Månadens föremål på Nordiska Museets blogg - Ett par vantar från 1855

Bild hämtad från DigitaltMuseum. Nordiska Museets samling.

På Nordiska Museets blogg Månadens föremål kan man nu i februari läsa om dessa unika vantar från 1855. Klicka här för att läsa inlägget.

The item of the month on the blog of Nordiska Museet is a pair of unique Swedish mittens from 1855. Follow this link to read the post (only in Swedish).

Ormsta Hat - in twined knitting

We have had snow the last days and I am glad to have a new hat. This hat is in twined knitting and inspired by the stitch pattern on my Ormsta wrist-warmers. (You can download the pattern for the Ormsta wrist-warmers for free from my blog and Ravelry)

I do not often add a tassel to a hat, but something made me do just that with this one. I am rather pleased that I did.

As always (almost) the yarn is from Wålstedts. I used 145 grams. The knitting was done on steel dbpns 2½ mm.

63 360 stitches

I was very satisfied with my first Söderängskrage so I decided to knit one more. They do require a lot of knitting time. That is why I have counted the stitches - there are 63 360 stitches in this project!

The pooling blue yarn is 100 % wool from Evilla, the yellow is a 100 % Blue Faced Leicester yarn called "Tumble Scum" from BMFA. The cast-on is 80 stitches on needles 3.00 mm.

These "scarfs" are so warm and can be worn in so many ways that they are worth the time and effort of knitting tens of thousands of stitches.

A new project book, 2015 -

New  project book

I am starting this year with a new project book. My old project book spanning 2006-2014 is full. In 2006 when I started keeping a project book I was a little bit hesitant whether it would be worth the effort or not. But I soon discovered huge advantages. Not only can I easily see when I knitted a project (time does fly) and to whom I gave it, but I can also find information about the time it took to knit, which yarn and needles I used, how many stitches I cast on and which alterations (if any) I made to the pattern used.

Old project book

I also add a photo of the project. It makes it so much easier to remember the project. I have great use of the book, e.g. when I am to knit another pair of socks to someone who wants them to be "the same" as the previous ones. It also helps me to keep order of sizes for mittens and socks for persons that I don´t have in my vicinity.

In later years I also have started adding charts for my own designs or for alterations made in other designs. 

So why keep a book and not just a digital file with text and pictures ... ? Hard to answer that - I guess such a file would be equally useful, but it just does not appeal to me. OK - I have my charts in Excel-format, but for the rest I like keeping my book.

If you are considering starting a project book (which I recommend) - buy one of good quality, because it will have to stand a lot of use through the years.

All the best for 2015!

I wish you a Happy New Year with these quotes from Elizabeth Zimmermann:

“Really, all you need to become a good knitter are wool, needles, hands and slightly below-average intelligence. Of course, superior intelligence, such as yours and mine, is an advantage.” – Knitting Without Tears

“Properly practised, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn’t hurt the untroubled spirit either.” – Knitting Without Tears

“I deliberately keep my knitting notes vague, because tastes vary, and your brains are as good as mine anyway.” – The Opinionated Knitter

“When times are tough I sit down to spin during the news-broadcasts, with therapeutic results. Knitting, as you well know, is therapy too.”
– Knitter’s Almanac

“My kind of character enjoys work best when work is fun, and progress can be noted and gloated over. When I have a long plain piece of knitting ahead I put a safety-pin at each day’s beginning to show me how I am coming.”
– Knitter’s Almanac

“...there are few knitting problems that will not yield to a blend of common sense, ingenuity and resourcefulness...” – The Opinionated Knitter

“A swatch is not wasted labour by any means; it makes an excellent pocket...”
– The Opinionated Knitter

“For people allergic to wool, one’s heart can only bleed. Synthetics are a marvellous substitute, but a substitute is all they are.” – Knitting Without Tears