Born to knit

Questions and Answers (and Lame Excuses)

I have had a few questions about my patterns – like are they for sale and where can they be found?

Most of them are for sale – but I´m always behind when it comes to writing up the patterns. Like with these mittens – they´ve been finished for a while and I meant to have the pattern ready for Syfestivalen last weekend. No such luck.

 

Made to match the hat called Liv Ullmössa. Ages ago.

Sometimes I think that I´m lazy when it takes me a long time to finish a pattern. But when I´m in a kinder mood I remind myself that I have a full time job and two kids that need a bit of attention every now and then. Plus I need my beauty sleep – and plenty of it (not that it helps).

But enough of the lame excuses and back to answering the questions.

My patterns are available both in English och på svenska.

You can buy the patterns in English at The Loopy Ewe.

Och på svenska finns mönstren hos Nysta – men de säljs också i garnaffärer över hela Sverige. Och om jag inte vore så lat så skulle jag ha gjort en lista över vilka affärerna är. Men i stället har jag suttit i min sköna fårskinnsfåtölj och stickat...

Og i  København kan du finde mine opskrifter på Sommerfuglen! Det er dog kun på svensk.

Since my friend Pinneguri made a Maja hat last week a few nice Norwegians have asked for the Maja hat pattern. Unfortunately there is no Norwegian shop that carries my patterns and it´s probably quite expensive to send for them from Sweden. But what do you want with Swedish patterns anyway – your Norwegian patterns are far superior! 

I missed Syfestivalen last week because I was  working next door at Antikmässan (the Antiques Fair). But I bought something at Antikmässan that made me very happy – two old leaflets with embroidery patterns.

These are both from 1953 and made in Östersund.

This is my favourite pornography source of inspiration. I can feel that the mere sight of a page such as this is bad for my blood pressure.

Good thing that the best medicine for high blood pressure must be to start a new knitting.

There – I feel much better now!

This is a new Dragon sweater for nine-year-old Ludvig. As usual I´m using the sleeve as a swatch.

The wool is Karamell from Östergötlands ullspinneri, but Ann at Anntorps Väv has dyed it for me.

I think it´s close to magical that you can just walk into her shop and ask for a dragon coloured yarn and two weeks later she´s got the perfect yarn in dragon colours ready and waiting!

No, It´s Not My Birthday, But...

I got a big packet in the post today.

Ten chubby skeins of Loopy Ewe Solids, my new favourite fingering yarn.

There are so many colours it´s almost a problem to pick out the ones you want. When you see the shade card you want them all.

Until I start using them I´m going to make the most of these lovely skeins and put them on display in the book yarn cupboard in the living room. 

 

A Day in the Life of a Model

Yes, it´s hard work – but someone has to do it.

Who would have thought that I would become a "model" at the age of 45?

Certainly not me. 

To be honest, I don´t like being photographed that much.

But this is my new hat Lotte. And someone had to model it.

If  I ask my daughter Elise - who is both younger and prettier - people will think that this is a pattern for children. So in order to show that this hat also can be worn by old hags middleaged women I have to sacrifice myself. Sigh.

The hat is named after my grandmother Lotte who used to knit a lot (her second name was Johanne so I was actually named after her).

The yarn I´ve used is Cashmere Queen from Schoppelwolle. Now, I think I´d better issue a warning about this yarn. It´s like knitting with butter. Soft and smooth. It´s extremely addictive. But not very cheap.

I fear that my children will be fed up with eating only porridge long before I have grown tired of knitting with Cashmere Queen...

But a little hat is the perfect, affordable project. If you can stop after one hat. Apparently some people find that hard.

This is my second Lotte hat, it´s a slightly bigger size and different colourway. But the pink one is my own personal favourite.

Sometimes I ask my sister Emelie to model my hats. She does a much better job of it. And so does her boyfriend, Per Dahl, who is a real photographer. 

This is the hat Greta, also made in Cashmere Queen.

I think that Greta is one of the best patterns I´ve ever constructed. It´s sort of complicated and simple at the same time. That is why it comes in only one size. It´s terribly hard to add even one stitch without having to change the whole design.

These two patterns will be ready for Syfestivalen (The Knitting and Sewing Fair) that starts on Friday.

I will not be there on Friday, because of my other job, my real job. But I won´t be far away, only next door at Antikmässan (The Antiques Fair) doing what I do when I´m really working.

 

 

Why not, liksom?

This is what my husband would do. If he REALLY loved me. 

A blog reader found this on a website. Thanks, Lenor!

Are you reading this, mr B?

Remember that our second child had a hundred percent natural birth (ouch).