Getting ready for autumn

Yup, it's almost fall, a knitter's favorite season I guess. It doesn't take much more than the nights getting colder and darker to get this one planning all those sweaters, socks, mittens and hats she could make. Of course, it's not like I don't already have enough to last a lifetime but all of you knitters out there know that it's really not about that anymore.

Here's my newest contribution into my wardrobe, a natural white cabled sweater from Novita autumn 2014 issue by Lea Petäjä. The yarn is Novita Suomivilla, Finnish wool. I wanted a tight cabled sweater to wear with jeans or a skirt. Most of my sweaters are kind of loose like many would argue they are supposed but I think this one has a more modern, more city-type of a look. And you know, when you have as many sweaters as I do, it's good they are not all the same :)

Coopey socks + future plans

This blog looks like I have completely stopped knitting, however, that is not true!

I have just been extremely lazy about taking photos and also about writing on my projects.

Here are two pairs socks that I just finished! The first was knit mostly during Christmas so it's really been waiting for those finishing touches for quite a while.

Some crazy Tiger yarn, 2,50 a skein. The pattern is Thora by Rachel Coopey.

I'm currently knitting through her second sock book, A Knitted Sock Society. But guess what, she has already put out another book, Coopknits Socks vol 2, which I lovelovelove but have not purchased yet since when do I have the time to knit all these beautiful socks?!

The second pair is also by Rachel Coopey but not from her books, but a sock club that I partook for a month. This pair was not the pair of that month but I loved it so much that I purchased just the pattern through Raverly. Meet Tyler.

I need to take pictures of my Lida top and a beautiful cabled sweater that are finished and ready. I have already worn Lida quite a bit since it's a summer top, and the sweater is all ready for autumn to come. Only, I'll be spending my autumn in Tianjin, China, so I will have to wait a bit longer to wear it than I would in Finland! But let's hope I get those pictures soon!

Meanwhile I have started knitting Shaded flower by Kaffe Fassett. I am using Rowan Felted Tweed like the pattern calls for. At purchasing it did sting a bit but now that I have been knitting for the weekend I am definitely in love with the yarn! The colors are marvelous, naturally, and the tweed surface really to die for. Fairisle has never felt this easy.

I also purchased Merle pattern by Norah Gaughan. I plan to knit it with Novita Alpaca Wool, a new yarn that I just gotta try. However, I am substituting the cable pattern for the one on Margie Mitchell's Key and knot. It's gonna be so lovely.

Six Point Tee & Bailiwick Pullover

I have been extremely lazy in updating my blog lately, but I have also not have that much time to knit so there are not a lot of finishes to share. Also there are a few projects that are waiting for those finishing touches. Still, here are some pictures of two tops that I have managed to actually finish.

The Six Point Tee by Cathy Carron in knit.wear spring/summer 2014 caught my eye the minute I saw it: the construction is top down starting with the neckline and separating for sleeves, knit in the round. It was a lovely knit with thick cotton yarn and big needles. I loved working on it and I think I might even make another one in a different color. It was very quick, I knit it during Christmas and it took me five days but I also worked on other things. I love wearing it, it's like having light armor on, the feeling is soft but also safe, even more so than in knitwear usually.

Another finish, and one that I have been wearing a lot, is Bailiwick pullover by Courtney Spainhower from Interweave spring 2014. I knit it with the same bamboo/cotton blend as my fire opal tee, Hjertegarn Blend Bamboo. The yarn is soft and the finished garments feel easy on. The colors are also lovely. This one was also top down and I am starting to feel that that is a very good way to knit tops. You can try it on at any time, knit is just as long as you like and all in all get a better feeling about how the finished garment is going to look like. This one I actually went to buy more yarn for because I thought it might not be long enough otherwise. In hindsight it probably would have been just fine but I also enjoy the tunic-y look.

Everything I made in 2014

I have been incredibly busy with my new studies so it has been a long time since I last posted. Anyway, I thought it might be time to look at what I made in 2014. It's quite a few things.

First, here are the shawls:

And the tops:

And of course, the socks:

And then there's everything else:

Yes, I would call 2014 quite a productive year.

Kainuun lapaset

The mittens are finished! I've also worn them a couple of times and they are so perfect for my hands. The other mittens I finished for myself earlier, Vega, don't fit my hands well at all, they are always sliding down, not staying put. But these do, and they are extremely warm, too, as they are sport weight and stranded. I couldn't be more pleased!

If you want to make your own, the pattern is available for free here. It's in Finnish but there's a chart. Get your nine colors ready and knit!

Winter is Coming... So Stack Up on Christmas Cards and Warm Mittens!

I just love making cards! I made a couple new Christmas cards this past weekend. I love how when making cards you can always combine materials from all different sources. Take these cards below for example: the canvas I stitched on was made by my grandmother in the 60's for a shirt of a Finnish national costume (I'm using the leftover pieces, and I have the dress, too!), the thread I used was bought when we lived in China in 2003-2005 because DMC was just so cheap there and then the rest of the materials, backing papers, cardboard, glitter glue are all new. The pattern is from Stitch the Halls, a new Christmas themed book by What Delilah Did, the same designer who by the lovely owl I presented before was.

I have also been knitting some warm mittens for the coming winter. These are a traditional pattern from the Kainuu region in Finland. That is actually in the middle part of Finland in the north-south axis but to me, being the Southerner I am, it seems to be way up North. Anyway, they have a beautiful mitten pattern with nine colors! I had all of these in my stash, some new skeins bought specifically for something, others just leftovers. I have finished one mitten and I totally love it.

This is What Happens When You Don't Blog for a While

Ok, since I haven't posted in ages there's a lot to share!

First of all, as soon as I had finished Mermaid's Song, I cast on another Susanna IC shawl, Ferywen. It was a quick one and I've already worn it lots. I love the Regia design line hand-dye effect by Kaffe Fassett that I used, the colors are so subtle and pretty.

I also finished a long-in-the-making pair of socks, Simple Prim by Yavanna Reynolds. It's a free pattern and as I only used 50 g of yarn, the total cost was only €3,90.

I've also knit two completely new pairs, both from Cookie A.'s Knit.Sock.Love. I've still not knit all the socks from that book but almost!

Here's BFF in Four Seasons Gründl Hot Socks Spectra:

And German Stocking in Hjertegarn Sock Wool:

Finally, I've also made two cards. The first was for a couple friends of my boyfriend's who got married:

And the second for my cousin and his family, they got a baby:

This weekend I've made a lot of progress on Kasha which I have shared some pictures of with you much earlier. I actually started knitting this cardigan in the beginning of September 2012! And now it is finally going to be finished. Here are all the pieces except for the collar blocking: