Baaaaaaaaah

Did you see that movie about killer sheep? I think it was called Black Sheep. Horror sheep harhar..

I made some mitts with colorwork sheep on them: they are called baaaah and sneeze.

Because either they are evil or they are about to sneeze... see the way their eyes are set? I'm not too sure if this a halloween/ horror version of sheep or plain sneezy lambies.

Did you know that sheep sneeze? Me, I did not know until I was walking among some sheep in a field and I heard a really loud sneeze. Looking around there wasn't anyone there... ghosts... creepy crawlies? And then I saw this sheep sneeze with all it's hart! lolz! Sneezy sheep...

These wristees are the Baby Lamb Cuffs by TOK, done in Jamiesons Shetland spindrift. It was my first succes in doing stranded fair-isle, so I'm having a serious proud. At first I thought the background color was too dark for the sheep to be seen, but they really grew on me, so they are staying to live with me. Always need more knits in the house.

Washed the finished mitts with some of my conditioner that I use on my own hair and they became a whole lot softer. Tok said it worked for her, and since wool is hair in a way it is quite logical that it works. And now they smell really nice as well.

Quickie...

Sometimes all girl needs is a quickie. No fussing around and doing difficult positions, just wham bam thank you man!

I found the perfect quickie pattern (you thought I was talking about something else? you have a dirty mind... snikkers...) for a hat: Capucine.

I made this with two strands of pure wool yarn that I bought in France held together. I don't know the thickness or anything about this yarn except that it is undyed and in the original sheep color. It still smells like sheep and there are bits of sticks in there here and there... I love it!

The hat was made in one afternoon and the pattern can be gotten from the designers blog for free! Instant gratification!

Did do some mods ofcourse... I'm a desperate modder.
Did seed stitch instead of garter stitch and added some rows here and there to compensate for the thinner yarn. This hat would be great in some Malabrigo Merino Worsted I guess... yumyumyum... may need to make that as well ♥

edit oct 18th: Mom made this great picture of me when we went on a hike yesterday:

Steph and me: kindred souls.

Went to London last weekend to visit the Knitting and Stitching show; it was hoots of fun! yes, pun was intended....

I flew in on friday with my bf Mariska, whom went to meet up with some study buddies on Saturday. 'Cos I went yarnaholic that day. The Knitting and Stitching show was in Alexandra Palace and it was hugeruny! And busy, very, very busy... I bought lots and lots of yarn and a cute little book with christmas knitting. And some gorge bee buttons.

But the best of all was.... meeting Stephanie! Her brilliant mind produce the Tiny Owl Knits patterns that I adore so much, yes, I do swoon over those knits... they make me very happy. We had sooooo much fun together going squeeee all over the place and doing hand flapping gestures and such. And we hugged a lot, I like hugging nice people, it feels good...

We had a few hours to spend together and we cooked up some plans and we had lots of laughs. We even were brave and did not buy all the yarn we could lay our hands on. Which is a huge feat for two yarnoholics.....

I was really sad when it was time for me to leave, but I feel really lucky to find such a kindred spirit. It makes me feel safe. And I am truly sure our paths will cross again. Gosh, I love her!


Then I went to see the Wicked show with Maris. It was superbalicious! The stage and the singing and most of all the costumes made me drool like a madwoman! Those costumes... eeeeeeeeeeeeek......
The actors were really good in my opinion. I had a wonderful time.

Sunday we spend sleeping in and shopping and I think I got home about eight in the evening. But happy and really content and my soul is in a really good place right now. I feel strong in my own self; this is who I want to be!

Productive I haz been (channeling Yoda there..)

As mentioned before, I love the woods. Especially this time of year! But last sunday I encountered the first stretch of woods that I did not like... It wasn't the trees, it wasn't the path... It was the massive amount of mosquitoes who have taken a bite out of me! They were so big they could not have been your garden variety of nastyness, they were like godzilla mosquitoes! ( Not my line, someone else thought that one up) And they ate me like I was a cream puff or something... And two days on I'm still covered in bumps!  

Why this mosquito rant on a knitting blog? I made another autumn inspired Ships and Seaside Cowl! So it is kinda related... cowl... autumn..woods... mosquitoes... that is what my brain did.

This time it was a commission piece. Gerry wanted a cowl inspired by autumn but weighing less than my original. She has some serious back problems, and it hurts her when it would be too heavy. No probs! So I went to work with some Colinette Jitterbug, Koigu kpppm, Cherry Tree Hill select sock and some bits and bobs of leftover niceness. 

I think it has become a great cowl! Warm and cosy, with a first fall side and turning into winter side. I adore it!

And since I have been dubbed the queen of these cowl in the TOK group I was asked to make one for a certain special someone in the group as a christmas present. Who will it be? Will it be you? 

ooooohlalalaaaaaaa... tgv knitting

A fellow raveller, Susan Ashcroft, asked me if I would like to test knit a pattern she was working on. The name of the project? TGV: tricot grande vitesse...

Oh, how can one resist such a wonderful name and proposal? I sure could not!
All along this project I dreamed about my lovely holiday in France and Paris, going about on the real TGV.

The yarn was horrible and splitty, I would never recommend anyone to work with the Zauberball crazy. But the effect it had on the shawl was to die for.

Mom came in, saw the shawl, put it around her neck and left the house with it, never to be seen again...
No... just joking, she actually asked if she could have it. And it looks much better on her than on me. It makes me look pale, it makes her look pretty. But then again, she is very pretty, that silly mom of mine.

I can really recommend this pattern, it is easy, fast and very satisfying. And we need to be satisfied, us knitters....
Don't doubt! Go for it... Get a move on!

My mom takes a LOT of my knits as soon as she sees them. I don't mind at all since I knit most of the stuff because I want to MAKE it... She will wear it:

Maris and her hat

Maris has this favorite hat she once bought at Noa Noa. She asked me to reproduce it in different colors.

So I did: ( in various luxury yarns)

I made one out of Manos del Urugauy:

I did one in Colinette Jitterbug in the great color Vatican Pie:

And I did one striped with Rowan pure Wool and Angora. I detest the Angora! It is yucky and tangly and sticky and meh! It got in my eyes, my ears.. everywhere and it itched like hell! If I never have to knit with angora again, it still would be too soon! 

But the hat came out really good and soft and I'm sure she will like it:

And to top it all off I made her an orchids and fairylights hat in Malabrigo Merino worsted, which she hasn't taken off since she got it:

You would think it would suffice for now...

And this is how I feel about working with the angora:

Eeety beety pumpkins

Autumn is coming and I adore autumn! The air smells nice and everything is showing their best colors. The abundance of this time of year is thrilling!

So when I saw this cute jack o' lantern pattern for felted pumpkins I HAD to make it! And it was done in 30 minutes, so quickie knit: highly satisfactory....

They are a bunch of cuties are they not? If you are wondering why the yellow one looks so mad, it is because he was made out of left over yarn and his hat doesn't fit him all that well. The orange one is simply happy and even enjoys his grumpy little yellow cousin. Oh yellow tells me to tell you all it is also because he is yellow and he thinks he isn't ripe yet and that surely pisses him off... okay, didn't know that you would get mad... sorry little fellow. 

Someone on ravelry commented that yellow looks like he is puking blood which is a great look for a little jackolantern. He is feeling much better about himself now, thank you very much.

This is a link to the lovely pattern, and the designer even has a photo tutorial on how to felt it!
Jack o' Lantern by Katie Starzman