Winter warmers

Warm colours and warm fibres - the two first 2009 FOs:

Pattern: Selbu Modern from Zeitgeist yarn

Yarn: Kauni effektgarn and Rauma Jubileumsgarn

Mods: Not intentional, but I'm a loose knitter, and I don't like knitting with needles thinner than 2, 5 mm, so after suffering through the ribbing with needles 2,0 mm, I changed to 2,5 mm, and was not able to get gauge og 30 sts per 10 cm. Mine was 28, so the hat is a little big, but not too big - I love it!!

Pattern: Blowsey RufflesbyJanine Le Cras
Yarn:Mirasol Yarn Sulka

When I first saw the pattern, I thought there was cabling involved, but it's not. It's just a very simple, but clever lace pattern, quickly learned, and a well written pattern. And the yarn is incredibly soft, merino, alpaca and silk.

I used kitchener stitch to join the ruffles at the end. I have done that many times, and it's logical, really, how you should do it, but I always have troubles starting. Now I was ok, after I found this nice tutorial on the PurlBee.

Norah Gaughan in Norway?

I just finished my first Norah Gaughan pattern, Bonsai tunic, from Interweave Knit Spring 2007.

I made som mods: Using another yarn (Kauni... surprise, surprise...), my gauge was little looser than called for (18 vs 20). I did some calculation, and found that if I made the smallest size, it would be appr. a 38”, which would be my size. I knitted in the round, both because I hate the seaming, and because of the color changes. So - there was a lot to think of at the same time, decreases, increases, more decreases, lace pattern etc. I should have made a chart and noted everything. Next time... So far, I have not made the belt - don't think I will.

It's a lovely pattern, and I hope not my last Norah Gaughan project. Flower Child (ravelink) in the Berroco pamphlet Norah Gaughan volume 4 is beautiful, with what seems to be an interestning constuction. Her Loppem is also in my queue.

But where do I find the patterns??

Berroco don't ship outside USA and Canada. I found a shop that would, but international shipping would cost 25 $. Then I found an online shop in the UK - but they only send to addresses in the UK.

Anybody who knows how to get these patterns in Norway??

Selbu modern for me

This is a wonderful pattern. I had not planned to make it right now, but I kept seeing one beautiful version after the other, and I just had to cast on. Knitting during a seminar yesterday made me get a long way:

I'm using my favourite yarns: Kauni Effektgarn (Rainbow) and Rauma Finnullgarn (Jubileumsgarn, with a little shimmer in it). I'm so looking forward to wearing this!

The pattern is wonderful, as I said, and it's free! Kate Gagnon designed it, you can find it on her blog. Ravelers can find it here.

Old hat, new pattern

I made this hat many years ago, and I have received many compliments on it, both in real life, out skiing, and on Flickr and Ravelry. Now I have finally written down the pattern. It's beeing test knitted now, and will be up for sale soon. I used DK and light worsted yarn from stash (mostly Rauma 3ply and Peer Gynt), nine different colours. So this is a perfect stash buster, and you can play with the colours in your stash.