My Creative Space

Sometimes when the weather is grey outside
and the rain doesnt seem to stop
one needs that extra pop of colour...

...hence i am knitting with this super bright yarn!


Just a few more row until the shawl is done and will brighten up my wardrobe (which is also rather dominated by grey)
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My Creative Space

Took a bit of a break from most creative doings, except photography, due to my adventures in Europe
Now I'm slowly starting to get back into knitting. I'm making -drumroll- another shawl *surprise surpise!*
I bought the wool in Switzerland, its a schoppel zauberball. Always wanted to try one of them.
It going to be a Whippoorwill (my third one), the thing is its a brilliant pattern and somehow those shawls make their way into the possesion of loved ones, hence I need another one.
The only downside on this project, its lace so its going to take me a looooong time and i will knit many many stitches till I can wear it. But Im sure it will be worth it.
For more details on the shawl visit here
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xo

Knitting

 Toast IV

Yarn: Nurturing Fibres Calssical Sock Wool; Lichen

CO: 44sts

Needles: 3,5mm

I decided that I need some change from the blanket and cast-on some wrist warmers

Just started but I have to say; I 'oh sooooo' love this colour way!

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xxiv

A quick up date on my blanket mania... I have done 49squares so far...only 551 or so to go
More details here

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On my needles...

One done - one more to go... {love the pattern!}

making slow progress on these...

a few more squares added here and there

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My Creative Space

I have been admiring Sock Yarn Blankets for ages and been thinking I would love to make a throw for my (king sized) bed for a while now... so in a spur of the moment I cast on my first square from left over yarns and have been knitting these rather than finishing the three pairs of socks I have started..
Initially I head the idea to start on my wedding anniversary and knit one square a day for a whole year. But I couldn't wait till the 24th of February and cast on on the 24th of January instead. After a week or so of knitting... I discovered that firstly 365 squares would not be nearly enough, I would need at least double of them and secondly (much worse) that all my leftovers won't be enough. Both discoveries set me a back a bit. The first was solved by deciding to knit a minimum of 1.2*1.2m (which will be around 700squares I think)- but hopefully as large as I can. Also would love to hear from other insanity projects! Lets team up and keep each other inspired!
For my second discovery I decided to resolve to begging... So here it goes: If any of you have any left over fingering wool they could send me..I would be eternally grateful! Please give me your email and I will send you my postal address! Thank you in advance :)
I shall update the blanket status every month around the 24th...

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I finished last weeks Shawl... details can be found here.
Now I am back onto the last clue of my January Mystery Socks and then the famous men-socks are waiting....
I have been plotting to start huge new project ---will tell you about it later

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My Creative Space

I did it again... I cast on another shawl... and yes I cast on before finishing those socks- again. BUT for my defense I should say I committed to this first before deciding I should finish all my unfinished knitting projects... Because this is a Nurturing Fibres Babymoon Knit-a-long... the idea was that we all cast on after Carle had her baby boy and we knit anything we desire with Nurturing Fibres Wool.
I naturally ended up choosing a shawl - really I am getting very predictable aren't I? More details can be found on my project page.

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11 in 2011

Last Year I decided to join in with the 11 Shawls in 2011 Ravelry Group. And I am quite proud to say I did knit the 11 Shawls. [Details can be found here]. While some of them ended up far away (hopefully reminding their wearers of me) others have become real favorites in my wardrobe. I should admit that most stayed with me... I think a girl can't have too many shawls...I admit:  I love shawls...
This year I decided to first finish the two projects I had started in 2010 (I know its totally embarrassing! AND I made it one of my new years resolutions to finish ALL my knitting projects BEFORE starting a new one) that are laying in my stash basket - They both are socks which feel victim to the famous single-sock-syndrome.
I was considering to do the 12 Shawls in 2012. But as much as I love shawls I decided against it- first I wanna be able to just knit what I feel like and second it's really a case of been there done that, since I do love shawls....
I decided to do my own little 12 in 2012, instead - meaning I will try to finish 12 knitting projects this year. You see,  I like little challenges like that....
So I have been looking at patterns--just to see what I could knit once I have finished those socks... ---I got to admit however; I seem to always end up looking at shawls...
Well; have I mentioned that I love shawls?

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It's a boy!

There is a lot of baby knitting going on around here lately. As mentioned before.
And I am really into making money-buttons! {will blog about it later}

Top Cardigan is for Carle's Baby boy {details here}
It's a simple top down cardigan {make the pattern up as you go}
I used the old RSA 20cents buttons - since she gave me the idea of money-buttons anyhow

Second Cardigan is going to England. A dear friend had just her first baby {details here}
I followed this pattern
I used old RSA 2cents from 1985 -which is the birth year of the mummy

I am all done with the baby boys...moved on to the baby girls now....so watch this space...

My Creative Space

There is a lot of baby surprise knitting going on at the moment.... {it honestly seems like most of my friends are either pregnant or getting married!}

This one is for a little boy - which one could guess from the blue..no surprise there- 

I made the buttons from old South African 20cents coins {Please excuse the big grin- I am rather smirking at my cleverness there}

I only got one little bit to finish, before it will leave Cape Town in a little packet (hopefully) by this weekend...

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It's done.
My Namaqualand Shawl
I ended up doing the border 4 times- because I wanted some yellow in it- but not too much and also wanted to in cooperate the 10g of luxury yarn that comes with the Sock Club
What I learned doing this shawl:

• Loopy picot cast off
• 4.25mm needles with the Nurturing Fibres Super Twist Sock Yarn works the best for me for shawls
• And patience and perseverance will be rewarded. I was after the 3rd time rather disheartened... it just didn't come out like i wanted it too-- then after a few days break of it I did a fourth time with the perfect (for me) colour choices. I am glad I did.

More details can be found on my project page

I know I will wear it often-- when Autumn comes along that is- for now I am packing it away and enjoy summer

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Shawl #10

Another finished Project this week.

Pattern: Andrea's Shawl by Kirsten Kapur
Wool: Elements Club 2011 Fire by Nurturing Fibres
Needles: 4mm
more details here

I really love the pattern, its really easy and so very effective. I would however do the large shawl - was worried I wouldn't have enough yarn so opted for the medium size.
The yarn- {oh the yarn! are there words for that colourway?} - is just exquisite! This club came as two self striping colourways.  Carle dyed them inspired by a wood fire - so one colour way is the reds of the flames and the other the glow of the coals. Just genius!
This my 10th Shawl in 2011 - still busy with the border of my 11th. I have to say that the progress is rather slow..and I am considering putting it aside for a bit and knitting something else....
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I've just cast on a new shawl as part of a Knit-a-Long for the Rugby World Cup. - Not that I have been or intend to watch many of the games... but Knit-A-Longs are rather fun so despite the fact that the World Cup is well on its way -- I have around 10days to finish (I hope) -- I bravely cast on
It's Kirsten Kapur's Andrea's Shawl Pattern, this is my second go....

my first one was knitted in August and I really enjoyed knitting it. Its a gorgeous and clever pattern, easy and really fun to knit.

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My creative space...

I have been knitting quite a bit lately...
I got a shawl blocking and another one on my needles as we speak...
inbetween the two we had really cold and rainy weather so I decided a pair of these would be great

Yarn: Nurturing Fibres Classic Sock Wool, Passion for Purple

They are super easy to make:

Cast on 44 stitches on 3.5mm needles.
Knit 100row in the round.
Cast off....
e voila wonderful warm wrist warmers

it took me a couple of nights to make the pair...

I really like them - and should really mention that the wool did all the work...

My creative space

While I have been editing my nearly 2.5 thousand photos, doing my travel journal and sketching new jewellery I needed a 'brainless' but fun knitting project. The choice was Andrea's Shawl, the only bit one has to concentrate was the edge and that was done in two evenings watching Luther. Now I am enjoying the unfolding of the Noro Colours.

Around 1 1/2 years ago I had seen many gorgeous project on Ravelry and was very keen to get my hands on a ball of that magical yarn. I did buy one (Silk Garden Sock Colourway :S264 [Fall 2008]) in Switzerland. But was a bit disappointed with the yarn quality- it was a bit bitty and rather nylony. (I should mention I have been extremely spoiled by Nurturing Fibres hand dyed super washmerino sock wool - it is just so soft has great drape and knits up a beautifully) So it ended up in my then newly acquired stash basket. And was forgotten.
My stash basket in the meantime got fuller and fuller until a few month ago- it had no more space. My yarn buying exceeded my yarn usage buy thousands... so I decided to slow down on the buying and knit as many projects from my stash basket as possible.
By the way, the natural coloured fingering yarn is from Nurturing Fibres and was also in my stash.

Now that I am knitting with the Noro I can totally see what the hype is all about! The colours are totally amazing. Watching the colours change row after row is so exciting!!
I love it so much I might even buy another colour way some time in the future....

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Searching.....

A shawl soft and drapey
Made with the same pattern as one before
The pattern my own design, double tested , being written up now and soon given to test knitters
But there is NO name!

Do you have any ideas for a name for this shawl pattern?

My creative space...

At the moment I am finishing up projects and planning new ones.
The shawl I was knitting last week is blocking, while I am doing a gauge and calculations for a new one
I am adding the last finishing touches to some jewellery pieces I have been working on and sketching new ones
I edited most of my photo material and while planning my next photo session (hopefully next week)
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Night Sky

Another Shawl...

The yarn...
was a gift.
It always made me think of the night sky.
A work of art by Carle from Nurturing Fibres.
A one of a kind skein.
Simply beautiful.
I admired it for a long time before I finally cast on

The pattern...
is the now famous Ishbel from Isolda.
This pattern is in fact the reason I decided to learn how to knit lace...
and a good while later I finally did it.
It's a simple yet effective pattern and I really enjoyed knitting it.

The project...
a success!
I love the combo of the two, they bring out the best of each other.
I am already wearing the shawl often... and know it will be used for a long time to come

What's on your needles these days?