Thursday, December 29, 2011

A warmhearted hat

Today our niece Johanne got her hat. You know the one with hearts which I mentioned the other day.

I like how it turned out to be girlish and oh so soft - thanks to the yarn. Stash yarn to top it all off.

I'm not quite sure of what Johanne thought about it, though, because she was definitely in a bad mood when we visted her and her family today. Maybe she will have a look at the hat tomorrow.

However, I liked knitting the little Hjertelig hilsen hat designed by Anna & Heidi Pickles, and wouldn't mind making it in their original choice of colors. Maybe even for myself. I'm not a hat person what so ever, but viewpoints are meant to be shaped over the years, aren't they?


Monday, December 26, 2011

A little extra gift


Enkelt Luemønster hat by lille-ursus
Enkelt Luemønster hat, a photo by lille-ursus on Flickr.

I made this little hat with Pacman pattern for our nephew Thorbjørn, who's 6 years old.
It's knitted in Navia Duo in black and white, and the green bit is Cascade. The pattern is from here, and it didn't take long to make something which can warm our nephew's ears. 

The fact that I started 2 days before Christmas Eve mattered on the (for me) fast tempo as well. Something which I tend to do far too often...the starting late bit, I mean.

As far as we have heard, the hat has been approved by it's new owner. That is the most tricky part by knitting for children (do they love or hate it?) - and the most rewarding part if it turns out to be a success.

Now I'm knitting this for Thorbjørn's bigsister Johanne. I haven't told her that I'm making it, so I hope that all the purple hearts will please her.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

I never thought . . .

. . . that I would be in a spin over tea towels! But I am.
The other day I bought these 2 beauties from HAY

Of course I were beckoned by the combination of the colours when I saw them, but when I got to touch the fabric they were made from, it got even better. And the graphic designs in the fabric!


A little box with 2 different towels cost 129 Danish kroner - about 22 $. Not bad for tea towels in that fine quality.




I'm not sure that I will ever get to dry any dishes in the lovely towels. I wouldn't have the heart. But what I do know is, that I want to buy the orange and paleblue set as well.


Or maybe I get lucky and get them for Christmas . . .

Sunday, December 18, 2011

For our hands - and eyes


Anne-Sophie has been busy with her studies for a long time, but she has spent some of her precious sparetime on making the most beautiful Christmas ornaments I know.

A whole bunch of Froebel Stars were among the things she showed me, when she was home this weekend. She's going to use the lot for a mobile. And the ones you see here are not all of them - many more were folded in her hands while she was here. 
It didn't take her many minutes to finish a star. My skills, on the other hand, are a different story. I'm not good at making the stars - they always tend to look inaccurate and somehow I manage to get the paper shreds wrinkled. As a side befinefit my temper usually gets the better of me.


Today we had a wonderful afternoon, playing with self-hardening clay and listening to so far unheard Christmas music from the radio. Both of us enjoyed it (apart from the music).

It's a magical feeling to mould the clay in your hands and get things to come out of it.We mostly made ornaments for Christmas, but also a bit of jewlry and some signs to put on jars containing flour, sugar and the likes of it.


Anne-Sophie didn't get to bring home her things made from clay this time. They hadn't dried up yet, and I think that the items need the night to set completely hard.

Maybe we are going to paint some of the letters which we put into the clay...and of course add some string in different colours to the ones which need that.

It's was almost too late to begin with the Christmas stuff, but we are absolutely not done playing with self-hardening clay.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

For marks and x x x x


Once more Maileg has come up with new and wonderful things for those of us, who like the whimsy stuff.

I might have to get myself one of their new calenders. It seems as if each month and day have plenty of room in which we can write down the plans and appointments of our family. That is indeed a necessity, because I have become so forgetful over the recent years. 
I haven't seen the whole calender yet, but from the photos I'm pleased with the fact that Dorthe Mailil's  characteristic figurines have made their entry in there as well.

So now we wait for 2012 . . .

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Klip-selv-ark

I tell myself that I haven't bought new Christmas ornaments for several years - no new Maileg nisser or any Noilly Noël figurines like I used to. And it's actually true.

So with that in mind - and forgetting all about the beautiful angles from Karina Bækkelund (which arrived yesterday and they are SO lovely!) - I bought the most wonderful knitted and felted Christmas DIY set from Sort Lakrids.

I know that I will love to look at it all for many years ahead, without getting bored of it. And most importanly it will make me smile.

Photo from Sort Lakrids


The Christmas set is made by Theresa Jessing and Line Dyrholm. Both artists whom I love for their unique way of expressing themselves.

Hopefully I will be cutting and sewing in a matter of days...

Photo from Sort Lakrids

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Laz(c)y day


It's definitely a lazy day today - in more than one way.

Emil and I slept through the morning and I barely heard Christian go off to work. Now we are having a cosy time doing absolutly what we want to, and maybe I can find a little moment in a while, to do some more knitting on the Lacy Baktus I'm knitting. And some flicking through the magasin RUM.

I have a thing for mustard colored scarfs at the moment. And ever since I saw the Lacy Baktus made by Terhi on flickr, I have wanted to have one of my own. With holes and everything...

Later on we are going to spend time with some of the people we love the most - my sister and her family. Not a bad day in the middle of December.

The little red pig is Christian's from his childhood and the angel is my childhood favourite at Christmas.

Friday, December 09, 2011

She's back!!

It was with much joy that I read this post on Ida's blog Midtimellem . ( An inspirering and wonderful blog by the way).

Because Ida had fabulous news to tell about the illustrator Karina Bækkelund, whom I admire tremendously for her brilliant work.
A while ago Karina closed her Amio shop and I thought that it was a huge shame, but I'm sure that she had a good reason to do so.

Photo from Karina Bækkenlund's Amioshop

BUT now she has reopened her shop! I'm really delighted that Ida told about it on her blog, because I have been keeping an eye on Karina's shop for months, but at a point I stopped checking it out.

Today it was time to act immediately before all of the beautiful things were sold out. So hopefully these 2 fine angles will hang in my home in a little while.

Photo from Karina Bækkenlund's Amioshop
If you like Karina's gentle angles and gorgeous squirrels, you have the exclusive opportunity to win some of her work in the giveaway, which Ida is having at her blog at the moment. You can enter the competition right here...

Thursday, December 08, 2011

Brave new (sewing) world

Have you ever seen anything like this pair of scissors??? With a laser light to show you how to cut straight!
It's absolutely a first time for me...and I think that it will stay that way.



If this technological marvel all of a sudden has become your most wanted Christmas wish, you can find it right here. ;)


Wednesday, December 07, 2011

Little pink cardigan...off you go!



Little pink cardigan by lille-ursus

By now it has been wrapped and ready for several days, the little pink Christmas presnt cardigan. And I had completely forgotten about the photo of it. Until tonight.

Not that it's a very good photo at all.

The neckline didn't turn out the way it was supposed to, so I had to come up with an idea to make it look better. It was far to wide for a baby neck.
So I decided to knit a long row of holes, and then crochet a white string to pull through them.
And because of that, I left out buttons.

Now I just hope that Agnes only wears the cardigan when supervised, due to the string...


Tuesday, December 06, 2011

A wonderful day is almost over


After a wonderful day spent in Århus with Anne-Sophie, I'm full of happiness, love and loads of new impressions.

We talked and talked, and laughed and laughed...Anne-Sophie took me to the architecture school, where she spends a huge amount of her time now. We had food - which undoubtedly was a not so delicious experience - and we did some Christmas shopping.

Photos from COS

Anne-Sophie has a few favourite shops, which she likes to visit and wanted to show me. I were particular thrilled about COS.
It has been ages since I have seen a selection of so much beautiful clothes. The colours were stylish, the details were elegant, and it all resulted in simple and gorgeous looks. All clothes which were able to be used for several years, due to style and quality, if you ask me. And for many occassions, too.

There were things for women, men and children. Anne-Sophie and I both loved the little A-line dress with all  the colours - it made us think of Marimekko. And the Gingham shirt was (of course) just the kind I think little boys should wear.

Photos from COS 
I also got the chance to visit Ingers lovely yarn shop. Oh, what a place. I could have looked at the beautiful yarn and other goodies for ages. But I ended up buying 100 grams more of the soft Duo silke/merino. I chose the pale pink - it's going to be used for a stripe on a hat for Anne-Sophie, and for a third scarf made from Theresa's pattern

Photo from Design-club.dk
Finally I saw a recently published book by Elisabeth Amdisen - it looked so interesting that I have to add it to my own wishlist (the one from me to me). It's an embroidery book called Tusind og én nats broderierand in the shop's window the book was presented with little pouches made in colourful Arabian inspired x-stitches.

What a lovely day - now it's time to rest...

Monday, December 05, 2011

Thursday, December 01, 2011

Cocoon would be perfect for me

I bet that I'm far from the only one, who wants to cuddle up in warm jumpers and blankets during winter days. To be in a kind of warming cocoon.

But now I no longer need to wrap things around me, because I have found a marvellous knitting pattern this evening - Cocoon!

Photo from Sunday Knits

For the small amount of 37 Danish kroner, the pattern Cocoon was placed in my ravelry library. It's designed by Carol Sunday and has an inviting and elegant look. And while keeping the comfy feeling, it still maintains it's elegance through the sideways garter ribs - and the bobble accents. Bobbles in the back of the neck and down the front. I love bobbles!
(And do take a look at Carol's Sunday Scarf as well - it's lovely!).

The colour shown in the photo is very pretty, I think. Charcoal will go with lots of my clothes.
So maybe I will have a look at some yarn for my Cocoon. Lately I have been very disciplined about finishing some of my ongoing knitting projects, so I will buy new yarn with a smile on my face...