tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361648657837018362024-03-06T01:22:18.159+00:00Abso-knitting-lutely!Knitting, spinning, dyeing and a host of colourful stitch markers.Nadiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03002661573000050358noreply@blogger.comBlogger716125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336164865783701836.post-10887231468322460162023-05-03T13:34:00.004+01:002023-05-03T13:34:32.535+01:00Snowdrops: The Perfect Hand-Knitted Socks for Spring<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcrJ-3bDPlwNaxiACFOwHEA3JpuA5j_AE5FqjF2UwTXf2EFdsSUsrbVxkkZCAylQmHs65ybksge57mbCK33UBnAg6zS34jZ3uDaKmnBAfJwTxBT_c72vINUUFEmi-eNor5V8mWbkNe7P13tK-G5w93-VHjJLgCCRQvMqQcCdhTvDkdiehcUlZYMQBp/s640/snowdrops%20knitting%20pattern.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img alt="Snowdrops sock knitting pattern by Korora Knits" border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcrJ-3bDPlwNaxiACFOwHEA3JpuA5j_AE5FqjF2UwTXf2EFdsSUsrbVxkkZCAylQmHs65ybksge57mbCK33UBnAg6zS34jZ3uDaKmnBAfJwTxBT_c72vINUUFEmi-eNor5V8mWbkNe7P13tK-G5w93-VHjJLgCCRQvMqQcCdhTvDkdiehcUlZYMQBp/w640-h480/snowdrops%20knitting%20pattern.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><p style="text-align: justify;">Spring is the perfect time for lighter hand-knitted socks and Alexandra (Korora Knits) has just the right pattern for the season. She joins me at #KnittingHour on Twitter on Thursdays and gifted me this <a href="https://kororaknits.ca/b/GzWsx" target="_blank">Snowdrops</a> ankle socks pattern. As it happens, I had just the right yarn for it, too. Or so I thought.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">As it happens, I am wearing these socks right now! They feel good on my skin, but as you can imagine, silk isn't ideal for socks because it does make them rather slippery. The material is not as warm as pure wool or a wool and acrylic blend, which is great for the warmer days of spring. In future, I will steer clear of silk in sock yarn despite the good definition and cooler feel. I am not a fan of the constant slipping and twisting when I wear this pair.</p></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizOuLl1Pt6ZKkgUERIPwvmbJRtHzmSkviYZPkeWKBi6IM2NaI7KhWOYLG2pZxU4sImLiZOJO7dZHl6GsDTqxUJJanrq_RKJaVBHN9xrfn-5qs6YSNTB6NNXkEw8SsSIQP8dQzqI0CJWIptrbVjoF9E0jMLauyVV36_LknRLyAQQe_moOFKRzbszBVQ/s640/snowdrops%20cuff.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img alt="A light blue unfinished sock lies on a turquoise and white patterned background. The cuff has been knitted and you can see four DPNs where the heel will be made next." border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="640" height="546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizOuLl1Pt6ZKkgUERIPwvmbJRtHzmSkviYZPkeWKBi6IM2NaI7KhWOYLG2pZxU4sImLiZOJO7dZHl6GsDTqxUJJanrq_RKJaVBHN9xrfn-5qs6YSNTB6NNXkEw8SsSIQP8dQzqI0CJWIptrbVjoF9E0jMLauyVV36_LknRLyAQQe_moOFKRzbszBVQ/w640-h546/snowdrops%20cuff.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><p style="text-align: justify;">That said, it's purely my fault for choosing the wrong yarn. The knitting pattern itself is great and easy to follow.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The yarn I had in mind is this sky blue speckled 4-ply from <a href="https://www.thewoolkitchen.com/" target="_blank">The Wool Kitchen</a>. I bought it at a small yarn show, and as usual I didn't have any plans for it at the time. It wasn't my usual colourway, but I loved how silky the yarn felt. That comes as no surprise as it contains a blend of merino and silk. The colourway is called Earth & Sky. </p></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwG1lx6oINe2zT9SMSQm6i5phk5RXTaRoz_CZefl39HoaLf9f5dWR2pJBWkjY_3jt3gAnlJoTaSYu-dAicp8E68QenA6YDyTkoCBHWdvd18L5uwHm0tpwhP2S85Gq6oCFvcAVxUuK8dzoTCwfAxa1UCzacn0dqOJIPmOb70lRJV1OVyevdLjQzAR-O/s640/snowdrops%20yarn%20bowl.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img alt="A ball of sky blue yarn with speckles and a sock in progress are seen inside a dark blue ceramic yarn bowl. It's a wonderful mess of yarn and DPNs." border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwG1lx6oINe2zT9SMSQm6i5phk5RXTaRoz_CZefl39HoaLf9f5dWR2pJBWkjY_3jt3gAnlJoTaSYu-dAicp8E68QenA6YDyTkoCBHWdvd18L5uwHm0tpwhP2S85Gq6oCFvcAVxUuK8dzoTCwfAxa1UCzacn0dqOJIPmOb70lRJV1OVyevdLjQzAR-O/w640-h480/snowdrops%20yarn%20bowl.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Snowdrops offers a simple lace pattern that is easily memorised after a few repeats. The socks were quick and easy to knit and reminded me of my first-ever socks. For some reason, this beginner chose to start with a lace sock instead of a plain one. I like to make my life... interesting, shall we say.</span></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Something I really enjoyed about these socks is the picot edging. You actually start knitting from the top down, so the first thing you do is tackle the picot edging, fold it over to form the little peaks, and sew it in place. Only then do you continue with the leg. Trust me, that's the only bit that may take some getting used to if you have knitted socks before, so anything after the edging is a breeze.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhAhL60939q580a6mwt_BQNgptUcd41rvW4tRLqVsvhIwQmqWe7LyfotuuxXjR_saOw_RAcAo4UkoOfCgDELrxddvZPVeYe8X_qw07LUctZbzgkJZxXVPbS-X-qYenuNRUFIo4cUhMLk-Qs9mXc1aTwSo-WWZ3KyaVEnBLDrKwB7NPKA73xI-InWu/s640/snowdrops%20finished%20knitted%20sock.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img alt="A finished light blue, speckled sock is arranged on a blue sock blocker against a white background. You can clearly see the lace pattern, the heel, and the picot edging." border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="437" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhAhL60939q580a6mwt_BQNgptUcd41rvW4tRLqVsvhIwQmqWe7LyfotuuxXjR_saOw_RAcAo4UkoOfCgDELrxddvZPVeYe8X_qw07LUctZbzgkJZxXVPbS-X-qYenuNRUFIo4cUhMLk-Qs9mXc1aTwSo-WWZ3KyaVEnBLDrKwB7NPKA73xI-InWu/w438-h640/snowdrops%20finished%20knitted%20sock.jpeg" width="438" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I did make a change to the pattern, come to think of it: originally, the heel was meant to be knitted using German short rows, which are not my friend. I tried and failed, so I resorted to my usual gusset and heel flap. You can sub in any heel you like and it will work just as well. Mine gives me the perfect fit and I am happy with the result.</div></span><p></p>Nadiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03002661573000050358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336164865783701836.post-82356342219880760442023-05-01T22:06:00.002+01:002023-05-03T10:54:02.757+01:00Knitted Colourwork Advent Calendar Socks<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVPaXeUWleGMBO43VrbFm_JxSonyiiHSlfViiwO6ydL0MuiG0Xb06oHLJwbaVhh49PWhR7zgEj7i78xLbQKJFphkVG_JdKbU3_NiKdLrHf9q2rU1McNKB5jKECx2nkc-e1C5uFxI5E5sZO10bGRyPduXyS-gJPvSGjavnDL5O4h_WTXNR4xcaHrIDG/s640/advent%20calendar%20socks.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A flatlay view of two colourwork socks in progress. They are on sock blockers on a white background." border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="640" height="548" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVPaXeUWleGMBO43VrbFm_JxSonyiiHSlfViiwO6ydL0MuiG0Xb06oHLJwbaVhh49PWhR7zgEj7i78xLbQKJFphkVG_JdKbU3_NiKdLrHf9q2rU1McNKB5jKECx2nkc-e1C5uFxI5E5sZO10bGRyPduXyS-gJPvSGjavnDL5O4h_WTXNR4xcaHrIDG/w640-h548/advent%20calendar%20socks.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As you may remember from my last post a few days ago, my <a href="https://abso-knitting-lutely-nadia.blogspot.com/2023/04/yarnlings-knitted-socks.html" target="_blank">Yarnlings socks</a> weren't the only ones using Eden Cottage Yarns' wonderful hand-dyed wool. This collection of tiny woolly balls called <a href="https://www.edencottageyarns.co.uk/collections/yarnlings" target="_blank">Yarnlings</a> are perfect for small colourwork projects.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The reason I bought them in the first place was so I could knit a pair of Advent calendar socks. This seemed far more fun than just buying an Advent calendar, even though there are so many different kinds to choose from nowadays. But I was bored with them and wanted to do something with my hands.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgplt89FIbJO352oriC9r-px_4UU0UvSvdKLM17Q8A8Hz8UEmYLsK68PSTdkvGAa8jT-ie01_c1QJU_7P8LTIkvHa4tkedKqhebaAJDkbiLemVVn8Hwl7i_bOSKU6GSGcYId1_Q4iZzF8NM9ZCNYZfAHzS3Ymk9Z9Jt_smifMpgo0HroTma98ObGBVq/s640/adven%20calendar%20sock%20colourwork%20detail.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Holding up my WIP. You can see a close-up of the colourwork detail as I end a pattern section." border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgplt89FIbJO352oriC9r-px_4UU0UvSvdKLM17Q8A8Hz8UEmYLsK68PSTdkvGAa8jT-ie01_c1QJU_7P8LTIkvHa4tkedKqhebaAJDkbiLemVVn8Hwl7i_bOSKU6GSGcYId1_Q4iZzF8NM9ZCNYZfAHzS3Ymk9Z9Jt_smifMpgo0HroTma98ObGBVq/w480-h640/adven%20calendar%20sock%20colourwork%20detail.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I remembered how much I enjoyed making my <a href="https://abso-knitting-lutely-nadia.blogspot.com/2012/12/advent-calendar-scarf-2012-final-post.html" target="_blank">Advent calendar scarf</a> in 2012 and wanted to do something similar. The thought of having a little bit of a project to knit everyday until Christmas felt right. So, I hunted for a suitable pattern and found a pair of <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/advent-socks-2019" target="_blank">socks on <span style="color: red;">Ravelry</span></a> from 2019 that fit the bill.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I decided on a plain white contrast yarn for cuff, heel and toe. I knitted an afterthought heel, which I don't think I had ever done before. Turns out I never will again either! It was the best choice for this kind of colourwork sock, but I just don't like knitting or even wearing this type of heel. This was the reason it took me 10 months to actually have a pair I could wear - the colourwork sections themselves were done and dusted by Christmas 2021. It wasn't until October 2022 that I was able to wear my socks, though.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1by8fNZhRdsVe8f23OyGbp1kt6IO4O8DdO4gyvZrL3yuMGtXzNRe8kwF4UTwBcQeCS_8oejDJyiZzt0aBtNiXy7WCw7IHyhbHzPHF6qmheyOUW_KlR7p2twK6NZYvmgg6keL9Un8k_96bTJWeaTUrYqVZv_LW-C2PlN6Kb0DZY6Y16VXgrlMJswH/s640/advent%20calendar%20sock%20leg.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The leg of the ADvent calendar socks show the complete colourwork section before the heel. The colours work well together." border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1by8fNZhRdsVe8f23OyGbp1kt6IO4O8DdO4gyvZrL3yuMGtXzNRe8kwF4UTwBcQeCS_8oejDJyiZzt0aBtNiXy7WCw7IHyhbHzPHF6qmheyOUW_KlR7p2twK6NZYvmgg6keL9Un8k_96bTJWeaTUrYqVZv_LW-C2PlN6Kb0DZY6Y16VXgrlMJswH/w480-h640/advent%20calendar%20sock%20leg.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">To be fair, I was so happy to wear them at last that I think it was worth the delay. I am only sad about the fact that I couldn't knit the final pattern because the feet would have been far too long. I did knit it at first, but while trying it on, it was clear that it just wouldn't work for me. Too bad - that pattern was actually my favourite. In fact, I even considered adapting that section to use it as the toe, but couldn't face actually reworking the pattern, which was the reason for yet another delay.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The colours of the Yarnlings go well together and I am very happy with the result. These are some of my favourite socks at the moment. (I won't talk about the usual misery of sewing in all those ends, though!)</span></p>Nadiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03002661573000050358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336164865783701836.post-90204060622307296192023-04-30T17:42:00.001+01:002023-04-30T17:42:10.575+01:00Yarnlings Knitted Socks<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfddBX16EI1EabfprYewVDfWr16Ri1KRL9sBv7euMgLQyICB32cMe1KLqOaLjHPwkKchiAZUm3qvdt-boRrRfJp14B32GiH0lqZexHsq4inyxfVw-SgIJaDBQZpNheWhO8YByVIuHmT9hIdZjnnRZvMobHj1zK8zNeaGB4avZDNxyp8uIOumTqHz0n/s640/striped%20Yarnlings%20sock%20on%20sock%20blocker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A half-finished striped socks is photographed on a blue sock blocker. The leg and heel are finished and some colourful strands of yarn are peeking out at the top, waiting to be sewn in." border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="360" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfddBX16EI1EabfprYewVDfWr16Ri1KRL9sBv7euMgLQyICB32cMe1KLqOaLjHPwkKchiAZUm3qvdt-boRrRfJp14B32GiH0lqZexHsq4inyxfVw-SgIJaDBQZpNheWhO8YByVIuHmT9hIdZjnnRZvMobHj1zK8zNeaGB4avZDNxyp8uIOumTqHz0n/w360-h640/striped%20Yarnlings%20sock%20on%20sock%20blocker.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If you haven't heard of <a href="https://www.edencottageyarns.co.uk/" target="_blank">Eden Cottage</a> Yarnlings yet, don't walk - run!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.edencottageyarns.co.uk/collections/yarnlings" target="_blank">Yarnlings</a> are pretty little 5 g balls of hand-dyed yarn that are perfect for small colourwork projects like cowls, scarves, and socks. Now, if you know one thing about me, it's that I love knitting socks. So it comes as no surprise that that's exactly what I did with my <a href="https://www.edencottageyarns.co.uk/collections/yarnlings/products/milburn-4ply-yarnling-set-full-palette" target="_blank">full colour palette of Yarnlings</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This pair is actually the second one I have knitted with this yarn (details to come), but it is the first I finished. I originally used the yarn for colourwork Advent socks and used the leftovers, plus a second set of Yarnlings, for a simple striped pair.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This yarn is incredibly soft and feels wonderful to knit and wear. It is some of the best I have ever used for socks and I can heartily recommend it. The colours aren't my usual vibrant jewel tones, but that's actually why I chose the set. I wanted to mix things up a bit and try something different. The colours are well-chosen and harmonious.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmnNaHvs-QV7iJzt7oORNs6vs0Ab6wFydts5sh08eMn3mSBtSRYjKDFWlII7SdujxUkBE23fN6tog6s_IofVh6je9mLp4_Ob1_alPLLMbQo3DMEcGG93PsTLyjnhobzNzuuO0vG6YFsbW57IAbxryq1tE4UmXHvVlzAngWmlXH14Ixp8meAb6JzWp/s640/Yarnling%20striped%20socks%20on%20feet.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="I am wearing the finished pair of striped socks, feet propped up against a cream-coloured wall. You can see I am wearing light blue PJ bottoms with white hearts on them that clash with the rest of the photo." border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmnNaHvs-QV7iJzt7oORNs6vs0Ab6wFydts5sh08eMn3mSBtSRYjKDFWlII7SdujxUkBE23fN6tog6s_IofVh6je9mLp4_Ob1_alPLLMbQo3DMEcGG93PsTLyjnhobzNzuuO0vG6YFsbW57IAbxryq1tE4UmXHvVlzAngWmlXH14Ixp8meAb6JzWp/w480-h640/Yarnling%20striped%20socks%20on%20feet.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">These socks are plain apart from the stripes, but I decided to give a new heel a try. I had heard good things about the Fish Lips Kiss heel (FSK), so this was as good a time to give it a go as any. That said, it turns out I am not a fan. The fit isn't great for me and I still prefer a proper gusset and heel flap. But don't let that put you off! I know plenty of knitters who love FSK. You need to find out what works for you.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As is so often the case, the pattern is only available on <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fish-lips-kiss-heel" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Ravelry</span></a> for a small charge. I was quite overwhelmed by the pattern at first because it's a whopping 16 pages! In fact, you only really need bits of two, but I had to get my head around it first.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">My striped socks were a pleasure to knit until it was time to sew in all the ends. I try to knit them into the next row of a colour change whenever possible, which makes it a bit easier. it's still a challenge, though, if all I want is to just wear my knits already. I am sure I am not alone in this, right?</span></p>Nadiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03002661573000050358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336164865783701836.post-44503388780724092972023-04-30T16:56:00.002+01:002023-04-30T16:56:42.930+01:00Knitted Baby Hoodie and Baby Booties<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqo2YzD8GIyuVQSLCZJPEzgMxWEEZQDrNOXZcz0M19ZKIj4CTMYL79D0w1V__LTBApxAgLNrg1aH2Z70RZPmCPpmXUeMdrAFcqgKwTqiHBQdDMcttxmuICfl8MIhqXso7te7ou8tnwYAABpjdhKy_mTrXFDM9C6-9eF1dka6gVBehRwhf8l6JhIP0-/s640/knitted%20baby%20gifts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A box sits on a white background. It is filled with a folder up red and grey hoodie, baby booties in the same colours, and a red shower pouf. Touching the corner of the box is a card with kittens in a knitting basket." border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="360" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqo2YzD8GIyuVQSLCZJPEzgMxWEEZQDrNOXZcz0M19ZKIj4CTMYL79D0w1V__LTBApxAgLNrg1aH2Z70RZPmCPpmXUeMdrAFcqgKwTqiHBQdDMcttxmuICfl8MIhqXso7te7ou8tnwYAABpjdhKy_mTrXFDM9C6-9eF1dka6gVBehRwhf8l6JhIP0-/w360-h640/knitted%20baby%20gifts.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">My friend Cora welcomed her long-awaited baby just over a year ago now. Even though I have known from a young age that I didn't want children, I was strangely excited about Cora's daughter. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">I knew she had waited a long time for her, so it felt special to me, too, and I shared her excitement and happiness.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As all knitters know, a pregnancy announcement marks the beginning of a baby knitting frenzy! I have knitted for babies a few times now:</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://abso-knitting-lutely-nadia.blogspot.com/2012/06/baby-blanket-ii.html" target="_blank">Bamboo Baby Blanket</a></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://abso-knitting-lutely-nadia.blogspot.com/2010/04/mirror-mirror-and-scottie-dogs.html" target="_blank">Scottie Dog Cardigan</a></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://abso-knitting-lutely-nadia.blogspot.com/2010/07/teddy-bears-for-baby.html" target="_blank">Teddy Bear Baby Blanket</a></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://abso-knitting-lutely-nadia.blogspot.com/2013/09/blue-steps-baby-booties.html" target="_blank">Blue Steps Baby Booties</a> (pattern link inside this post leads to <span style="color: red;">Ravelry</span>)</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://abso-knitting-lutely-nadia.blogspot.com/2015/01/free-knitting-pattern-sleepy-bunny.html" target="_blank">Sleepy Bunny</a> (my free original pattern)</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Naturally, I could not resist casting on something for Cora's baby as well and I decided to use my last balls of <a href="https://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/yarn/cascade-220-superwash-all-colours" target="_blank">Cascade 220 Superwash</a>. You may remember it from my <a href="https://abso-knitting-lutely-nadia.blogspot.com/2018/05/fo-pixelated-pullover.html" target="_blank">Pixelated Pullover</a> and <a href="https://abso-knitting-lutely-nadia.blogspot.com/2023/04/a-jumper-for-mark.html" target="_blank">Mark's matching twin</a> jumper.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZs0Qdp5QmYuCYZXWuFJolFvSGENi5J-7VfVeLKGwm6WC5wssCYLTNgNLZmHWqd7f7Ma_xloDxKzLy5LPCZgtYFYpAMMH4JofBvc3uPE-qKXRUh08NW0lk0wQ2KeUm927WM9U0ZBYOxkEWSmb66xsnxPOTAaRk_dkIh4zQqp5FHbFHN1hE_vmkwIEq/s640/knitted%20baby%20hoodie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A flatlay of the baby hoodie. It has a grey body and arms with a red hood and pouch. Tucked into the pouch is a little white toy rabbit." border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="360" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZs0Qdp5QmYuCYZXWuFJolFvSGENi5J-7VfVeLKGwm6WC5wssCYLTNgNLZmHWqd7f7Ma_xloDxKzLy5LPCZgtYFYpAMMH4JofBvc3uPE-qKXRUh08NW0lk0wQ2KeUm927WM9U0ZBYOxkEWSmb66xsnxPOTAaRk_dkIh4zQqp5FHbFHN1hE_vmkwIEq/w360-h640/knitted%20baby%20hoodie.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I chose a baby hoodie and a pair of booties to match. Sadly, the hoodie pattern has been removed from the designer's blog and it is now only available on <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baby-hoodie-3" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Ravelry</span></a>. It is a free download - however, it is not a complete pattern as such. It's more of a guide and you need to pay close attention to what you are doing. I found other knitters' notes very helpful.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I love how the hoodie turned out. I wish the seams where the arms meet the shoulder were neater, but I have always been terrible at sewing them. Oh well...</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJsXQYXgUJuFJq_yIpdGR-3XMIFxMwGfwfGld53fbwNX1D12FyXx6egpQDktSJuByboPJciiZpepg5DG_i7y0VclyNI6Kpuf9FnXZRVHoGAdKJu2UTJJOSFHNpIfTB-2l4e6eYFJtnvm-hu0qxW7NEHu-3EEMUcFIm5FT-wy3Gf9Z2eAf8B4f2j4FG/s640/knitted%20baby%20booties.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Two grey baby booties with red i-cord ties are placed on a fluffy white sheep rug. It all looks very cosy. You see one boot from the side and another from the top." border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJsXQYXgUJuFJq_yIpdGR-3XMIFxMwGfwfGld53fbwNX1D12FyXx6egpQDktSJuByboPJciiZpepg5DG_i7y0VclyNI6Kpuf9FnXZRVHoGAdKJu2UTJJOSFHNpIfTB-2l4e6eYFJtnvm-hu0qxW7NEHu-3EEMUcFIm5FT-wy3Gf9Z2eAf8B4f2j4FG/w640-h480/knitted%20baby%20booties.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The free </span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7; font-family: "Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; text-align: left;">Lillebrors vintersko </span><span style="font-family: arial;">booties pattern also seems to be available only on <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lillebrors-vintersko" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Ravelry</span></a>. You can reach the designer on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/heidipe" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, though.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I love how the booties turned out, though I disliked having to seam them at the soles. I even enjoyed making the i-cord ties.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Once I had all the pieces together, I wrapped them up in a pretty box with some little goodies for mum-to-be. She loved the gifts and I hope they were useful in the early months. Of course, the baby is now a toddler and has since outgrown everything, but I hope the pieces remain a memorable keepsake.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Nadiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03002661573000050358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336164865783701836.post-60183233907016692192023-04-23T16:00:00.004+01:002023-04-23T16:00:37.911+01:00Hand-Knitted Self-Striping Rainbow Socks (Rum Paradise)<p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLC2sKtaZcuR5EGKUCpd6VmLGAtYd3V2nLHUosdDEgN1x6qwZP66i5raUri9RMX8pNqPrcGtzLGz--8DrO1YGlB239gz8cA3L-L7fdt7NTwWe7bTu4JLzXwD_zRx7wdUi0zz-CCKVhwAjepFMkUsdOTxOvAWGczG0nz2ApyPD5ZkFSkGHKjblqGf4m/s640/plain%20rainbow%20socks.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img alt="A nearly completed sock on a blue sock blocker. The yarn is a beautiful self-striping rainbow yarn. The ball of yarn I am using is next to the sock for comparison." border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLC2sKtaZcuR5EGKUCpd6VmLGAtYd3V2nLHUosdDEgN1x6qwZP66i5raUri9RMX8pNqPrcGtzLGz--8DrO1YGlB239gz8cA3L-L7fdt7NTwWe7bTu4JLzXwD_zRx7wdUi0zz-CCKVhwAjepFMkUsdOTxOvAWGczG0nz2ApyPD5ZkFSkGHKjblqGf4m/w480-h640/plain%20rainbow%20socks.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">There are few things more beautiful than a perfect rainbow. The same goes for self-striping rainbow yarn.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I had been longing for just the right rainbow yarn for quite some time and my search came to an end as soon as I came across the S<span style="background-color: #f7f7f7; text-align: left;">ignature 4-ply self-striping yarn from <a href="https://www.wyspinners.com/" target="_blank">West Yorkshire Spinners</a>. The <a href="https://www.wyspinners.com/signature-4ply-cocktails-yarn#93=519" target="_blank">Rum Paradise</a> colourway immediately caught my attention at my local craft store and two balls just so happened to fall into my basket...</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To bring out the beauty of this yarn, I decided to simply knit a pair of plain socks. No fancy stitch patterns, just my go-to vanilla sock (you can find the <a href="https://abso-knitting-lutely-nadia.blogspot.com/2015/09/knittinghour-sock-kal-for-beginners.html" target="_blank">plain sock knitting pattern</a> in instalments on my blog)</span></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZWm02BtpkKjAP3zPBoa8ehQjZAEjLMKUmGSu5mLK5p-Sp_OMvTP7jepvMelg3l-y_1gKSpYMb1N7tvzA5CKfFRfi_HgYyjLNjOsD0mS6ehWQqc_xA-Ot7r9jMc_Bp6270rTybcrdaMMxjUB70yU_jGB9_jdtvH-hPLiXwyo0gLOkE5jhA0EIxrZDB/s2048/rainbow%20socks%20undone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A chaotic jumble of yarn, circular needles and a WIP. Creative chaos." border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZWm02BtpkKjAP3zPBoa8ehQjZAEjLMKUmGSu5mLK5p-Sp_OMvTP7jepvMelg3l-y_1gKSpYMb1N7tvzA5CKfFRfi_HgYyjLNjOsD0mS6ehWQqc_xA-Ot7r9jMc_Bp6270rTybcrdaMMxjUB70yU_jGB9_jdtvH-hPLiXwyo0gLOkE5jhA0EIxrZDB/w640-h480/rainbow%20socks%20undone.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">These socks ended up fitting perfectly and they are one of my favourite pairs. They feel good on my feet and don't scratch at all. The yarn contains 25% nylon for durability, so it should last well.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Well, unless, like me, moths thrive where you live. I don't know what it is, but Bath seems to be the place for moths. I can't seem to get rid of them and even a move didn't solve the issue. So, of course, they managed to get into my sock stash and happily chomped their way through two pairs of hand-knitted socks. My rainbow socks were one of them.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4sprU5iZS7-_4g9rab5wTY2IJx4N1tYGtI48nbKIqtp4Cfcd_e3aBX_8gX_CmlEtZ6HIeXfzBAZuxB8xTlY3OhkNS-RDTCAEe07Im5Pq7iDqfyvnjAlxYOeZKcktGhLgWPbKRkVKd3shf1fR-pJqcrecYrgaKhU9284Up-uXVXxHh626Pfsl_KOzG/s2048/rainbow%20socks%20new%20toe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The two socks are laid out next to each other. You can see the lower half in order to compare the two toes. One is clearly a little narrower than the other at the tip." border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4sprU5iZS7-_4g9rab5wTY2IJx4N1tYGtI48nbKIqtp4Cfcd_e3aBX_8gX_CmlEtZ6HIeXfzBAZuxB8xTlY3OhkNS-RDTCAEe07Im5Pq7iDqfyvnjAlxYOeZKcktGhLgWPbKRkVKd3shf1fR-pJqcrecYrgaKhU9284Up-uXVXxHh626Pfsl_KOzG/w640-h480/rainbow%20socks%20new%20toe.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Luckily, the damage was limited to the toe, so I simply ripped back to a point near the start of the toe section and used leftover yarn to reknit this bit following the same colour sequence. I accidentally decreased some extra stitches, so one toe is a little narrower now. However, it doesn't make any difference when I wear these socks and I couldn't be bothered to go back a few rows.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Maybe some other day.</span></p></div><p></p>Nadiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03002661573000050358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336164865783701836.post-52913680686686927272023-04-12T13:57:00.002+01:002023-04-12T13:57:20.037+01:00The Daughter Heir: Now in Green<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTUMdV8372uzMotzcocZ2mTNS8kYfhQL1Obb839YhzBSkpuTfKVU-PPWT1xSzsy84WyXSXbDaIbGqrBBzJbj5q_Aju4I4xyn8CLc8Se1_Ts4lPj26Udz9QdazHHIxi7J4XC7GGz6wJOCMOTppGFwkV7eIjiyBqOtfiFxBBmIoyJjdSDbT9iMdZOBZH/s640/daughter%20heir%20socks%20side%20view.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Two finished socks on sock blockers. You can see some fo the cabling on the front and foot of the cuff as well as a section of the back." border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="535" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTUMdV8372uzMotzcocZ2mTNS8kYfhQL1Obb839YhzBSkpuTfKVU-PPWT1xSzsy84WyXSXbDaIbGqrBBzJbj5q_Aju4I4xyn8CLc8Se1_Ts4lPj26Udz9QdazHHIxi7J4XC7GGz6wJOCMOTppGFwkV7eIjiyBqOtfiFxBBmIoyJjdSDbT9iMdZOBZH/w536-h640/daughter%20heir%20socks%20side%20view.jpeg" width="536" /></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">Now, I am not the type of person to knit a pattern more than once. I get bored easily, so I am not very likely to cast on the same thing again. That being said, if I knit something beautiful and only get the chance to use it a few times before it gets snagged or eaten by moths, I will give it another go. And that is why I cast on another iteration of my beloved <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-daughter-heir" target="_blank">The Daughter Heir</a> <span style="color: red;">(Ravelry link)</span> socks.</span></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">My <a href="https://abso-knitting-lutely-nadia.blogspot.com/2015/06/cabled-socks-daughter-heir.html?q=daughter+heir" target="_blank">first pair</a> was stunning, knitted in a carefully chosen peach shade, and I loved them. Imagine my horror when I visited my in-laws shortly after finishing these socks, wearing them proudly around the house, when I snagged them on a nail in the floor! I could have cried.</span></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7bBHA7IGs67Ja6TPCo-SroiHzotFyj9f2RBni2yXQy2TpNSRfuy0_P09-TZQrXt_ADOpQXk_BUyrisQoZxp-gAVXgQCPYwLeC__1_i5UaN18RpewMMs-j-VUm07zNDQq6AwiXlG-VNaA64-7I2eIowpeAVBYzxnD5lkQg8JngXdZO0bsJ1ygiJIzB/s640/life%20in%20the%20long%20grass%20dappled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A hank of variegated and speckled green yarn from Life in The Long Grass. There are different shades of green with yellow and purple speckles." border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="486" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7bBHA7IGs67Ja6TPCo-SroiHzotFyj9f2RBni2yXQy2TpNSRfuy0_P09-TZQrXt_ADOpQXk_BUyrisQoZxp-gAVXgQCPYwLeC__1_i5UaN18RpewMMs-j-VUm07zNDQq6AwiXlG-VNaA64-7I2eIowpeAVBYzxnD5lkQg8JngXdZO0bsJ1ygiJIzB/w486-h640/life%20in%20the%20long%20grass%20dappled.jpg" width="486" /></a></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">I loved them so much that I knew immediately that I would knit them again. Luckily, I had another hank of yarn from the same dyer, <a href="https://litlg.com/" target="_blank">Life in the Long Grass</a>, though not in the same shade, sadly. I still miss it now, years later.</span></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The best thing about these socks is the cabling, of course. There are a number of different cables as well as shaping at the bottom of the foot, which was new to me. I had to be careful not to miss the shaping as I was happily knitting my way towards the finish line.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipWipilNmphb_HhM6NK3FuiHxLgTnLoak68XDJjHEwNx9Ok4utoIVTrBREeP7tiLg-Os3ypIP2ywIw4yrn19qfx6cC49teRIKOTKB2AXTOBga-FrQWp_90rQ4hpgogDn4onxWljGUbFz4fzolgVW8F63vOho7XgWPuno0cw16gIdqJlFwCKppmjf5i/s640/daughter%20heir%20cabled%20cuff.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A close-up view of intricate cabling on the front of the sock's cuff" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipWipilNmphb_HhM6NK3FuiHxLgTnLoak68XDJjHEwNx9Ok4utoIVTrBREeP7tiLg-Os3ypIP2ywIw4yrn19qfx6cC49teRIKOTKB2AXTOBga-FrQWp_90rQ4hpgogDn4onxWljGUbFz4fzolgVW8F63vOho7XgWPuno0cw16gIdqJlFwCKppmjf5i/w480-h640/daughter%20heir%20cabled%20cuff.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Despite the complex cabling, the socks itself is easy to knit. Just keep an eye on the pattern so you don't miss the shaping or mess up the direction of your cables. These were an enjoyable knit, especially given the result.</span></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The yarn is a bit busier than the peach shades I had before, so the pattern itself doesn't pop as much. I would recommend a lighter shade overall with less distracting contrast.</span></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOGw76nEm335BC4y1_mrAWVnlRwXjtcJF_WAgiP7rKOkGYziLTxSACF3urbs3hL4KqG63C3hH4wjCZHD9uzyKeYRntTXqzkUBMWXHGclMrC3QwQ6oyl9QKbQ62RL7iADS9S8c3PQQlKVWJOHAtvZrIFu2vX7XolFFbAa1TmYxEVRZIw_VjzA4TXFue/s640/daughter%20heir%20back%20and%20heel.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Close-up of the back of the cuff and heel flap." border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOGw76nEm335BC4y1_mrAWVnlRwXjtcJF_WAgiP7rKOkGYziLTxSACF3urbs3hL4KqG63C3hH4wjCZHD9uzyKeYRntTXqzkUBMWXHGclMrC3QwQ6oyl9QKbQ62RL7iADS9S8c3PQQlKVWJOHAtvZrIFu2vX7XolFFbAa1TmYxEVRZIw_VjzA4TXFue/w480-h640/daughter%20heir%20back%20and%20heel.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;">The Daughter Heir sock pattern is free on <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-daughter-heir" target="_blank">Ravelry</a>. Unfortunately, I was unable to find it anywhere else for those who cannot access the site.</span><p></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I knitted these in 2021 and they are still as good as new and some of the most comfortable socks I own. They were definitely worth casting-on a second time.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFbADrH2FR-uxbRBcrak9Lv9VsFDFtUlU2v8Pn5wop-7IeDEiJzaU3GaGnLHpE8BtcZ5j1bkteqJ2IGLJ4OBv8uh00ulLMhJg9bFELZ-ZooO9N5UYPB2yK4nyrRPrhnkfhG9cqOPxl5RjZsIsHEGfEayYUGpIR2tc_GLa58pQinyt0JwvKeUX7SYjF/s640/daughter%20heir%20top%20foot.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A close-up of the foot with intricate cabling that comes to a point near the toe section. The toe itself is plain stocking stitch." border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFbADrH2FR-uxbRBcrak9Lv9VsFDFtUlU2v8Pn5wop-7IeDEiJzaU3GaGnLHpE8BtcZ5j1bkteqJ2IGLJ4OBv8uh00ulLMhJg9bFELZ-ZooO9N5UYPB2yK4nyrRPrhnkfhG9cqOPxl5RjZsIsHEGfEayYUGpIR2tc_GLa58pQinyt0JwvKeUX7SYjF/w480-h640/daughter%20heir%20top%20foot.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br /></span></div><p></p>Nadiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15983125577275157876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336164865783701836.post-53535534557848363242023-04-12T12:53:00.002+01:002023-04-12T13:57:43.174+01:00Glittery Socks with Meadow Yarn Pingle Micro-Minis<p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU9x-Olyca-75tJyBklM9e_UBxmhmjgHYEeG3v3MW1KXbWhubDBwuFjU1R5a5QGzR6KH7FmeUq_QA7TxHY1j5ucWm0zBtMFMLJs4-9HIdpwUNa3IL86EcW86vG9AhQYT4nb-dK1Ig3P2FMDLUqoMeRKERGVXiXsIOQm9wofdLIEQDjJQDrmVz5uRUO/s640/micro-minis%20yarn%20bundle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A bundle of 10 mini-skeins in greys and turquoise shades held together by a ball band." border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="479" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU9x-Olyca-75tJyBklM9e_UBxmhmjgHYEeG3v3MW1KXbWhubDBwuFjU1R5a5QGzR6KH7FmeUq_QA7TxHY1j5ucWm0zBtMFMLJs4-9HIdpwUNa3IL86EcW86vG9AhQYT4nb-dK1Ig3P2FMDLUqoMeRKERGVXiXsIOQm9wofdLIEQDjJQDrmVz5uRUO/w480-h640/micro-minis%20yarn%20bundle.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">There's just something incredibly tempting about mini-skeins, I don't know what it is.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So when I went to Sip.Stitch.Knit. in Bath in the spring of 2019, I just couldn't resist this Pingle micro-minis bundle from <a href="https://www.meadowyarn.co.uk/" target="_blank">Meadow Yarn</a>. The colours are very me, ranging from a light grey to turquoise to a dark grey. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Each 10g skein of superwash merino and nylon is plied with silver stellina that gives any finished knit a brilliant sparkle. It doesn't come across well on the photos, but the yarn has a LOT of sparkle, but it is somehow subtle at the same time. I love it! It's probably the best sparkly yarn I have tried so far. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGv15QNNIAOtZu3FabWlyf7JaimVxv_GY3BgfwletqQjKqXZF9SczHFxh6PZfKA2tTMcCfJ4NFoo5uLCb3vzEu5-Wf2TEK0jhaMmefZ-OsK0odIjI5jp3hX2QK-VYvgoMp06SDw3BKAK0SDHHnBof-PQHlkVuDfY_EkSx8AdnxNjcjAi5aNlXT2Eu_/s640/striped%20glitter%20socks%201.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img alt="Two grey-turquoise socks on sock blockers. They do not match as they are knitted with randomly selected mini-skeins. The yarn alternates every two rows." border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="640" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGv15QNNIAOtZu3FabWlyf7JaimVxv_GY3BgfwletqQjKqXZF9SczHFxh6PZfKA2tTMcCfJ4NFoo5uLCb3vzEu5-Wf2TEK0jhaMmefZ-OsK0odIjI5jp3hX2QK-VYvgoMp06SDw3BKAK0SDHHnBof-PQHlkVuDfY_EkSx8AdnxNjcjAi5aNlXT2Eu_/w640-h476/striped%20glitter%20socks%201.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Being the avid sock knitter that I am, of course I cast on another pair in this yarn. I decided to knit two rows in each yarn, alternating between two yarns at a time until I run out and pick a new mini-skein. I deliberately wanted a mismatched pair and what can I say? I love them. They are some of the softest socks I own and they glitter in the light like it's nobody's business.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Sometimes simplicity is all you need. A vanilla sock pattern, a yarn that speaks to you. What more could you want?</span></p><p></p>Nadiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15983125577275157876noreply@blogger.com0Bath, UK51.3781018 -2.359682723.067867963821158 -37.5159327 79.688335636178849 32.7965673tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336164865783701836.post-24470875980285233092023-04-09T14:16:00.001+01:002023-04-09T14:16:52.204+01:00Beaded Owlie Socks in Tweed 4-Ply<p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9U8ZstY-SjXLfTu_vJQf8r6e25Sz1TzwN_RuJt6SKRYd0Dm2PXxyzTYJFF6hlvIfv7TsVG9vxvKeHIIFsS3T4v9iF5BDS_tepgrF5HmCfeIqjopkl2sM4nIlDFsnNdvfQRZYLDqQAD7nanjJDmYeDUF8txmONJbGfFfMiOG2RCbzAZwy52mZSgSae/s640/owlie%20socks%203.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9U8ZstY-SjXLfTu_vJQf8r6e25Sz1TzwN_RuJt6SKRYd0Dm2PXxyzTYJFF6hlvIfv7TsVG9vxvKeHIIFsS3T4v9iF5BDS_tepgrF5HmCfeIqjopkl2sM4nIlDFsnNdvfQRZYLDqQAD7nanjJDmYeDUF8txmONJbGfFfMiOG2RCbzAZwy52mZSgSae/w640-h480/owlie%20socks%203.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I don't even remember how many years I the </span><a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/owlie-socks" style="font-family: arial;" target="_blank">Owlie sock pattern</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: arial;">(Ravelry link)</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> has been on my to-do list. I came across it fairly early in my knitting journey, so it's been a while. And yet I never got round to actually casting on until 2021. </span></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Of course it had to have beads. I love working with beads in my knitting even though it does slow down the process. However, it's always worth it, especially when knitting lace. These socks are cabled instead and beads are only used as the owl's eyes, but they are very effective.</span></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Owlie socks look best in a single, light colour, I think. I wasn't too bothered about what yarn to choose when I decided to make them, so I chose a tweed yarn a friend in Germany dyed for me.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioYmSFYgNoBPVPhzfKnrhXfHqrh3aYJAOkuQcq5-jnS3SPXIUWs2xoweP1z_cBWBJOQwTjdzLT91Zbsp1uxvSRNGpVTyWvFfZUcTmpL7O0VuP25sbeBioewLGcW2JaUjLSV3Rt787u7y_tKeYTgbDRObhef63qr29z8ExwriqI96Y_0d9SX8PsZyaF/s640/owlie%20socks%202.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioYmSFYgNoBPVPhzfKnrhXfHqrh3aYJAOkuQcq5-jnS3SPXIUWs2xoweP1z_cBWBJOQwTjdzLT91Zbsp1uxvSRNGpVTyWvFfZUcTmpL7O0VuP25sbeBioewLGcW2JaUjLSV3Rt787u7y_tKeYTgbDRObhef63qr29z8ExwriqI96Y_0d9SX8PsZyaF/w480-h640/owlie%20socks%202.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I used glass beads in a pale shade reminiscent of rose gold. Unfortunately, they can be easily mistaken for the lighter flecks in the yarn, so they don't pop as much as I had hoped they would. This is another reason why a lighter yarn would have worked better, especially with beads in a stronger colour.</span></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It's always amazing how these little owls take shape All you're doing is knitting simple cables to create their shape and voila! Little owls. They were fun to make and I wouldn't mind making another pair someday.</span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2B7J714CBr__b0UY1KTbX1Od1vjV_Utfu-zYx02_Je4ZoNqyZ2ODeevh9bHTbtYRXvf2Ox_UQKE-fN0PmfuZSV0zuOTtPZeoSVBjsnpsSqXPUZw0XhQt6eI5IrGTZWeAe5yU3LYQI2BoklvrdJHjmOFiXJPCFeEmCYqEqH20vT96kkbwt68NbryN4/s640/owlie%20socks%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="360" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2B7J714CBr__b0UY1KTbX1Od1vjV_Utfu-zYx02_Je4ZoNqyZ2ODeevh9bHTbtYRXvf2Ox_UQKE-fN0PmfuZSV0zuOTtPZeoSVBjsnpsSqXPUZw0XhQt6eI5IrGTZWeAe5yU3LYQI2BoklvrdJHjmOFiXJPCFeEmCYqEqH20vT96kkbwt68NbryN4/w360-h640/owlie%20socks%201.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />You may also know the <a href="https://www.shopkdd.com/sweaters-and-cardigans/owls" target="_blank">Owls jumper</a> by Kate Davies. Because it is knitted in a chunky yarn, I wasn't very likely to ever make it even though I really like the design. So these socks using the same owls were a perfect alternative for an avid sock knitter like me.</span><br /><p></p>Nadiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15983125577275157876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336164865783701836.post-20574804504091207022023-04-09T13:16:00.000+01:002023-04-09T13:16:08.645+01:00A Short-Lived Bobble Hat in Amano Yarns Puyu<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio1pUHQ8P2JePOkVHBWjDp8BIO9PAuJ0iwojB-zBbXrisjlGK1RdV9eSG3XNzpR5KgCDH5rZCuRpdLNHakqKam_6hoLKOwQAfb7xkixKfxjz-gpTkl2xb2V15NJMmCzfCIOsSzWSKK5QycpexpcA4fdhcOa1EQvV87eI40Wevn3b8nJEGrZ4Hcvdtx/s640/chunky%20alpaca%20yarn%20bobble%20hat.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="An unfinished bobble hat with ribbed brim and knobbly body knitted in a caramel yarn that looks soft and squishy like a cloud" border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio1pUHQ8P2JePOkVHBWjDp8BIO9PAuJ0iwojB-zBbXrisjlGK1RdV9eSG3XNzpR5KgCDH5rZCuRpdLNHakqKam_6hoLKOwQAfb7xkixKfxjz-gpTkl2xb2V15NJMmCzfCIOsSzWSKK5QycpexpcA4fdhcOa1EQvV87eI40Wevn3b8nJEGrZ4Hcvdtx/w640-h480/chunky%20alpaca%20yarn%20bobble%20hat.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">There are few yarns as soft as <a href="https://amanoyarns.com/yarns/96-puyu.html" target="_blank">Puyu</a> from Amano Yarns. The name alone tells you exactly what you get:</span></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #121212; font-size: 16px;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #121212; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bolder;">Puyu</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #121212; font-size: 16px;"> in quechua means cloud, and our Puyu yarn is exactly that. Made of </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #121212; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bolder;">Baby Alpaca</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #121212; font-size: 16px;">, </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #121212; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bolder;">Puyu</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #121212; font-size: 16px;"> has been spun in a light and airy structure and mixed with Mulberry Silk. This results in </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #121212; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bolder;">Puyu</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #121212; font-size: 16px;"> being as light as a feather and as soft as a cloud."</span></span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The Alpaca fibres are introduced into a silk tube, resulting in the softest yarn I have ever held in my hands. It was a pleasure to knit with and I would love to use it again.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I used the caramel shade to knit an improvised bobble hat that was incredibly warm, perfect for winter. Sadly, I don't have any photos of the finished project because the moths loved the yarn just as much as I did, even before I got my hands on a suitable bobble!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In the end, I had to unravel the hat and the yarn was beyond saving. Looking at the photo, I miss it already. But I am glad I had the chance to work with it and experience the pleasure of knitting with clouds.</span></p><p></p>Nadiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15983125577275157876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336164865783701836.post-64868788422950965762023-04-09T12:46:00.000+01:002023-04-09T12:46:47.364+01:00A Jumper For Mark<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc_4llMQWlBEMKXGUtqKtuy5E5eEGGl8gz1I4_5UfQQ1O8tp_rPEbWDD_lCMiDrXkT-ENSWcTUZ1RCdnuyDpbJ2HNOyeylV8P58yZblV2-FEReeNb61rNjUljjLfO37y5LoDEFaWUKM_i-f3K3abCLSZ3DR7t1UhoZBPDwDSTup_a8WttuElV3uZck/s640/red%20and%20grey%20stripes%20in%20knitting.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="A close-up of a knitted section of a red and grey striped jumper, knitted evenly with DK yarn." border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc_4llMQWlBEMKXGUtqKtuy5E5eEGGl8gz1I4_5UfQQ1O8tp_rPEbWDD_lCMiDrXkT-ENSWcTUZ1RCdnuyDpbJ2HNOyeylV8P58yZblV2-FEReeNb61rNjUljjLfO37y5LoDEFaWUKM_i-f3K3abCLSZ3DR7t1UhoZBPDwDSTup_a8WttuElV3uZck/w640-h480/red%20and%20grey%20stripes%20in%20knitting.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p>They say good things take time.</p><p>It's been three years since my last post and much has happened in this time: a sudden drop in kidney function that has had me drift into kidney failure territory, a whole Covid-19 pandemic that still hasn't ended, and of course plenty of knitting, too.</p><p>Looking through my projects, it's clear that I haven't been nearly as productive as I used to be. The last FO I wrote about was my <a href="https://abso-knitting-lutely-nadia.blogspot.com/2018/05/fo-pixelated-pullover.html" target="_blank">Pixelated</a> jumper that I finished in 2018! My last WIP, <a href="https://abso-knitting-lutely-nadia.blogspot.com/2018/05/smaug-socks-in-walcot-yarns-opus.html" target="_blank">Smaug socks</a>, are still unfinished. So what have I been doing in all this time? Well!</p><p>After finishing my own jumper after two years, I somehow thought it would be a great idea to knit a matching jumper for Mark. I had lots of yarn left over, so it made sense, and I thought that since he is a medium size, it would be a much faster knit.</p><p>How wrong was I! Mark's jumper also took me two years to finish. It turns out I like having knitted jumpers, but the knitting itself is just too boring.</p><p>To hurry up the process at least a little bit, I decided to make a striped jumper instead of mirroring the pixels of my own jumper.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4d7-_8OMGSPNQSMYdciQIhyAULq2ShozXIUoyWEgIurF_gNi6eafEcOfipaXcvN6nW2bEaT3Fy8ix--AX3PaUg6XPRrZ7zG2fAs7fcJyWg-2DJsWecF_TlCTx_y8nk5XMcV-P3j7BXM99d9cNVa541EutVdku7_RhEipEVLnbZnrKxznmP0sbNT_R/s640/Mark's%20hand-knitted%20jumper%20front.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Front view of a red and grey striped jumper modelled by Mark. It is well-fitted and cosy." border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4d7-_8OMGSPNQSMYdciQIhyAULq2ShozXIUoyWEgIurF_gNi6eafEcOfipaXcvN6nW2bEaT3Fy8ix--AX3PaUg6XPRrZ7zG2fAs7fcJyWg-2DJsWecF_TlCTx_y8nk5XMcV-P3j7BXM99d9cNVa541EutVdku7_RhEipEVLnbZnrKxznmP0sbNT_R/w480-h640/Mark's%20hand-knitted%20jumper%20front.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p>Mark loves it. It's the warmest jumper he has and he has been trying to keep it safe from moths. I did have to mend it once recently because it had an ever expanding hole that seems to have started from a severed stitch. I am terrible at darning and I had to use different yarn, so the fix looks unprofessional and feels lumpy, but who cares? (Aside from me, of course.) The jumper is wearable and cosy.</p><p>All in all, I am very happy with the result. The neck is the only bit that I might actually go back to fix someday because it curls terribly. I know it's because of the way I sewed in the ends, so it should be an easy fix. </p><p>Maybe in another few years...</p>Nadiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15983125577275157876noreply@blogger.com0Bath, UK51.3781018 -2.359682723.067867963821158 -37.5159327 79.688335636178849 32.7965673tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336164865783701836.post-36773283076391012812020-08-05T16:54:00.006+01:002020-08-06T19:20:11.372+01:00Warning: Ravelry<div style="text-align: justify;"><div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHHk-ZP9vYGEtXK22J_Sjfzi1k48B7yS2uyoTZtLFjmgrk9Bl6zpwVZUSI04Y5snAky0yyOCuM_NAcedJuOnkxnU_p0uPGpRFkMdYSHfs_-tCDjrn9obN9ULhdJCUdap1eehLs2KxFu8/s602/ravelry-logo.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="New Ravelry logo surrounded by icons" border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="602" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHHk-ZP9vYGEtXK22J_Sjfzi1k48B7yS2uyoTZtLFjmgrk9Bl6zpwVZUSI04Y5snAky0yyOCuM_NAcedJuOnkxnU_p0uPGpRFkMdYSHfs_-tCDjrn9obN9ULhdJCUdap1eehLs2KxFu8/w640-h500/ravelry-logo.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><blockquote><font color="#ff0000"><b>WARNING</b>:</font> This blog contains links to Ravelry, most of which it isn't feasible for me to remove at this point. However, from now on I will add a disclaimer to any future links to Ravelry in case you would prefer to avoid them. I am in the process of replacing/adding links to my knitting patterns so you can purchase them on other platforms instead, if you prefer. For the moment, please be careful when clicking links.</blockquote></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As you may have heard, Ravelry rolled out a new website design last month and there have been reports of it having accessibility issues and causing physical problems, including migraines and even seizures. Read the whole story <a href="https://amberley.blog/2020-07-04-ravelry-an-a11y-case-study/" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>Nadiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03002661573000050358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336164865783701836.post-44851924623317887212018-11-11T12:38:00.000+00:002018-11-11T12:51:24.075+00:00Diversity in Knitting and Beyond<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMtxv9ZnZnX7v4cUsbOvF2RX02Kn64K4qoTF8gD8clO-hX6AG40OV2xATbw6F7O-Dq8CW74hjbwMJFbEWd6K7fC8djr_jWs9ZxXmeefSu7_5ndZOp1Qc2Eqaxw2wDQvAOd8mH34rRexH8/s1600/12540926_1244765615537732_5645953945192778086_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Diversity in Knitting and Beyond" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMtxv9ZnZnX7v4cUsbOvF2RX02Kn64K4qoTF8gD8clO-hX6AG40OV2xATbw6F7O-Dq8CW74hjbwMJFbEWd6K7fC8djr_jWs9ZxXmeefSu7_5ndZOp1Qc2Eqaxw2wDQvAOd8mH34rRexH8/s640/12540926_1244765615537732_5645953945192778086_n.jpg" title="Diversity and multiculturalism" width="640" /></a></div>
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Recently, the topic of diversity in knitting* has become more prominent and it's been on my mind for a while now. It is such a complex topic that I didn't quite know how to tackle it in a blog post and this one may well sound like it's all over the place. However, it is an important topic and I hope that it will make you think.</div>
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White as default</h4>
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Most knitters and designers we encounter in our craft tend to be white and from similar cultural backgrounds (i.e. Western). To my surprise, I never really paid attention to that - and what surprised me more, I didn't realise that I am actually not part of that dominant group. </div>
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I am multicultural, multiracial and multilingual. I have lived in three countries, two of which are predominantly white. I spent part of my childhood in Bangladesh and know just how different the cultures I have experienced are. And still, I somehow never felt I was any different from other white people. I suspect that's because I have been surrounded by whiteness most of my life and that I haven't struggled with my own multicultural heritage in a way that many do.</div>
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Considering the amount of racism I experienced in Germany in the 1990s, that's surprising even to me in retrospect. It was the hardest, most dangerous time of my life because I looked foreign in my own country of birth. I did not believe I would get older than 14 at the time, given the violence at the time. (The political atmosphere in the UK and US currently remind me very much of that time and Germany is not far behind at the moment.) And yet, unlike many who are made to feel different, I always felt very secure in myself, so the struggle was never really one coming from within me. Instead, I knew that it was a problem only for other people, something they tried to force on me from outside. This caused all kinds of issues at the time, but it never made me think less of myself, feel unworthy or out of place. Unlike many, I did not feel like I was not at home where I was, though what exactly constitutes home for me is hard to pinpoint to this day.</div>
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A sense of home</h4>
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For me, there was never a doubt about who or what I am. It is more a question of finding home in a physical sense that is difficult. Geography. I moved so much between countries and cultures that home is hard. For me home is temporary and ever changing. It is where I happen to be at the time. Home is not one place or even a person or group of people. Instead, home is something intangible, maybe a state of being that, like everything, is fluid and ever changing. Maybe home is simply within me.</div>
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Brexit is a good example of how your sense of home can be suddenly denied, altered or removed by external forces you cannot influence. Many EU nationals in the UK (and, similarly, UK nationals in the EU) are now experiencing this loss for the first time due to the threat that Brexit poses to their lives in the countries they've decided to call home.^ It's because of the vulnerability of home that all we have is ourselves, so we need to be comfortable with who we are.</div>
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Creating your own space</h4>
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Nearly a decade ago I worked on a book about <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/%60My-Mother-Earth-Father-Sky/dp/303430224X/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8">multicultural identity in Maori novels</a> (you can hear a little bit about it in the <a href="http://www.arohaknits.com/fibre-muse-podcast/episode-4-bz8b9">Fiber Muse podcast</a>), which taught me a lot about the struggle of people who feel like they don't fully belong anywhere. In the book, I write that people like us create our own space, a third space, that draws on everything we are. This way, we find ourselves and create something new, drawing on the different strands that make us who we are. We create a unique blend that is us, and just us.</div>
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So what does that mean for us multicultural knitters? Do we incorporate elements of our heritage in our knitting? Do we use traditional designs, stitch patters or techniques in our work? Are we aware of them at all? Do we demand our place within dominant knitting culture? Or do we focus on simply making others aware that we are here, that we exist, that the knitters, just like knitting itself, is diverse, colourful and challenging if you allow it to be?</div>
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This is for each one of us to decide and we may never find a definitive answer. And we don't have to. Personally, all I know is this:</div>
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The one stable thing in my life is my sense of self. I have always known who I am, a being in flux, but confident and trusting in myself.</div>
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And that sounds pretty good to me.</div>
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Share your thoughts with me on Twitter @KnittyNadia.<br />
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*Follow #diversknitty on Instagram and other social media to find knitters from various cultural backgrounds.<br />
^If you want to help people affected by this, please join me in becoming an <a href="http://eucitizenschampion.co.uk/">EU Citizens' Champion</a>. </blockquote>
Nadiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03002661573000050358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336164865783701836.post-44009459957037767342018-07-08T11:23:00.000+01:002018-07-08T11:28:26.668+01:00British Wool Show 2018<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGp17YshIH8UQZnUFZn15Js28iRTeyEzTT8Nx3ZEvG4lJYECcPqEyzVZX7xHtIiTIs-oJrDjx3VjynYmC0ewE36Rs8hBmUS_ZY_L8OYZD2-cA2bR-qFIVHrn1XH1okBbk4NgneQV5-dX0/s1600/british+wool+show.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Absoknittinglutely: British Wool Show 2018" border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="700" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGp17YshIH8UQZnUFZn15Js28iRTeyEzTT8Nx3ZEvG4lJYECcPqEyzVZX7xHtIiTIs-oJrDjx3VjynYmC0ewE36Rs8hBmUS_ZY_L8OYZD2-cA2bR-qFIVHrn1XH1okBbk4NgneQV5-dX0/s640/british+wool+show.png" title="British Wool Show 2018" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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Get out your diaries! The <a href="http://britishwool.net/">British Wool Show</a> is coming to York again this August. Supporting the Campaign for Wool that champions British wool, the show offers a sheep shearing demo, vendors selling all manner of woolly things for everyone, and a lot of wool for spinning, felting, knitting, and crochet.</div>
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You may remember <a href="http://abso-knitting-lutely-nadia.blogspot.com/2015/08/british-wool-show-2015.html">I visited the show in 2015</a> and very much enjoyed it. I especially loved the Sheep Show Man and highly recommend watching one of the three daily shows. They are educational and entertaining at the same time - what more can you as for? I hadn't expected to learn so much that day.</div>
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To get a taste of what awaits you at the show, have a look at the <a href="http://abso-knitting-lutely-nadia.blogspot.com/2015/08/british-wool-show-2015.html">photos of my visit</a>. Sadly, I can't be there myself this year, but if you love wool shows and can get to York for the weekend, have a look! you'll find all the details on the <a href="http://britishwool.net/">British Wool Show website</a>. </div>
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If you go, let me know how you liked it!</div>
Nadiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03002661573000050358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336164865783701836.post-17240341429275949022018-06-24T13:54:00.000+01:002018-06-24T13:54:51.985+01:00Knitting: A Positive Addiction<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDTu7DDHtLGF8jncoxebHAJFm26ebCgQeJhyRzJ-9MUtQMshyphenhyphen6fVqTnJzodDVoCPBYjcjTGO3BwSLt_GxdLWJ12uIryoS8AWQ6ilwOuP4OAjpCxK_8ZbR-SPGOsiDPDPB7es7hPy3RvAg/s1600/pexels-photo-312591.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Knitting as positive addiction" border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDTu7DDHtLGF8jncoxebHAJFm26ebCgQeJhyRzJ-9MUtQMshyphenhyphen6fVqTnJzodDVoCPBYjcjTGO3BwSLt_GxdLWJ12uIryoS8AWQ6ilwOuP4OAjpCxK_8ZbR-SPGOsiDPDPB7es7hPy3RvAg/s640/pexels-photo-312591.jpeg" title="Knitting as positive addiction" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When we think of addictions, we usually think of the kind that cause a wide range of problems and potentially destroy lives. But can there be such a thing as a positive addiction? Some psychologists think there is.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In <i>Psychology Today</i>, Dr Mark D. Griffiths looks at <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/in-excess/201701/excessive-knitting-and-addiction">knitting as a positive addiction</a>. As knitters, I am sure we have heard someone in our circle jokingly say they were addicted to knitting, maybe we've even said so ourselves. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hobbies such as this "<span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2d30;">could be deliberately cultivated to wean addicts away from more harmful and sinister preoccupations.</span>" Taking up knitting could therefore keep us happily occupied and take our minds off other, less healthy actions. In order for this to work, these "<span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2d30;">positive addictions must be new rewarding activities that produce increased feelings of </span><a class="inline-links topic-link" href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/self-esteem" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(153, 153, 153); box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(44, 45, 48) !important; text-decoration-line: none !important;" title="Psychology Today looks at self-efficacy">self-efficacy</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2d30;">.</span>"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">There have been several articles in the papers about the health benefits of knitting such as reducing stress and creating a feeling of purpose. In other words, knitting can be a coping mechanism for the usual stresses we experience in life. We can find a new sense of purpose in knitting, which can be seen in the surge of craftivism (guerrilla knitting and pussy hats, anyone?). We love to create things, and it is even more satisfying for some if there is a greater purpose behind it. Knitting for charity comes to mind, for example. In these cases, it is important to us that there is a greater purpose behind what we create than simply the act of creation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">However, Griffiths relates that knitting can indeed be as addicting as a drug. We even have an ever growing stash and we can't stop ourselves from buying more, using terminology with a "<span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c2d30;">clear crossover to the drug culture</span>" (<a href="http://etherknitter.typepad.com/etherknitter/2005/03/knitting_addict.html">Etherknitter</a>). We may not always feel we are in control of our yarn-buying habit, we spend a lot of time pursuing our craft, and for some of us not being able to knit can cause actual symptoms of withdrawal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Griffiths concludes that it "<span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2d30;">is theoretically possible for an individual to become </span>addicted to anything<span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2d30;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2d30;">if there are constant reinforcements (i.e., rewards)</span>", which makes sense. As long as knitting doesn't have detrimental effects on your life, there's nothing to worry about. Enjoy your WIPs and yarn stash and the joy they bring! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Would you say you are really addicted to knitting? I have to say I am not, though I enjoy it. It's never interfered with anything else and has always been a nice way to spend my free time. I enjoy creating things with my hands, especially if they are intricate because I like the challenge. And yet none of my creative hobbies have ever had a negative effect on any other aspect of my life. That's just how I like it.</span></div>
Nadiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03002661573000050358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336164865783701836.post-64707143131136247952018-06-17T10:33:00.000+01:002018-06-17T10:33:13.262+01:00Pattern Inspiration: Beach Days<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There's no denying it, summer is here and I can't stop thinking about holidays at the seaside. While I won't get away until later summer or early autumn, there's no reason I can't enjoy looking at all things that remind me of the beach. So this week's pattern inspiration post comes as no surprise, inspired by a longing for sea, sun and lazy days. Enjoy!</div>
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1. I absolutely love <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lifes-a-beach-6">Life's a Beach</a>! The fossil pattern looks amazing in the blue yarn and this cowl is just what you need on a windy beach walk. The pattern is available in English and German, and if you have two balls of 4-play, you're good to go!</div>
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2. If you've got your hands on issue 89 of Knit Now, you will have seen these fun little <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/beach-bears">Beach Bears</a>. I love those little life preservers and the seashell necklace one of them is wearing. While toys are always fiddly to knit, these would be a fun distraction from your usual projects. </div>
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3. Amanda Berry's <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/beach-hut-2">Beach Hut</a> pattern is absolutely free. Yay! In my eyes, nothing is more British than the sight of colourful beach huts, so this knitting pattern is perfect for lovers of the British seaside. Why not knit two or three in different colours for the full effect?</div>
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4. This light jumper is a-ma-zing. <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/jellyfish-38">Jellyfish</a> is only available in Russian, sadly, but I had to show it to you because I am intrigued by its ethereal quality. It looks like some rows are knitted with a transparent yarn or thread so the sleeves and neck appear disconnected from the rest of the garment. I can imagine that if you are an experienced knitter and don't read Russian, you can probably wing it without the pattern. I just love the whole look of it.</div>
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Have you discovered any interesting patterns lately you'd like to share? Post them here or over on Twitter @KnittyNadia. See you there!</div>
Nadiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03002661573000050358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336164865783701836.post-41683701807631098052018-06-09T17:53:00.000+01:002018-06-09T17:53:18.083+01:00Happy Worldwide Knit in Public Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy Worldwide Knit in Public Day, everyone!</div>
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Knitty First Fall issue is out</h3>
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Whether you are actually out and about with your knitting today or at home, this is the perfect day to knit in company. Incidentally, this is also the day the latest <a href="http://knitty.com/">Knitty</a> magazine is out, so <a href="http://knitty.com/ISSUEff18/content.php">check out the new patterns</a>! (I can't believe it's already the autumn issue. It's not even summer yet.) Maybe you've even cast on one of them especially for today?</div>
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To MAGA or not to MAGA</h3>
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You may have heard about Karin Aida's latest hat pattern that has been causing quite a stir! If you are a Trump supporter, it definitely isn't for you, as the name makes clear: the <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/not-for-trump-fans-hat">Not for Trump Fans Hat</a> piqued everyone's interest and the comment section is quite something to behold. It's very different from the usual comments you find on pattern pages and in a way I am disappointed that it now reads like all other political comment threads, but that was inevitable, I suppose. So if you fancy a peek, go ahead and remember the popcorn.</div>
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Your thoughts</h3>
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Let me know what you've knitted today and if you have knitted in public. Leave your comments here or find me on Twitter @KnittyNadia. </div>
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Speaking of Twitter</h3>
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On Thursday evenings at 7:30 (UK time) you can join me and other knitters for our weekly #knittinghour chat. We're just a small bunch who like to talk about yarn and all sorts of other things going on in our lives at the moment. It is promo-free, so there won't be any unwanted spam.</div>
Nadiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03002661573000050358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336164865783701836.post-27632460415333003522018-05-28T13:29:00.002+01:002018-05-28T13:29:31.922+01:00Smaug Socks in Walcot Yarns Opus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRqSXu9K5JgF6uBwgjAc1TQB7GD8X6oGDEcXoELtJrceglnKh2ZIpysYzZ3tof6LYNeHoI22MC241jWFc7rWVw4RLm6mtb12WBLScQh-rAY7y4TETntfjmdXvPcqhptLOB5la1ZehgiM/s1600/opus+wip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Smaug socks in Walcot Yarns Opus" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRqSXu9K5JgF6uBwgjAc1TQB7GD8X6oGDEcXoELtJrceglnKh2ZIpysYzZ3tof6LYNeHoI22MC241jWFc7rWVw4RLm6mtb12WBLScQh-rAY7y4TETntfjmdXvPcqhptLOB5la1ZehgiM/s640/opus+wip.jpg" title="Smaug socks in Walcot Yarns Opus" width="640" /></a></div>
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Some time ago, I knitted a pair of <a href="http://abso-knitting-lutely-nadia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/smaug-socks-knitted-and-ready-to-wear.html">Smaug socks</a> that I
absolutely loved. Sadly, I only got to wear them once or twice before the <a href="http://abso-knitting-lutely-nadia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/dragon-vs-moth.html">moths got to them</a> and they couldn’t be saved. Even though I dislike knitting the same
thing more than once, I knew I would give these socks another go.<o:p></o:p></div>
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2014 is far enough away for me to not mind revisiting this pattern, but the main reason I chose it is because I got my hands on <a href="https://ayarnstory.co.uk/products/walcot-yarns-opus">Opus by Walcot Yarns</a>, my LYS’ very own brand (I love that Art Nouveau style label, by the way). <a href="https://ayarnstory.co.uk/">A Yarn Story</a> has created a range of beautiful colourways and I was tempted from the start. My stash is already making me feel guilty, so it took this long to finally buy a skein, and I think it is worth it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7A5OEjJh2fnziD4rwjxGvaGbK2yPOf7EkawKr9v5pM5rrwXeN9umIx4JTipAX3UJPCMACMxGYTMyAgGjk7lSkUB3eV_HO93lghsHnuPlIGxf7Ar-cw80TFSrQTNpW6UmEE-S-HA9xL9w/s1600/opus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7A5OEjJh2fnziD4rwjxGvaGbK2yPOf7EkawKr9v5pM5rrwXeN9umIx4JTipAX3UJPCMACMxGYTMyAgGjk7lSkUB3eV_HO93lghsHnuPlIGxf7Ar-cw80TFSrQTNpW6UmEE-S-HA9xL9w/s640/opus.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Opus would look best in shawls, I think. I can imagine using it for lovely, soft gloves as well or a light, but warm top. It feels wonderfully soft
and is fairly loosely plied. I love the fibre content on the label: <span style="background: white;">70% Falkland Merino, 30% Baby Alpaca, 100% Awesome. Seriously,
how can you resist 100% Awesome? Despite the softness, this 4-ply is described
as hard-wearing, so I hope it stands up to being worn on feet. I deliberately
wanted to use a yarn that does not contain nylon, just to see how well it lasts
(the environment will probably thank me, too).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The yarn knits up very well, though using 2 mm needles means I
have to be careful to get all the strands of each stitch while knitting. Sometimes
I miss because of the loose ply, but using the recommended 3 – 4 mm needles would
make it easier.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIatfETVCEP_E6uIcuOjoF3bRqp28m4hUOBfIdGzuNw-qti3rMvxSuQToHsjUkCw3GbZ0EptsvxJX2MgnKhT_KX78p5kNde5EYiwWZo9B2YQ8Kz7WvzP45fdhUv6sjmdSe_pgBAjxVSJQ/s1600/smaug+wip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIatfETVCEP_E6uIcuOjoF3bRqp28m4hUOBfIdGzuNw-qti3rMvxSuQToHsjUkCw3GbZ0EptsvxJX2MgnKhT_KX78p5kNde5EYiwWZo9B2YQ8Kz7WvzP45fdhUv6sjmdSe_pgBAjxVSJQ/s640/smaug+wip.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So Smaug is coming along nicely and I am enjoying the pattern. I
made a mistake right at the start, however, and ended up with a much longer cuff
than called for. Never mind. The original length was a tiny bit too short for
my liking, so this mistake isn’t a biggie. I particularly enjoy knitting the "scales" the cuff consists of. It’s very easy to do and memorise, so don’t be
afraid to give this pattern a go. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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I am in no rush to finish these socks and am enjoying the process. The yarn and pattern certainly make for a good, calming experience. </div>
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Have you tried Opus yet? How did you like it? Let me know here in the comments or over on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/KnittyNadia">@KnittyNadia</a>.</div>
Nadiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03002661573000050358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336164865783701836.post-54203585381623080002018-05-12T00:00:00.000+01:002018-05-12T00:00:01.299+01:00I Am a Planner Convert<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOn_rqa92CxPEDf2Jb3KcJcWuYkydUHbsR4mM0YY5PTJhEcsu-TRP-Z4vWephM6P1SJkePibpMswvjgs96UgCh0WfdTfBC9Z04PqrE4Ka3bpBWYy0i6eLXAfkp9VpmZ1fAEEMMMPFXqZs/s1600/canva-photo-editor+%25281%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOn_rqa92CxPEDf2Jb3KcJcWuYkydUHbsR4mM0YY5PTJhEcsu-TRP-Z4vWephM6P1SJkePibpMswvjgs96UgCh0WfdTfBC9Z04PqrE4Ka3bpBWYy0i6eLXAfkp9VpmZ1fAEEMMMPFXqZs/s640/canva-photo-editor+%25281%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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I love my planner! Last Christmas I felt like I'd give a planner a try. In the past, I never saw the point in things like bullet journaling and elaborately decorated planners, especially for the sake of being more organised and saving time. I thought it was a serious waste of time (still do, really), considering how long it takes to do all of this. My colleagues will tell you that I am far too efficient already (how very German of me), so I didn't want a planner to help me with that. However, I liked the idea of a planner as another creative outlet. Being able to actually record all important dates is simply a bonus.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRpERHkYYsXTQofDO_KBBSMM2FZOH8H_hkOqSQjKwEiDyYHwE_HWadA-Ec9GToXiAffTSTvZElWEhyphenhyphenSR_6zTUYByifewCu9BSst06L20sPs9P8pkGBXBvKReeFGEDkQN_kDISBVyC0uJM/s1600/canva-photo-editor+%25282%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRpERHkYYsXTQofDO_KBBSMM2FZOH8H_hkOqSQjKwEiDyYHwE_HWadA-Ec9GToXiAffTSTvZElWEhyphenhyphenSR_6zTUYByifewCu9BSst06L20sPs9P8pkGBXBvKReeFGEDkQN_kDISBVyC0uJM/s640/canva-photo-editor+%25282%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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So I asked Mark for a specific planner for Christmas and got this beautiful limited edition <a href="https://www.kikki-k.com/">Kikki K</a> planner in light blue with gold polka dots. It's even got my initials embossed inside, which is very special to me because they are for my married name, which still feels incredibly new. The planner is an A5 ring binder with a few dashboards, sets of paper, and perpetual calendar included. I like the practicality of being able to put pages in or take them out as needed. Very helpful if I mess something up!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2UZMSt4A29e31NKoA7WA_bKgcLbEy5jMwN6Zhuq-WcqIt_mxj3X4WbZO-EKXPdcvYb5K0rVI9AFJp8Qv9koLGfMUJfyCcqdqjBTYyDbBSiYGutFwefyZUosG0aeYJh6XrqUs3nF7dmeE/s1600/canva-photo-editor+%25283%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2UZMSt4A29e31NKoA7WA_bKgcLbEy5jMwN6Zhuq-WcqIt_mxj3X4WbZO-EKXPdcvYb5K0rVI9AFJp8Qv9koLGfMUJfyCcqdqjBTYyDbBSiYGutFwefyZUosG0aeYJh6XrqUs3nF7dmeE/s640/canva-photo-editor+%25283%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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I added the colourful index tabs to separate the pages by month. The paper that comes with the planner consists of basic lined pages, so it's great for creative people who like to make their own weekly or daily spreads.I have a week on two pages, added a water log to make sure I drink enough every day, and I decorate each day with a sticker or drawing. I can't tell you how many stickers I've been buying! And washi tape. Oh, the washi tape! I needed to buy a separate box for the rolls and really need another.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYTXCW24f1sPdVEsK07nEWLPDs8K-ubSuCmbxVO_BPZB6KQ08_1U-6EcDZgg4Vkjf4o3f5C5QsJ3ngmVOXZnly0UDh-eJwkJa_RDq-rc7iqcVYTKg0vPJEFCmhGCNHoFgQCCmP1NdpFw/s1600/canva-photo-editor+%25284%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYTXCW24f1sPdVEsK07nEWLPDs8K-ubSuCmbxVO_BPZB6KQ08_1U-6EcDZgg4Vkjf4o3f5C5QsJ3ngmVOXZnly0UDh-eJwkJa_RDq-rc7iqcVYTKg0vPJEFCmhGCNHoFgQCCmP1NdpFw/s640/canva-photo-editor+%25284%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Of course I have some knitting-related pages as well. The one above shows my list of blog topics to help me come up with new content. This way, if I have an idea, I can jot it down instead of forgetting it before I have a chance to type it up on here. Soon I'll need to do another brain storming session to add to the list. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPXtBkyVu1KaEaOTg61TCoo0EYHq-5Hcclzg1YsBwKEE7PDsmhW_smg4-B7kAF99RyUAKqySv_Ro5wxMubQKehR7HEr8x73j7VQV0U2p_NXuAdXUApRb7s9XocMuwkvb4EVUbxsYDW4gs/s1600/canva-photo-editor+%25285%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPXtBkyVu1KaEaOTg61TCoo0EYHq-5Hcclzg1YsBwKEE7PDsmhW_smg4-B7kAF99RyUAKqySv_Ro5wxMubQKehR7HEr8x73j7VQV0U2p_NXuAdXUApRb7s9XocMuwkvb4EVUbxsYDW4gs/s640/canva-photo-editor+%25285%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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I especially like my WIP section of the planner. I created a dashboard collage that leads to a month-by-month calendar where I mark off the days on which I have knitted. I also record what I have been working on, which will be a great way to look back on the year once completed.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgajYCHUj9kgQ4vpb2DLPu1wgTwB6J2ZWrTpS_yCEO4-_llGWlCxlzaot_xx_w1-B2uQoNT5-q4GkkcquX8vZmJ_jF6aRjDFnwORDN6uGsExes_ekJwKRqqf43l8iLI329bKkjcpCtYzIQ/s1600/canva-photo-editor+%25286%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgajYCHUj9kgQ4vpb2DLPu1wgTwB6J2ZWrTpS_yCEO4-_llGWlCxlzaot_xx_w1-B2uQoNT5-q4GkkcquX8vZmJ_jF6aRjDFnwORDN6uGsExes_ekJwKRqqf43l8iLI329bKkjcpCtYzIQ/s640/canva-photo-editor+%25286%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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As you can see, I tried my hand at some fancy script, which is harder than it seems. It looks a bit shaky there, but I still like the overall effect. I have bought a few new pens in the meantime, including a fancy <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCLOVWp11S4">Tombow brush pen</a> that I need to practice with so that I can add a few more pretty touches to the planner. Kikki K planners come with paper that is sadly too thin for markers and brush pens, so I am bit restricted now. It's easy to buy suitable planner paper, though, and I found some great packs with <a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/585899343/a5-size-filofaxkikki-krings-rainbow?ref=shop_home_active_9">rainbow-coloured lines</a> or simple dots. I can't wait to use them!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIRSNah8ADYcJVCJN_lR83okbwuMqGO5hH1D4KFf8L_9RGx6aCf2h-V-tQfzfc9MYKUuCQIpScT4lNWG6aNd0tfdiDWCg88HJsY8T3WBjVPCmkpcSXHzdLelZCcp-21h6lAFpn0guGMEA/s1600/canva-photo-editor.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIRSNah8ADYcJVCJN_lR83okbwuMqGO5hH1D4KFf8L_9RGx6aCf2h-V-tQfzfc9MYKUuCQIpScT4lNWG6aNd0tfdiDWCg88HJsY8T3WBjVPCmkpcSXHzdLelZCcp-21h6lAFpn0guGMEA/s640/canva-photo-editor.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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So I have been thoroughly bitten by the planner bug. Do you have one that you use for knitting in some way? Do you have any recommendations for stationary? Let's hear them! Comment here or tweet me <a href="http://www.twitter.com/KnittyNadia">@KnittyNadia</a>.Nadiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03002661573000050358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336164865783701836.post-43489392748812687152018-05-06T12:39:00.000+01:002018-05-06T12:39:20.607+01:00FO: Pixelated Pullover<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTU2oJ08NtyVnoJv2rlZMYsANzTXxN-tJ8NsahcZzr8WdEwvD7KC2kIG_58Rt0nnQPt86zk4XLKO5pRML-WmeDNyYCU5oXzjLttNsvj3vWfjZSQZPBMTrgmWgDJLHqauBbFokA4rNt4ig/s1600/IMG_0151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTU2oJ08NtyVnoJv2rlZMYsANzTXxN-tJ8NsahcZzr8WdEwvD7KC2kIG_58Rt0nnQPt86zk4XLKO5pRML-WmeDNyYCU5oXzjLttNsvj3vWfjZSQZPBMTrgmWgDJLHqauBbFokA4rNt4ig/s640/IMG_0151.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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It is done! At long last, after two years and nearly a complete reknit, I have cast off my Pixelated Pullover. It isn't perfect and far too fitted for my liking, but I am very proud to have managed a full-sized garment that I can actually wear. I even got to wear it for a full day before the British heatwave started. (See, I told you it would get warm once I cast off!)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwpGh8I_L5km9igWD_31P_RvcsVddOxfh71euYuDgiddNT2sE7CRuIsQ0xZlHVolOD75rElsMZ4mbTdGs5E0Xd7JiaLzWU8GVnortotQVlH1qJkNGXaJaOd0AjHb0HpWVSJgTDdqOoFBM/s1600/20180416_160733.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="794" height="628" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwpGh8I_L5km9igWD_31P_RvcsVddOxfh71euYuDgiddNT2sE7CRuIsQ0xZlHVolOD75rElsMZ4mbTdGs5E0Xd7JiaLzWU8GVnortotQVlH1qJkNGXaJaOd0AjHb0HpWVSJgTDdqOoFBM/s640/20180416_160733.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I tweaked the pattern a bit and am happy with most of it. I decided against waist decreases, which is a good thing, but I wish I had made more hip decreases. Right now the jumper is a little too tight at the hips for my liking. You can't tell from the above photo, but it is obvious from the rear. I should have started the red section at the hip earlier to match the sleeves. It's not bad how it turned out, but it would have looked better, I think. I don't like the ribbing at the hem and may alter it one day. For some reason, one of my sleeve cuffs is shorter, too, so I will lengthen it at some point. In fact, I would like to make both a bit longer.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuF-Lmn_12k8SPfBiQlNyDO87BX7qlX_6fV_oByecsa3c3Fw54VCAHyAwdnQEcWAgMjtDdDXcm00uMJ7ziIqTOkGcpeiAgrOVwt3Ng2mIIWpceZPCg7X7odHw9LeZp8_Yc5j0MiMCB9fY/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuF-Lmn_12k8SPfBiQlNyDO87BX7qlX_6fV_oByecsa3c3Fw54VCAHyAwdnQEcWAgMjtDdDXcm00uMJ7ziIqTOkGcpeiAgrOVwt3Ng2mIIWpceZPCg7X7odHw9LeZp8_Yc5j0MiMCB9fY/s640/5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I like how the stranded knitting has turned out, even from the back. It looks good, though it took a long time to knit those sections. Believe it or not, I have already cast on a jumper for Mark based on this pattern, but I am not going to knit the pixels. To save time, I will knit stripes. Given how long it took to finish mine, Mark said he expects it to be ready to wear by 2024. Sounds about right.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7-iy61R87udANB5eReOEEufqbhYAC220blINhWTJhQjhI98foWDk1-TyiWIm4fGEyj_UFg3b2ghyewT7aXRjZtgE1l0pajVw3P22KMtwaco6QVBHdrTzeAMsQQRnXImToJk7fA3VGJL8/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7-iy61R87udANB5eReOEEufqbhYAC220blINhWTJhQjhI98foWDk1-TyiWIm4fGEyj_UFg3b2ghyewT7aXRjZtgE1l0pajVw3P22KMtwaco6QVBHdrTzeAMsQQRnXImToJk7fA3VGJL8/s640/4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The collar isn't lying entirely flat, but I hope that will change with time. I have to admit I haven't washed or blocked the jumper yet because of a lack of space, so the fit may become more relaxed afterwards. I used Cascade 220 Superwash, so it is likely to stretch a little bit. Have you used this yarn before? Let me know how it behaved after washing.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBY4UzA9bjfq4SCRtYAvSDuqh4F1orhLHNS0DdcNyDTcqn4QSihHFddEVTI-VdDNsoxrgiXNn9gjy0tj2IXLp6AFkhuZLPgyL57xfWfyHj7SDGWZwWl0DVp4hjxoT6AjFDp0nTFkyrCDI/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBY4UzA9bjfq4SCRtYAvSDuqh4F1orhLHNS0DdcNyDTcqn4QSihHFddEVTI-VdDNsoxrgiXNn9gjy0tj2IXLp6AFkhuZLPgyL57xfWfyHj7SDGWZwWl0DVp4hjxoT6AjFDp0nTFkyrCDI/s640/3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Because I didn't know how much yarn I would need, I bought enough for two jumpers, it turns out, which is why Mark is getting one, too. My jumper is nice and warm and I suspect I will get a lot of wear out of it next winter. There is a severe shortage of warm garments in my closet so this is a welcome addition. I just wished it didn't take so long to knit a jumper in my size - I would like to have more.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXeCb2-Uw30_D-P3M8eodlDgpxsV_kHQIySKQUruvjS947050lqOgGN06NcIq39g2pg7DCak2Ctmm2yjLtmZJhYakI2YFvRuc0rAv0cucunytqNTnXTud0Vni2wxSkJilFE4-fM8ZdTNo/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXeCb2-Uw30_D-P3M8eodlDgpxsV_kHQIySKQUruvjS947050lqOgGN06NcIq39g2pg7DCak2Ctmm2yjLtmZJhYakI2YFvRuc0rAv0cucunytqNTnXTud0Vni2wxSkJilFE4-fM8ZdTNo/s640/2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Do you enjoy knitting jumpers? What do you like or dislike about it? I look forward to hearing what you think - here or over on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/KnittyNadia">@KnittyNadia</a>.</div>
Nadiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03002661573000050358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336164865783701836.post-62085554202309307972018-05-01T17:56:00.000+01:002018-05-01T17:56:58.529+01:00Holiday Time means Knitting Time<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZHNx8t4VcKnbjdc0m4ZYEVROLWFOdbqNyQgSNKDm2Jou99Dbh8RhNlhQEIObjXDPQgR6ylJcIsRaGXKEFf_HTf9l429kZ0KhqteArF-frXam9lXx3_Ymw1dXUBFx4kgtskIFPH41BLc/s1600/P1440006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZHNx8t4VcKnbjdc0m4ZYEVROLWFOdbqNyQgSNKDm2Jou99Dbh8RhNlhQEIObjXDPQgR6ylJcIsRaGXKEFf_HTf9l429kZ0KhqteArF-frXam9lXx3_Ymw1dXUBFx4kgtskIFPH41BLc/s640/P1440006.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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I am back from very windy, very cold Brighton!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mark and I spent nearly a full week at the seaside to
celebrate my 40<sup>th</sup> (no idea how that happened). While I had no intention
of taking any knitting along, the prospect of spending a 4-hour train journey
with idle hands changed my mind. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Believe it or not, I finally finished my <a href="http://abso-knitting-lutely-nadia.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/pixelated-pullover-continued.html">Pixelated Pullover</a>
just before the mini-heatwave this April (details to follow in a later post). This
freed me up to knit something new and I promptly cast on… *drum roll*… another
jumper. This one is for Mark, though, and is basically the same I just finished,
but in another size and with stripes instead of pixels. You’d never know I was
sick and tired of my jumper just a little while ago.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Still, no longer having my long-term WIP on the needles made
me want to start something smaller, too. Luckily, my first hank of Opus from <a href="https://ayarnstory.co.uk/collections/yarn/products/walcot-yarns-opus">WalcotYarns</a> arrived and I decided to reknit my <a href="http://abso-knitting-lutely-nadia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/smaug-socks-knitted-and-ready-to-wear.html">Smaug</a> socks that fell prey to moths a
while back. They made for perfect travel knitting, too, and I am happy to
report I knitted on all but one of the days I spent in Brighton.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So has finishing Pixelated got the knitting juices flowing
again? I hope so! I just hope I didn’t speak to soon.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Nadiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03002661573000050358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336164865783701836.post-25439890364845129332018-04-08T11:38:00.000+01:002018-04-08T11:38:00.607+01:00Make! Craft Britain<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBnyiFx4kGp_qOKLRh6H1rRg1fDBiVL5y9eGqF1p-EBje9p6x-fC2V2WDqplLCWFtdz1kXsTSpufLOP-itr8p0fRUb8CJ2V4GW4emvKd_MXejlt1omVVuSo5HJo7lEZnBoby1OJ7_d54/s1600/dazzle.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Make Craft Britain" border="0" data-original-height="851" data-original-width="1280" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBnyiFx4kGp_qOKLRh6H1rRg1fDBiVL5y9eGqF1p-EBje9p6x-fC2V2WDqplLCWFtdz1kXsTSpufLOP-itr8p0fRUb8CJ2V4GW4emvKd_MXejlt1omVVuSo5HJo7lEZnBoby1OJ7_d54/s640/dazzle.png" title="Make Craft Britain" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/art-leaf-white-flower-68558/">Miguel Á. Padriñán</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Last night I got sucked into <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09wh9wj">Make! Craft Britain</a>, the 3-part BBC Four series all about crafting. Have you seen it?</div>
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I noticed the trailers, but completely forgot about it all. If you've missed it, you can still catch up on <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b09wh9wj">iPlayer</a>, and I heartily recommend it!</div>
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You will see a variety of crafts, with groups of beginners learning to knit, make mosaics, create silver clay jewellery, cross-stitch and more. In between, advanced crafters show their makes and briefly talk about why they do what they do. </div>
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Highlights include:</div>
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Beautiful mosaics, including one based on a Lowry painting</div>
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A baker's silver mini-croissant</div>
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Traditional letterpress printing (reminded me of my internship at a printers in 1997)</div>
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I very much enjoyed this show. Before watching it, I was worried it would turn out to be just another craft show like Kirstie's Handmade Christmas, but this was so much better. The focus lies on the new crafters, there is no host guiding you through the show, and the voice-overs are pleasant and non-intrusive. There is no hyperbole or overly excited screeching, which is a nice change. Also, there is a good mix of men and women, both when it comes to teachers and learners. I loved that! The whole show makes for relaxed viewing and is informative and motivating at the same time.</div>
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Because I was keen to watch the knitting workshop in episode 3, that's where I started watching. In the same episode, we are also introduced to mosaics and, to my surprise, Mark, my totally uncrafty husband, said he would quite like to try making mosaics! Hm, a possible gift idea?</div>
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If you've watched Make! and want to talk about it, comment here or tweet me <a href="https://twitter.com/KnittyNadia">@KnittyNadia</a>. </div>
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On the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09wh9wj">BBC Four website</a>, you will find more information about the show, including tutorials, so have a look if you enjoyed the show.</div>
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Nadiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03002661573000050358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336164865783701836.post-42903650737562546262018-03-25T11:37:00.000+01:002018-03-25T11:37:03.952+01:00Knitting On the NHS<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTkE19e8IA6x0JdXMihm9o9TN2INHDt-dlZ1OuPkOTEkCPp-aW9l41kdCrI5E0Mkc9QCxOwVoGLqOU7QxpgLNkAcOIvxNzYWBusR_WsHnC6ynzBksoi7Ih43-Xh4bQ31hifzZrWEy_jno/s1600/Knittingon+the+NHS.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Knitting on the NHS" border="0" data-original-height="849" data-original-width="1280" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTkE19e8IA6x0JdXMihm9o9TN2INHDt-dlZ1OuPkOTEkCPp-aW9l41kdCrI5E0Mkc9QCxOwVoGLqOU7QxpgLNkAcOIvxNzYWBusR_WsHnC6ynzBksoi7Ih43-Xh4bQ31hifzZrWEy_jno/s640/Knittingon+the+NHS.png" title="Knitting on the NHS" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by <a href="https://bit.ly/2pH4deL">Pineapple Supply Co.</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Recently, you may have come across the claim that knitting could <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/knitting-reduces-anxiety-depression-chronic-pain-slows-dementia-research-knit-for-peace-uk-a8254341.html">save the NHS millions of Pounds</a> (The Independent) and that it should be <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2018/03/11/knitting-should-prescribed-nhs-lower-blood-pressure-reduce-depression/">prescribed by the NHS</a> (The Telegraph). These conclusions have been drawn from a Knit for Peace survey in which knitters stated that the craft makes them feel more relaxed and takes their focus off pain, for instance. </div>
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It's left me puzzled. Quite frankly, I am not sure how anyone could come up with the silly idea that this is an effective way to deal with health issues and that it could possibly save the NHS any money. The Independent indicates knitting could reduce the need for antidepressants, for example. The problem with that, I think, is the assumption that depression is just people feeling a bit sad. It ignores that depression is a chemical imbalance that is often best treated with medication. Just picking up needles isn't going to solve that. </div>
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Of course knitting is calming and relaxing, but it won't help you deal with high blood pressure effectively or I could have stopped taking Ramipril in 2007. Surely with the amount of knitting I normally do, I should be the most relaxed person in the world!</div>
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I can see how knitting can distract you from pain, but it can also make some types of pain worse. After all, you are using your hands and arthritis, to take an example, will make it difficult. Knitting can also be frustrating at times, so the calming factor goes right out the window there. Furthermore, knitting can also be isolating unless you are happy to go to knitting groups.</div>
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I am surprised that nobody seems to have mentioned that any craft would have the same effects as knitting. Basically, it's all about finding something to keep you busy, distracted and agile, mentally and, to an extent, physically. It does not have to be knitting. If you're doing something you enjoy, of course it will make you feel good and calm.</div>
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But it is silly to suggest that a craft is the answer to medical problems, because it isn't. (You don't have to believe me, of course. I am a doctor, but not <i>that</i> kind of a doctor.) So crafting on prescription won't work. How would one go about that anyway? What's the prescription for? Would you get classes on the NHS? Yarn? I suspect knitting isn't going to save the NHS money, but would require even more funding because the need for medication, treatments and appointments won't go way.</div>
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It must have been a slow news day or papers are desperate to find something to write about other than Brexit. I can't blame them.</div>
Nadiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03002661573000050358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336164865783701836.post-62885891739088373912018-03-11T12:52:00.000+00:002018-03-11T12:52:06.301+00:00Tea, Tissues and Some Knitting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9gTXTxfUkjl6_pknw5u4vj_Fq3GvCYZ2xIvYnGaZnsCq0fuK7MapKk8TOMjRTqfuo6xdjWIJn3SpYCV1kaut-SdQulmvkCDpiAn56wlT-FG21wYvvMrmIh-3FPT66a4OEhPFp1K-Mn0U/s1600/pexels-photo-877701.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tea, Tissues and Some Knitting" border="0" data-original-height="935" data-original-width="1280" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9gTXTxfUkjl6_pknw5u4vj_Fq3GvCYZ2xIvYnGaZnsCq0fuK7MapKk8TOMjRTqfuo6xdjWIJn3SpYCV1kaut-SdQulmvkCDpiAn56wlT-FG21wYvvMrmIh-3FPT66a4OEhPFp1K-Mn0U/s640/pexels-photo-877701.jpeg" title="Tea, Tissues and Some Knitting" width="640" /></a></div>
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It's been a weekend of medicinal tea, knitting and snotty tissues, I'm afraid. Just when I wondered how on earth I managed to get through this long, cold winter without my obligatory cold, it got me. Luckily, this cold appears to be progressing quicker than usual, so I should be back to normal very soon.</div>
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The good thing is that I have had more time to knit my jumper because I haven't been feeling as miserable as usual when I am ill. I am well on my way to finishing the first sleeve already and most definitely on the home straight now.</div>
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Having said that, I haven't dared to cast on anything new yet even though I can't wait to get something else on my needles. I haven't even dared to think about what to make next. I have to be patient and not let myself get distracted from this jumper. It has taken me two years to get this far and I don't want to make it three!</div>
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There is a chance I may not get to wear this jumper as soon as I finish it, but if I keep at it, I will! The weather is finally milder and I do hope it stays that way because I do not cope well with the cold. Then again, I hope it doesn't warm up too soon so that I can wear my new jumper at least once before putting all my winter clothes away.</div>
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What knits have you been getting a lot of wear out of this winter? Mine have been my <a href="http://abso-knitting-lutely-nadia.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/stockholm-scarf.html">Stockholm</a> scarf, my handspun <a href="http://abso-knitting-lutely-nadia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/spikelets-cowl-knitted-with-handspun.html">Spikelets</a> cowl, and my handspun <a href="http://abso-knitting-lutely-nadia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/hinagiku-hat-in-handspun-malabrigo.html">Hinagiku</a> hat.</div>
Nadiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03002661573000050358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336164865783701836.post-25375561772614570082018-02-25T12:12:00.002+00:002018-02-25T12:12:50.787+00:00Pixelated Pullover: Continued<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMKCgxTkq_r1zq67hjfq3NHkQm6nySukqBO6RUW2YDtrULmNc73XfwtXnmge5wkFQinYHFt3wdr6BZh3gID3c51P7hVAotPqywsHlxg_tmBqTHk1J4TS-Jbvu4aMKimcV6AxeVvHvou4/s1600/jumper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Knitting my Pixelated Pullover" border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMKCgxTkq_r1zq67hjfq3NHkQm6nySukqBO6RUW2YDtrULmNc73XfwtXnmge5wkFQinYHFt3wdr6BZh3gID3c51P7hVAotPqywsHlxg_tmBqTHk1J4TS-Jbvu4aMKimcV6AxeVvHvou4/s640/jumper.jpg" title="Pixelated Pullover: Continued" width="480" /></a></div>
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Yes, yes, it's still going.</div>
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It's been two years since I nearly finished my <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/pixelated-pullover">Pixelated Pullover</a> the first time round and right now I am exactly where I was back then. I have reached the end of the body now, but need to try it on and check to make sure. I somehow suspect I knitted it too long, actually, in which case I will rip back a little bit before starting the ribbing. I don't care how much longer it takes - I want to get it right!</div>
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Right now I am aiming to finish this jumper by my birthday in late April when I will be celebrating at the seaside and may well need a warm jumper. You never know what the weather will be like at that time of the year. (Actually, I need it right now because even though it is nice and sunny lately, it is also absolutely freezing.)</div>
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As you can see from the photo, the sleeves are still missing. They will be fairly quick to knit, so it really shouldn't take me too long to get this done. Of course I will be procrastinating...</div>
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What do you do when you work on something that's been going for ages? Do you just want to get it done or do you want to make sure it is absolutely perfect first? Let me know!</div>
Nadiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03002661573000050358noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336164865783701836.post-76924787775336417952018-02-04T13:38:00.002+00:002018-02-04T13:38:21.416+00:00Tempted by Portuguese Knitting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3imk0ZZRnFRnYdndjXdqUiIxAye75UaU4zrxzQ0AyxwEXwL846qgdTbB0Snwi0WdyqTQKj5gDERwcrLn3dlvoc9XyM7bdENDfknLDBIg2A20UHhpaJ8VrL-Lw5JeHEBRos4n4W-j7zbY/s1600/Disoveringsomthingnew.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Portuguese knitting technique" border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3imk0ZZRnFRnYdndjXdqUiIxAye75UaU4zrxzQ0AyxwEXwL846qgdTbB0Snwi0WdyqTQKj5gDERwcrLn3dlvoc9XyM7bdENDfknLDBIg2A20UHhpaJ8VrL-Lw5JeHEBRos4n4W-j7zbY/s640/Disoveringsomthingnew.png" title="Portuguese knitting" width="640" /></a></div>
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Being busy knitting my jumper doesn't stop me from looking around, thinking about what I am going to do next. Today my fingers are itching to do some spinning on my beautiful IST <a href="http://abso-knitting-lutely-nadia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/ist-turkish-spindle.html">Turkish spindle</a>, but it's going to be a busy day and I suspect I won't get to spin. I really need to wash my knitted socks instead. Ah, chores!</div>
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Something I'd like to try one day, I realised, is <a href="https://www.craftsy.com/knitting/article/why-portuguese-knitting/">Portuguese knitting</a>. Have you given it a go yet? I think it would be particularly useful for my <a href="http://abso-knitting-lutely-nadia.blogspot.co.uk/2017/11/pixelated-pullover-take-2.html">Pixelated pullover,</a> the one I am working on right now. When I get to the stranded knitting sections, my yarns always get tangled, no matter how hard I try. Another advantage of the Portuguese technique would be that I don't need to hold on to the yarn so carefully. Goodbye death grip!</div>
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Having watched some video tutorials, I think it will be hard to get my head around knit stitches, but purling seems to be really quick and easy. (Check Youtube for lots of tutorials.)</div>
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I am also curious about whether this technique makes knitting faster. I knit Continental style, so it is already faster than English knitting, but would Portuguese knitting increase my speed even more due to the smaller motions? If you've given it a try, please let me know. </div>
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<b>Are you toying with the idea of trying something new at the moment? What's tempting you and why are you keen to try it?</b></div>
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Nadiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03002661573000050358noreply@blogger.com1