What a Yarn: Day 7 of Knit and Crochet Blog Week

There’s one love that we all share: yarn. On this seventh and final day of Knit and Crochet Blog Week, I am sharing my love of Alafoss Lopi Iceland Fleece by Istex. I love the texture, smell and earthy colours of this pure sheep's wool.

I turn this wonderful yarn into Icelandic sweaters. This is mine.

This is my hubby's:

These sweaters are my favorite to knit.

I've really enjoyed this week of Knit and Crochet blogging. There are so many creative people out there in blog land. I've found new blogs to follow and new fiberistas to admire.

Thanks for spending time with me this week.

Happy Knit and Crochet Blogging!

Revisiting A Past Finished Object: Day 6 of Knit and Crochet Blog Week

Here I am on Day 6 of Knit and Crochet Blog Week revisiting this finished object:

My purple felted clutch was finished last fall. I didn't really have a plan for it's use. I stuck some crochet hooks in it and shoved it in a drawer.

Then, one fateful day my son wanted a case for his Nintendo DS. I couldn't bring myself to pay the price wanted for a poor quality vinyl case. Idea! What about the clutch?

Problem. Would a thirteen year-old want a case for his cool Nintendo DS knit by his mommy?

Answer: Yes!

He thought it was the "coolest" idea. He was so excited to have it. Apparently, his friends agree as to its coolness. In fact, I believe it is actually "epic". The purple colour must increase its cool factor.

I just like seeing him so delighted to use something created by his mom.

Happy Day 6!

Location, Location, Location: Day 5 of Knit and Crochet Blog Week

Where do you like to indulge in your fiber art craft?

• Not in a car
• Not in a bed
• Not in a line-up
• Not on the beach

But, I will in this chair.

This is where I create. Simple. Sunny. Satisfying.

Welcome Fiber Arts Friday fiberistas to Day 5 of Knit and Crochet Blog Week.

For those of you unfamiliar with Fiber Arts Friday, visit Wonder Why Gal at Wonder Why Alpaca Farm.

Share your fiber art adventures with us each Friday!

Happy fiber arting!

A New Skill: Day 4 of Knit and Crochet Blog Week

Is there a skill related to your hobby that you hope to learn one day? This is today's question for Knit and Crochet Blog Week.

My answer is steeks! I want to acquire a skill to cut my knitting! This is a technique I want  to learn so I can knit anyone of  Alice Starmore's Norwegian Fishermen Sweaters.

Like this one knit expertly by Oliphaunt Knits.

Photo credit OliphauntKnits

A steek is a method for putting sleeves into a sweater knit in the round by cutting the openings for the armholes into the completed knitting.

For those of you who may not know what a steek is you can read this explanation on wikipedia.

There are some good tutorials out there about steeking like Wendy Johnson's at Knitty.

Any steekers out there?

Happy blogging!

One Great Knitter: Day 3 of Knit and Crochet Blog Week

Today our assignment as part of  Knit and Crochet Blog Week is to write about a knitter whose work you enjoy. A knitter I enjoy following is a fresh and funky Swedish blogger called Dödergök.

Her knitting projects are often colorful, unique and photographed beautifully. These baby blue Quill Socks are enviable. Look at the colors in these Fair-Isle mittens. This lilac Ishbel Shawl is lovely.

She even creates her own designs like these pink and feminine Princess Socks.

If you've been looking at Dödergök's awesome finished objects, you may have noticed that the site is in Swedish. I love her blog so much that I have used my browser's translator to read it. I have even commented in Swedish using Google Translator! I hope I'm saying in Swedish what I think I'm saying...

Happy Knit and Crochet Blog Week!

An Inspirational Pattern: Valentine Triangle Shawl

As you might know, I am participating in Knit and Crochet Blog Week. Today is the day to reveal what pattern you aspire to create. The moment I read this I thought of all of the beautiful lace shawls I'd love to knit particularly the Valentine Triangle Shawl by Margaret Edelson:

 

                                             Photo by edelsma

Knitting lace has never appealed to me, because honestly it scares me! There I said it out loud. Even though I have tackled complex sweaters with cables and color changes, lace looks too hard.

I have tried to tackle my fear of lace. First, I joined a lace knit a long and produced a Ribbed Lace Bolero. Then, I graduated to a simple fan and feather shawl with my Multnomah. However, there were no charts, no fancy lace stitches, and no extraordinary concentration was required.

Having escaped lace, I am now knitting a cable cardigan. This for me is the comfort food of knitting.

Some day I will knit a lace shawl with actual charts...some day.

Happy comfort food knitting!

Knit and Crochet Blog Week: Join in on the Experience

Thanks to reading Jenny's Blog on Knitting, I am joining Knit and Crochet Blog Week from Monday to Sunday of this week.

There is a question to answer each day of the week about your passion for fiber from how did you start to the yarn you yearn to own. Visit Eskimimi Knits for all the info and here is the list of questions.

Today's question is: How and when did you begin knitting/crocheting?

My mom and a learn to knit book taught me how to knit. I can't remember exactly how old I was, but I know by the time I was about ten I had experimented with knitting. An abysmal  failure to be able to knit mitts put my knitting career on hold. I turned to crochet which for some reason I picked up much quicker from my mom.

Eventually, I took on knitting again and was knee deep into it by my early teens. I remember one early project was a knit garter stitch apron and hot mat for my mom on Mother's Day.

Some thirty odd years later I'm still both knitting and crocheting. I have taken the the odd hiatus only to return more passionate than ever for these fiber arts.

Happy blogging about your passion!