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.

Done!

But - ehh what is that blue? 

That blue is my extreme fear of running out of yarn. I could swear there was not going to be enough yarn!

But look!:

I think I should get myself a little yarn-weight because my eyes are evidently not good enough for "how-much-yarn-do-I-need-for-second-sock" measurement!

But older girl is very pleased though - and hey! - now we have yarn for mending when a toe or a heal breaks through... And that day will come - because she wants to wear them all the time. The Wollmeise superwash is like nothing I've seen or touched when it comes to silky sheen, softness and last but not least, non-scratchyness which is above and beyond important to older girl!

details:

yarn: Wollmeise superwash, sample skein of "Veilchen" which is normally darker but I also loved this light blue/violet variation of this particular skein! Pictures of this wonderful yarn can be found here!

needles: 2,5 mm dpns

pattern: Pomatomus

And the knitting goes on. More news soon. So much I want to cast on;

Yes. Those aqua lovely goodies. Thought you wondered about them. My Secret Pal is an angel. This is what I got from her last week:

It's Jaggerspun Zephyr, a lace weight absolutely marvellous yarn of 50 % silk and 50 % merino! And pattern for a creatures-of-the-reef shawl! Lovely! I must stop fondling this yarn very soon, otherwise I will wear the skeins out before they even saw a needle...She also sent me some wonderful angora and alpaca sample fleeces and a set of 2,25 dpns which are not available here and which indeed will be put into use very soon. THANK YOU, dear secret pal! 

So, I have som fon.. knitting to do.

While trying to get a grip on my knitting - ( or more right - my stash,  - my knitting is fun as always but my stash is about to blow up a very nice cupboard and we cannot have that, can we?) and soon to do some stash flashing and serious planning ahead I finished one silk skull cap. I was wondering very much along the prosess who this would fit - and I still wonder. It fits everyone? Both my girls, me and just anyone! Isn't that just fabulous?! Here modelled by younger girl:

details:

yarn: garnstudio's silke, 50 g skein, used less than one

needles: 3 mm circular and dpns for top

pattern source: Alterknits

so - dealing with stash only means one thing, starting, starting new things - tralala...

Katt og mus - cat and mouse, here are my cat and pomatomus:

First, the lovely skein of Wollmeise-yarn was on it's way to become the go with the flow socks. For me. Almost reaching the heel it became evident it would be too small. For me. But by then my 10 yo girl decieded she was in love with this yarn - and the socks became destined for her! Having turned the heel and picked up sts and all it became very evident the sock was indeed going to be too small. For her too. I didn't even have the patience to shoot it, all of a sudden it was ripped!

This yarn was meant for my little darling, so I put before her all the sock patterns I have gathered the last couple of weeks during my ever growing sock-mania. There was no doubt in her mind. Pomatomus.

I love knitting it! Love the yarn, the pattern - and best thing of all - it looks like a perfect fit for her!!

and the lamp...

I have solid proof. And this is one unmanipulated photo of a pair of socks from a very helpful friend, thank you!!:

See?! A pair!!

Here is a close-up of the first one - taken during his days of loneliness:

details:

yarn: silja superwash from gjestal spinneri 50 g pr skein, used less than 2 sk.

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

pattern source: yes, i know it's all over the place(=blogland) - but still a really great pattern!

What's next, sock-wise?!

I startet the go with the flow socks using the blue skein in the middle here:

How did this fantastic yarn end up on my livingroom floor?! Visiting this and this blog directed me to this wool-artist. Thank you. I think I am now fully Wollmeise-addicted! And what a lovely woman to do business with! The colors are left-to-right (not counting the very little skein of bulkier yarn to the very left); "Rittersporn" - schurwolle, "Veilchen" - superwash (sample), "Maria's deepest purple" - schurwolle, and "Rhabarber" - schurwolle. If you think the yarn looks beautiful in the picture - it's only ten times greater in real life! The colors, the softness, unbelievable.

mmmmm:

and mmmmmmmmm:

Fiberspace once again welcomes you to yarn-heaven! (This was actually the slogan of a hotel nearby a hotel I once stayed in: - "The Golden Odyssey once again welcomes you to it's heaven!" - I never got that sentence out of my head...)

So what am I talking about? Shouldn't I rather be knitting socks?!

I finished the first pair - the jaywalkers! And gave them away... So there is no proof. To get a picture I will need a little help from my friends...We'll see.

I found out I like small projects. Here is some real yummy and squeeky silk knit from the Alterknits book:

I almost finished this first cap - but have no idea if it fits me, a friend or one of the girls...or a baby - I am not a very experienced hat-knitter! We'll see. When it's finally off the needles.

About 10 years ago this sweater emerged from my needles - (I think it was one of the last projects before I entered a non-knitting phase of my life, lasting until 2-3 years ago):

Older boy used it for several years and passed it on to younger boy 4 years ago. It's size 4-6 yrs and younger boy is now 8 so obviously he now gets the elegant 3/4 sleeve-length appearance. "It's beginning to get a bit too little, but it's so goooood!" he says. No wonder, the islandic Lopi is so light, so soft, so warm and so durable! I'm amazed by how well this sweater kept during all these years after so much wearing and washing. I used the lett-lopi which is 200 m pr. 100 g.

So he actually aksed me to knit him a new one! No rules, no yarn-diet, no nothing applies when your child asks you to knit something. Wonderful! So I got to buy more yarn, from Birgirsdottir, this time the normal Lopi, 100 m pr. 100 g:

(I wonder, by the way, if this yarn wouldn't be perfect for the Teva Durham Lace Leaf Sweater?!):

No, stop.

I'm talking about icelandic wool, icelandic sweater for my little boy. On it's way, here I come, ouweeeeee!!:

We'll see.

The people who did the matching for Secret Pal round 7 really did a great job! My spoiler is an alpaca guru!!! Last week a very soft shipment arrived at my doorstep. I hope the picture at least gives a hint about how great these lucious fibers are:

Can you believe that - she spun this gorgeous yarn! It's 200 meters of the softest, most delicious lace weight cria-alpaca yarn you can imagine. She suggested a little lace scarf and that is exactely what I am going to make from it. The fleeces are from different kind of alpacas, - the light and dark browns from cria (if I got it right, pal..?) and the white one from suri-alpaca. The stuff is so soft that you can hardly feel it is there - almost like touching air - and I am even not kidding. My fiber-heart is in love!

And I saved the very tempting dark chocolate just for the picture - It will be gone very soon now, mmmmmm....

Thank you, thank you, thank you, dear secret pal!!!!

Here they are - my first two socks! - trying to comfort each other while waiting for a mate:

The jaywalker to the left was such a rewarding knit and excellent for a first try! The pattern is really great, easy to follow and gives you instructions on each and every stitch. No frustration, only jay, joy!

The other one I spotted in a little treasure of a book I found in the local library, "Gotländsk Sticksöm", old patterns from Gotland, one of the islands off the swedish southeast coast. The pattern I used is originally for children's socks:

I used thin alpaca - and the result is an extremely warm, comfortable and soft sock - maybe not very practical and durable - but perfect for lazy-cozy activities - like sleeping zzzzzzzz..

or tip-toeing for the camera....

 I will need to reknit the toe because the whole foot became a tiny bit too short and the toe too narrow -  I was too eager to finish!

And I have casted on the second blue jaywalker, so it seems I might even be capeable of making a pair!