Tagged from Twist your Stitches

I was tagged by my friend Twist your Stitches with the Six Things Meme.

These are the rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.

2. Post the rules on your blog.

3. Write six random, arbitrary things about yourself.

4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.

5. Let each person know they’ve been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.

6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

So six things about me:

1. I recently broke up almost 7 years long relationships with my boyfriend. For this reason and because of some exams in my studies I haven't knitted for almost 3 weeks now. Just feels wrong to knit out unhappy feelings.
2. Once, when I staid at my grandparents place as the kid, sheep came into courtyard and looked through the window. I was so scared, but at the same time didn't want to show it so I asked my grandmother to close the window because of draught.
3. I grew up at small farm, and my parents had a sheep. They cut the wool from the sheep and then we washed it, dried it and went to village to change the wool for some woollen blanket or yarn. Usually it was negotiated kg for kg, but it was possible to pay some extra fee, and get more of ready stuff.
4. Actually my education is microbiologist and right now I am PhD student and am studying HIV virus.
5. I wish to make world round trip someday.
6. I am vegetarian and walking towards being vegan. But then there is an ethical question about wool and yarns. Just one thing I realised by now: all the wools, and other natural materials are really the best when it comes to knitted or crocheted clothing. So, here I have a dilemma.

People I tag:

Joakim- my ex boyfriend who have very nice chess blog

Diana- my first official blogs follower

Linda- knitter of nice things and nice person too

Rasmus- many clever thoughts

Soili- such a great blog for use of leftover yarn

well, I am sending this to 5 persons so far. There are so many great bloggers to choose.

Parcel for my parents

While I went to school, studied at University and later when just worked, I still went to my parents place almost every weekend. At that time I also knitted a lot socks for them and finger mittens for my mum. They have a small farm, and usually they use more than two pairs each at the winter season. Now, when I live far away, I haven’t done it for some years, instead I started to knit more for myself and more exciting things. Though, the time has come when I knitted some pairs for them again, and just sent the parcel with socks and mitts away.

Romantic crocheted hat

I am practical person. Most of the time. ;) I try to avoid buy things just because they are beautiful. But do you think I manage? No, not really. Sometimes I bought clothing that just stays at the shelf. I bought some yarn just because it is SO NICE. And I even happen from time to time make useless things. Like this hat: I saw the pattern in some old Swedish magazine Sticka & Virka from 70-ies. Beautiful, I thought, will look nice on me! So I made it. But now I have no idea when will I wear it? It is not at all my stile, and I don’t go to carnivals. P.S. Even there is my child at the picture the hat is for me. So far…

Shawl in Fabel

Well it is very interesting with taste for yarns. Like I just love Fabel from Garnstudio, but I rather dislike Opal sock yarn. I liked also this pattern for shawl at Garnstudios home page, so I didn’t hesitate and made one.

Yoke sweater from Drops

While knitting that hat I fell so much in love with those yellow-red bright colours, that new project soon was born in my mind. New sweater with happy colours was exactly what I needed ;) Again passing by one of my favourite yarn shops Stickbutiken (because person working there is very nice, and besides the shop is nearest to my home) I bought yarn for sweater. Pattern first caught my eye at Ravelry where few other people used it for their projects. Knitting yoke is so pleasant that I can’t understand why this one is my first yoke ever? No seems to sew (thing which I really dislike), knitting just round and round, which leads to knitting mostly instead of purling (which then is much faster).

Hat in alpaca from Drops

Hat in alpaca from Drops When I had my ruffle scarf ready I needed some hat to match with it. First I sought around for pattern, found this at Drops web page, which I thought would be very nice with scarf. Then I went to yarn shop to buy yarn in matching colours. Found all those Drops alpaca 3900, 3620, 2915 and 2924. So, I began to knit and took one motif less (caste on 112 stitches instead of 140), cause otherwise it would have been too large for me. It was rather difficult to know where I need to start to make it narrower for the top of the hat. I already made more cm as description said. But when I finished it didn’t suite so well on me. Somewhat too short- you see on the picture. What a fortunate that I have child who can use the hat instead! Me? I am planning to make one similar hat for me again.

Spring green sweater

This is almost 3 years old sweater. I think that idea came into mind when I saw the pattern in knitting magazine Sandra. Either I had the green cotton yarn at home, or I went to buy one. I love this spring, salad green colour! Then I chose the other, effect yarn and decided that now it is time to make something out from two different yarn qualities. I followed the pattern from magazine (except some small details) and here is the result. Cotton yarn: Idena Bambino Bomull, effect yarn: Hjerte garn Flower

Multicolored shawl

This project started already from yarn. I saw it at web bidding page tradera.com and just needed. But when yarn arrived, I realized that it is a little bit different as I suspected. Anyway, I liked the colours and was determined to make shawl. But just two stains with around 29 m in each also didn’t feel very promising. Then I just divided every skein in two (as it was made from two) and got twice as much meters- exactly needed for this shawl.
I also had trouble to find the pattern that would suite the yarn, but finally, by trial and error method I manage.
Yarn is named Zeugma and made by Ice Yarns

Milk and cotton

First time about yarn from milk I heard when I went to yarn shop Wincentgarner. They sell yarn from Rowan, and seller told me that there is new yarn out in market, made from milk. How do they do it? I wondered. Next time Maria wrote about yarn in her blog with nice picture of her wrist warmers. As she had knitting café just some days after, I went there and bought that yarn- 30% milk and 70% cotton from Viking of Norway. Actually yarn is called Milk & Honey, hmm does it means that soon there will be yarn from honey also? Pattern I used from knitty.com, Argosy, and it is very adequate to such a changing shades.
But still I wonder, how can one make the yarn out of milk?

First attempt with hairpin crochet

Hairpin crocheting is very beautiful technique. Before crocheting the skirt I made the trial on this scarf. I found some mohair yarn at my boyfriends mums stash and tried out. There are other hairpin crochet projects in my mind…

Childs jacket

The jacket is quite old. I made this one while I was expecting baby. As inexperienced at baby’s sizes I happen to make the hood too small. It sort of fitted my child at the first months, but soon was too small. Jacket itself though, fitted more than 2 years. Yarn used: Snuggly Baby Care DK by Sirdar. Very soft and pleasant.

Shawl in Gloria

This shawl is also made from pile, bought at Syfstivalen 2007. Then I bought two colorways of this yarn, Gloria from GB Wolle. One product you have seen here but this is another one. You see, I tried to get rid of yarn stash. Now I have clothing stash!!!!!

Report from Craft Fair (Syfestivalen)

That’s it. Now I have been at this years fair. This time I was better prepared than last year. I planned and wrote on the paper what I need to buy. Then I thought a lot what I like and dislike and all this helped: not so much impulsive purchase this time! Which means also- not so much bags to carry and not afraid to came to home to show all that to boyfriend. ;) At the same time I am a bit disappointed. Cause some yarn from my list just wasn’t there. Example: I am planning to knit the sweater in Fabel 162 (usually one can buy this yarn at most of the yarn shops around here. But at the fair there were just 2 or 3 sellers who had the brand, but other colours (besides quite a few). And so was with many other brands. Very incomplete picture of the yarn market. What I would like is some real yarn fair (as this one is called Syfestival- Sewing festival and quite a lot sellers offered material for quilting people) where many yarn companies would show all their products. I just wonder if such a dream fair will be here, at Stockholm, or should I go for it somewhere else. Apart from the yarn I bought the orange linen cloth for curtain and cotton cloth (rainbow coloured) for the shelf.

Turquoise shawl

This is one more project made from last years fair’s stash. Yarn for this shawl came into kit together with description. So, at some tired-out evening I just wanted to pick up some mindless project and this was good enough for that. In spite of that shawl is not at all so bad. Yarns used here: Chili, Mandarin Classic, Kitten Mohair (hmm, does that means that it contains fur of the cats? ;)) all by Sandnes Garn. Needle size: 10mm

Syfestivalen and red sweater

Well, now I need some sleep, but tomorrow is the `going to craft fair at Stockholm (Syfestivalen)´ day. Last year I came to home with 4 big bags of yarn. Now I tried to plan in advance: things, that I need, things, that I don’t need and things that would be nice to have ;)
Though, I haven’t gone through all my last years purchase yet to validate if I managed to knit out at least half (some kind of promise to myself). And I will not.
Just in case if it shows that I need to stay at home ;))))))

Will se what the new day will bring us!

Meanwhile, at last I made a photo with the sweater, which is at least 5 years old. Yarn I bought at the same kind of fair for 5 or 6 years ago. This project was incredible fast to knit- some 22 sts and 15 mm needles.

family project: hats

It started from my orange hat. It showed to be so warm, that we had to fight in our little family who will have it. Finally person who was biking that day used it. But as the second person also liked it (say me) there was nothing else to do as to knit the new hat. In matching colors, so that I can wear my boa scarf with it, but as warm as the orange. When that second hat for us, grown ups were made, I decided that little one also should have one similar. So that all can see, that we are relatives ;)

Orange body for the child

This body I made a while ago for my child for use at the hot summer days. Pattern I took again from old Soviet Latvia magazine. Body fits well together with Joakims knitted trousers as it is the same yarn, but different colors.

What happens when there is clay bought first time in our house?

Then the child's parent makes a lot of strange figures to show the kid how the clay might work.

Red crocheted shawl

Maybe I should say a word about that red crocheted scarf which you see as the profile picture of my blog. It is crocheted with cotton yarn Härvan 8/4 bought at Åhléns and the pattern is again from old women magazine craft attachment, released in Soviet Latvia. It is so simple to make, but at the same time seems, that many people think that the pattern is some kind of highest hill and I got a lot of compliments for this shawl.
Oh, while I am thinking of this shawl it brings me some nice memories. First of all this project was first which I partly made in public. Quite a lot people wondered how do I manage to do something so complicated. Also there were some who said, that never thought that women in my age do something like this.
Stupid enough I also started to travel by plain with yarn and crochet hook in my hand luggage, but wow for me, whose hook was from metal. I was suspected through security check until I explained that sharp piece of metal is actually innocent craft tool. ;))))

The chess sweater

If you ask me: which of my works I am most proud of? I will answer without thinking: The chess sweater! It is finished for long time ago, but I still haven’t posted it here.
Joakim, my boyfriend already wrote about that in his blog in Swedish now I will tell my story ;)

Once I started to think how to make two so different disciplines (chess and knitting) fuse together and came on idea to make a special chess sweater. So we started to juggle with this Idea and soon visualized it. Joakim had freedom and power to choose colors and design of sweater, I told what is and what is not possible (or good). So a couple of weeks before Swedish Championship of Chess, 2007 we went to store to choose yarn and I started to knit. If I remember correctly sweater was not ready at the first of the playing days, but afterwards Joakim could use it.
None of as is superstitious so chess sweater is just the sweater not an amulet or so. But every time when he wears it at some chess happening I am curious if someone made the remark or asked about sweater.

Colorful jacket in yarn Simpson

Sometimes it takes very long time to photo things that I’ve done. This jacket I finished in May but it was never used yet. So, recently I picked up a pile of finished but not photographed things, persuade my boyfriend to go out with photo camera and as soon as we started photo session it started to rain. Typically.

Anyway, this jacket is made from one of the yarns, which I bought at Syfestivalen (fair for some hand crafts) in the last November. Oh, I bought a lot there. In my Latvian blog you can look at the picture of that days balance. And now I strongly decided not to go to this year’s autumn market if I will not knit out at least half of the yarn, which I bought there. But I think that I am almost there ;)

Pattern for the jacket I found at the book Kreativ stickning by Ingelisa. Yarn Simpson: acrylic and merino wool. Needles 7 and 8 mm. Used 5 skeins (one skein 100g).

Jewelry for Indra

As everyone else, I can tell some interesting stories how people meet each other. Here my acquaintance with Indra. Once I searched at Latvian friend web based community if there are many people who carry the same surname as my mother had before marriage. Nop, not many at all (just few). And the only woman also happened to have the same name as my mother. So I wrote to her and she wrote back and we found out that we agree quite well. Next two times I visited Latvia we met and I am so happy now to have her as a friend.

I also made some small simply jewelry for Indra and she was so nice to make photos and send them to me.

Ledas bracelet

Well, now Leda has the bracelet also. I just had the idea of crocheted bracelet in my mind and finally that was ripen enough to make it happen. So I made simple crochet chain with heart-formed beads and then crocheted from both sides in treble crochet. But as with earrings also here the silver wire leaves special impression.

Dolls jacket

After finishing Fabel jacket for child and the similar one for myself (not showed yet) I am still in such love with this pattern that I made the clothing for the doll. So far, poor creature she had just hat ;)

Beaded necklace and earrings

This was very easy. I bought the mix of the beads at Panduro and then just strung them. My child lend a hand, so it went fast, the only thing was to watch out not to string the big ones too close to each other. Before to string the necklace I picked out some beads for earrings.

Wire knitted necklace and bracelet with beads

Again, the book Wire Knits by Heather Kingsley-Heath had the necklace pattern which I wanted to try. I used the metallic wire and mix of the beads. Then I made matching bracelet, but as the necklace is quite impressive, bracelet is more modest.

Hairpin lace skirt

Pattern from Stitch Diva Studios. Just wanted to try. So far had them on once, at my friends’ dissertation party. I made a mistake not to think properly about waistband. I just crocheted that, thought that tight enough but during the evening it got more and more loose and I almost lost the skirt. Now I bought satin band and will fix it.

My mohair shawl

This shawl was made to complement the skirt, which I crocheted in hairpin lace technique. Used green mohair yarn and yarn Salsa from Garnstudio.

Earrings for knitting geek

At tradera.com – web based auction page I put an eye on those earrings. Mine! Even if somebody already bid I didn’t give up and finally overbid!

Vest for the child

My child has a cousin. This vest I made for Noah in soft Alpaca yarn, needles nr.3 mm. Pattern I looked from the vest that Noah’s grandmother made for his uncle when he (uncle) was a little baby. But after finishing I started to doubt how appropriate is my chose of yarn for such a garment for so little person (1 to 2 years) as it should be washed very carefully.

Knitted trousers for the child

Child needs some colors on and to be warm. That’s why I knitted those trousers. Yarn Big Verona from Järbo Garn. Buttons I bought at Syfestivalen. Now I know that straps need to be done differently, as they have tendency to fall off. But then I am crossing them on the backside and it works well.

Knitted poncho for the child

This poncho is my first half done poncho ever. Half because the second half was done by our friend Mary, living in Uruguay. She is so good at crafts and while visiting their family she said that she want to knit the poncho for our soon to be born baby. Thought she wanted to finish another project and then I asked her to show me how the poncho should be done and as I had nothing else to do, I started to knit. After some days we went to excursion and meanwhile Mary finished the poncho. This is so lovely, it also suites one for very long time. Baby wore it as newborn and as 2 years old.

Hairpin crocheted jewelry

Yes, it is addiction to knit or crochet with wire. Pattern for earrings I saw at Stitch Diva studios home page, but for bracelet made up myself. Earrings could be smaller and to be honest, I don’t really know if I will ever have them on. But bracelet is just fine. Golden copper and those orange beads make them look SO!!!!!

Ledas earrings

What should I say? Inspiration for those earrings I got again on Ravelry. I made them for the friend and colleague Leda, who, when looking at my blog give me a lot of compliments. So, I wanted to make something special for her. I used heart formed beads and crocheted with silver wire, 0.3 mm.

Wrist warmers for Wendy

This piece of garment I never imagined to make. As I can´t understand their function apart from just being beautiful. Isn’t it so, that fingers are first to freeze already when there are less that +10 degrees outside? ;)
Whatever, those I made for the friend who asked me for a pair. She chose yarn and I made them ready.

Mittens for the child

Well, not really the season… But I am trying to catch up with publishing most of my handwork here, at my blog. Those are mittens made for my child when previous got too small. Used Alpaca yarn from Garnstudio. Should I say that even those are too small by now?

Rose

The same book Wire Knits had the pattern for rosebuds. Actually very first time I saw this pattern at ravelry. It also inspired me to buy the book. After trying with hearts I changed to roses. Not difficult at all, and beautiful. I am afraid that this one will not be the last one.

Two love hearts necklaces

Not just earrings but also necklaces one can make from knitted hearts! Here I made one for me and one for the friend Liza.