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!

My first sock is done. Or more correct: my first sock which is likely to get a partner is done. I am absolutely totally addicted. After only one sock. I find myself flying through cyberspace haunting sock yarns. Trying to find the ultimate one. Something will arrive in my mailbox hopefully next one or two weeks.

Of course first try had to be the Jaywalker. What else. The very first try was with the Mystical Creation yarn:

Well. It doesn't look too bad. I think. But it feels too firm, too thick, too heavy. I wonder if this yarn wouldn't do much better as slippers. Crocheted slippers. Oh. Yet another obsession lurking around the corner...Yes, I really need that. So, good bye, mystical jaywalker, thanks for joining me on my way to sock paradise.

Next try. Very lokal sock yarn form Gjestal Spinneri, the Silja Superwash sock yarn:

Thank you. I like you, allthough you give me the superwash-feel. I love the colorway - and I think it knits up nicely and feels so much softer and cozier than the first try. I finished this one. Yes I did! I will hopefully knit the partner very soon and give them to a friend as a very belated christmas gift.

I started the second sock. Not this one's partner. But that is as far as I am going. After finishing this no. 2 (key words: old gotlandic pattern, lace, alpaca, mmmmmm, my coolpix took a trip abroad, so pictures later) - I will for sure knit the second blue one!

And after that I will.... and... and....

Finished! Only two hours before I had to be all dressed up I weaved in the last thread. Before I say anything else: I hereby declare that this was my last time EVER doing deadline-knitting. I am getting too old for this. Knitting is supposed to be fun, to be relaxing - and to be very honest this was not! I realize that the joy of knitting, for me is just as much the process of making something - as enjoying the finished object. The process of finding a project, the yarn (thank you B.! for directing me to this shrug and for suggesting the perfect yarn substitute!) - the process of looking foreward to casting on, the actual casting on and seeing how the knitted fabric turns out.... This should be done at an apropriate pace - a pace that allows the enjoyment - this is what knitting is about!

Yes. Having said all that - I also must say that I really like the finished object. (And the party was great!):

details:

yarn: Baby Silk (20 % silk, 80 % alpaca) from Du store alpakka. Aprox. 6 1/2 skeins, 50 g each.

needles: Addi turbos, circulars; 3,5 and 4 mm.

beads: Güttermann small size black glass beads. 240 beads.

pattern source: Debbie Bliss' cathay book.

The Baby Silk was a perfect substitute - it knits up to a lovely, smooth, firm but yet soft, drapey and a little bit shiney fabric. I also have some DB cathay to make me a more summery version - and believe it or not - I think I will enjoy that! - in a bit slower manner...The cathay, I believe, will be a bit more firm knitted up.

And guess what! - there are no beads in the body ribbing! If I had a whole extra week and two tons more of patience than I posess - I might have done it - but to thread on more than 1000 beads and knit them - no way!  So that leaves me with the 120 on each cuff:

The shrug (and I) also have a back:

I have problems standing still. Hence the blurr. Problems standing still with itching fingers. It's official: I'm knitting socks. (Duck and cover).

Speed-knitting going on. I am going to finish the shrug before tomorrow evening! Good news are I pinned/quick-seamed the so-far finished parts together - and I am very close to believe that it will fit perfectly! Phew! Exposing myself to being harmed by poking needles I had to try it on:

Isn't this just a beautiful picture showing all the lovely details of this shrug? Hahaha. But it fits! - and the length is perfect! (remember - ribbing coming up!)

And beads, oooooh:

and the whole thing (exept one sleeve,hardly noticable) aaaaah:

Sleeve no. 2 is on the needles, in a couple of cm I start the top shaping... then there is seaming and the lining with onethousand beads to do. Now that I found out it (most probably) fits I for sure need to finish the darn thing. FAST! To be continued.