half of August in Italy is very hot, so having a huge amount of woolen-silken stitches on the lap doesn't make it easy to pick the project up. But I did finsih it!

Vormi venitamine tegelikult kõige raskem, sest nööpnõeltega hotellivoodil ukerdamine võtis kaela- ja seljanärvid täiesti läbi - ega ma sajaprotsendiliselt rahule ei jäänud selle tööga. Igatsesin väga oma vormivarraste järgi. Igatahes järgmise päeva taastusin basseini ääres vedeledes. Lõng on selline pehmeke, nii et teda väga "teravalt" ei saagi vormi panna. Kui ma järgmine kord teda näen, siis tuleb vist uuesti üle vormitada. Järsku auruga?

The hardest part actually was blocking. I had very primitive tools - hotel room with big enough bed, but very little room around it and regular sewer's marking pins. I was not happy with the blocking and missed my blocking wires dearly. No wonder my back and neck started aching and I had to relax by the pool the whole of next day. Well the yarn is a "softy" so I am not sure you can block it "crispy". I may have to do this again next time I see the shawl.

Lõngaks on seekord mu praeguse kodukoha "kohalik" looming. Jocelyn on me lemmik lõngavärvija, sest kaup tuleb koju kätte (ta ikka osaleb päris tihti me kudumispärastlõunatel ja tuleb alati kahe suure kohvriga ja värske toodanguga). Ma kasutasin Pure of Heart'i lavendlitooni pitsilõnga. See on meriino ja siidi segu pooleks ja väga kauni läikega. Varrasteks 3,25 mm Knitpicks Pro ringvardad mitme erineva suuruse juhtmega. Lisaks vähendasin ülesloodavate silmuste arvu kolmandiku võrra. Ometi sai sallist nii suur elukas, et minu 50mm objektiiviga ei õnnestunud seda korralikult isegi mitte vaatevälja saada. Ämmakene saab end sellesse tervenisti sise mässida.

I used my friend Joecelyn's hand dyed yarn this time: Pure of Heart which is half merino, half silk. It has the loveliest sheen and flows like a dream. I'm glad we have Jocelyn here, because she brings the merchandise "home" every month or so! We love it when she decides to join in our knit meet ups with her two suitcases. I used 3,25mm Knit Pro needles with different cable lengths, and decreased the number of cast on stitches by a third, yet it came out HUGE! I couldn't even fit the shawl in my viewfinder using a 50 mm lens. It covers my MIL in whole :P.

Midagi väikest / Little something

Oeh, koon ja koon ja tikin ja tikin, aga ette näidata pole midagi. Kuni tänaseni. Annan endale ausalt aru, et kudumite kõige keerulisem osa on otste peitmine ja viimistlemine. Pildistamisest rääkimata. Aga vanad võlad tuleb ju likvideerida ja seekord sai süütunne võitu, otsad peidetud ja modelle mul ju jagub, niiet püüdsime selle bareti ka mälukaardile.

Knitting and knitting, stitching and stitching some more, but I've had nothing to show you. Until today. I'm truthful about the fact that weaving in ends and blocking knit is the hardest part of this craft. Not to mention taking a photo of the FO. Luckily guilt wins sometimes and stuff gets finished from time to time. And it only took me 2 months to take a photo!

Bareti juures meeldib mulle kõige enam selle serv. Kudum tuli küll suur ja lohvakas, aga mulle meeldib nii. Ainult et heledaid lokke, mille peal seda peakatet kanda, mul enam pole. Nii juhtub, kui ühe töö valmimist kaks ja pool aastat edasi lükata.
Vaatasin Ravelry'st järele, et silmused lõin üles 11 Oktoober 2008. Lõnga sain mäletatavasti Liannist Tallinnas ja selleks on Alvita Alpaka. Väga mõnus lõng. Vardad olid 3 ja 3,5 mm. Puudu on veel vaid kummist, et müts paremini peas püsiks. Muster on Dropsi leheküljelt pärit.

I like the picot cast-on on this beret. It came out a tad bigger than it was meant to be, but seeing other projects on the web, I think it actually works out well. Only, that the long blond curly hair I imagined to have under the beret, I no longer possess. I guess it's a price to pay when one takes 2 and half years to finish a project.
I checked it up on my Ravelry notebook and looks like I cast on on 11th of October 2008. I used Alvita Alpaca yarn and 3 and 3,5 mm needles. Pattern comes from Drops website.

Leenu meremehe kampsun / Leenu's New Guernsey

Ma ei ole kaua aega Leenule midagi kudunud. Eelmise talve käis ta lausa poekampsuniga, sest ma ei jõudnud saja toimetuse kõrvalt rohkem, kui mütsid ja sallid kududa. Pikkust on nende kahe aasta jooksul nii palju juurde visatud, et oligi viimane aeg uus kudum talle meisterdada.

Last year Leenu didn't get a new sweater. In fact she got through the winter in a store bought acrylic blend cardi. And though I, as an avid knitter, am a bit ashamed of this fact, I couldn't do better than hats, scarves and mitts last year - there simply aren't enough hours in a day of you run a house and two kids alone for 5 days a week. So it was about time she got one. Also because she has grown outrageously tall in the last 2 years.

Tahtsin proovida midagi uut, midagi lihtsat ja midagi huvitavat. Lõnga mul muidugi käepärast polnud, kogu mu kollektsioon on ju ikka veel kuskil konteineris. Seega ostsin lõnga Singapurist, kus me vahepeal koolivaheajal käisime. Leen ise valis värvi ja lõnga, mina vaid suunasin ta villaste juurde. Mustri leidsin Alice Starmore'i raamatust Kalameeste Kampsunid. Iseenesest on tegumood ju lihtne ja sobib suurepäraselt kiireks kudumiks. Kehaosas ega ka käistel pole erilist modelleerimist vaja. Pidin vaid arvutama aran lõngaga kootud juhise dk lõngale vastavaks. Huvitav ja minu jaoks esmakordne, oli kududa kampsun õlasadulatega (saddles). See annab nii palju võimalusi uute detailide kampsunisse kudumiseks, et kindlasti kasutan seda viisi tulevikuski.

I wanted to kit something interesting, yet simple, with possibly new feature to learn. Leenu picked out the yarn from Singapore (my stash is STILL in a container and I have no access to it, at least until March. I fear for it's state!). She chose the colors and the weight and the brand, I just pushed her towards wools and paid afterwards. The pattern is from Alice Starmore's vintage book Fishermen's Sweaters. I love the saddles! Actually I think I may use them more often, since they give the sweater a new designing feature and save me trouble from shaping the sleeves.

NApid kümme päeva kulus kudumisele ja kokkuõmblemisele. Leen on nüüd peaaegu valmis jõuludeks kodumaal. Loodetavasti meile ikka lund ja pakast jagub. Oleme siin päikses juba valge, külma jõulupüha ootuses.

Teadmiseks

Muster: Alice Starmore'i Nantucket

Vardad: 4 ja 4,5 mm

Lõng: Sirdar Balmoral (72% villa, 25% alpaka, 3% siidi)

Knitting took me mere 10 days. Yestreday and today went to sewing up and hiding the ends. Luckily the guernsey was greeted with utmost glee and modeled with pride. I think she will be even happier once we go back home for Christmas, where there are already -10 degrees and half a meter of snow.

Specs

Pattern: Nantucket by Alice Starmore

Needles: 4 mm and 4,5 mm

Yarn: SIrdar Balmoral (72% wool, 25% alpaca, 3% silk)

Kampsun väikesele preilile / Cardigan for a little miss

Selle kampsuni algus jääb, kujutate ette, pooleteise aasta taha!

Alustasin kudumisega enne Lea sündi, kui ma veel ei teadnudki, et tütreke on sündimas. (Sisetunne ei petnudki, sest nii suur tahtmine oli just tüdruku kampsunit teha, kuigi ma olin end ammu veennud, et kõhus on poiss. Nojah, eks ta meil ongi paras marakratt juba esimestest kõhumürglitest alates)

Ja ma kudusin ta valmis ka ainult loetud tundidega. Ja alustasin kokkuõmblemisega. Ja siis kolimise käigus panin ma oma sukanõela kuhugi iks kohta. Ja koos sukanõelaga kadus ka igasugune tahtmine kokkuõmmelda. Ja üldse kogu kudumine jäi soiku.

Augustis leidsin nõela üles ämma ja äia juurest oma asjade hulgast ning võtsin endale ühe õhtu kohustuste vabaks. Paar tunnikest ja kampsun saigi kokku.

Läheb veel sel talvel miskit moodi selga. Lõpp hea, kõik hea. Ja kuduisu tuli ka tagasi.

Ravelrys

Can you imagine that the beginning of this cardigan was cast on more than a year ago? I actually knit it up in counted hours (why I chose a girl's cardigan while I thought to be expecting a boy was a mistery back then. Little hint from innerself I'd say.) I also began to sew it up in May 2009 and then I lost my darning needle. Never thought this could kill the mojo, but it did. I even tried to sew with another darning needle, but to no avail. Into the hibernation bin it went.

Just recently I went to check my suitcase at my inlaws house and among other long missing items I found my needle. It was just a few hours work and the cardi was all sown up. On the last hour it seems! Ends well, all well. And my mojo is back as well!

Link to Ravelry page

Parem hilja kui mitte kunagi / Better late than never

Varem mõtlesin, et kirjutan blogi siis, kui aega on. Selle aasta alguses pole üldse aega olnud (voodiarest, külalised, uus tita, eesseisev kolimine jne.), ega ole praegugi, aga kui ma ei kirjuta kohe ja nüüd, siis kes teab kui kauaks kirjutamata jääb. Selle mõttega sai ka lastele oma blogi tehtud, küll mitte avalik. Siia blogisse ikka ja alati ainult näputöö.
Ja päris mitu näputööd on täiesti ära märkimata jäänud. Alustades näiteks maasikakirjas mütsi ja salliga, mis ma jaanuari alguses varrastelt maha sain:

I thought I'd write my blog when I have time. But I relaly haven't any this year! There are many changes in teh air and we are havinf friends and family over most of the time. So I haven't been uploading my latest knits.

Värv on õigem esimesel pildil.
Salli ja mütsi kudumist alustades, tahtsin proovida patentkude ja lehitsesin selleks tarbeks Tiina Meeri kudumisvihikut. Sellises kirjas kude on pehme, paks ja hästiveniv, aga hoiab hästi vormi.
Müts ja sall (Lingid Ravelry'sse)
Lõng: Sublime Yarns Cashmere Merino Silk DK
Varras: 3,75 mm
Muster: Tiina Meeri abiga ise

The color is more correct on the first photo. Arriving winter always pones new scarf-hat-mitten ideas. And they are easy to come up with. I leafed through some stitch pattern books and found brioche stitch the best - it's thick, soft and stretches well still keeping it's original shape.

Hat and scarf (link to Ravelry
Yarn: Sublime Yarns Cashmere Merino Silk DK
Needle: 3,75 mm
Pattern: with help from Tiina Meeri books

***
Eelmisel aastal sain netituttava Betta (Link Ravelry'sse) käest kingiks sokilõnga: Wollmeise on veel kudumata, tegin esmalt algust Tausendschön Handgerfärbte Sockenwolle'ga. Neid sokke kutsun ma TMC sokkideks. See tähelühend tähistab kohalikku sünnitushaiglat - seal peetakse temperatuur nii madalal, et pidasin paremaks endale paar sooje sokke kududa juhuks, kui sünnitamine võtab nii kaua aega, et jalad külmetama hakkavad.

Last year, my knitty online friend Betta sent me some sock yarn: She gave me a skein of Wollmeise (thnk you Betta!!!!) and Tausendschön Handgerfärbte Sockenwolle. So I I knit up these. I'm calling them TMC socks since their purpose will be to keep my feet warm in the freezing hospital environment during my brief stay.

Mustri võtsin paari aasta tagusest Vogue Knittingust, ja kuigi seda eriti sokkide värvide tõttu näha pole, siis kududa oli neid huvitav ja igav ei hakanud teise soki juures teps mitte.
Sokid Ravelrys

Thepattern comes from Vogue Knitting, the colors mask the pattern completely, but I must say the pattern was so intriguing that I not once felt bored. Socks in Ravelry

Lõng: Tausendschön Handgerfärbte Sockenwolle
Varras: 2.25 mm
Muster: Ripple Weave Socks VKst

Yarn: Tausendschön Handgerfärbte Sockenwolle
Needle: 2.25 mm
Pattern: Ripple Weave Socks from VK

Neist, vähem kui kahekümnest grammist, mis järele jäi, sai titasokid. Varras ikka sama, lihtne sokiülesehitus ja modelliks Lotte.

From the less than 20 grams of leftover yarn I knit some simple baby socks.

***
Peale selle sai õmblusmasin kõvasti vatti. Õmblesin 14 mähet Ottobre Designi õpetuse (link PDF lõikele) järgi. Praeguseks võin öelda, et 14 jääb väheks, kuigi me kasutame neid ainult päeval ja kodus olles ning mul on kuivati, mis suudab nad kenasti ära kuivatada.
Teiseks võib öelda, et vastsündinule nad ei sobi - kuna pole kintsupekki, jäävad jalaaugud liiga suureks - ja te teate küll kui vedel see kraam esimestel kuudel on.
Õmblesin ma neid mähkmeid lausa kaks korda. Peale esimest masinpesu selgus, et mähkmesisu, mis pissi kinni peab, oli oma katteriide all lootusetult rulli ja segikeeranud end. Nii et kõik tuli lahti võtta ja imalapp käsitisi servadest kinni traageldada (kui läbi õmmeda, siis õmbluskoht ei pea vedelikku eriti hästi kinni). Lõpuks olin juba nii kõva tegija, et ühe mähkme valmimiseks kulus napp 30 minutit.
Kuna mul ooverlokki pole, siis tegin juhendist erinevalt, ning välimine pool sai endale puuvillase lisakatte. Mähe koosnebki puuvillariidest kattest, kahest flanellpoolest, keskel on imavuse suurendamiseks 4 kihti froteed ja 3 kahekordset kihti marliriiet. Ühe pissi peab edukalt kinni. Kahega kipub lekkima. Üldjoontes olen rahul, aga enne 4dat elukuud ei kasutaks seda lõiget. Lisaks ei teeks selle lõike järgi, kui poleks a) kuivatit b) supersooje päikselisi ilmu.
Igatahes on plaanis õmmelda veel mähkmeid ühe teise juhendi järgi.

I've been sewing a lot as well. I intended to cloth diaper my baby, so months before I was on the look out for diaper patterns. I chose a design from Ottobre and made 14 diapers. Unfortunately now I've realised that this particular pattern only works well in certain conditions and those don't include babies under 6 months . Plus it takes a lot of time or a great dryer to get them dry. So they are from now on for playing purposes.

Õudsalt nunnud on, eksju?

They're cute though, aren't they?

Aasta 2008 / Year 2008

2008s on olnud isiklikus elus väga tihe ja selgust toov: me oleme esialgu õigel teel, kuigi ma koliks juba hea meelega 4 aastaajaga kliimasse. 2008 avas mitmes mõttes silmad ja tõi uued võimalused, aga ta on ka väga paljude halbade uudiste aasta (eriti just lõpp). Ja kui vähemalt kodus liiguvad asjad aina paremuse suunas, siis kudumises on lausa eriti kehvad ajad.
Ma lugesin just pisut kokku oma selle aastaseid tegemisi ja lausa kurb tunnistada, aga valminud kudumeid vaid 9 ja täpselt sama palju alustatud, kuid mitte lõpetatuid (mõned neist ammu harutatudki). Arhiivi kiigates ütleb aasta 2007, et jõudsin valmis 28 kudumit.

Year 2008 has been
1) very tense in personal life
2) rewarding in accomplished things
3) given us a clear picture that for now we are doing the right things
4) been full of new starts (which won't have an ending for awhile)
5) has opened my eyes for career choice
6) has been very slow knitting year

I just cannot believe how few items I've finished and how little I've started: I just counted 9 FOs and 9 projects started and either not yet finished or already frogged. A little archive search tells me, in year 2007 the number of FOs was 28.

Uueaasta plaanis on kududa vähemaks olemasolevat lõngavaru (uue ostmisele piire ei sea, aga võtan asju mõistusega) ning kaotada tarbimise teel üksikuid lõngakerasid ning jääkvarusid.

Kõigile oma sõpradele nii reaalis kui internetis soovin, et 2009 täidaks unistusi ja hoiaks karmid ajad Teist kaugel.

I resolute to reduce my stash in year 2009 by knitting the items I have purchased yarn for and greatly reducing the number of single skeins that I've collected in the hopes of coming a Prudence Mapstone in crocheting (which will never happen because I do not like that craft particularly).

For all my friends I wish the best of year 2009, I hope your dreams will come true and mishaps stay far from your lives.

Hobo Rannakott / Missing Piece Hobo Bag

Vahel läheb nihu ka, noh näiteks peaaegu alati Nora Gaughani mustrite järgi kududes. Tee või tina, aga pildil on nad kenad, kududa huvitavad, enne sotti asjast ei saa kui kokku õmbelmiseks läheb, aga siis on näod pikad ja nutt kurgus, sest nad ei näe ju nii välja nagu raamatus/ajakirjas!
Aga ega ma õpi ka.
Viimane proov oli siis raamatust KnitKnit: Profiles + Projects from Knitting's New Wave, NG'i Puuduva Tüki Hulkurkott - ja tegu ongi hulkuri kotiga, sest muuks toda märssi ju nimetada ei saa. Õnneks leidub meil rahvast, kel oli just üks hea suur kott, mis mahutaks rannapalli ja pikutuslina, puudu. Nii, et kodutuks ta ei jäänud. Parim meel on voodri üle! Kootud vardaga number kuus, lõngaks Katia Linen, kulus kõiki värve peaaegu kolm kera.

Disappointment!
Again.
Very often related to Nora Gaughan designs. Would guess, I would learn after so many attempts with so many of her creations, but obviously not. Well, this time it gets to stay like this since it found its usefulness: as a beach bag to keep volleyball and bathing towels.

It's from the book KnitKnit: Profiles + Projects from Knitting's New Wave, I used Katia Linen (doubled) and 6 mm needles. It was an easy pattern to follow, but nothing prepared me that it only looks ok when it holds something bulky. Ah well, better luck next time.

Uus kraam, uus armastus

Ma olen armunud oma Harmony uutesse vahetavatesse ringvarrastesse: siledad aga mitte libedad, kerged ja soojad, ka juhe? tundub liikuvam, pehmem (aga eks seda näitab aeg, mis kvaliteediga tegu) ja puuosa muster on vahva. Vaat nii:

I am madly in love with my new Harmony needles: they are amazing, smooth but not slippery, light and warm, the cable is (it seems right now) better than the Addi cable and the fun colors making working quicker.
Look at them, gorgeous:

Üllatus, üllatus. Loomulikult tellisin ma endale ka uut lõnga - Knit Picks Shimmer Galaxy toonis:

I also, surprise surprise, enhanced my stash with some
Knit Picks Shimmer new colourway Galazy

ja Knit Picks Gloss Cosmos:

and Knit Picks Gloss Cosmos

millest saab Salapärase Valguse õlasall:

which I'm currently making up as the Mystic Light KAL (I know I'm late, was waiting for the yarn)

Selle kudumine läheb vaevalisemalt, mul on mustriga pidevalt mingisugused imelikud vastuolud sest tegu ei ole 100% sümmeetrilise mustriga, kahandused-kasvatused vahel ei tundu olevat õigeid kohtades: nagu oleks autor võtnud lahti mustriraamatud ja pimesi kokku keeranud kompoti siit ja sealt, märkamat, et silmuste arv tihti ei klapi korralikult ja muster ei kasva alati elemisest välja või ei sobi kokku. Aga ometi mulle lõpp-tulemus meeldib. Eks näis.

I'm not too happy with myself and the pattern working together: my Virgo personality likes clear understanding of where the pattern is going, pattern repeats that match from the beginning to the end and very certain pattern changes. I don't blame the pattern, I blame myself of not being able to count and follow pattern row by row. Plus I do not know how I could have read instead of sl1k2togpsso (slip 1- knit 2 together - pass slipped stitch over) as s2kwk1psso (slip 2 knitwise - knit 1 - pass slipped stitches over) - so my diamonds have a little unusual look and then in the middle of the work change their appearance :P But I really like the finished shawl I've seen online.

Aeg kaob käest... / V like...

... aga lõpuks on mul ka midagi näidata.

... Catriona (my Ravelry page) by Debbie Bliss.

Mulle meeldivad palmikud, aga mitte neid kududa. Näppudele ei meeldi, et kistakse ja tiritakse nii hirmus palju, aga vahel ju võib, sest tulemus on vähemalt selle vesti puhul lihtsalt imeline. Ja ometi nii lihtne muster.

I like the way cables look, by I don't fully enjoy knitting them - the pulling of the fabric puts a lot of pressure on my hands and that's not nice, nevertheless once in a while it's OK to do and Catriona was an easy project with a very stunning appearance.

Tähtsamat
Lõng: Schoeller + Stahl Merino Soft (100% merino, 50 gr 130 m, color 05)
Vardad: 3 mm, 3,75 mm, 4 mm
Muster: Catriona Debbie Bliss'ilt (vaata Ravelry'st)

Specs
Yarn: Schoeller + Stahl Merino Soft (100% merino, 50 gr 130 m, color 05)
Needles: 3 mm, 3,75 mm, 4 mm
Pattern: Catriona by Debbie Bliss (Ravelry)

Mindless knitting

I have very limited amount of yarn!!!! And the delivery of our household items will not be before 16th of November. It's horrible to live without my stash!!!
Therefore I have been forced to use that little I brought over in my luggage. I think in someways it's good that my yarn isn't around, so that I finally knit the stash that has been around for a while. Like my handpaintedyarn.com Ejido 160.
As part of the Christmas Gifts Project 2007, I've finished two simple scarfs. Everyone, who has been an expatriate, knows that first few weeks, nothing is better than some relaxing mindless knitting, that allows you to keep an eye on things or avoid certain missing necessities.

Earthly scarf

Info
Yarn: Ejido 160 (100% merino, hand dyed)
Needles: 4,5 mm
Pattern: my own

My so called scarf

Info
Yarns: Ejido 160 (100% merino, handdyed)
Needles: 8 mm straight
Patterns: My so called scarf

And as a side-project I'm doing this:

I have to say, it has been and still is the most difficult "knitting project" of all.

MS3 Complete!

My Swan Lake is ready. The actual knitting part I finsihed already a month ago, but due to lack of a blocking area I blocked it just yesterday and from late evening last night it has a new home with my new friend Laura, who actually dares to wear it.
My main concern when I started to knit Swan Lake (having heard It won't be symmetrical), since I am not a shawl person (too young, in my opinion) and most people I know wouldn't have the courage to wear it, was that it might stay in my closet for a very long time. Luckily I met Laura.
It was a tremendously fun project to knit, and I have many thanks to give to the designer Melanie Gibbons, from Pink Lemon Twists. If the next years Mystery Shawl sounds even half as interesting as it did this year, I will be knitting MS4 along as well.

Blue Vest

Yarn: Schaffhauser Wolle "Allround", 100% merino, ~300 grams

Needles: 3 mm straight

Pattern: Mani di Fata November 2006


Finished it in November last year, but couldn't present it before it was in the hands of the future owner, my sister.

Inspiration

First: I'm in Ravelry. Got an invitation yesterday and started discovering that constantly growing and interesting community straight away. It'll take some time to settle in with my UFOs, WIPs, stash and accessories, but it'll be worth while.

***
Now something that is ready. Finally.

I saw Elisabeth Zimmerman's Baby Surprise Jacket for the first time few months ago. I thought it's a clever idea, but wasn't tempted enough to buy the pattern. A month ago I found from local market an amazingly soft handspun merino from Southern Italy and thought that it would be fantastic to knit something in garter stitch. And then I remembered EZ's jacket. But I didn't want to buy the pattern (I was in the midst of packing before a big move and long vacation away from home, so it would have arrived to me probably not before September) and wanted to solve the mystery myself. I surfed around and read some comments from which I understood that it is based on mithered square and it's about double increases and decreases. So I started knitting it. I don't think I've ever ripped and reknit an item this many times before. After the 3rd attempt, I had figured out how it worked, but couldn't get the sizing right. Once over that part it was an easy knit. And I am tremendously happy that I finished it :)


So it's not EZ Baby Surprise Jacket, but she was the inspiration and motivation. Thank You, so much!

Information:
Yarn: 1,5 skeins of handspun natural white merino from Puglia (DK) and Noro Silver Thaw (wool 50%, angora 25%, nylon 25%) colorway 09 about 15 grams.
Needles: 4 mm Addi Circulars

The sleeves with this techique never come full-sized, in Inspiration's case it was less than elbow length, so I had to lengthen it somehow. I tried picking up stitches in regular way, it wasn't nice, I think it can only be done without leaving obvious line if you are using colors. So I decided do follow the clue of the full construction and knit mithered squares inbetween and then picked up stitches to continue.
Noro Silver Thaw is a difficult yarn (uneven color sections, scratchy and uneven surface) to knit I-cord with, but without a doubt it was the best option for this edging.

Mystery Stole 3 - week 1 & 2

I'm happy to be part of the huge group (+5700 people from all around the world) and have eagerly finished both of the clues.
I'm using my all time favouruite lace knitting yarn, but this time doubled up (I've knit Kiri and one Swallowtail Shawl with it). I'm not using any beads this time, for actually for me this is more like a try-out knit. If I like what I see, I might consider something more luxurious to knit with and surely add the beads as well.
I must admit that since I was missing the big picture, knitting (especially the first clue) was tricksy. In lace knitting I usually know what it is going to be like and therefore I doubt less in pattern and in myself and make less mistakes (again, confidence plays a huge role in my knitty life).

So I'm knititng with cobweb weight Canetta merino wool, using Addi Turbo 3,5 mm circulars (I wanted to find the new Lace needles, but couldn't) and am very anxious to get the next clue.

What I've done, what I haven't and I what I want to do

The rules: Mark with bold the things you have knit, with italics the ones you plan to do sometime, and leave the rest.

Afghan - One day when I have enough patience and matching leftover yarn
I-cord - part of the project I'm working on
Garter stitch - garter stitch is where we all start
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn - if someone has spare, send it over, I'd really like to try but haven't gotten my hands on it yet. I did find a yarn band in the park once (a glue that there are other knitters), which was camel hair yarn, but she didn't leave any yarn behind.
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL - It's Knitting Nature and Forecast for me
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn - didn't have much when I grew up
Slip stitch patterns - they create excellent patterns if you're not into fair-isle knitting
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Domino knitting (=modular knitting) - another WIP not yet to be revealed
Twisted stitch patterns
Two end knitting
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing - there wasn't much where I grew up, all toy clothes were self-made, and man in the end we were good at it.
Knitting with circular needles
Baby items
Knitting with your own hand-spun yarn
Slippers
Graffiti knitting
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments - taking my first steps. Should write down patterns.
Cable stitch patterns (incl. Aran)
Lace patterns
Branching out
Publishing a knitting book
Participate in an exchange
Scarf
Teaching a child to knit - I'm struggling at home, she wants to but isn't ready (too young), ah well, keep trying
American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
Knitting to make money
Buttonholes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dying with plant colors
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cosies…) - now that's a thing that doesn't quite flatter my skills. Maybe I'll do a lamp cover or knit a pillow, but I'll call them home design.
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on one or two circulars - I'm strictly 5 dpn lady if knitting in small circles
Knitting with someone else’s hand-spun yarn
Knitting with dpns
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit - I'm luring my husband into my net :)
Bobbles - I have tricks for bobbles and started to like them when I got to know the tricks
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dying yarn
Steeks - I'm looking for that courage
Knitting art
Knitting two socks on two circulars simultaneously
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener stitch
Knitted flowers
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac
Knitting and purling backwards - it's fun!
Machine knitting
Knitting with self patterning/self striping/variegated yarn
Stuffed toys
Baby items
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn - when I was young and price had a huge effect on choises
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Free-form knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mits/arm-warmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an on-line knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting - tried it, but it never gets cold wnough here... one day, one day...
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair- it makes me sneeze too much
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

Forecast done!

Tadaa! My Forecast is done.Actually it was done quite a while ago, I just didn't get to taking the pictures.
I like the design a lot and it was really fun to knit, which explains how it got ready in only 5 days.

And I did sew on the self-made buttons.

Modifications:

• I didn't purl, I knit the garter stitch part, which meant changing the pattern a wee little in the beginning.
• Different kind of yarn. I went down on needle size, that meant more bobbles (iiiik), but I got them done.
  
• I didn't turn my work while knitting bobbles, I just slipped stitches back to left needle and knit them through then just passing stitches over the last stitch.

What I wish had done differently: knit the ribbing part longer (blocking again will help I hope, or losing weight :P) and knit the first stitch of every row. I trusted the pattern, but should have trusted my experience, now I have this strange cross-stitch row between body and button bands (It's because my stitches are quite loose). But I guess you can call it DESIGN element.

Info:
Yarn: Unknown producer, 100% merino, cream, 350 grams
Needles: 4 mm and 3,25 mm Addi Turbo circulars
Pattern: Forecast
Time: 5 days

Belle & epoque

I am licquidating my stash by knitting faster (khm... smaller projects)
Last year I purchased 2x400 grams of Katia Jamaica cotton yarn, the turqoise-pink-orange one became Clapotis nr. 2, but green-beige-red-orange mix hid in the closet and didn't find a pattern.
Then one day last week my daughter came home and asked whether she could stay over for a night at a friend's place upcoming week. Of course I said yes, last time they had great fun together.
And it just happened that I was cleaning the closet and deciding the fate of my stash, so I instantly got an idea to knit some playful skirts. I pulled out Nicky Epstein's Knitting on the Edge and picked out two ruffles.
2 days later I had these beauties ready:
Belle

...and E'poque

Close-ups of ruffles, they are:
Belle Epoque

...and knit fluted edge
Why such a name... Well, Belle èpoque means in french "good/beautiful times" and I guess childhood can be considered the best of times, so it wasn't difficult to name the skirts after ruffles :)

Info:
Yarn: Katia Jamiaca, 100% cotton, color 4002 (Suzanne) , used for both 320 grams
Needles: 4 mm Addi Turbo circular
Pattern: my own