New pattern: Winkelgasse Wrap

The other thing I designed and knit during Christmas break is a generously sized wrap. Years ago, when the trend for oversized scarves was big, I would greet it with smiles and stick with my same old plain and light fleece scarf. Now that silhouettes are changing again (and the nights drop below -10 °C), I finally got one myself - and love it.

It all started with a parcel of Malabrigo yarn that my father brought when he visited in October. I had only worked with Malabrigo sock and lace yarns before and wanted to try something new. The one skein of Arroyo went into Perm, the three skeins of Worsted went into this wrap.

With 32 cm it's a bit wider than your average scarf, a feature I have come to love most about it. Sometimes when a scarf is too narrow, you spend most of your time outside readjusting your scarf and being afraid to moove too much because it could bare the back of your neck. This one your wrap around once and are good to go. 

The pattern is suuuuper easy and uses just the two basic stitches - knit and purl. After a repeat or two you won't even need the chart anymore because it's so easy to remember. The top and bottom end feature a small section of ribbing and the sides have a garter stitch edge to give it a clean border. Needless to say that the pattern is also reversible and looks great on both sides (always a plus with things that are worn around the neck).

The directions use a combination of written-out instructions and a chart. But since a lot of people don't like to use charts (hello, US of A), I also included a complete written-out version. I even put in a kind of recipe at the end if you like the pattern but need a different size. Using that recipe you can make anything from a children's scarf to a full-sized blanket.

I have to say that I really really like the wrap and even though it's a very simple design, I am kinda proud of it. When something looks very elaborate and complicated it's easy to hide minor flaws, but with plain stuff you have to do it right or it will show. And right now, I can't think of anything I would do differently if I knit it again.

The pattern is available through Ravelry for 3.90 Euros. By now, Ravelry is also selling to non-Ravelers via Facebook and Google, so you don't even need an account! If you have any questions concerning the pattern or purchase, drop me a note and I will get back to you :) Happy knitting!

New patterns! Perm Cowl

Over the Christmas holidays I have been working on two new designs which are finally ready for the public. 

The first one is called Perm. It's a cowl design featuring a wide lace panel and a narrow xox-cable. This combo seems to be quite popular on Ravelry right now and I wanted to give it a try. I've never worked with Malabrigo Arroyo before so I ordered only one skein to play with. Let me tell you, it has a great stitch definition and is a dream to work with. It's super soft and the colours are great too. Knit as-is, the cowl takes just one skein, but since the design is modular, you can adjust both circumference and length to your yardage and preferences (think a wide wrap-around-two-times loop!).

I admit that the colour is not my usual pick (it's 131 Sandbank), but it shows off the texture nicely and apparently it looks great during photoshoots on frozen beaches in wintertime. Needless to say that while looking super comfortable and confident and not at all freezing to death in the pictures, a pair of snow pants was wrapped around my knees and my fingers felt like little icicles. #amodel'slife

If you like the cowl and want to knit your own, the pattern is available through Ravelry for 3.90 €. Frozen beaches and red noses are not included, but a chart and a complete written-out transcription of said chart is. Since I know that some people are not too comfortable knitting from charts (while others, including myself, love it), you can just choose the version you like most. Additional information like yardage, gauge, and sizes, are available on Ravelry. 

Happy knitting :)

En Genser for Edel

Sometimes the man and one of his colleagues have work meetings in our living room, which happens to also be the room where I keep my crafty stuff. One day said colleague came over to my desk and began patting some wool I had hung from a shelf to dry. She liked what she saw and we began to chat about knitting and other fiber-related things. Is that... yes, that sweater is handknit. And the... yes, the shawl also. The socks, too, but they were a present from my mother. She told me she loves to wear wool during the winter, but her knitting is a bit slow and she does not have the confidence to try complicated patterns, so she mostly sticks to scarfs and cowls.

After that she went back to her meeting, but apparently it worked inside of her. A few days ago when the man was on the phone scheduling a new livingroom-meeting, I overheard that she asked him if there was possibly any chance that only if she has the time! his girlfriend (that's me) would just maybe be willing to ofcourseIwillpayher knit a sweater for her?

Well... yes, I'd love to!

So we got together, she explained to me what she wanted and what was important to her, I made some suggestions and then we rummaged through Ravelry to find the perfect Marius-genser (told you, he's everywhere!).

Today we went to town (literally) and got the pattern and yarn.

Both are by Sandnes, a brand that is very popular in Norway. You can buy the pattern in Norwegian from their website or in English from SKD yarns. The yarn is called Sisu and consists of 80% superwash wool plus 20% nylon. It's relatively thin, considered that I will knit a full sweater for an adult, but it has a great texture and is nice to work with.

Colourwise we went for three shades of blue instead of the classic Norwegian blue, red and white. Dark blue for the body, light blue for the Marius-mønster and a heathered medium blue for the neckline.

It does not happen very often that I decide to knit something just as the pattern suggests, in the yarn that the pattern suggests. Normally I don't care much about gauge and make adjustments as I go, by now I would not even bother to buy a pattern for this kind of sweater anymore. But this one is not for me and the recipient's size and body type is very different from mine, so I have to stick to the plan to make sure it actually fits her (and not me).

On to swatching!

Come follow me we'll go down where the river flows

Aaaaand there is another pattern online (yay!). It's an asymmetrical knit triangular shawl with lots of garter stitch and a nice little lace border. Perfect for a late autumn walk (ehm), evenings in front of the fire or just everyday. The pattern features three different sizes, from small to bigger-than-you-might-think, but you can also adjust it to your yardage and preference. The sample was knit in size small.

I designed this shawl after I got hold of two skeins of Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend in a lovely deep petrol colour. It was a clear case of reward shopping, but I regret nothing.
   

As I said, there is a lot of garter stitch going on, which makes the main body of the shawl a rather mindless (and super fast!) business. The lace border is very simple, too, making it the perfect project for a lace beginner.

The pictures were again taken by the man, back when the sun was still shining. We had to walk up the mountain quite a bit to catch the last rays in the afternoon and it was damn cold, but so worth it. Just look how well the petrol and gold go together!

Right now you can purchase the pattern for the Elva Shawl on my Ravelry page, but I plan to offer it on Etsy, too. Bonus: The pattern is only 2 € until Christmas Eve (CET)!

And to lure you into another sales funnel: Sebastian has finally set up an online shop for his photographs. And just in time for Christmas, how convenient is that?! You can order either digital files or prints on different materials and in different sizes. We got one on canvas as a test and the quality both of the frame and the print is great! I especially like the landscapes, but the plants are nice, too. Go get one (or two, or three...)!

Merry whichever end-of-the-year holiday you are celebrating :D

Marius Fingerless Mittens - Pattern release!

Remember the Marius Fingerless Mittens from a month back? Well, the pattern has now been tested, tweaked to perfection, and... uploaded!

Yes! And just in time for the holidays! 

Either knit them up and place them under the tree for a loved one, or make a kit complete with pattern, yarn and all, and give it to the knitter in your life. In my experience, this almost certainly results in YOU getting a pair of mittens some weeks or months later.

To purchase the pattern, please follow this link to Ravelry or click on the button in the sidebar.

I hope you like the pattern and I very very much look forward to see your projects. The 36 colours of Holst Tides should leave enough room for you to find the perfect combination.

Enjoy and happy knitting!

Update: And if you are on Instagram, there is a discount code that gives you 25% off (until Monday night (CET)!

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