Mystery time is near

Autumn is a good time for mitten knitting. (As you all know, the whole year is a good time for mitten knitting!) And this autumn, you can join a mystery knitalong on Ravelry, in the wonderfully nice and supportive "I make mittens"-group, who have hosted my two previous mystery knitalongs. In July 2013 we made "En gåte på en måte" (A riddle, in a way), and in January 2014 the mystery mittens were inspired by the book "The secret garden". The knitalongs were both great fun, and I hope this one will be as well.

How to join?
When purchasing the pattern, you get details about yarn, sizing etc. Then, on September 1st you'll get the first clue, and over the next weeks, you'll get four more clues. It's not compulsory to join the discussion in the group, but that's at least half of the fun, so I'd go visit if I were you.

This time, the pattern costs 15 nkr, which is appr. 2.50 USD. However, the pattern will be part of a future mitten e-book, and if you buy the e-book later, you will get this sum deducted from the e-book price. Stay tuned for more information on that...

Which year in Lerwick?

I've been asked why the sweater is called "Next year in Lerwick". So here's the story:

In 2012, I went to Shetland for the first time, during the Wool Week, and I spent some fantastic days there. I was inspired to make something using the treasure of the fairisle patterns.

The sweater sat in my head for a while. I was hoping to go back to Shetland for Wool Week 2013, where I planned to buy yarn for the sweater. But when I couldn't go, I bought the Norwegian Rauma Finullgarn in stead, and stared knitting. Hoping to go to Shetland Wool Week 2014, hence the name, "Next year in Lerwick". And now next year is this year, and I'm going to Shetland in October. Together with Pinneguri and her sweater "This year in Lerwick".

It's so fun to see all the different versions people are making, and the names they give their projects. QueenMudd with "In love with Lerwick", Fibula with "One year in Lerwick". Willenda is hoping for "Some year in Lerwick", and Birthe has spun her yarn for "Twilight in Lerwick", Bossa also wants to go to Lerwick, "Not this year, but then". Berit has plant coloured the yarn for her sweater, and Eva has turned it into a cardigan. There are also several photos on Instagram tagged with #nextyearinlerwick.

By the way, did you know Lerwick comes from the Norwegian name Leirvik, meaning Bay of Clay?

Latifolia & Twist Collective Fall 2014

Here's the first version of Latifolia hat and mittens - in the photo I sent with my submission to Twist collective.

When I designed this set, I was thinking of the paper decorations we made as kids - with black and white paper, cutting out motifs in black, then gluing them to the white paper to get a mirrored motif. Makes sense?

The yarn here is Dale Cotinga, a blend of merino and alpaca.

Here's the sample I made from the yarn Twist collective chose, O-Wool's Legacy DK, 100% merino, which is also a nice yarn, a little thinner than the Dale Cotinga (as I suggested, to get a nicer drape for the hat). I like the colour they chose for me too!

Here's me wearing the sample, before sending it off to the US. You can see some snow in the background, but I did not really need hat and mittens that day..

© Twist Collective

And here's the main photo on Twist Collective's page.

It's a fabulous issue, see the patterns on Ravelry, or on Twist Collective. I find it impossible to choose a favourite.