The magic of mixing yarns

I have had these yarns in my stash for a rather long time. One (the mohair, ONlinie 253 Hommage color) comes from a awesome LYS called Kecathu and the other one (laceyarn, wool, no label) comes from a swap at a knitting café. Some time ago I happened to place them next to each other and magic happened. Since then I have been looking for a great pattern for this magic and found it in Ginko Shoulderette Shawl . The Ginko Shawl does also exist as a cresent shape, if you are not too keen on the triangular. Search for Ginko Cresent, and you will find it.

Recipe for magic.

There has been some outdoors knitting going on with this project, since the spring and warmth is beginning to show it's face. Only today when I woke up, the world was white again. The cat that likes to be outdoors gave me a not too pleased look of disbelief when I let him out. I could only be so sympathetic and offer a warm spot when he was done outside.

Some days ago. Glorious, glorious sun.

Long overdue tweed cardigan

Yeah, it's the same session as the last post. And the same garden gnome.

When I had my birthday I started knitting a cardigan from a Rowan pattern in some Rowan Yarn. I had some reservations about the pattern, Cressida but it was one of those "Looks really good on the picture. In reality? No idea". It all worked out in the end, and I knew what I was getting myself into, sorta. The yarn is Rowans Fine Tweed, by the way, a really lovely yarn.

I have this to say about Rowans patterns. Lots of them are well written, have interesting takes and they have awesome yarns to go with. But then there is the fit. I don't get why they are all so ill fitting?! Specially the sleeves, and it's not like they even are great for people with larger sizes either, because it escalates. Not in a "trendy, oversized, really comfortable" way, more in a "we thought it might be a good idea to give you room to grow double size in case you want to" way. Maybe it's just me, but there it is.
If you want to knit Cressida, be aware that you probably can use a slightly smaller size than your measurements, and add some to the length if you like. It will not be too tight, I promise.

Well, we get along more or less, the cardigan and I. I will add a few cm to the bottom sleeves to make them longer and to keep them together more.
Oh, by the way. A new issue of Knitty.com is out. There is octopus socks. Just saying.

Zig Zag vintage Cardigan and the importance of a good photographer

No garden gnomes was hurt during the taking of these pics. It already was melted.

OOOOhhh! It's done! I feel like jumping up and down and running around in circles, that is how excited I am over this one. It turned out sooo pretty! The yarn had to have a good soak in water and conditioner to stop being itchy, but now it's really nice.
The bust is a little too big for me, it would fit some one with aprox 90-100 cm. Again, if anyone wants to buy this piece, send me a email at knitting.ozelote@gmail.com
I really should get an Etzy account if I go on like this.

These really great pictures was taken by my close friend who after this NEVER will get rid of me, and who has been appointed royal photographer. I hope he has lots of patience, but we have known each other a long time... Good pictures makes all the difference in the world. Remember me bitching about the color of this cardigan in my last post, and how hard it was to get a proper picture of it? Well, this is spot on.

Yeah, my neck is shaven.

Out of the dark

We have spring! And it's wonderful. For someone who comes from a part of the world where the seasons are more similar it might be difficult to understand the Scandinavians feelings towards the spring, but this part of the earth has been very dark, cold and grimy for the last half year so the feel of warm(er) winds and the sun against your face is awesome. Just don't look in a mirror, everyone looks like ghosts, and not pretty ones that is...

Knitted stuff looks great in the sun too. Here's one of my favorite shawls. In the sun.

The very complicated color

Blocked and unblocked pieces.

The 1947 zig zag cardigan is soon done. It's just some sewing left to do. The only problem I'm having is that it's that kind of green that is so darn difficult to get a proper  picture of. I have tried in lots of lights and so on, and it always come out different, but never close to correct. These pics are all modified, to get a better idea of the actual and very annoying color.

The zig zag pattern changed a whole lot when blocked, and my initial reaction was "Meh.", but I think it will come out really nice when done. The blocked result looks much tidier and neater anyway, and more like the picture in the magazine.

Perfect buttons!

Some yarn goes a long way

It was Friday evening and I felt like all I wanted from life for the moment was a new knit and a beer. Luckily, the part of me that seems to think ahead had provided the beer, so all I had to do was to grab some yarn and cast on.
My fingers found almost a whole skein of Rowans Felted Tweed in a color that I think was called Treacle (awesome name) and two balls of two-ply wools in different shades of green. They looked great together and seems to whisper that they wanted to be something with nice buttons on. Who was I to deny then that? These small coconut-imitation buttons has been laying in my button bowl for ages and matched the brown tweed perfectly.

Ok, I said. Another baby cardigan it is (can someone please have like quadruplets soon? The baby cardigans seems to work a bit like Tribbles).

I'm not too sure about the cuffs. I think I might change them to brown if it'll be some of that left.

Sometimes I feel that I knit and knit and knit and never really get to an acceptable level of leftovers. It's not a problem, really. If it was I would just round them up and give them away, but I have this idea that I should make something out of my existing yarn before I can buy more.
A really annoying idea, is what it is.

More arms please!

I wish I had more arms, like one of those Hindu gods so that I would be able to spin, knit and preferably read all at the same time.