My niece had her 5th birthday this easter. Older girl and I decided to knit her presents. For her head and for her feet.

Here is older girl's own designed headband, knit by her in alpaca, I only helped her a little with the sewing:

Pink. She loves that, our niece. And I think older girl did a fantastic job!

I din't have pink sock yarn, but very close. Here is what emerged as we spent good friday on the beach:

It was a good day. Even finished a pair of socks:

details:

yarn: opal prisma, I didn't weigh it but I think I didn't use more than 30 g!(size 24-25)

pattern: very basic sock pattern, but please notice the heal! Short row!

needles:

which my secret pal sent me. 2,25 mm! Perfect for the Opal yarn and my hands! They used to belong to her grandmother and I feel very honored to own them now. I could swear they have some sort of magic attached to them that made my fingers knit faster. Opal stash - watch out!

I actually finished something that by no means could pass as a sock. Last fall I started the Sursa shawl. 1 1/2 years ago I discovered a yarnshop sort of in the neighbourhood that carried Noro Kochoran at a very reasonable price. Very limited amount, only one shade. First I got me enough yarn to knit this, finished last spring:

It's Gesta the vesta. It's the only vest I've owned since the 70's - and I have been using it a lot! Everyone should wear more vests.

I kept returning to this yarnstore, 3 times over the last 1 1/2 years to be more accurate, only to discover that nobody - I mean nobody! - had bought any of the small stock of Kochoran they had. The fluffy skeins kept looking at me, begging me to give them a new home. Because no one else wanted them. I am not cruel. I had to bring them all with me. Here is the 2nd thing I knit, ends weaved in today, the already announced Sursa shawl:

Where are the ruffles?? There are none. On this shawl. If I get hit by a ruffle-obsession at some point in my life I might do the ruffles. For now, this is how my Sursa will stay:

It's so soft and warm and great as a small blanket-in-chair-with-a-book:

Or whatever.

details:

yarn: noro kochoran, aprox. 2 1/2 skeins, 100 g each

pattern source: Cornelia T. Hamilton's Noro Book 2

needles: 10 mm circular

The entire Kochoran stock?? Yes, this means there are still 5 skeins in my stash. I am very sure that I am going to make Kolsva. It will be a very quick knit. Inbetween socks.

Oh btw. I managed to do this blog-entry just in time to post my easter-shots:

HAPPY EASTER, everyone!

Me and my sock obsession are having glorious days. Thank you everyone for your too-kind inputs on my finished river rapids!

My mom's birthday is right around the corner and I plan on letting her benefit from my sock madness as well. I hope the Opal Hagebutte will do the trick.

I'm using a zick-zack pattern from Das geniale Sockenbuch. Which brings me to the heel mystery. Looking through blogs from all over the world I am getting very concious about heels. So far I have only been knitting the heel-flap-turn-heel-pick-up-stitches-heel and feel I am sort of getting the grip on this a little by little. Then of course I have to try something new. I want a heel looking like this. (Scroll down to the pink socks. Moni is btw one fabulous sock knitter). This heel is also known as: Sherman heel. Short row heel. Hourglass heel. Boomerang heel. I have been reading and searching and scratching my head. There seem to be one hundred different ways of knitting this heel and the mystery lies first and foremost in the way of turning between the short rows. I finally ended up with the german version from the previously mentioned genial sockbook. After hard struggeling over the seemingly straight foreward german description of how to make "die Bumerang-Ferse" - I made it!! What really made me fight for hours last night was this little sentence: "eine doppelte masche arbeiten" - "work one double stitch". Simple as that. Then there was a 7-line explanation on how a double stitch actually is worked. When I finally figured out I was in awe. So simple, so genial. No wrapping around stitches - only the double stitch.. Anyone know what I'm talking about??!

Here is my proof, I got it:

I hereby rename you, your name shall be the Packman-heel!

River. Water. Rapids. Turquoise. Spring. Knit. Blog. Bla. Bla.

What I'm trying to say is - the socks are finito.

Look at those legs. They fit the rapids perfecly!

Running water:

details:

yarn: kbrece (kindred spirits) yarn, also to be found on ebay. Less than 100 g

needles: set of 5 dpns, 2,5 mm

pattern source: Sockbug, the River rapids socks

I can for sure say I had a very colorful, fun and fiberfilled weekend. Visiting the wonderful town under the seven mountains is always a pleasure because my dear friend B. and her family live there. Furthermore the best yarnstore in our country is to be found there:

and last, but certainly not least it's the hometown of Kris - the s t r i k k e r ! What a great joy and honor to get to meet her in person! We spent a looong time at pinnsvin (btw; pinnsvin is norw. for hedgehog. Why is this related to knitting??! Because pinnsvin directly translated means "stick-pig" or "needle-pig", and "pinne" is norw. for "needle" as in "knitting needle".  :)). Anyway. To be in such a place whith someone who really knows her stuff and who shares my passion for fiber was a real treat. And then we had lunch for a couple of hours and had to say goodbye - but I really hope it was not our last meeting! My younger girl and friend B. were also thrilled to get to meet her. And, Kris, I hold you partly responsible for this:

It's 300 grams of fingering weight merino/silk blend ( Tvinni Tussah - 35 % tussah silk and 65 % merino - one of the Isager- yarns) destined for a sweater most probably for myself.

And for this:

At this point you must please insert your hand into the screen and touch. Go ahead.

You'll probably feel nothing - because it's soft as air. It's cashmere for a very secret project... 

OK, Kris,I take a little bit of the blame myself...

Speaking of B., I have her permission to show you her excellent sense of color. Look what she is making for her children, these are going to be merged into blankets:

It's time she gets a blog on her own, don't you think?!

I also did a little knitting, working on this:

It's the RIver Rapid socks, pattern is downloadable for free, here, I'm using this yarn, I can't believe how soft it is! There will be some progress report shortly, because they are DONE - hehe!

I am very happy to be able to show (off) my third pair of socks, kneehighs for younger girl:

I used a top-down basic sock pattern and did no decreases down the leg, but found out I could just apply an increasing number of 2x2 ribbing in the back of the cuff to make it tighter as the leg narrows:

How rewarding to knit socks! This girl is very happy about them and wears them all the time!

details:

yarn: sisu fantasy form Sandnes Garn, less than 100 g.

needles: set of 5 dpns, 2,5 mm.

pattern source: basic sock pattern from sensational knitted socks, modifications: longer leg and ribbing in the back of leg

So now my entire family are lining up to get their pair of socks:

Good, durable, selfstripeyarn socks are what they're going to get!

Finally. The pictures speak for themselves, don't they??!

Wood, made in Sweeden, works wonderfully!

Plastic, made in Japan, works perfectly!

I had to cancel all planned activities this weekend - for the entire family. I never dreamed that my children would fight over my wool. Even the husband had himself a ball:

Old back-up tape. (Are you bored, man? desperate?!) Anyway, I am sure this is going to be very hot next year - just imagine the cool sweaters and socks everybody will wear!!

My knitting days are over. All I'll do from now on is wind, wind, wind.

As if.

I have too much to do. Knitwise too. I had to frog Angelica up to the boob area because it got into a fight with my belly. "Too tight", belly said. "Shut up!", Angelica said. But belly kept going and in the end I couldn't stand it anymore so here I am knitting lower body once again.

The sisu fantasy kneehighs from last post is one heel and one foot away form being complete and they are doing very fine!

So I dream on....And having no interesting knitting progress to post - you must endure more yarn show-off...

I put my dreams out on the floor and captured them in the soon-spring-sun:

well, at least Opal Hagebutte in the sun:

and here are LL sheperd sock, left to right: gold hill, camouflage and vera:

As you can see I am worried sick about cold feet these days.

And finally, thank you, Marie (look at the march 15. post) for a great tip on winding equipment! - it should be evident to the whole world that I am in desperate need.

It seems I went missing somewhere in a heelflap.

How can I be knitting a heelflap 3 nights in a row and still not be done with it? Maybe time to contemplate around the possibility of using short-rows instead.

A sockknitter's life is complicated.

So complicated that I dug out these:

and knit up this:

I mean, why not? - only a couple of sleeves and I'll have myself the softest, pinkest - too-bright-for-old-me-but-still-i-love-the-color sweater. Angelica. And here and there and everywhere ANGEEEEELICAAA!!! - ever seen that cartoon?!

And while I was at it i dug out this as well:

and mind you - I certainly got further than this by now:

- just roundabout 30 cm further...Yes, nothing more revolutionary than the Hourglass - and I love that shape!

And while I was at it I started yet another pair of socks - kneehighs for younger girl:

Self striping yarn. I admit it. It weakens my heart. I flat out love it. No, I am not being ironic. I LOVE it! It just fascinates me so much that it's possible to make something like that. A single thread that knits up an illusion of fair-isle. I didn't investigate on this - but I suspect this must be a man's invention. Almost helpless in it's beauty. It just so speaks to my heart. Can't help it. I have dreams in my sleep about visiting the Opal factory.

And while I was at it I dug out this:

and sat looking at it again thinking what a mighty lovely yarn it is, but then finding disturbing news about it not beeing good knitted up - in fact it is being discontinued now and I can hardly believe that. But I will knit it. And see for myself.

And while I was at it...Shut up.