I came across this book Latvieša Cimdiin the Knit Like A Latvian group at Ravelry in November last year. I could not afford the book then, but have bought it as a birthday present for myself ;)
There are so many beautiful mittens in this book I don't know which one I shall knit first... Erlend asked me to knit him a pair of new mittens, so there might be a pair for him first.
I think the group is going to have a kal next month, so I might join them as well. I bough my book from here.
Here's a video were the author talks about the book. I don't understand a word, but there is so many beautiful mittens in it so you have to watch it!
The kids are feeling better and are off to school today, except Endre who has the day off today. So we're heading out in a minute to shovel some snow. The weather is strange at the moment. Yesterday we had -22C, today we woke uo to -5C and now it's down at -15C. During the night there has come 5 cm of fresh snow and it's supposed to rain by the end of the week... I wish it would stay around -5C, that's the perfect winter weather. Not too cold and the kids don't get soaking wet when the play in the snow.
Enough about that and on to the knitting.
I started a pair of mittens this weekend, but it seems like I will run out of yarn... It's a bit of gambling using up those small amount of leftovers in ones stash. So I have put the mittens aside until I figure out what to do with them. I might be lucky and find some more of the same yarn in my stash, but I doubt it. So I guess I'll frog them.
So instead I casted on a pair of socks. Hopefully I will have enough with 50 g of each colours. The pattern is Route 66 and I have the German book, so there has been a bit challenging ;)
Hooray for winter!
Look how beautiful things you can make out of balloons, water and frost :)
We made these this last weekend and I need to buy more ballons so we can make more!
Here's a norwegian DIY on how you do it.
I forgot to blow in some air, so our ballons cracked byitself and wegot holesin thebottom, sothe edge isnot sopretty. But they are beautiful with a candle in so I don't care.
First of all, thank you so much for your nice comments on my Nuthatch mittens!
I've been awake since 5 this morning... Woke up because the wind made so much noise. So due to the strong wind all the beautiful white snow on the trees are gone. The temperature jumped from -25C to -10C in just a few minutes and it's freezing cold inside. So I just have to feed the stove with wood today. I desided that the kids get to stay home today. The two eldest complained about sore throats last night... I guess that's one of those things that makes me want to continue to be a sahm mom - I do not need to send them to school when the weather is bad or when they feel a little sick, but maybe not enough that I could have taken time off from a job.
Anyway, my komi mittens are done :)
I love, love, love them!!!
Pattern:Komi mittens #13 Yarn: 61 g baby ull Needles: 2,75 mm Size: 64 sts
Our plans about going snow shoeing got canceled due to a new 12 cm of snow when we woke up Saturday. So instead we spent yesterday shoveling snow, playing, building snowforts and drinking a lot of hot chocolate :)
I finished my Komi mittens (fo post tomorrow) while hubby made Empanadas.
We watched Salmon fishing in the Yemen when the kids was in bed and had a glass of wine.
We had plans to go out playing more today, but woke up to -27 C, so instead the day has been spent inside baking bread, casting on a new pair of mittens, sipping tea and feeding the fire.
My Nuthatch mittens are done. I love them although they came out a little to short and the thumbs are a little tight. So when I make more mittens from the book I will use 2,25 mm needles and maybe add a few rows of salt and pepper pattern before I start the decreasing.
Pattern:Nuthatch mittens Yarn: 59 g Mor Aase baby ull Needles: 2 mm Modifications: The mittens (and gloves) in this book is all knitted from the top down. I have never done it, so I made them the usual way from the cuff and up. :
January 20 2013
I got a question the other day if I block my mittens.
Well, I usually don't block my mittens. Only if they are very "curly/bumpy" due to the stranded knitting. And then I use a wet cloth and my iron and steam them flat. Eskimini Makes had a post about mitten blocking a few days ago, so you might get a few tips there.
My Komi mittens are almost done too, just have a few rows on the second and the thumbs left to knit, so there might be another fo post this weekend :)
Some of you have been asking how the water is. Well, hubby managed to break the ice that had packed itself in the hill above the well, so now it's melting and runs into our well. And fortunately we had a week with rain after we almost lost it. It's been a very dry fall/early winter here, so we still have to save our water.
I've promised the kids a snowshoe trip so hopefullywe manage to do it this weekend. What plans do you have? Whatever it is I hope your weekend will be great!
It's snowing like crazy in my part of the world today and it has since yesterday. Throw in some wind and you have a nasty weather outside... I spent an hour yesterday shoveling snow and I guess I must out later today and do the same. It's good exercise at least ;)
But I'm waiting to see if the weather gets any better first, no need to shovel all that snow now when I now there's more to come. So I'm comfy here on the sofa with my cup of tea, my knitting and Being Human on Netflix, waiting for the kids and hubby to come safely home from school and work. I'm so glad I don't have to be out driving when the weather is like this!
How's your day?
Reading: I've picked up Heartless again after putting away a few months ago. I really love the story and better read it so I can buy the last book in the series :)
Knitting: It's all about mittens now. My Nuthatch Mittens is just missing their thumbs and I have started on a new pair of Komi mittens yesterday.
I'm sure most of you have seen this as it was all over facebook yesterday, but I just have to share!
Aren't they cute? Shetland ponies in cardigans. And I agree, if I visit Scotland and if there aren't Shetland ponies waiting for me in cardigans, I'll be very disappointed ;)
My mittens are done. And I'm sorry for the yellowish indoor photo, but as you can see below, outdoor photos makes the colours blue...
Pattern:Komi mittens #6 Yarn: 55 g hifa2 Needles: 2,72 mm Size: 56 st :
January 14 2013
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January 20 2013
I'm in the mood for knitting mittens, so I casted on a new pair right away. This is the Nuthatch Mittens. They're ment to be knitted from the top down, but I'm knitting them the usual way from the cuff and up.
And I guess you begin to be a bit bored to see this pattern now, but I've made my brother a Marius hat as a birthday gift. Same pattern as the hats I made for the kids.
My grandmother (my moms mother) is 90 years today!
And I guess she has been knitting for at least 85 of those years.
These photos were taken last summer and since then she has become more and more forgetfull, so she doesn't knit anymore...
She has trouble remembering who we are, but my mom has taken the kids and visited her often, so she has been able to remember them until recently. But I don't think she would know who we are now and that's sad...
At the end my mom had to cast on and bind off her knitting. But she managed to knit up the yarn mom bought her into squares. There is several layers here, so I hope I will have enough to make at least two blankets.
Now for my wip. I casted on a pair of komi mittens the other day. I ws a bit worried I would run out of yarn, but so far it looks like I have enough.Hopefully I'll have a pair of new mittens before the weekend :)
And the sun is back! SO looking forward to sunny days again :)
Eirin wanted me to knit her a pair of socks with the Marius pattern, so I digged in my stash and found the right colours. They are a bit snug in the leg, but I guess that will get a bit looser when they get worn a bit. I had to knit the heels and toes in red as I didn't had enough ble, but I like it.
Pattern:Marius sokker from Marius strikkebok Yarn: 53 g Sisu. 16 g red, 28 g white and 31 g blue. Needles: 2,5 mm Size: 54 st. Ca. shoesize 34 :
January 5 2013
Pattern:Marius lue from Marius strikkebok - can also be found here and Marius hats - scull, heart, smiley Yarn: Mor Aase ull/akryl, ca. 42-44 g each hat Needles: 3 mm Size: 108 st, 12 rows with blue before decreasing for the boys and 8 rows on Eirin's. :
January 1 2013
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January 3 2013
The kids are back to school, so it's dark before they come home - so no daylight photos...
And I've casted on a headband in marius pattern for myself as I had enough yarn left :)
Knitting: It seems like everyone here in Norway have knitted a project with Marius pattern except me ;) So I had to cast on a hat for each of the kids. If I have enough yarn I might cast on a headband for myself too.
Reading: I manage to read my goal of 100 books in 2012, but I had to speed read a few books and that was not fun. So this year I have set the goal down to just 80 books. The book I am reading now is the 39th book in a norwegian serie called Tre Søstre (Three sisters), set in a nearby village around 1890. Book 52 is coming mid January, so I am a bit behind... My plan is to read all the books from 39 to 52 until the 53rd come out in March/April.
So with a new year ahead of you, what plans do you have?
Each year I join a couple (or more) kals. I usually just manage to keep up the first few months... But this year I have joined a few kals where I can decide myself what I will knit throughout the year.
Like 13 in 2013.
My goals for 2013
13 pairs of socks/slippers
13 pairs of mittens/mitts
13 shawls/cowls
Make 13 things for my kids
Use up 13 of my prettiest skeins in my stash
Make 13 projects from my knitbooks
13 gifts
Hike to 13 mountaintops
Make 13 projects total for hubby and me
Make 13 projects for the home
Read 13 books with more than 500 pages
Listen to 13 audiobooks
13 walks / exercise sessions per month
And I guess I'm not the only one with lots of knit books on the shelf that hasn't been knitted from..?
So I joined the group - Knit in 2013: 13 Patterns from 13 books and here is my list of projects and books to knit from :)
I'm also going to try to knit along with these groups. It might not be each month as I probably only will knit the patterns I like, but it would be great to have a box of finished gifts for next christmas ;)
