Nachholbedarf

I am posting again, there is just so much catching up to do and I really enjoy this right now. The German word "Nachholbedarf" sums it up perfectly. It includes an air of time lost.

First let me show you the pictures of my Heart Cardigan. I love the wool I got to use, Frangipani's stuff is good to knit with and I noticed that the wool softens with each wash. (Yep, this Cardigan has been done for just a little while...and well used.)
I thought of this shape when I looked at the book Knitting in the Old Way where so much information can be found. The wide collar and the simple cut just was most appealing to me, and now I can also say that it wears very comfortable.
The pattern was an easy thought too: I like seed stitch very much, I need healthy hearts and the design in between symbolizes the waves of my beloved North Sea and the winds up here. The buttons by the way are some vintage glass ones that I managed to get from my Mom. She used to have this gigiantic button jar, and one day she decided to donate the buttons. And I got to sift and pick first.
So I am happy with this project. It is very dangerous to just knit on and I did not even do a swatch. (Children, don't do this at home, swatches save projects!)

Now to the next topic, the kindness of people. No, I really have to say I am amazed how much presents I got while in hospital. Granted, I only had someone visit once a week as the hospital is so $@&$!# far away, but still...
The first one I got was a wonderful surprise. I had signed up for a swap but then I got worse and knew I would not be able to participate after all. (To this day I have never been able to be part of a swap!) So I did the proper thing and let the organizers know, so that my swap-partner would not wait in vain.
A couple of weeks later this thick envelope appeared. It was from the swap partner that I would have had, and she wrote me a wonderful letter as well as sending me some neat things. One of which is adorning Mr. Sheep here. Ute, thank you, I can only say you made my week.
Another envelope was waiting for me when I got home. A friend that you also got to know as Mr. Transformer's Mittens had knitted a absolutely fantastic jacket for Kamikazee Kid. It's still a bit big, but at the current rate he'll fit in it perfectly in about 48 hours. (Just kidding, give it 4 weeks or so.) There was also an very thoughtful letter, I was really touched. Well and Baby is happy about something that's soft and snugly.

And of course there are many more to tell about, but they don't read my blog. I'll just hope they are happy with the (most sincere) thanks they got.

To Jump Over The Own Shadow

The Baby Cardigan is finished, in record time if one considers my former dislike for knitting these tiny baby things. Yes, former dislike, I had so much fun knitting this that I am already thinking of an adult version for myself, and also a few more baby items to have handy for those times where everybody seems to have a baby born all the sudden.

I still struggle to knit for Elijah though. I think that he can’t wear knitted things so well up here, we have so much wind at the coast and it just does not keep warm enough. Actually it probably does better than anything else, just worn underneath something, but I think I’ll wait until he does not grow 2” a weeks and then we both will have more fun. Yea, people have called me heartless and cold because my Baby is not well stocked but I just don’t want too…

Knitting this jacked I did try a couple of things new. I knitted bobbles, which I did before, but not as many in one spot and I tried to cast off with bobbles so the edging is pretty neat. And I stitched a little flower on the right arm, also something I’d like to do more often but I just need to practice more. But all in all this was a nice, fast project where I was able to do exactly what I liked, for example the arms are kept pretty short and the body is a bit longer. But normal rules don’t quite apply to babies; they do have short extremities and a bigger rump.

In the news: I returned from my hospital appointment, and I am still improving a bit. It does not change my status and I still can’t function very well, but it means that I will be stronger for any surgery that is heading my way. Hey, the baby is getting heavier all the time, gotta keep up…

Preview...

Here it is, the first glimpse of the Baby jacket that I personally thought would never happen. And I need to confess that I am actually having fun! I never thought I would, even my own Son has no knitted items of mine maybe that will change now.

I like to knit Bobbles, but I tend to take a real shortcut. I am not sure where I heard of this, I think it was someone’s blog and I do remember that person got it from someone else as well and then I messed with it some more. (As there is always this hot topic Copyrights..... )

To make a Bobble:

-Pick up the thread between 2 stitches. Knit, purl, knit, and purl on it so you have 4 stitches.

-Slip the stitches back on the left needle, and knit again.

-Slip the stitches back on the left needle a second time and knit again.

-Now slip the stitches back on the left needle knit 2 stitches together through the back of the loop, and knit 2 stitches together.

-Now you still have 2 extra stitches, since you picked up between your counted stitches. I usually finish the row, and on the way back (or next row if you knit in the round) I slip the stitch before the first bobble stitch, and then that first bobble stitch, and knit them together through the back of the loop. Then I knit together the second bobble stitch and the following stitch. (Gosh, I hope this makes sense!)

Well, I hope this helps.

On a different note: my Son has discovered that bars keep him in. He wants’ out. And it's funny, because he tries to pull himself through the bars, up on the bars, or gen

erally against the bars. It's funny. Not much longer and he'll sit up on his own.

About me: I think that all in all I'm doing fine. Considering things. But on Thursday (the coming one) I have a Cardiology Ambulant Assessment because I am still not officially on the transplant list. Over the last 4 weeks since my last visit in the Clinic I have not improved, and some new issues emerged, but I hope that they are related to the medications I'm taking. But that would not be good either, so I got to just think of that as the lesser evil.

Well, they always tell you to bring a packed bag... So I might be gone for a while. Wish me luck.

Unfinished Business

Forgotten the plans to only have one project going at the time, but did I really, really think I could manage that? Yea, right. We have what... February. Fine.

It is amazing how easily one gets seduced. I was really working only on the cardigan, a nice, blue, warm, comfortable cardigan for myself. To knit with this wool is a joy, and I was busy and designing and content. But then I remembered that I need to knit more socks, I kept getting cold feet and one of my goals is to never have to wear bought socks again. I just wish I was a lot closer since I lack about 90% of the needed pairs. But at least I am working on fixing this, so I have started a new pair already. After all, one can carry a sock in progress around all the time, everywhere and it just is the perfect on the go thing to have. And there is such a variety on patterns, there is so much I'd like to try still and so many other people to knit socks for.

While I was at this I noticed that my Mama's birthday is coming up soon. So there was another project to tackle, but the problem is that I now live with her and things are harder to hide, especially since there seems to be a great interest in my knitting. And I am at a loss... what could I knit her? It's all in the experimental state as of now. And secret. Sigh.
I also commited to a job: someone would like me to knit a baby jacket, I have about two weeks. I really don't know how I am going to do that, knitting baby clothing is not my strenght and even Elijah has nothing that I would have made for him. I made something like that before and even sold some things, I just don't really enjoy this mini knitting.

On a different note: I have this counter on my blog that also tells me roughly where someone who reads my blog is from, like Australia for example. (Howdy, hope you enjoy what you read!) That is so wonderful about the internet, people all over the world can connect and share interests, just look at Ravelry! where one can really find anything and get organized or famous blogs like the Yarn Harlot who is in Canada. So much to discover, just to keep my blogroll up is hard as I just don't want to leave someone out, but there are just too many to read. So I will just enjoy the variety and keep discovering.

Tadaaaa, a Sneak Preview!

I am amazed at how easy it all the sudden was to upload the pictures from my camera to a Lynix run computer to my blog... I guess sometimes one just has to be willing to experiment and all the sudden I am much more comfortable using my husbands laptop. OK, I still want mine back.
The first picture shows #1 of a pair of socks I am working on for my mother. After I abandoned the shawl I was going to make her it seemed prudent to not abandon her completely. After all she has been waiting for a long time, first the cardigan, the shawl... The yarn is another beauty from the Yarn Yard.
Same could apply to a very, very good friend of mine who is living in the USA. I promised her a cardigan about a year ago, and after completing 60% of the Guernsey I eventually started working on I decided to start over and respect her wishes a bit more. She did ask for a cardigan after all, but I will reserve some 'artistic liberties'. (Sounds scary depending on how well you know me.)
I do feel guilty about taking so much time to complete these projects! I usually do well with deadlines, and finish things in a decent time span. But there is hope out there!
Note on socks: socks just are the best little carry-with project. I fit them in any purse or bag I might be using, they don't usually interfere with bigger projects I am working on and they are a wonderful breeding ground for crazy experiments and ideas. I do have a friend who wants to learn how to knit socks and I can't wait to teach her! It is always very exciting to see someone else getting addicted.

Warm And Cozy!

I think I am almost done uploading all my pictures. There is more but these ones are the more important ones in my knitting development... So many people have asked me about my projects that I finally decided to put everything online and just send out links. But I hope that in the future I can actually include directions on how I do some of these patterns as well as progress "reports" of whatever I might be thinking of doing next.

The colorful cardigan was inspired by E.Z. . It is nice and cozy, very good sofa fashion. And I really like the fact that my wash machine has a good wool wash cycle. It is a pain to wash this heavy thing by hand!

Te blue one (and the matching pin) is made of Lopi Wool. It scratches like the straw I can occasionally still find in the material, but combine this with a turtleneck and it is warmer than anything but my wool coat! And the down coat my best friend ended up with.

Oh, and the pattern I used on this Cardigan is from the book "Folk Shawls". As you can tell by now I really like that book, just not for making shawls...

My Favorite Cardigan.

My first lace cardigan... precious memories. This cardigan does have flaws, it does fit well but could fit better, and concidering that I generally don't follow any instructions and only go about as far as creating a swatch I did pretty good. I did change around the clasps now, so there is only one bigger one now, not the ones on the picture. The yarn is especially beautiful in the sunlight.

The pattern used is from the book "Folk Shawls".