Jac and Kris. Thank you both so much for constantly reminding me of the incredible Teva Durham cashmere lace blouse:

I did in fact make a little progress last summer and fall but then I put it away because I defined it as "summer-season-related"  and motivation was low during the dark months... Somehow I picture this as a summer sweater, and I am sure that our summer climate will not forbid me using sweaters this year either.. That is, when I am not gone on vacation. I mean, it might be warmer there. I sure hope so.

Anyway, this is how it looks so far..

I haven't got the faintest idea if it will fit me or not because the gauge changes everytime I measure. Plus, it might shrink or "tighten" a bit after the oil-removing laundry prosess. If I somehow end up with a sweather that - technically speaking - fits, - I still don't know at all if this shape will make me elegant or hilarious-looking... I cannot, at this stage rule out any possibilities... All I need is knit - and I shall see!

I'm doing a bit of Evergreen too...This is for sure the biggest and heaviest back I've ever made!:

And here is what I'm up to when I get too much of greyish knit:

I measured, and it's 2 meters wide. I guess I've done...20 cm now and still have at least 180 to go. But that's good - because in my head I have lined up enough stripe-combinations to cover a runway...

Here are some. And here are some more:

Finally a decent looking heel-flap - the garter edge made the picking-up of stitches so neat and even. I think I will not ever knit a heel-flap again without garter st. edges:

details:

yarn: Pink Sisu from Sandnes Garn less than 100 g.

needles: 2,5 mm bamboo dpns

pattern:Embossed leaves socks, IK Winter 2005

So, technically, according to my newyear's resolution I need one more thing finished before I get to start another project...So I decided to "finish" this blanket. The squares (ahem - the 2 1/2 of them) were fun and quick to knit - but the dawning truth about the unspeakable amount of ends that in the end would need weaving-in totally had me. The project is dead. Finished.

Then why not start something totally new! The word "crochet" crossed my mind. I hardly ever did that. A wise person would probably settle for a wash-cloth, a potholder or something else easily finish-able. And by no means a whole bedspread - more than 2 m wide. This is very much inspired by Liselotte's fantastic blanket-in-progress. What am I doing. It's fun:

So far I din't break my rules. I think. But then this just landed in my mail box. I swear I was going to wait - but somehow this happened:

Sorry! It must have been me!

Because this one was actually done in 06 - I still have 2 more things to finish before I cast on something new... I finally had to find a substitute model for these shots because the man is too hard to catch during daylight time...

It's even softer than it looks..

details:

yarn: pinnsvin 100 % cashmere 4-ply, one skein black and one skein brown

pattern: my own very advanced one: cast on 300 st. and knit back and forth, alternating colors every 2. row until there is no yarn left...

needles: 4 mm circular.

And then just one little thing - to crochet is not to knit. (My 3:1 rule only applies for knitting. He-he...)

While the cashmere scarf announced in last post keeps on leaving this house during decent light-time for photographing, I had no choice but to finish this other little thing. This ist the first FO of 2007!! Only 2 more to go and I may cast on for something new!

Tam-tam:

details:

yarn: Istex Lett-lopi - slightly more than 50 g for grown-up version.

pattern: sunflower tam by Norah Gaughan from Knitting Nature

needles: 5mm 40 cm circ. and 5 mm dpns for top.

This was really much easier to knit than I first imagined - the pattern looks so intricate! I mean the way the pattern incorporates the decreases so they get invisible - yet clearly everything gets smaller! I was never clever at maths so these things really impress me!!

Then we have the FO - forecast of the day!:

My guess is that this one:

and these ones:

are next up on the FO-heaven. Every now and then I also put in a stitch or two at this one:

So no worries! - I keep busy!!!

2006 is forever gone and a new year is right now unfolding itself in front of us! New oportunities, great intentions, resolutions and expectations....imagine how the world would be if they all came true! I am no good at making new year's resolutions - and even worse at keeping them...but this year I bang the drum and may the world-wide-web be my witness when I promise: DURING 2007 I WILL FINISH 3 KNITTED OBJECTS FOR EVERY SINGLE NEW ONE I START! AND IF I DON'T FEEL LIKE STARTING ONE (HAHAHA!) - I'LL FINISH EVEN MORE! (AND BY ALL MEANS: SOCKS, MITTENS, GLOVES, OR WHATEVER OBJECTS THAT CONSTITUTE PAIRS IN ORDER TO BE USEFUL, COUNT AS 1 - ONE OBJECT!) This resolution is absolutely crucial if I by the end of this year don't want to become known as the poor knitblogger who sadly went missing among her own WIPs...(and noone ever heard even the faintest click-clack from her ever again....)

The good thing about making my own resolution is that I also get to make my own rules. When I say "finish an object" this may also mean finish as in terminate, rip, frog, unravel, FINITO! Right now I can't think of many objects that I actually want to end like this - but there might be a couple...

Please remind me if I break my rules... And any other over-active knitter out there is more than welcome to join me in my WIP-reducing adventure!

Status pr. january 2. 2007: no projects finished or started so far this year... Sad, isn't it? :-)

BUT during the last week of 06 I finished TWO objects and started ONE. Just doing a little warm-up for 07... I planned on getting pictures of both of them today - but one of them was gone! I made the man a scarf and he actually wore it to work - bless his neck!! However, younger boy and his new socks sticked around since school doesn't start until tomorrow. After only a couple of days they look worn - he likes them!!

details:

yarn:opal dreamcatcher, aprox. 50 g

needles: 2,25 mm 5 dpns

pattern: basic sock pattern, top-down, 60 sts, short-row garter st heel

Since the other FO took a trip today I'll show you the newest addition to my WIP-list:

And please do remember, I did start this in 2006! It's the "Here There Be Dragons Socks" by the keyboard biologist. I want to finish them, wear them and feel fierce as stated in the pattern! WIPs! - watch out - here I come!!

Due to my non-cooperating elbow there are no knitted gifts this year. Except for one - which is not done yet...

Here is a tiny preview of some of my current projects. Stay tuned for next year - there will be news!

Furthermore - I have a pre-christmas dancing queen:

and a snowball-substitute:

-to help me in wishing anyone browsing past my fiberspace -

- a wonderful holiday and peace, joy and lots of fiberfun in the year to come!

Meet Stella, the dog. A new kind of fiber. Constantly ready for numerous walks into the garden, and eventually out into the big world.

details: blue roan english cocker spaniel, 9 weeks old tomorrow, funny, curious, playful, loving and absolutely adorable.

And so the days are filled....

There will be more knitting. Eventually.

Meet Cowslip, the scarf. Ready for numerous walks into the garden, and eventually out into the big world...

details:

pattern: cowslip

yarn: noro shinano, shade #12, less than 4 skeins.

needles: 5 mm circular bamboo

modification: cast on 37 sts instead of 45 as I didn't have the 5 skeins pattern called for..

Incident while knitting this: my right elbow is not behaving...   aaarrrrggghhhh!!!

I love belated birthday gifts. They come as complete surprises - and bring happiness and joy when you least expect it! The terrible thing about this particular gift is that it comes from the only person I know with whom I share my birthday!! - and shame on me - I didn't yet send her somehting... But as the simple minded person I am - I am perfectly able to mostly focus on the fabulous things about this gift;

-its's simply heavenly, pure luxurious silk in a fantastic lilac shade - and look how wonderfully it blends in with the colors of the card and the teal-ish background! The sender knows her stuff and I am ever so grateful!!! This has to become something to wrap around my neck! T u s e n t a k k, s t r i k k e r!!

During some of the spare time I get when I am not petting my new silk, I am trying out this Trekking XLL Ombre sock yarn:

I love the way this yarn is spun - somewhat loosely which gives a slightly fuzzy touch - yet it seems very strong. This ombre line has such subtle and pleasant colorchanges, they really soothe my eyes!

My first try was the pastel which I was sure would look good as the Snicket socks. I also think I was right:

But. Simple as it looks I just couldn't find enough patience inside of me to continue with all this twisting and turning! It's a lovely pattern and I think the socks look fantastic but I can't do this now. Maybe in 10 years..

So for faster results and simpler socks - both for my knitting pleasure and the man's assumed minimalistic sock-taste, I picked up another shade...

...and this is growing fast enough for me! 

I don't speak sign language - so I really hope I'm not insulting anyone...

details:

yarn: noro shinano, shade # 12, less than 1 1/2 skeins.

pattern: urban rustic gloves

extremely fast and fun to knit - the grafting, however, takes some time! I highly recommend this very useful tutorial!!

needles: size 5 mm, circular. + the straight needles, stitch holders, tapestry needle and crochet hook - it's all described in the pattern!

I have some "left-over" yarn (ahem - I got myself 5 skeins - I thought my hands were that big...) so I need to put that yarn into a scarf, don't I?:

The pattern is Cowslip from Jane Ellison's "Naturally Noro".

Then there are the socks. And a "few" other WIPs... Hmmm. Wonder how my knitting goes when I get my hands full in a few weeks....

Do I need to say more?!: