malinmerino

Obviously nothing is happening here, so I´ll just officially put this blog on ice. But I´m sure I´ll return to it someday, when I get knitting again!

I actually have some finished stuff, I just didn´t remember to post them here. First a hat, with some crocheted flowers:



And then a flower pin:

I´ve borrowed Knit-a-long on the library (sometimes they do get books I want to read!), and found a very clever use of  leftover sock yarn - a barnraising quilt! So now I´m knitting squares in the evenings in front of the TV - perfect! The only thing, is that I will run out of yarn, long before the quilt is done. I guess this will be a very long term project...

I used the white silk yarn I got from my swap with Iris in Britain, and made a shrug/cardigan from it. I don´t know if I´m completely happy with the result, I need to see it on a person first, and it´s too small for me (it was 200 grams of yarn, there are limits to how far 200 grams will stretch).

I told you before, I got a pattern published in the SnB 2008 calendar, and today, on Friday the 13th, you can find it! It looks like this:

Designed by Malin Walkeby       malinmaskros.blogg.se

Skully Socks
ONE SIZE
MATERIALSMarks & Kattens Safir Superwash 100% superwash wool (Swedish worsted weight or American light sport weight); (50 g/127 m), 2 balls 504 black (MC), 1 ball 500 white (CC)
US 3 (3.25 mm) and US 1 (2.25 mm) double-pointed needles (set of 5) GAUGE27 sts and 30 rows = 4" in chart patt using larger needles DIRECTIONS
LEG: With MC and smaller needles, CO 72 sts. Distribute evenly onto 4 needles. Pm and join.
Work in k1, p1 rib for 2". Work 2 rnds St st.
Change to larger needles and work in chart patt as foll:
Join CC and work 36 rnds of chart. Rep rnds 17-36 if desired. Work rnds 37-46.
Break off CC. Cont with MC only, work 2 rnds St st.
Next rnd: *K2, k2tog, k3, k2tog; rep from * around-56 sts.

HEEL: Flap worked over 28 sts on needles 1 and 4. Sl all sts onto one needle.
Row 1 (RS): Sl 1, k27.
Row 2: Sl 1, p27.
Rep rows 1 and 2 until heel flap meas 2", ending with a WS row.
TURN HEEL:
Row 1 (RS): Sl 1, k15, skp, k1; turn.
Row 2: Sl 1, p5, p2tog, p1; turn.
Row 3: Sl 1, k6, skp, k1; turn.
Row 4: Sl 1, p7, p2tog, p1; turn.
Cont as est, working 1 more st before dec every row until all heel sts have been worked, omitting k1 and p1 at end of last 2 rows-16 sts.
With free needle, k8.
With needle 1, k8, PU and k10 sts along side of heel flap; k across needles 2 and 3; with needle 4, PU and k10 sts along other side of heel flap, k8-64 sts.
SHAPE GUSSET:
Rnd 1: Knit.
Rnd 2: K to last 3 sts of needle 1, k2tog, k1; k across needles 2 and 3; on needle 4, k1, skp, k to end of rnd.
Rep rnds 1 and 2 until you have 56 sts.

FOOT: Work even in St st until foot measures 5" or 3" less than desired finished length.

TOE: Dec rnd: *On needle 1, k to last 2 sts, skp; on needle 2, k2tog, k to end; rep from * on needles 3 and 4.
Rep dec rnd every 8th rnd twice more, then every rnd until 8 sts rem.

FINISHING: Break off yarn and thread tail through rem sts. Draw tight and fasten securely. Weave in ends. Block lightly.

I did some more knitting! The weather is beautiful outside, warm and sunny, and I have been knitting! I used some of my Japanese alpaca yarn and made some mittens, and they turned out perfect - perfect fit, really good look, nice and tightly knitted (= warm in the winter). And the colour, which I wasn´t sure about, worked really well. So, all and all - it was a really good knit!

I don´t do much knitting at the moment, some of it is absolutely seasonal, some is my current obsession with ATCs (artist trading cards). As I said before, I can only obsess about one thing at the time. But I did knit a pair of socks, from the lovely yarn I got from Iris in our last swap. I used the Simple Ginny Sock pattern as a base, and then I altered it to my liking. I think it ended up looking rather nice, and very much "jeans socks" - I can´t wait for fall!

 

I got a swap package yesterday, from Iris in England. It was our second swap, and when I opened the package I was reminded why we did another one: she puts together amazing packages!
I got two hanks of white liks yarn, one hank of HipKnits sock yarn (lovely colours, can´t wait to see it on my feet!), a hank of homespun brown/white yarn, a knitting magazin, a Craft: magazine, some Cath Kidston fabric and very delicious chocolate. I felt spoiled like a princess, and loved everything! Thank you so much, Iris!

As you might be able to tell, I´m not doing much knitting at the moment. I used the leftover Kona and Calamity for socks for a friend´s baby boy, but that´s pretty much it since I did my Yarn Pirate socks. I have been pre-occupied with my flat for a while, and now I´m having a big crush on ATCs (Artist Trading Cards). But I will return to my knitting needles, I always do. And I have some yummy sock yarn that´s just waiting to be used.

Meanwhile, you could always look for me at my main blog, dandelion daisy.

I have finished the socks from the Yarn Pirate yarn I got, and I think they turned out quite nice!





This are the Calamity ones, and these are the Kona:



I love the colours on both, they were a pure joy to knit with, too bad they are wool, or I would fill my stash with the stuff! Thank you so much Erika! I can´t begin to tell you how much I appreciate your generosity!

I just sold most of my wool stash - only the Japanese yarns are still left. Now, I just have to pack them all up, collect all of the money (it turned out to be quite a bit - yay!) and send them off to their new homes. Some of them I will say a slightly misty goodbye to, I have to say - I do love those yarns! Hopefully, they will all come to good homes, and become something beautiful.

I´ve put up all of my wool yarns on Tradera (Swedish online auction site), since I don´t get enough action over at Ravelry (though I have sold a few). And I got bids on three yarns, before I had even finished posting all yarns! I hope they all go, that would be a great addition to my purse! And I wouldn´t have wool yarns in my stash, and someone else would get some lovely yarns in theirs.

You know the lovely yarns I´ve bought/traded lately? The ones I´ve been raving about? Well, this weekend I came to the conclusion that I can´t be serious about me being vegan as long as I´m knitting with wool, so I´m selling them - all of my lovley, wonderful, pretty yarns, they are all up for destashing on Ravelry (where I´m malinmerino, if you´re interested in adding some new yarns to your stash). I´ll try to find vegan sock yarns instead, I got a good start with my vegan pal package, which included some Fixation. Fortunately, I know I can always turn to Ravelry - I don´t think there´s any yarn on Earth, that can´t be found on Ravelry! 

Good things comes to those who wait, and good things sure did come to me! This arrived to me yesterday:



Lovely vegan yarn, yummy goodies, vegan recipes (in the cirkle-y book), mint lip balm, post-its, a tea cup cozy and a button (I´m not a nugget). Everything is perfect - thanks a lot lusciousfibers/Suzanne!