The ballerina is dancing, mummy is sewing!

We have had a some exciting days lately. Our daughter was dancing on stage for the first time. The dance school had a very big show last night. She was one of the youngest participants dancing in a Smurf-costume.

Afterwards the had a pyjamas-act! She and all the others did very well, and we are already looking forward to next years show. She is in the blue pyjamas, that I had to modify to fit.

Yohoo...so I managed to figure out of the pattern sheet. Here I have just finished all the pieces, ready for sewing it together.
And in a little while I finished this far. It is starting to look like pants. Not bad!
But at this point I had to take a pause. I could not understand the next instructions. Guess I need to sleep on it. After all - I am not very experienced when it comes to sewing.

I have started on my #3 Fitted knits (these projects are really fast). This time it is the Textured tunic. I am looking forward to seeing how this one will fit me!

I have also received my second Rocking sock club kit. The colors are such a beauty and the yarn is a very soft and luxurious blend of merino and silk. I just can not see myself knitting socks from this yarn! Maybe some kind of scarf.

I am sewing, too!

Finely I had made some space for the Husqvarna 2000 on my working space. A heavy weight orange machine. It belong to my mother in law, but unfortunately she can't use it because she is very ill with MS. It must have been a very expensive machine when she bought it. With the fancy Colormatic system. But I have no idea how to use this because I do not have the instructions. So if someone have the manual for the Husqvarna 2000 model 64 30, I would be happy to buy a copy.

My first sewing was the crochet-weaving-sewing bag in Rowan yarn. I have finished one side. Sewing on all edges to keep the weaving in place. But when finished this bag I am NEVER doing something like this again. It is very hard to get the crocheted nicely weaved together.


It is not turning out very nice either.

Enough about that....I bought the book Home-Made Vintage a while ago and had decided on making a bag for my first sewing project. But when my daughter saw the sewing-machine when she came home yesterday afternoon, she insisted on I started sewing something for her right away. And so I started on a simple and easy skirt. But it is not finished yet because I want to buy a contrasting fabric for the pockets.


So today I started on the bag. The first parts was easy, but when adding the bottom I had to stop and think :-)

But I managed to figure it out - And here it is - my first sewn handbag!

Sari likes to take part, too. A timer- picture that did not turn out as nice as I was hoping...I like the leaves. And I wanted them to point upwards.
I am into sewing now. And my next handbag will be made out of this fabric:


I am also sewing a dress for my daughter in these fabrics: But before that I am trying to figure out of this pattern-sheet. What have I gotten myself into?
I am sewing a pair of pants for my son....hopefully I will figure it out. It looked so simple, but that was before I looked at this...

Boatneck Bluebell finished!

I just finished my second Fitted Knit - Boatneck Bluebell.
For this I used some yarn I have had in my stash for a while. A discontinued yarn Angora Tweed from Garnstudio. Luckily the now have started to sell this again. It is a very nice yarn.
Needles I used was 5 mm as called for in the pattern, but the yarn has 145 meters (158 yards) per 50 grams so my stitches are a bit loos. I had 8 skeins of yarn in this color and I still have 2 and 1/2 left.
And of course the cat likes to take part in the photo shoot!

Two finished - more to come!

Finely I have some FO's to show. I finished the Rocking socks from the Blue Moon sock club two days ago. Not much yarn left...

And the owner was very happy. It is very nice colors for him, too.

The other finished project is the perfect periwinkle turtleneck tube west from Fitted knits. Rowan Calmer was a nice pick for this project. And it is lovely to wear next to skin. Maybe I could have knitted it longer...oh well!

My daughter has been trying out weaving. She thought it was fun and did a very good job.

Her brother was more into banging the loom into my head, and that was the end of his weaving. He is not even 3 years old and are more interested in using a hammer...

I got another book.....Debbie Bliss - there are some very nice patterns in here. The jacket on the front for starters. But there is also some other goodies in there.

A new book and some more yarn!

Today I received two things in the mail. Yarn for the Textured tunic in Fitted knits and this book:I was very curious about this brand new book. It did not really take my breath away at first glance, but there are a lot of nice patterns for men and women in it. And at least one pattern made my blood pump faster. "Intoxicating" on page 55 is a stunning mosaic and lace sweater in pure silk. The colors are just so very much me. And the name on the green color - birches in Norway - is so lovely. It really looks a lot like the leaves on Norwegian birch, too.


Because I had never heard about this yarn, I googled it up. This yarn is really luscious...$ 49 a skein - and for the smalest size in this pattern you will need 5 skeins. In Norwegian kroner $245 will be around kr 1500.

Some nice, but less expensive design - this is Cables and Os on page 107 in a cotton and linen yarn.I also thought Eileen on page 43 was quit - it is knit in Euroflax - 100% linen. The front is stockinette sts and the back is in lace.
Sari likes to sleep in my arms, and inside my wool sweater was also comfortable for a while.

I took some new pictures of the boatneck. The cat was trying to block the view so I had to grab her before the timer on the camera went off. Maybe it won't look so bad after all....with arms it will probably look a lot better - I hope so.

The last day of Easter!

Today and yesterday we have had the perfect Easter weather - melting snow in the sunshine.
But before that we have had awful weather - like on the picture above. Last weekend there was no snow around the house and I was stupid enough to believe that we had started the spring early this year. But I was so wrong, and got very disappointed when it started to snow, and never seamed to stop. But I should not be so surprised. After all I do live in Norway!


Because of the weather - I have had time to do some knitting. The boatneck from fitted knits - I did rip the chest part, but now I have finished all except the arms. But I really don't know if I am satisfied....I will take some new pictures wearing it. This was very bad pictures.

I did also rip my turtleneck, but now it is closer to finished. I have reached the very fun part - 3x3 ribbing that looks like it will never end.

I just have to ad some Sari-pictures, too.

Fitted knitting - not a perfect start!

It is that time of year - This is the closest thing we got to Easter decoration in our house. But I really liked it! I hope you all have a nice holiday. Right now I look at the heavy rain outside my windows. Not the best weather for a Norwegian Easter, but then there is always knitting :-)

So everything looked okay with my turtleneck, until I suddenly realised that I had done too many increases. How could that be - it did not look like the upper front was long and wide enough. Then I did a count on my stitches and rows. I had 22 sts and 34 rows on 4X4 inch. Ups....It should have been 18 sts and 24 rows! And I did a swatch that looked right....I guess I must have used some other needles and knitted less tight.


Not the best start. And then I just wanted to knit on a different project. So now I am down to the waist on the boatneck. But look at this....the ribbed columns are starting too soon. A new gauge check - 19 sts and 26 rows. It should have been 18 and 24. I think I will do a little changes here....if I don't change my mind.


I also had to untangle some of the yarn - a little white kitten had some fun with my yarn!

Cat Show and casting on turtleneck

Not a lot of spare time for knitting today, but I did cast on this morning and I have almost finished the neck.

We have been to a Cat Show today and yesterday. The kids are excited, but they really are not much fun to bring to this event - I am hungry - I want to hold the cat - I want to buy toys for Sari.....


On this picture: " I want chocolate cake."

Sari was adjusting well - The decoration is something Exxon used, but it did not really fit her that well.

A lot of beautiful cats in the show. This girl was Best in Show. It is a Norwegian Forest Cat and on this picture she is together with the breeder Linda Reiersen - (N) Fodnaheia's.

This is a pretty white Maine Coon.