Nordic Lights Socks

http://spindlicity.com/winter2006/nordic_lights.shtml

Nothing much new here knitting wise. It is still so hard to concentrate. While it was slow at work I found this pattern on Knittingpatterncentral.com. My sister in law forwarded the link to this website. Lots of free patterns.

If my synapses ever start firing again I need to find just the right
project for this Ullcentrum yarn I bought in Sweden. I love the rings of color on the wound ball of two ply. While I used the nystepinna Barbro gave me to wind the lace weight I listened to the soothing CD "Romance of the Violin" with Joshua Bell.

Greetings !

Hello Knit Cafe' Karlstad from Seattle Nordic Knitters !!

Nordic Track

Well, it's time to get back on the Nordic Knitting track again. It's been several months since I've worked on anything Scandinavian. This is the Schoolhouse Press hat I started over a year ago which Wennie, the Corgi, chewed the needles off. She has destroyed circulars, DPN, had her own fiber festival (taken from another blog with the same problem) with roving and balls of yarn. The latest casualty is a ball of kid mohair. Some dog owners never learn !

I'm sure knitting while on a treadmill has been done before but if one
wanted to do that here are a few yarn caddies featured in the Spring 2006 Spin Off issue. This is the same issue that had the fabulous Estonian Sheep Puppets.
I think I'd fall flat on my face though if I tried !

The one above is called "Cabled Yarn Caddy" by Maureen McGinnis Patterson.
The other is " Crocheted Bag" by Meta Thompson.
She was given an old piece that had belonged to the grandmother of a second cousin on a trip to Sweden. She recreated it into this cute little bag. The way I crochet though it'd end up being big enough to carry a basketball in !

Elvis and coffee

Hey P.I.

There's a whole lotta hunka, hunka burning love here in Seattle when you come visit your family ! The offer is still open. We'll go to the all you can eat fried peanut butter and banana sandwich buffet first thing !

Do you know how hard it was to get three very silly kids to hold still
during this picture ? This is a good as it gets. I kept expecting
Graham Chapman to burst in!

How appropriate is this for the PNW Nordic Knitter ?
(and no we don't drink colored water in Seattle as is rumored, I drink
mine with blue milk !)














From Knit Picks

New Designs from Sirkka Könönen !

A letter came in the mail today from Sirkka Könönen with
two of her new brochures with new designs plus a few familiar
favorites. I LOVE the colorwork ! Included is some metalwork also but
that is for another entry !







My absolute personal favorite !


We are trying to work out the high finances for purchasing two of her
fabulous scarves. I can't wait until they finally come to my doorstep.

I am midway down the first sleeve of my Lumpy Bumpy Sweater.
Anna has decided perhaps it is not quite her style so I will be awash
in a sea of purple ! I guess I WILL be one of those old ladies
who wear that color !

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

"People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built."

Eleanor Roosevelt, My Day and 'This Is My Story,' 1937

Needles of Fire

I check Barbros blog every few days or so and find
something new ! Her needles are on fire !I learned
about Clapotis from her. The top two are Koigu,
the other is Claudias Hand Painted Cherry Chocolate.
Beautiful !

Swedish inspired tattoo !

I was pretty amazed that my 20 year old daughter Anna decided to get a tattoo. Even more surprising was that she had her brother design it as a treble clef with the Swedish flag in it !





It is so great as a rank amatuer to be learning about all the great fibers out there. Read on a Yahoo list about Evelyn C. winning the Buffalo Gold contest with her "Heartland Shawl" I asked her to bring it to the Nordic Conference meeting today. It is so beautiful and wonderfully soft.



More information on Buffalo yarn on
http://buffalogold.net

The meetings for the Conference have gone well. Everyone has been working hard.It will be so exciting. Disappointed Sirkka Könönen won't be there but very happy it's happening at all !

"Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less breathe more; talk less, say more; hate less, love more; and all good things are yours."

Swedish Proverb

Piecework magazine

If you have the chance, buy the latest issue of Piecework magazine.
It features the history and techniques of Märta Stina,
a Swedish peasant woman who lived around the time of the latter 1800's.
New patterns are included inspired by her designs.
Also included is an article about two-end knitting.




It was so wonderful for me to get to see some of her coverlets in person at the Museum in Härnösand. Thanks again Carol for suggesting that.
Thank you again Cousin Per Ingemar for setting this up, being so patient with my requests, and thanks to Bengt and Ulrika for making it all possible !!

The need for simplicity

It's been so hard to concentrate. I've just been doing totally mindless knitting. The diagonal scarf is with Crystal Palace Merino Stripe "Meadow Violets"








The pattern from Fiber Trends I want to do in the
custom spun and dyed yarn from Kristin.








Look at the wonderful socks Barbro knit. The yarn seems to shimmer. It's Nature's Palette and the pattern is from Knitty.com