Things happen...

fish bowl :-D
This one is rather big and thin... I was afraid it would melt lopsided in the kiln.

Here's the day's free patterns...

I have been collecting free on-line sock patterns on Wists

I was surfing - I found Strickmühle 2. and Tostetoes... I think it's so inspiring to see others' productivity :-)

Moon and mermaid...

So what have I been doing? I fetched my ceramics from the school today. No more classes :-( Only two years. :-( I really love sculpting :-)

Little bear plaque and bigger wall plate with peacock theme

Then I was thinking about Knitwars... It is created to get us knitting. One of the creators has SSS - second sock syndrome - and she has it bad :-D Nevertheless, one of the things is that finishing an object gives you quite a lot of XPs (experience points)... but in my mind it isn't right. Now... I went to the KnitWarriors group to whine a little and in my mind I got a rather whiny response... and I have been murring about that today. The thing is that she didn't need to take it the way she did nor response the way she did, because
1) I was just expressing my opinion, I didn't expect anyone to do anything about it, because by reading the discussions in the group nothing is nor will be done about the people's opinions, suggestions etc.
2) It has been said rather clearly that how many XPs people take and of what is up to their own conscience - there are possibilities to take 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, 1, 1 1/2 and 2 times the XPs for each adventure already put in work in the Knitwars... so she could have reminded me of this, if she had the need to response...

Some lacy bookmarks - quickies to get XPs :-D

On the other hand - we all have bad days. Today was really bad for me.

This is what my horseshoe cardigan looks like right now

But on a positive note... Socktopus accepts Paypal... I almost cried a week ago because I couldn't find any information about that... but she does. :-) She has some amazing yarn... :-)

This is the first of my coven terra cotta

Yarn stores in Stockholm

I have created a Google map about the yarn stores in Stockholm, so if you are coming this way and would like to find some of them...

There's a "new" knitting e-zine around

Knotions magazine. I think this has been around since August this year.

There should be newest Knitty up soon.

There's obviously another new kid in the block - Popknits. First issue is only a week old.

Doily and robin

I have been crocheting this doily for three months now... One round every now and then. It is Patricia Kristoffersen's Pineapple Song, and it's full of "weird" stitches - popcorns, stitches reaching a couple of rows below... it's very structured, and I think that's what's special for Patricia Kristoffersen. The doily is really pretty :-)


And this little fellow... I planned on doing it for Yule, but Boris (the dog) decided otherwise... he got himself a new toy. He loves teddies and toys. He doesn't destroy them, he just carries them around in his mouth. He is 4 1/2 and has a tiger he has had all his life, and that tiger is well loved... He has licked the tiger's fur off in certain places, and every now and then a limb falls off, but I'll just sew it on place - the dog sitting by me and WATCHING very carefully what I do.
He's really nice dog, he doesn't try to take his toy from my hands before I say it's ok, but his facial expression is like on a little boy; "Mommy, tiger's hand fell off! Can you fix it? Does it hurt Tiger?"

P.S: Now I have finished two things I have been doing for a longer time - the PK doily and the two socks in one... may I start the cardigan now?

Teddybears and -tigers need sweaters too...

And here's the list of free teddybear sweaters and teddybears you can knit :-)

More on what to do with doilies

Stephani Martinez' lace installation

My first posts on the issue: Doilies and I've been a bad, bad girl...
decor8: doilylove
the future girl: rocking the doily
citified: laced with style
Country Living: Delightful Way With Doilies

Scrumdillydilly has a tutorial on dilly doily bag

Pictures from Suuri Käsityölehti 3/2005
- use lace scraps to decorate your t-shirt, make pockets out of doilies, or use a doily as a "picture" in your shirt
(Themachinestops uses dyed doilies to decorate simple dresses and stuff... very pretty.)
Decorate pillows with doilies, (here a very classy version) make a bag out of a square doily by lining it, make a hanging flower pot basket out of a doily, make a lamp shade or a lacy tablecloth with doily intarsia.

I saw a rather interesting Russian crochet top, using 2 large doilies as the pattern for the hem - the top had been crocheted up from the doily to cover the torso.
Make a bohemian skirt by sewing doilies together into fabric.
Use doily as a pretty lace "undershirt"
More applications
Very pretty ruffly doily scarf

A round doily becomes a very pretty round handbag.
Sew two little doilies together and line with pretty silk, and you have a lacy purse.
You can also make a little reticule the same way as the hanging flower pot basket...
You can also use the doily as the bottom of a net bag.

The Magnolia Project
Doily art
Doilies as snowflakes as Christmas decoration

There's nothing to stop you from starching the doilies hard and use them as paper doilies.
You could also make most of these hats with the help of starched doilies.

Joana Vasconcelos

What about hanging them on a line as a lacy bohemian café curtain? These doily and lace lampshades would fit the style :-) And what about a tablecloth like this?

Sofa decorated with doilies - actually, patched with doilies, but the idea is nice :-D (A little bit the same idea here or here, using paperdoilies)
You could sew the doilies together and make a fitted armchair cover. You can cover a simple stool easily with a doily.

Here's a lace sun chair and a little lace table... I wonder if one can starch a thread doily this hard? You can always make it with clear acrylic resin...
I'm planning on making a doily cake stand...

You can use doilies as painting aid, or as help to decorate cakes or as stamps for your pottery.

Two antique beaded holders (for what?) and a beaded tablemat

- insert the doily on felt and get a pretty tablemat.

You know, it's no shame to cut these pretties up and take only what you want... cut them, paint them, dye them, make jewelry out of them, use them in scrap booking, collages, art journaling... the options are endless :-) Only your imagination sets limits...

Hello Kitty and Chococat!

In Hello Kitty's Xmas Book there are some patterns for boys and among them is a sweater with Hello Kitty chart - this is a modified version of that chart with Chococat - I don't like Hello Kitty, but I like Chococat. If you want, you can embroider his nose chocolate brown, his ears pale orangish pink and his collar light blue.
The chart for the scarf is 25 stitches wide and the pattern repeat for the sweater is 20 + 5


THIS IS THE HELLO KITTY GRANNY SQUARE
FROM "HELLO KITTY KNITWEAR AND GOODS" AND IT IS COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL, SO DON'T SELL ANYTHING YOU MAKE WITH THIS PATTERN.

(face oval)
With white, ch 6
1. sc in 2nd ch from the hook and then in following 3ch - back loop only, 3 sc in the next ch. Rotate the piece so that the worked sc's are downwards and crochet back - 1 sc in front loop of the next 4 ch, 2sc in the 5th. Join with sl st to the 6th ch.
2. ch, 2 sc in the same sc, 1 sc in the following 3 sc, 2 sc in the next sc, 1 sc in the corner sc, 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in the next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc and 1 sc in the beginnign end of the oval. Join with sl st to the first ch.
3. ch, 2 sc in the same sc, *1 sc in next sc* 5 times, 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in the end sc, 2 sc in next, *1 sc in next sc* 5 times, 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in the end sc, join with sl st to the beginning ch.
4. ch, sc in the same sc. 2 sc in next sc. *1 sc in next sc* 5 times, 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in the end sc, 1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc, *1 sc in next sc* 5 times, 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in the end sc, join with sl st to beginning ch.
5. ch, 2 sc in the same sc. 1 sc in next sc. 2 sc in next sc. *1 sc in next sc* 5 times, 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc (this was the other end of the oval), 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc, *1 sc in next sc* 5 times, 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc, join with sl st to the beginning ch.

(ear)
6.ch, 1 sc in the same sc, *1 sc in the next sc* 3 times. Turn.
7. 1 ch, *sc next 2 sc tog* twice. Turn.
8. ch. sc next 2 sc tog. FO.

(the other ear)
Have the work right side up, the finished ear should be on right.
Count 7 sc from the left base stitch of the ear - you should end up with the third increase of the last round of the oval, the 12th sc of row 5. Join the yarn in this second increase sc and repeat from row 6.

9. Join dark pink in the next sc from the left ear.
ch 1, 1 sc in the same sc as the beginning ch, 2 sc in the next sc, *1 sc in the next sc* 15 times, 2 sc in the next sc, 1 sc in the next sc, 3 sc's on the right edge of the right ear, 2 sc in the last sc of the right ear, 4 sc's on the left edge of the right ear, *1 sc in next sc* 4 times, 4 sc's on the right edge of the left ear, 2 sc in the last sc of the left ear, 3 sc's on the left edge of the left ear, join with sl st to the beginning ch and FO.

10. Join light pink in the next sc - that is, not the one that began the round 9, but 2nd sc on round 9.
ch2, hdc in the same sc, sk 1 sc, 2 hdc in next sc, ch1, sk 1 sc, 2 dc, 3 sc, 2 trc in next sc, sk 1 sc, 2 dc in next sc, sk 1 sc, 2 dc in next sc, 1 ch, sk 1 sc, 2 dc in next sc, sk 1 sc, 2 dc in next sc, sk 1 sc, 2 trc, 3 ch, 2 dc in next sc, 1ch, *sk 1 sc, 2 hdc in next sc* 3 times, *1 sc in next sc* twice, 2 hdc in next sc, ch 3, 2 hdc in next sc (you should be on top of the right ear now), sk 2 sc, 2 dc in next sc, 2 dc in the space between next sc's, ch 1, sk 1 sc, 2 dc in the space between next sc's (there should be two sc's between these pairs of dc's), sk 1 sc, 2 dc in next sc, sk 2 sc, 2 hdc in next sc, ch 3, 2 hdc in next sc (and here you should be on top of the left ear), *1 sc in next sc* twice, 2 hdc in next sc, sl st to 2nd ch of the beginning chains.
11. ch1, sc in the same stitch, 1 sc in each of the stitches. FO.

Weave in ends. Embroider the cat's eyes, nose and whiskers. Decorate as you wish, for example, add the bow to Hello Kitty, or crochet a tiny flower and sew it on.

Instead of white, use black for Chococat, or which ever color cat you want to make.
Instead of dark pink, use any color of your choice other than the cat you are making.
Instead of light pink, use any color you want to use as the background color.

What to do with this?

Crochet a whole pile and make an afghan out of them. Crochet two, sew them together, add a strap and you have a cute little pocket. You can continue crocheting sc's from bottom end of the square and make the back of the bag of them, or continue crocheting sc's or dc's as you wish from the top end of the square and make a scarf. Finish with another Kitty square. You can also make simple granny squares or flower squares of the same size and use them to make the scarf, or the afghan. You can use these as pockets in a cardigan or a sweater, use them as a border of a hat, or a decorative "stripe" in a sweater or cardigan, or a bag. Make nine patch pillow.

You can use ANY granny squares the same way, and there are a lot of free granny square patterns on-line.

Bev's groovy 70's granny square hat
granny square spring hat
child's granny square hat and scarf
granny square drawstring purse
granny square pucker purse
very granny gift bag
granny square bag
granny squares handbag
granny square tote
granny square headband
granny top cap
granny square slippers I
granny square slippers II
granny square Christmas stocking
granny square shawl
granny square jacket
granny square jacket II
girl's tank top with granny squares

other granny square projects
grannyalong blog - place for granny squares and projects

I should be cleaning now...

or finishing my projects. I'm not. I'm surfing and procrastinating and getting ideas.

Shalom cardigan (though it's more like a vest, I think)

I think it's Kaffe Fasset, Lucy Neatby and a couple from blogs... I think.

Then I saw some cute and funny hippo pillows and in the same book was some hens... so I got an idea of a henhouse for Easter breakfast - or brunch. With rooster as the teapot cozy, a couple of hens to keep the breakfast rolls and boiled eggs warm and some chicks for egg cozies. My sister would squeal :-D Frankly, I'd love these too...
















You remember the Elvish Leaves dishcloth I knitted a couple of days ago? I found the Totally Autumn throw, and if you take two pattern repeats, you have yourself a dishcloth. Knit as long as you want and finish with garter stitches.

I like Due South, Paul Gross and Mounties too... and Dr.Who... I suppose I should make myself some dolls... but on the other hand... I don't play with dolls! These would be just in the corner collecting dust and moths and cause me anxiety, because I couldn't possibly give these babies to babies in need of toys... *sigh*

Edgar Allan Poe doll, bottle fisherman and tattooed doll. And I don't know who dunnit.

Today's patterns are from Inner Child :-) I LOVE her toys!
Crochet Today's free patterns - you might find something quick and easy there :-)
Lynn's Original Patterns - without pics - from 2005. I think she's into scrapbooking now...
Fable crafting
Cat toy fishes - perfect for little scraps of yarn
Crochet Style etc. - scroll down to free patterns

DA-DAA!

FINALLY they are done! These are done in double-knitting... the Kory Stamper's Extreme sock knitting two-in-one a la Tolstoi... do you see the intricate decreases in the ankle and the beautiful braiding on foot? All done in double-knitting!
I think I should actually deserve some extra XPs for these socks. But, I'm modest and honest and stupid and will take only the points I think I can. Nevertheless, I'm on the second place at Lime&Violet party's weekly list... Not bad :-)

Sorry about the red pic... my hubby insisted on wearing them and going to bed with them on, and I janked up the duvet to photograph the socks :-D Later perhaps a better picture - to better show off the finesses of these socks ;-)

Today's links:
Little Cotton Rabbit's free patterns
frugal knitting house: free patterns

Something finished...

My version of Elvish Leaves... Too loose, I'd say. It was supposed to have a nice 3D feeling to it. Yes, sure, it's 3D - every object in this world is 3D, but you know what I mean. Strong structure is what I mean. Mine is flat and - sure - pretty, but not what I expected. :-(

But it was a nice little "refreshment". Now I'll go back to crochet my doily and knit my socks. *sigh*

BTW, someone said a pattern has to be published if it is to be accepted as a pattern to get points for at KnitWars... So

Net cap
I don't care about cauge, yarn, needles and such. Use what works for you. You'll need yarn and crochet hook ;-)
The clay head is about half the size of an actual head, so don't think this is a bell hat. This is like a Juliet cap or a kippah.

Ch 4 and join to first ch with a sl st to form a ring.
1st round: Ch 7, *dc in ring, ch 4* 4 times, dc, ch 2, hdc in 3rd ch of the beginning chain.
You should have 6 dc and 6 ch4 spaces.
2nd round: ch 7, *dc, ch 4, dc, ch 4* in each of the six ch4 spaces. Instead of last ch4, ch 2, hdc in 3rd ch of the beginning chain.
You should have 12 dc and 12 ch4 spaces.
3rd round: ch 7, *dc, ch5* in each of the 12 ch4 spaces. Instead of last ch5, ch2, dc in 3rd ch of the beginning chain.
You have 12 dc and 12 ch5 spaces.
4th round: ch 6, *dc, ch 3, dc, ch 3* in each of the 12 ch5 spaces. Instead of last ch3, ch 1, hdc in 3rd ch of the beginning chain.
24 dcs and ch3 spaces.
8th round: ch 6, *dc, ch3* in each of the 24 ch3 spaces. Instead of last ch3, ch1, hdc in 3rd ch of the beginning chain.
24 dcs and ch3 spaces.
9th round: ch 6, *dc, ch3* in each of the 24 ch3 spaces. Instead of last ch3, ch1, hdc in 3rd ch of the beginning chain.
24 dcs and ch3 spaces.
10th round: ch 7, *dc, ch4* in each of the 24 ch3 spaces. Instead of last ch4, ch2, hdc in 3rd ch of the beginning chain.
24 dcs and ch4 spaces.
11th round: ch 7, *dc, ch4* in each of the 24 ch3 spaces. Instead of last ch4, ch2, hdc in 3rd ch of the beginning chain.
24 dcs and ch4 spaces.
12th round: ch 7, *dc, ch4* in each of the 24 ch3 spaces. Instead of last ch4, ch2, hdc in 3rd ch of the beginning chain.
24 dcs and ch4 spaces.
13th round: ch 3, dc in every ch and dc around, sl st in 3rd ch of the beginning chain.
14th round: ch4, skip 1 dc, dc in next dc, continue around. Sl st in 3rd ch of the beginning ch. Fasten off.

If the cap is too big - ch3 instead of ch4 in the last 3 rounds. If the cap is too small, ch5 instead of ch4.

P.S. Today's link is Marjorie Crochets! Some of the cutest amigurumis (crocheted or knitted toys) I've seen! And some other things too ;-)

For The Love of Yarn

Ok... For The Love of Yarn

I wasn't supposed to do this today... I was supposed to go to the library and fetch two knitting books I have ordered from the library. Meg Swansen's lace knitting book, and a German mitten knitting book. I have also a pile of knitting books I have already borrowed from the library waiting for me to read them, take what I want and use them as inspiration for my own designs and spin-offs... But here I am. Writing my block. Surfing.

I went through my papers and wrote a to do list for the four months before Christmas. I was reminded that I need to go and print out the article about Estonian lace knitting, and that lead me to another place and so on... and finally For The Love of Yarn... and then I couldn't resist coming here and sharing the link with all of you :-)

Shall I trace my steps?

Snail pattern - suggested by Fleegle as a "refreshener" (along with Roman Sock's small amigurumis). Fleegle's blog I found because of "nupps" - nypyt suomeksi. (I didn't have any problems with nupps... I think it's really cute they are called nupps :-D
I also found Lacefreak's blog and had a very interesting, wonderful, aweful and humbling experience with watching Amanda comb wool... That someone does that still today with all the machines and factories... and then she'll spin it, and will spin enough laceweight yarn for a shawl... how much time that will take, how much patience, peace... Uh... Oh... I am at awe... (Yes, aweful, not awful ;-))
Also Bad Cat Designs and Summer Lace Samples Wrap project.
And here's "Encyclopedia of Knitting"

Now I'm going to check the Crochet Gatherings CALs for September and the Haybarn for sock harvest, and then I'll vanish back into my bed to do what I'm supposed to be doing :-D (That is - knitting socks)

Currently working on...

I decided to put the pictures on the right side this time, to create a little action... Er... I don't think I want that kind of action. But I'll let it stay.
One should do new things every day ;-)

The first picture is two socks in one - inside each other. It was supposed to be my Olympic mission, but - nah. I'm bored with socks right now.



Next one is the pink cotton I got from my sister and that I used to knit the Horseshoe Cardigan. The pattern was from Magknits, and Magknits is gone now, so - no pattern. And I found out that the last page of the pattern was missing... So I frogged the whole cardigan (The bodice was done) and thought of doing something else with the yarn. Now... I found the rest of the pattern. The creatrix had kindly put it in Ravelry... So now I'll start all over again and knit the horseshoe cardigan :-)




The next image is a cotton net cap to my hubby.






Magic Mirror socks. I started both at the same time on circular needle, but there was a little miss in the pattern and I chose to believe the Creatrix' word instead of my own common sense. So the other sock was "wrong", so I frogged it. Now I'm thinking of whether to knit it to this point separately and then join the socks and finish them together or not. But as said - I'm bored with socks right now. (And then I join the Sock Harvest... :-D I'm mad!)

The last beauty is Patricia Kristoffersson's doily. Patricia's specialty is structure... My crochet hook is a bit too small for the thread, so the doily gets a little squashed look, but it will be fine with a little blocking :-)

I've joined a couple of new mysteries...

The Goddess Knits anniversary shawl is amazing... I'm going to have to make me one of each option, they are all wonderfully beautiful!

So, I joined the Mystery Stole IV. I like the stoles they have created earlier and I like knitting. Then I hunted forth more mysteries and found Holiday Mystery Gifts... Last year they had like 200 nice patterns, and this year... "Socks, hats, shawls, toys, and much more are on their way to you." :-) So pretty things, quick and simple and nice, ornaments and gifts... Last year they had this big, wonderful pi shawl... I can't wait to see what they'll do this year. It starts September 20th. Three months before Christmas.
You know, it's not even 120 days left to Yule. It's high time to start thinking about those issues. ;-)

I would really like to give back a little for everything I have got from the wonderful, kind and generous internet community I'm part of... I'd like to be able to design patterns and give them for everyone for free... organize mystery KALs and CALs and so on... Like for the Sock Harvest. *sigh* One day I will be courageous enough to do that :-)

Until then, here's some existing free patterns:
felted bowl I
felted bowl II
felted bowl III
felted bowl IV - she has also other quick, easy, simple and nice patterns for gifts :-)
felted bowl V
felted bowl VI
felted bowl VII (you can embroider anything in the bottom, like smilies or yin-yang symbol...)

Also, see the Black Purl ezine and Roxy Craft :-)

Hats

Kody creates very nice free hat patterns and charts.
She mentioned the Xmas Tree Hat.

I was thinking of Diana Wynne Jones' books and the hat shop in Howl's castle... I'd like to get the same response to her books as Joanne Rowling's Harry Potter has received... Sure, there're no knitting mommies in Chrestomanci's world, but when has that stopped anyone?

When I think of knitted and crocheted hats for the hat shop, it's more this sort of things I'm referring to...
Vintage hat
hat and bag from 1960
Soft Brim casual hat from 1947
Draped beret from 1947
Yellow picture hat and bag from 1953
Lacy cloche - 1953
"Antique" hat patterns
hats and bags from 40's and 50's
Ladies' hat from 50's
Bobble hat
1940's luncheon date hat
sunlight hat
3-piece angora set

Not all of them are as fancy as I'd like, but in all the woman wearing the hat has a nice hairdo, makeup and clothes. Just a little care and consideration before one goes out the door, like Trinny and Susannah say ;-)

I WILL RESIST!!!

I won't join any more swaps. I won't! But they are organizing Harry Potter Sock Kit Swap again, and I WAAAAAANT!!!
I am going to get myself a package. :-)
It will be packaged in a big box - I think I'm going to buy me one of those nice boxes from IKEA.
The box will be filled with tissue paper in my house colors (blue and bronze - I'm a Ravenclaw girl :-)) and then I'll make dozens of those cute paper strip stars instead of styrofoam. I loved it when one of my swap pals had sprinkled a handful of tiny sparkly stars in the package :-)
There will be a couple of magic sock yarn balls filled with surprises, ebony needles tucked in the balls. I think I'll put some rosewood needles in the other ball.
One of the yarns will be hand-painted in Orion nebula colors - as that fits the Ravenclaw :-)


The other will be koigu, so that I too can get my Ziggys :-) I think I need two balls of Koigu...
(You know, I joined a magic yarn ball swap several years ago, and never got my yarn ball... Or an explanation then either >:-> And, yes, I'm still sad about that.)
I think I'll make some potpurri pillows to be used as the "heart" of the yarn ball.

There will be knitting tools, like stitch markers with matching scissor chain and row counter bracelet; tape measure with nice cover, clover yarn cutter medallion, if I can find one somewhere, and the lovely sheep needle sizer/gauge measure I have been drooling over for years now... And a stitch saver.
Needle case - or wand case :-D - of chinese brokade.
There will be nail file, an everlasting glass file or a stone file. Or a handy pocket case for emery boards. A small tube of quickly drying hand cream. I'll see if I can find a jar of bond's butter.
In the yarn balls will be hair accessories, like sticks and combs... I really love hair accessories :-)
There will be a pretty medieval-looking notepad and marker, bookmarks and magnets. I don't like stickers, but I think I'd like some fake tattoos :-D
There will be Harry Potter candy, a big bag of jellybeans, Lindts chocolate and a box of the new toffee I saw in the store last week. I think I'll make some chocolate chip cookies... toffee chip cookies?
I think there could be a raven too, for example a pin cushion... with self-decorated pins... for example shrinky-dink pins or polymer clay pins... (I think this is absolutely adorable... and the silver charm is great!)
There definitely will be a pair of earrings.


Then there will be a "book" of sock patterns. I have copied hundreds (yes!) of free patterns from the net for Summer of Socks, and I think it would be nice to finally get them on paper and in plastic pockets in a binder. I think I will also give me a knitting magazine... I was really happy to get the Interweave Knits in one swap :-)
Perhaps I'll also buy a sock pattern. I love Lucy Neatby's patterns, and Cookie's socks are wonderful too :-)

And then there will be a cigar box decorated with decoupage collage, and filled with magic stuff... I might even buy me a new tarot deck :-D
There will be a pocket book which might not have anything to do with HP, and bookmark.
There will be socks, tam and house scarf in Ravenclaw colors.
Then there will be dog toys and candy for Boris the Springer Spaniel.
There will be some good tea and a teapot cosy, and perhaps some other tea related stuff, like tea ball or sugar sticks.
There will be a soap sweater made from stone colored yarn with inscripture, with vanilla soap inside, and a HP washcloth...
Then there will be something with fox... a mixed CD with my favorite songs... Maybe I'll buy myself Nickleback's or Staind's CD. Maybe some coasters... a real quill, dragon's blood ink and paper... some hundred pretty beads for knitting... I think it would be fun to find something like a zen garden in your pocket or braingames or so... a knitting calendar with quotes about knitting, life and other important things. It would be nice if I'd find a raven cookie cutter. It really is nice with some recipe cards too... perhaps some spices and such to make something nice for dinner. I'd love a gargoyle. And a tiny owl...

These will be packed in their own totebags. Or perhaps I'll wrap them in shawls and scarfs and pretty pieces of fabrique ;-)

I'd like to add some funnies too... I love the idea of sending a little bottle of syrup or liquor with self-made "magic potion" lable, or "a sample of transformation magic" - elephant poo paper :-D Subversive cross stitch. "Grow your own enchanted castle" (sunflower seeds) or "magic" beans :-D Perhaps some seeds of witchy plants like mandragora.
Or a bumber sticker... "Save the Broom - Ride a Quiddich Player"... SO NASTY!!! ROTFLMAO

Something self-made:
Themed list: Harry Potter Patterns

Here are some of the best freebie patterns I have seen outside Knitty and Ulla :-D

Sukkasato

Sock harvest in Finnish. I just found out and of course I want to join! LOL

Sukkasadon kotilato
Ravelry group

KnitWar adventures...

Some time ago I found the knitting scout badges.
Now I found the KnitWars with adventures and XPs... I love this kind of things :-)

It's really hard to concentrate, because I have such an anxiety attack going on I want to hang on the walls

Today's gift

I was surfing the net and found Tapestry Crochet Blog and there was a link to Tejemanejes, a Spanish netzine like Knitty or Ulla.

Indeed there's no updates!

I saw that the photo of the full knitting basket was almost the last thing posted here, and there has been some things happening after that...

First, here's the summer socks:

knit during the summer vacation in Finland:

Jaywalkers,

Slipstitch socks andVictorian lace socks,

my brother's Yule socks

Crown socks.
There should be a picture of a pink buddy to these, with hearts,
I gave them to my sister as birthday present and I haven't got any pics yet.
I also knitted her a scarf, and I'd like to get pics of that too...

I bought the yarn from Finland to knit the snake socks, but the yarn is too thick...
so I experimented a little.

Two pairs of socks are on the needles, but the inspiration to knit socks is gone.
Also... I think there's some socks missing...

This is the crazy afghan I mentioned earlier. I just started crocheting
Free crochet, of the effect yarns I inherited from my mother...

And this is an try-out afghan.
I am taking different granny square patterns I think look interesting
and crochet them with wool of colors I think look if not nice, at least interesting together.

Flora from silk-wool I got in my first one skein swap.

This is my Olympic knitting - swallowtail butterfly shawl enlargened, with beads, of silk-merino yarn... it is dreamy soft and light, like clouds or dreams...
My hubby made a coup - he asked me to knit a white shawl, beautiful, with beads, and I thought he was to give it to a friend who has been very kind and generous... and then he said it was to a "friend" who is very kind and generous - to a woman he loves more than anything - to me. :-D
He didn't know anyone else who could have knitted it... now he knows that I have sisters who can. But I'm happy anyways, it was lovely to knit. Boring, but the yarn was lovely LOL

Mystic Lights KAL. I made a mistake with this, but I'm quite ok with the results anyway. Though the "painting" of the yarn didn't come through as I thought it would. Obviously it works well only in crochet.

Monk's travel sachet. Needs lining, because it stretches awfully.

Then there's a lace doily in a bag... It is the same doily that was being crocheted in the pic of the basket too, but I have managed to crochet a couple more rows :-D
It's a bit bigger, that's all. I'll post a picture when it's done.

Seen at Craftzine...

Conceptual scarf patterns/art

CraftStylish

Twist Collective e-zine

I feel so stupid!

On row 132 the pattern changed and I should have knit the purl side in pattern... I noticed this on row 165. I have been knitting the purl side pattern as knit side pattern and purling every other row straight - that means that I have knitted over 30 rows too many - and this is a shawl with 4 added stitches every other row - a lot of stitches on rows 135-165...

In my version the addition was every 4. row... One think I should have noticed there... >:-> I didn't. I just wondered why it was changed, but decided not to question the designer... X-D

I should take it all up and knit it right this time, but I am not going to. It doesn't get the pretty wavy, feathery border as it should, but it's bigger than it should and I like it that way. Besides, it's quite pretty this way too.

Besides, I should be participating in the Knitting Olympics, and it's already day 2 of the two weeks time, and I don't want to waste any more time.

Long time no seen...

It doesn't look like the sock project resulted in much... Well... Next time with better luck. And it isn't over yet.

Here's a couple of blogs and sites I visit and find inspiration in.

http://blog.craftzine.com/
http://whipup.net/
http://www.craftster.org/
http://www.flickr.com/

http://www.ullaneule.net/
http://www.knitty.com/
http://www.theanticraft.com/

Sock diary...

Yes, I admit, I'm worthless in keeping diaries :-D

On July I have knit 3 pairs of socks. I think...
One grey-white-brown pair, one pink hearty pair and one beige crowny pair.

No, 4 pairs of socks. Also my brother's Yule socks.

I had pain in my hands after Finland trip - the bag weighed a ton. No wonder, I bough a couple of books and some yarn, and those things weigh way too much...But now I'm a happy owner of Kaffe Fasset's pattern book - I really love the "Foolish Virgins" pattern :-) - and Haavisto's "100 folkly stranded patterns". There's a nice introduction to the book, with some knitting history in Finland... and I'm SO PROUD of my people :-) MY people :-)
Unfortunately the proud tradition almost died in the end of 19th century, when "handmade" became a swearword. Something for the POOR people, nothing for US. We could have had a similar tradition as they have in Baltic countries. *sigh*

Save the children!

Please, sign this petition:
Prevent and eventually abolish child sexual abuse by UN

If I remember correctly, you need to sign in to Care2, but it's free, doesn't give you bad consequences and you can use a screen name. I've been a member of Care2 for 4 years.

Sukkapäiväkirja 2.viikko

The socks were finished this morning - a little late, but they are rather big work, and I was busy the whole weekend, so - excuses, excuses ;-)
Now again my two favorite boys are working as models - my hubby wearing the socks I finished, my puppy wearing his own pretty socks :-)

I am not going to start any socks before the week is almost over, because I need to finish other projects before I leave to my two weeks' vacation in Finland. I'll come back with three pairs of socks - or at least that's the plan... Let's see what happens...

I have been winding sock yarn and collecting the sock patterns I'm going to knit in Finland. I don't have enough sock yarn for the whole summer... :-D

Lots of lots...

This is my knitting basket... or the pink thingy in the right is my basket - this is the tray. There's too many projects to fit the basket. One would think that's a hint on that there's too many projects going on...

Ket's Sock Diary day I

I was accepted to Socken Kreativ Liste! I'm extatic! LOL

I have collected so many sock patterns I can't knit all of them during my life time... As if not all the over 400 free sock patterns on-line weren't enough, I just had to buy me Nancy Bush's sock books (only two of them >:-> - Vintage Socks and Folk Socks)...

Yes, I know, 400+ sock patterns will be knitted in 8 years if I do 52 pairs plunge each year... The problem is that the lovely, creative and generous internet community will have created other 400+ sock patterns available free... and the less generous but just as lovely and creative sock book writers have managed to write a dozen or more sock books with more patterns to knit...

It's amazing how something this simple and easy can be variated to that extend!

I'm happy, but you know... there's a slight panic knocking in the back head reminding of all the pretty, soft yarn in the world, the smooth, shiny needles and all the socks I'd like to knit in my life time... *sigh*

The Japanese sock pattern charts are interesting...
One can see very clearly the construction of the sock, and I suppose if it was drawn on paper with squares (I suppose that kind of paper has a name in English... graph paper?), it would be easy to create fair isle patterns or lace patterns on the sock...

My first project is Finnish, called "Little Birds"
The graph is a little similar... you really don't need to know Finnish to knit these socks. (Last in the pattern, on the right side of the last picture, is a link "PDF-kaavio" - PDF chart). My socks are going to be rather big... again.