Halfway through March already

And I have not been as good about blogging as I had hoped. I will do more of it, my goal is to do it 1-2 times a week as I want to keep a good track of my projects. Keeping this blog and photographing and updating the process of my projects has been one of my biggest motivations since I started it, so I want to keep that going.

My stitching group is finally meeting again. We are trying our best to have get togethers once a month, and every Tuesday is a WIP/UFO day where we all work on a project that we already have going and try to put a few strands in.
I decided to work on my stocking as I really want to get it done. Every year when I get out the stockings I did for my daughters, I almost feel ashamed at not having mine done already, there is so little left to do on it, just some backstitching and details. So hopefully, I will have my very own stocking to hang come Christmas this year.

Here is my progress after last Tuesdays session.

Pattern: Parisian Twist Headband Ear Warmer by Elisa McLaughlin
Yarn: Quince and Co. Osprey in Bird S Egg
Needles: 4mm

For Karítas. I made my headband quite some time ago, and Karítas has always loved it. When we were on winter break we went to our LYS and she picked out this beautiful ice blue Osprey by Quince & Co for her very own headband. She absolutely loves it.

We went to a cabin over a weekend in February. It was just what we all needed as a family.

We went out and had fun in the snow and went sledding down a hill.

We relaxed.

We played Scrabble.

We have had about 40 storms this year here in Iceland. I have just about had enough and am craving warmer weather, less wind, more sun. But I know better, it is only March and there are still a few more weeks to go. Next storm is supposed to hit us tonight.

But, when the wind is going mad outside, what is better than meeting up with your friends at your LYS and knitting the day away, having coffee and chocolate? Nothing, if you ask me!

Going through my stash, I noticed that I had A LOT of Kambgarn. The best way to use up a lot of yarn in the same brand and/or weight, is making blankets. One can never have too many blankets so I started another one. I have always wanted a classic Granny Square blanket with lots of colour and black as the colour that binds it all together. That is just what I had in this Kamgbarn stash of mine. So I started one.
I am doing 10 rounds of colour, picking the colours totally at random by drawing them from a bag and not looking and it is not allowed to exchange colours. Each colour only to be used once in each square. Then 2 rounds of black and using Lucy’s Join as you go method to tie it all together. So far I am absolutely loving it!

Follow Your Arrow 2

The wonderful designer Ysolda Teague organised a mystery KAL last year that I participated in (my first one) and loved and got me hooked on doing MKAL’s. In January I saw that she was doing a Follow Your Arrow 2 MKAL so off course I signed up.

Pattern: Follow Your Arrow 2 by Ysolda Teague
Yarn: Loft in Plume (I used 2 skeins)
Needles: 3.5mm
Clues: B-B-A-B-B

I love how it turned out, and participating in the MKAL was loads of fun. Ysolda is a brilliant designer, to say the least. Each clue had an option A and an option B and each went with either so you could mix and match it any way you wanted. I wanted to have my shawl with texture and learn something new each week, and this is how it ended up. The only thing that I did not like was the yarn. What a disappointment. I had read so many great reviews about this yarn and had been excited about trying it, but I just did not connect with it at all and am safe to say that I will not be using it again. Thankfully, there is plenty of great yarn out there!

The baby knitting continues. There are so many babies being born this year around me. I love it, I love knitting baby clothes. My sisters baby girl got her name on February 8th.

Emilý Rósa Snædahl Ragnarsdóttir

Off course she got a knitted gift from us.

Pattern: Camilla Babe by Carrie Bostick Hoge
Yarn: Lark from Quince and Co in Pomegranate
Needles: 4.5mm

I loved making this little sweater. The hat is based on a free pattern from the Purl Soho website, but I did a lot of changes as the decreases were not adding up.

Denver Yarn Storming

I had such a fantastic time in Denver! I had no idea what to expect, as Denver just did not ever cross my mind as a city to visit in the States. Now I can’t wait to go back some day. The people are friendly, the city is beautiful and I had a really great time there!

Flying over Greenland was breathtaking!

My event took place in Civic Center Park, and we decorated some trees there. It was a great day in the sun and I would like to thank everyone who showed up and added to the installation! Now, pictures speak louder than words, so here are a few for you to see!

It really turned out so great, I am a very happy camper!

I also visited Fancy Tiger Crafts while I was there. I wanted to visit more yarn stores while there, but I did not have as much time as I would have wanted.

This really caught my eye! So pretty!

If I was a spinner….

The store is big and absolutely beautiful!

They even have Lopi for sale! Always happy to see Icelandic Wool when I am traveling.

This pretty lot followed me back to my hotel room. Oh so pretty!

Two new sweaters

Recently I have fallen in love with a new yarn. This should not be news to anyone really, as I have a soft spot for all things wooly.

Lamawool from Strikkebogen, 50% wool and 50% lama, Aran weight.

It is just so soft and wonderful to work with. I have recently finished two sweaters with this wonderful yarn, and I am pretty sure that I will be making loads more. I want one for myself out of this yarn and already have some ideas as to what kind of sweater to make.

Pattern: Loki by Ragnheiður Eiríksdóttir (with some changes that are mine)
Yarn: Strikkebogen.dk Lamauld
Needles: 3.5 and 4.5mm

This little cardigan is a gift to my daughter Karítas’s baby sister who is now almost 9 months old. I made the sweater to fit about a 12 month old baby and I did some changes to the yoke pattern, adding a bit more color in there. I am very happy with how it turned out and can’t wait to see her wear it.

Pattern: Var by Védís Jónsdóttir (from Lopi 29)
Yarn: Strikkebogen.dk Lamauld
Needle: 4.5mm

This later one, here modeled by my daughter Sumarrós, is for Markéta, my daughters baby sisters mother. I was honored and happy when she asked me to make her a traditional Icelandic wool sweater and she came with me to pick out the yarn that she wanted. I was very happy when she picked the Lamauld and I was intrigued by the color choices. It turned out absolutely beautiful and I am very excited to see how it will look on her.

They all (my daughter Karítas, her baby sister, their dad and my daughters step mom) come back to Iceland in August, so the sweaters are just waiting here patiently. Maybe I will get to have another photo session with them both wearing the sweaters, that would be great!

New blanket and dress

Today I visited 2 new little people. My childhood friend Anna had a baby girl in late April, and my co-worker Ólöf had a baby girl in the end of May. They live in the same town so visiting them both on the same day was just perfect and thankfully it worked out good for all of us.

Off course I made a little something for both these little girls and now that the gifts have been given, it is time to show them off.

Pattern: Bella Baby Dress by Lene Holme Samsøe
Yarn: Strikkebogen.dk Yaku in colour 1809
Needles: 3mm

I had wanted to make something out of Lene’s books for some time and since everyone around me are having babies, now was the perfect time. This pattern is classic and timeless. You can make it into a dress, a top, a tunic, a cardigan and a bolero. I made the dress in size 9-12 months as I am sure Katrín Svala will get the most use out of it as a dress as the pattern kind of grows with her and it would look good even if it got a little short with thick stockings or leggings underneath.

Solid granny square baby blanket
Yarn: Søstrene Grene Anna og Claras Bomuldsgarn in 3 pinks, 3 purples and 4 greys
Hook: 3.5mm

These blankets are addictive! Ever since I finished the one I did for my friend Hildur, I have wanted to make another one. So when my co-worker Ólöf told me that she was expecting a baby girl, I seized the opportunity to start a new one. So I gave this little gem to little Aþena today. I hope they get good use out of it.

Vacation

I started my vacation on May 28th. I got called into work for two days last week, to train a new person since we are hiring and there are some changes going on. I knew before I left that this might happen, so it was ok. The bad part is that I have been sick for a week. I have a terrible cold, had some fever and the headaches are no fun. It feels like it is going away, but it is not happening fast enough for me. Hopefully it will just take a few more days. Last evening of school is tonight and then I am carefree from both work and school for the next few weeks. I start work again on July 4th and school starts early August.

We left the city for a long weekend in the south-east side of Iceland. We stayed close to Geysir in a beautiful cabin and did a bit of driving around and sight seeing.

We stopped by the Geysir area to see the hot spring Strokkur erupt a few times and walked around the area.

And we visited Gullfoss also since it is so close to Geysir.

Then we decided to drive to Vík to visit the black sand beach there, Reynisfjara. It is one of the most beautiful places and I love visiting there. We ran in the sand and away from the ocean, threw some rocks, saw some birds and just enjoyed ourselves.

At the cabin, we spent most of our time reading, knitting, going to the hot tub or the sauna, jumping on the trampoline or running around the surrounding area. We also got good guests for dinner and had a wonderful and relaxing time.

The nights are bright. I took this photo not long before midnight one evening.

Birta

I finished my lopapeysa last week. I have been wanting to make myself a lopapeysa for about 5 years, but I had difficult time picking out the pattern I wanted, the colors I wanted, the fit I wanted and what kind of wool mix I wanted to use. After some thought I was almost decided on using a mix of single ply plötulopi (unspun Icelandic wool) and einband (Icelandic lace wool) as I love that mix and it makes the most light and airy fabric that is still warm and nice. I even thought about substituting the lace wool with some alpaca or something luxurious and soft to go with the unspun wool.

For the last few months, I have been a regular at Litla Prjónabúðin as it is one of my favorite knitting stores and quite a few of my knitting friends are regulars there and there is a great area for sitting down with your WIP and have coffee and chat. It is close both to my office and my home so it is very handy to stop by after work or on my days off and meet with kindred spirits and pet some yarn and do some knitting. Litla Prjónabúðin (The Little Knitting Store) carries great yarn called Snældan. Faroese wool with Falkland wool mixed in it. It is softer than the Icelandic wool and after seeing some items knitted with it, I was sold. I had found the yarn I wanted to use for my lopapeysa. Knit with 5mm needles, I got the same gauge as for léttlopi so substituting Snældan was easy! Perfect!

Pattern: Birta by Bára Þórarinsdóttir
Yarn: Snaeldan Nappað tógv 3tr – grey, brown and yellow
Needles: 4.5mm and 5mm

The pattern is very classic, just what I had imagined. I am very happy with it and now I want more and have plenty of ideas. I am on a sweater  roll and have some lined up in my queue already, both for me, my daughters and some friends and family. If you can get this wool, I do recommend it. It knits up beautifully!

I only have 2 days left at work and then I am on summer holidays until July 4th! Oh the joy! The list of things to do while I am on vacation is long and fun and I am finally going to go through my stash and organize it properly and hopefully get it all photographed and into Ravelry.

I started a new MKAL, this time I am doing socks by Kamilla. The first clue came yesterday and I am almost done with it. I am also participating in Stephen West’s Summer Shawl KAL and am going to start by knitting Vertices Unite in the bigger version. I did some stash diving and picked out some yarns that that could work for the project. Me and the man arranged some color settings and I took some photos of them for me to look at and hopefully make the decision making a little easier. If you want to take a look, the photos are here and I would love to hear what is your favorite color setting!

Cardigan, with a twist!

I finished my green cardigan last weekend and it has been attached to me ever since. It is so light and comfortable, yet warm enough for these cool spring days. I found the pattern (free in one size) on the Pickles site, it has a great range of patterns and most of them are offered free in one size and then you can buy the other sizes. The patterns are simple and easy to follow. I have done a couple of projects from them, and they are always great so I can recommend them.

Pattern: Jakke med tvist by Pickles
Yarn: One thread of Plötulopi (un-spun Icelandic wool) and one thread of Isager Strik Spinni Tweed (Wool 1)
Needles: 7.0 mm

The pattern says that you are supposed to knit it back and forth. I started out like that, but I really, REALLY do not like knitting sweaters like that since it is so easy to knit them in the round and then just steek them in the sewing machine. So I quickly changed to knitting in the round and it just flew of the needles. I then steeked it and crocheted one row of single crochet around the bottom, up the front and around the neckline and to the front of the sleeves.
When I first saw the project on the Pickles website, I got the image in my head what color combination I wanted to use. At first I thought I would use plötulopi and einband, but the einband (Icelandic lace weight wool) was not available in the color I wanted. I thought about just dyeing the right color, but then I found the Spinni in the exact color I wanted. Even though it is a bit over priced in my opinion, I got it anyway. I do not regret it one bit, it is just perfect with the other yarn and I love the outcome. And how rare is it to get a vision of what you want in your head and then get the exact outcome when you are finished? So I am one happy knitter!

Pattern: Súld by Rósa Tom
Yarn: Araucania Aysen
Hook: 4mm

A very fast project, only took me about 3 hours from start to finish. It was a birthday present for our little friend, Þórkatla. This is my third time doing this hat, I just love it.

Happy Mothers Day yesterday! These two daughters of mine are the best! And then there is my own mother, who has always been my safe spot to fall when I tumble, my strength when I am drained and the push I need when I am unsure of myself and my own strengths. I love you, mom!

Sunday catch up

I have been on a long Easter vacation that started Thursday last week and tomorrow I return back to work. It has been wonderful and I have gotten many things done but mostly I have been relaxing. I finished the first seminar (out of three) in my studies and the next one is starting on May 3rd, so having some time off both from work and school was very welcome.

I started my vacation by finishing up these two wool jumpers for my girls.

Pattern: Loki by Ragga Eiríksdóttir
Yarn: Léttlopi
Needle: 3.5mm and 4mm
This one is knitted top down! A great change from the traditional way of making these sweaters.

Pattern: Ranga by Védís Jónsdóttir
Yarn: Léttlopi
Needle: 3.5mm and 4mm
The pattern is this one is supposed to be purled, but I decided to do it in stockinette like the rest of the sweater.

New project bag that I adore!

I made this jar and gifted it to a friend at school

Karítas is the cuddliest kid I have ever known

Mother & Daughter

Our little friend, Þórkatla turned 3 today. Happy Birthday!

Bits & Pieces – Sunday March 16th

I was sick this week with a stomach flu on Wednesday and Thursday. I am all better now and have spent the weekend relaxing and meeting good friends, a bit of cleaning and finishing up some projects.

A very talented group of knitters met at Litla Prjónabúðin yesterday. It was a wonderful day and I look forward to doing it again as soon as possible. Kristín Hrund, Rodrigo Urðar & Gummi, Hildur Ýr and Sigurlaug. Dagga, the owner of the store is sitting next to Sigurlaug, but unfortunately got cropped out of the photo by mistake. I will get a better group photo next time.

Going home on the bus after the knitting meeting.

Some crochet jars that have found their home in my daughters bedrooms as pen and pencil holders. Just plain jars were not an option since they are well aware that their mom can make them prettier by crocheting over them.

Socks for my nephew Adrían
Pattern: Rye by tincanknits
Yarn: Novita 7 Veljestä
Needles: US 4 – 3.5 mm

I also finished a wool sweater (lopapeysa) for my older daughter, Sumarrós. I still have to put the zipper in it so I will post photos of it when it is all finished and I get my daughter to pose for a photo shoot.

I am now working on finishing the same socks as I did for Adrían for my younger daughter Karítas and Sumarrós wants a pair also. I also have wool ready for a lopapeysa for Karítas but we need to decide on a pattern.

New blanket finish

Me, my mom and my daughters went away to my grandfathers cabin on Wednesday and came home yesterday. It was wonderful to get away and we spent our time watching movies, soaking in the hot tub, playing cards and games, eating good food, watching the birds, drawing, my mother was sewing a dress for Sumarrós and I focused on finishing a blanket for a friend.

Skorradalur, the view over the lake from the driveway to the cabin.

My mother and daughters playing Kalaha. We love playing Kalaha, and Sumarrós is an awesome player. Off course she won almost every game (I won her once!)

The blanket has been a secret project since July last year. My very dear friend Hildur was at my house and wrapped herself in the Wave Blanket I made for Karítas last year. After that she expressed that she really wanted a blanket of her own, so me and our group of friends decided that we wanted to give her one. They bought the yarn and I made the blanket in between other projects. When I left on Wednesday I had about 70 squares left to do and I managed to finish the blanket on Friday night, boarder and all. It was made with a lot of love and warmth wrapped into every stitch and last night I walked over to Hildur’s house and gave it to her. She was very happy and wrapped the blanket around her and tells me she is still wrapped up in it, not about to let it go anytime soon.

Pattern: The classic granny square
Yarn: Stylecraft Special Double Knit (colors: bright pink, sunshine, lipstick, plum, royal, black and yaffa) except the neon green is Svarta Fåret Freja
Hook: 4.5mm

I used a little less than 2 skeins for all the colours except for the black one, I used a little more than 2 skeins of it as it is also used for the boarder. 420 squares, and I used Lucy’s amazing join as you go method to join the squares. The colours were very difficult to photograph, the orange and the green are neon colours but they look a bit washed out in the photos. They are much richer and nicer IRL so you just have to imagine how they really are.

Now I am focusing on some sock knitting, some test knitting for a friend and am about to start knitting wool sweaters for both myself and my daughters.

Bits & Pieces – December 1st

It’s December already! Amazing.
I have been busy with fun things. Doing some Christmas gifts, and test crocheting for my friend Rósa who is finally releasing some of the ideas that have been rolling around in her head for a while. Two of them are already released on Ravelry and I link to them below the photos.

For Sumarrós
Pattern: Vettlingar/Mittens by Rósa Tom
Yarn: Yarn: Dream in Color Classy
Hook: 4.5mm for the cuff – 5 for the mittens
Link to pattern in Icelandic

For Karítas
Pattern: Vettlingar/Mittens by Rósa Tom
Yarn Alpaca Select Kusi held double
Hook: 4.5mm
Link to pattern in English

Pattern: Súld by Rósa Tom
Yarn: Araucania Aysen, color 824
Hook: 4.5mm
Link to pattern in Icelandic and English

These are super fast and easy projects, and easily adaptable for different sizes. My girls are very happy with their new mittens, and Karítas wears the hat all the time and was super proud to be asked to model it for the pattern relase.

I have also been crocheting some jar covers. I made my first jar about a year ago and I keep my crochet hooks and some of my DPN’s in it. But they are also very pretty as candle holders. You just put one tea light in it and it makes the nicest light.

Here are three of the ones I have made so far. I gave the orange one away yesterday, and it was very well appreciated. I love finding patterns to use and try to make each one a little different than the previous one.

I made this one also, but I think I am keeping it for myself. I put some straws in it as my daughters use them a lot in their drinks. So you can basically keep anything in them that you want, pens and pencils, straws, crochet hooks, or use it as a candle holder.

Bits & Pieces – November 18th

Past week was great. I had a busy but good time at work and at home and last Friday, Geysir, the company I work for launched a new ad campaign that is absolutely stunning. The new photos were shot by Elisabeth Toll from Sweden and are absolutely breathtaking.

We also launched our first TV commercial and you can see it here.
We have a new clothing line by our designer, Erna Einarsdóttir and everything she designed is so beautiful, from the hats to the blankets. We are all very proud and happy that everything is going so well for us.

Launching the new ad on Facebook on Friday.

Elevator party!

The guys that own the company invited us and our partners to dinner on Saturday and we had loads of fun and went out dancing after.

I want this. Cape by Farmers Market.

It has been snowing and pretty dark and gloomy. I try to make it a little more bearable by lighting candles around the house, and keeping warm under blankets and knitting.

Bits & Pieces – November 3rd

This past week was one of the most difficult and draining weeks I have had in a long time. So this weekend has been especially well appreciated. I have done nothing but relax, cook, some laundry and both crochet and knit as much as I that’s my best outlet for stress and leaves me relaxed and content.

Pattern: Ungbarnapeysa by Tinna Þórudóttir Þorvaldar.
Yarn: Strikkebogen.dk Pimabomuld 8/2
Hook: 3mm

My daughter Karítas just became a big sister 3 days ago! Her father and his wife had a little baby girl that is absolutely perfect and Karítas is so proud and grew up over night, as you do when you get this great role of being the older sibling. When she was told that she was expecting a baby sister sometime this summer, she went straight to work. She went through my knitting and crochet books and found this sweater design that she asked me to make for her baby sister.
We went to our LYS and she picked out the yarn and the colours and the button and I went to work on the execution. We both really like how it turned out, and yesterday her father picked her up and she went to spend some time with her sister and gave her the sweater. It is much to big for now, but hopefully I will share pictures of her wearing it once it fits.

Knit to the Music goodness!

I went to Ragga Eiríks (Knitting Iceland founder) and Stephen West show, Knit to the Music, of knitted goodness, music and photography (by photographer Baldur Kristjáns) at KEX hostel. I met Stephen West (yes, I did get a bit star struck, he is SO nice!) and the show was really interesting and inspiring. There is a book coming and I am definitely putting it on my Christmas Wish List!

Bit’s & Pieces and a new shawl

The knitting bug is still with me, please stay for as long as you can old friend.
So I finished this shawl that has been on my needles since the end of January 2012. I love getting projects done that have been with me this long, and I especially love this one. This shawl is huge and warm and I absolutely love it.

Pattern: Camomille by Helga Isager
Yarn: Plötulopi and Drops Alpaca
Needle: 3.5 and 3mm

It is knitted with single strand of un-spun Icelandic wool and the alpaca together and then just the alpaca, that gives it great drape and warmth and a very nice texture. And I love the tassels. I wasn’t sure about adding them, but once I did I was super happy with them.

So as a reward for finishing 2 old projects, I started a new one off course! Safety Scarf by Stephen West. I am finished with parts 1 and 2 out of 6.

I visited my friend Sigurlaug and her beautiful 7 weeks old baby girl.