miss sophies creative world

The Blog has moved

2009-05-15T23:08:00.003+02:00

Hi dear followers,

I moved my blog.
It can be found here

Hope to see you there

Best wishes
Sophie

Socks 07/04/09 " Drops 100-20"

2009-04-18T00:03:00.011+02:00

Well, first I thought, I could make things easy and use a last years pattern....
But no, I'm a honest person and here it is:

Free chosen pattern from Garnstudio, Sokker task für April.
I knitted Drops 100-20 matching this cardi.

Knitting Time: April 2009
Material: 100 g Regia Cotton with dpn 2,0
Pattern: Drops 100-20

Socks 06/03/09 "Owl"

2009-03-29T13:59:00.009+02:00

Finished right in time, my "Owl" Socks.
I didn't knit them up to the knee, because the cables come out very thick.
In additon I tranferred the chart to my own approved pattern
and knitted them top-down - et voilà, they fit my foot.

Knitting Time: March 2009
Material: 100 g Flotte Socke 6-ply - the color is light grey, best on the first pic - with dpn 3,0.
Pattern: Owl Knee Socks

Socks 05/02/09 "Kerttu"

2009-02-27T22:46:00.009+01:00

Februar task for Sokker KAL.

I'm really late this time, but I was suffering from a bursitis with following surgery.

Now knitting does not go that fast...

But here they are. Right in time.

I changed the pattern a little bit, as I added a smal cuff.

I prefer this version, since it does not slip down.

Knitting Time: Feburary 2009

Material: 100 g Flotte Socke 6-ply, dpn 3,0.

Pattern: Kerttu

Used Yarn 2008 in Total

2009-01-23T14:37:00.010+01:00

,
,,,,,

Socks 01/01/09 "PI"

2009-01-23T12:36:00.004+01:00

Brilliant idea, using "PI" and continue knitting the numbers as stripes.

I already saw some different ways to create the socks, two identical ones, or just following the numbers.

Since this pattern is easy, I just gave it a kick by firstly following the numbers which made irregular repeats, and secondly exchanging the colors.

That made two different socks on the first sight but on the second it matches.

Knitting Time: Jan. 2nd - Jan. 6th 2009

Material: 50 g Calzino and 50 g Fortissima, solid, dpn 2,0

Pattern: PI

Socks 34/23/08 "Muscari"

2009-01-23T12:26:00.005+01:00

These are the last socks for the 2008 KAL that I completed.

Well, the pattern is easy, but it requires some attention in order to avoid missing a yarn over.

Knitting Time: December 2008 - Jan. 1st 2009

Material: 100 g Flotte Socke, solid, dpn 2,0.

Pattern: Muscari

Socks 34/22/08 " Nutkin"

2009-01-23T12:17:00.004+01:00

The pattern was easy to knit and I proceeded fast as long as my shoulder didn't bother me.

I like the colorway, this multi purple, but I'm afraid it can not be seen so good on the pic. Dark colors and cameras - they don't like eachother...

Knitting Time: Dec. 3rd - Dec. 28th 2008

Material: 100 g Calzino Color, dpn 2,0

Pattern: Nutkin

Merry Christmas...

2008-12-24T17:51:00.003+01:00

and a Happy New Year

Socks 33/21/08 "Drops 109-48"

2008-12-12T21:22:00.003+01:00

..main task for November. These socks were hard to create, not the pattern, but the thick needles. I was glad, when I finally finished them. I only have to sew an elastic inside the cuff in order to hold them in place.

Knitting time: 02.11.08 - 17.11.08

Material: 150 g Schachenmayr Boston with dpn 7.0

Socks 32/20/08 "Mojo"

2008-12-12T21:14:00.004+01:00

..here are my November bonus socks. Since I wasn't able to download the pattern, I knitted them after the pic. Hope I got them quiet acceptable, although I changed the pattern and did not continue under the foot, since I consider it uncomfortable underneath the foot.

Knitting time: 01.11.08 - 02.11.08

Material: 100 g Calzino Sportivo with dpn 2.0

Socks 31/19/08 "Flutter-By"

2008-10-26T18:36:00.006+01:00

..and now, I proudly present: Sophies flutter-by socks. This was the first time I could not figure out the pattern, and without the help of my good friend C. I would still not see the wood for the trees. She found the solution and after I got it, it was so easy...I'm sure, it is my age...*hrm*

Knitting Time: Oct. 10th - Oct. 22nd 2008

Material: 100 g Lana Grossa Meilenweit with dpn 2,0 mm

Socks 30/18/08

2008-10-26T18:30:00.003+01:00

..the October bonus task said that we should knit socks from our rests, free for decision. So I looked though our rest basket and found three matching colors. The result are these sneakers, not much, but my friend T. already "ordered" them for x-mas.

Knitting Time: Oct. 5th - Oct. 8th 2008

Material: Rests Fortissima and Regia with dpn 2,0 and 2,5 mm.

Socks 29/17/08 "Rolling Thunder"

2008-10-26T18:24:00.003+01:00

..finished for the Sokker Kal, Rolling Thunder without beads, since I found that the yarn ist too sporty for such a decoration.

Knitting Time: Sept. 19th - Oct. 4th 2008

Material: 100 g Gedifra Calzino with dpn 2,0 mm

Well..

2008-10-26T18:11:00.002+01:00

.. currently I'm doing advanced training. This is the reason, why there were only a few posts in the last months. But I promise, after my classes, I will do my very best in order to catch up asap.....

Socks 25/16/08 "Slippin' - Strippin'"

2008-09-21T21:56:00.007+02:00

..finally I finished the August-bonus-socks. I used fingering yarns knitted with double thread, since I wasn't able to get the required thin lace yarn. It made the socks relatively thick, but now is the right time for those, since it is already cold in the eveneings and they are perfect for couch or bed.

Knitting time: August 2nd - September 21st 2008

Material: Gedifra, Fortissima and Rellana 4-ply with dpn 4,0 mm

Socks 24/15/08 "My Purple Dream"

2008-09-04T22:17:00.006+02:00

Først takker jeg for kommentarer deres. Jeg gleder meg over alle, som leser bloggen min.

Referring to Siljas post, I already began to work on "my purple dream"by that time. Since the August-bonus-socks will be in purple, I decided to use another color. But it was impossible to knit them in the way given. Using 17 stitches on each needle make socks that can be donated to the zoo in order to fit an elephant. So I tried to reduce the repeat by three or four stitches, but this came out awfully. Usually I meet all challenges that cross my way, but here I was helpless. But then, I had the idea that saved my reputation...I took a 6-ply yarn, reduced the repeat to three and just knitted socks as usual. Well, here it comes, "my nature dream".

Knitting Time: August 25th - September 3rd 2008

Material: 100 g Flotte Socke mouliné 6-ply with dpn 2,5 and 3,0 mm.

Socks 23/14/08 "Mary Jane Slippers"

2008-08-24T23:16:00.008+02:00

..No, it is no good idea, not to finish your work, when you adjusted the pattern and did not write it down. It took me the whole afternoon in order to figure out, what I did, but now, the slippers are finished.

Knitting Time: July 16th - August 24th 2008

Material: Flotte Socke 6-ply and rest of Regia Tweed 6-ply with needle 3,0 mm.

Socks 22/13/08 "Better than Booties"

2008-08-24T23:08:00.008+02:00

..well, I might have misunderstood the task, since I knitted all three pairs. Anyway, it was fun, to create the little socks. These will be for Baby M. and I already collected three other colors for Baby A.

Knitting Time: June 30th - July 16th 2008

Material: Rests of Fingeweight Gedifra, Regia and Flotte Socke with dpn 2,0 mm.

Socks 21/12/08 "Drops 102-15"

2008-07-13T18:29:00.006+02:00

..and the second pair for June KAL ist finished. The pattern cannot be seen that good on the pic, but it is the one required.

At the moment I'm not so quick in knitting, since I'm sufering from an infection in my right shoulder and that doesn't give me any possiblity to do more than a few stitches daily. But I hope, it will be better soon. The next KAL-challanges are already in progress, but it will pobably take a few days longer.

Knitting time: June 18th - July 13th 2008

Material: Schoeller Fortissima with dpn 2,0 mm

socks 20/08

2008-07-13T18:23:00.003+02:00

...just inbetween, a pair of sneakers. Seams to be a bit too much color for my taste, but you won't believe it, I begin to like them...

Knitting time: July 2nd - July 6th 2008

Material: Regia Silk shine and a rest from our basket with dpn 2,0 mm, plain stockinette.

Socks 19/11/08 "Drops 106-17"

2008-07-13T18:12:00.006+02:00

..already finished in June, but no time to post. Here you see the finished socks from June KAL.

Knitting time: June 3rd - June 29th 2008

Material: Regia color 6-ply with dpn 2,5 mm.

best things are free...12 - Baby A.

2008-07-06T23:31:00.004+02:00

..this morning I became Grandma of little

A M E L I E

49 cm - 3090 g

best things are free...11 - Baby M.

2008-06-28T18:23:00.001+02:00

..today arrived

MARA LENA

53 cm - 3530 g

Eye Candy Friday

2008-06-20T23:43:00.003+02:00

..have a nice, calm and cozy weekend

Sophie

May 2008

2008-05-31T17:53:00.003+02:00

Socks
100 g Regia 6-ply - Basketcase Socks
100 g Calzino Sportivo - Uzumaki Socks
Rest cotton - sneakers

Other
150 g cotton (Catania, Adina, Limone) for 3 dishcloths 50g each
150 g cotton (Catania, Adina) - Backscrubber

total: ca. 500 g plus rest

best things are free...8

2008-05-30T23:51:00.006+02:00

..this is the result of hard work during last week and the reason, why I don't post any knitted projects at the moment. My whole garden is a complete desaster and I wasn't able to get it fixed by my own. So my dear friends and neigbors G. and U. helped me to change this djungle into a garden. Well, I'm not finally finished yet, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. - Both pics are taken from the same place, yes, really..

Thank you so much for being such good friends.

Eye Candy Friday

2008-05-30T23:48:00.002+02:00

..with this lily from my garden I wish you all a nice and sunny weekend.

Eye Candy Sunday..

2008-05-25T23:44:00.002+02:00

...actually supposed to be posted on Friday, but now it is Sunday. This rose grew in my garden and shall make your start into the new week. Hope, the weather is better at your place, here it is raining, raining and raining.....

Socks 18/10/08 "Uzumaki"

2008-05-25T18:12:00.009+02:00

... here you see the finished Uzumaki socks. Well, I modified the pattern and adjusted it to my preferences. First I knitted top-down, I used a small cuff and then I continued the pattern on top of the foot, since I found the original looked some kind of cut-off.

Knitting time: May 4th - May 24th 2008

Material: Calzino sportivo with dpn 2,0 mm

Socks 17/08

2008-05-20T00:37:00.007+02:00

Something mindless just in between. Due to the wonderfull weather outside some sneakers from rests, found in our big-sockyarn-rest-basket at our knitting group.

Knitting time: May 14th - May 17th 2008

Material: Gedifra and Regia cotton-sockyarn with dpn 2,0 mm.

best things are free...7

2008-05-20T00:37:00.006+02:00

...I got a call from my old co-worker and friend E. I didn't have contact with in the last 26 years....

Cakes for the Weekend

2008-05-16T00:29:00.010+02:00

I found the inpiration when I looked through my cupboard. Here is what I made out of the incredients I found: apple cakes with walnuts and dried fruits with trail mix. Very yummy with some whipped cream and of course a nice cup of coffee.

2008-05-16T00:29:00.008+02:00

As I went through Ravelry I found some inspiration around a number of bathroom-accessories. And I created this backsrubber. The middle part is knitted with two threads and I used "falling stitches", well: 1. row: *k, yo* repeat across the row, 2. row: k all and let the yo fall down. Repeat always these two rows. The handles are crocheted as well with double thread.

Knitting/crochet time: May 10th - May 13th 2008

Material: Schachenmayr Catania and Rellana Adina, 100% Cotton, with needle 4,5 mm and crochet hook 3,5 mm.

Socks 16/09/08 "Basketcase Socks"

2008-05-16T00:27:00.013+02:00

..I decided to rib of the blue Basketcase Socks for the Sokker KAL and I started them again with other yarn.... and here are the finished socks...

Knitting time: May 8th - May 11th 2008

Material: Regia 6-ply with dpn 3,0 mm.

Socks 15/08 & Mothersday

2008-05-16T00:24:00.006+02:00

This years Mothersday gift. My Mum always appreciates selvknitted socks. These are made from yarn, she already gave me some time ago. And as she loves little deco-articles, I painted a wooden flower matching her room decoration. All together with some sweets and of course a card made a nice parcel to be sent.

Knitting time: green socks already last year, beige socks: April 27th - April 30th 2008

Material: both yarns unknown. For the green ones I used dpn 2,0 mm and Garter Rib from SKS page 37. The beige ones are knitted with dpn 2,5 mm and Basket Wave Rib, SKS page 55.

Happy Birthday

2008-05-16T00:22:00.009+02:00

.... this is the gift for my neighbor and friend U.'s 60th birthday on May 7th. I chose colors matching her new kitchen perfectly, and her husband G. already requested them as washcloth. Why not, but then it needs a different color....hrm..I think his birthday will be in June...

Knitting time: May 1st - May 2nd 2008

Material: Schoeller Limone, Rellana Adina and Schachenmayr Catania (125m/50g), needle no. 3,75 mm. Traditional dishcloth-pattern from Ravelry.

Edit May 25th: U. told me the other day that she doesn't use anything else now than the dishcloths in order to do the housework. There's no better thank for my gift....

best things are free...4

2008-05-16T00:06:00.002+02:00

Miss Sophie recently: I came down in the morning and she was lying, where I just could see her, but not touch her. Somehow I was worried about her posture and I said: "Good morning, love. It's time to get up" No reaction. I tried again, but not any sign of moving. I began to panic, did she just die without a sound...??? Suddenly I remembered, what the vet told me once when my older cat died. "Come on, don't kid with me, you are not dead, because dead cats don't have closed eyes..." Well....the eyes opened, Sophie got up, stretched herself and with a spitefull "miau" she started into the new day......

..best things are free..3

2008-05-06T22:05:00.003+02:00

....sitting in the backyard with a good friend and having a cappuccino on a warm and sunny afternoon...

WIP IV

2008-05-04T23:46:00.004+02:00

..these are both socks from the sokker Kal for this month. Top the Uzumaki Socks and bottom the Basketcase Socks. Just to let you know that I'm still working hard.... Patterns can be found at the usual place..

Eye Candy Friday

2008-05-02T22:23:00.004+02:00

..last but not least for today, a pic of my magnolia with best wishes for a wonderful weekend, and don't shut your front door, when you haven't got the matching key with you..

best things are free...2

2008-05-02T22:03:00.009+02:00

...or when the guardian angel is with you..I wanted to take care of my absent neigbors house and mail, picked up the key and closed the front door behind me. As I still had the knob in my hand, I realized that I caught the wrong bunch of keys... panik in my eyes, late afternoon, front door closed, no chance to get into the house and the spare key with the absent neigbors....deep breath... and during these cascading thoughts, I pushed against the door, and it clicked and reopened again..the lock hadn't closed completely..puh...what a day...

Jam/Jelly

2008-05-02T21:56:00.003+02:00

..some more jam. Got a lot of low priced citrus fruits, and here they are. Orange and grapefruit mixture, prepared with a gelling agent that can be used with sweetener. Saves a lot of calories...
Crocheted hats will follow later....

April 2008

2008-05-02T21:47:00.007+02:00

Socks
100 g Gedifra Color - Monkey Socks
100 g Flotte Socke "purple" - Drops 106-32
100 g Flotte Socke Colori 6-ply - Husbeast Socks
100 g nameless sockyarn - socks for my mum for mothersday

Jacket
700 g Schachenmayr Storia - jacket "tricolore"

Other
200 g div. cottonyarn (125m/50g) for 4 dishcloths à 50 g

total: ca. 1300 g

..best things are free...1

2008-05-02T21:06:00.007+02:00

Best things are free....be more attentive to the happening around, give some obviously natural things more notice and keep them as a part of your daily life....the mentioned events might not be extremely sensational, but when is real life like that?????

Yesterday our knitting group - the girls - actually met at U.'s house in order to do some rows. But what did we find? The Perfect Dinner. U. provided a sensational meal for all of us - six by that time - real good traditional German food, served on a wonderful decorated table. I'm afraid, I cannot share a pic with you, since I didn't have the camera with me....
Thank you so much, U., we all appreciated it.

weekend cake

2008-04-28T21:08:00.007+02:00

..here one of the little cakes I baked for last weekend, before they are gone. I experimented again with the ingredients I found in my cupboard. The result are small choco-cakes from sponge mixture, topped with pineapple pieces and coconut.

in memoriam

2008-04-28T00:30:00.001+02:00

Abacus
* 1996
+ 2008

"Tricolore" finished

2008-04-27T16:21:00.008+02:00

I finally finished that triple-color jacket. Here pics from front- and backside. I was inspired by an old pattern book and adjusted the pattern to the amount of yarn I had. Well, I think the result is not tooo bad. I crocheted the edges as usual, due to better fit. The buttons are old and decorated originally a white westover.

Knitting time: March 10th 2008 - April 27th 2008

Material: ca. 700g Schachenmayr Storia (47% pure wool, 28% polyamid, 25% microfiber, running length 105m/50g) with needle no. 4,0 mm and crochet hook no. 4,0 mm

Eye Candy Friday

2008-04-25T23:24:00.006+02:00

since I suffered from lumbago during last week, I stayed with my friend G., that took care of me and provided hot-water bottles. And my friend C. supplied me today with all I needed for the weekend. Many to both of you.
So I wasn't able to finish any work, I only knitted a few rows on a simple plain pair of socks for my Ma.

Anyway, I want to share this pic, as well taken in neigbors garden. Hope you all have a wonderfull and pleasant weekend without any kind of physical deseases.

Eye Candy Friday

2008-04-18T16:38:00.004+02:00

poaching in the neigborhood. My friend next door has such a wonderful front garden, so that I better looked, what it had to offer. Compared to this, my garden is a complete desaster...
I hope you all have a very calm and cozy weekend.

more cookies..

2008-04-18T16:32:00.003+02:00

some treats for the weekend. I experienced again, and the result are the hazelnut/chocolate cookies.

Socks 14/08/08 "Drops 106-32"

2008-04-17T22:40:00.008+02:00

Finished last night, the February bonus socks from the Sokker KAL. The real color is lighter than the picture shows. Pattern on the right side.

Material: Flotte Socke with dpn 2,0 mm

Socks 13/07/08 "Monkey Socks"

2008-04-15T02:00:00.006+02:00

Here they are, the finished "Monkey Socks" from the Sokker KAL.

Material: Calzino Color with dpn 2,0 mm. Pattern on the right side, as usual.

Eye Candy Friday

2008-04-11T21:05:00.003+02:00

It's so awfully cold outside, but my flowers begin to bloom. Here my hyacinth for you with all best wishes for a lovely, cosy weekend with a lot of time to take care of your actual projects.

Apple & Bananacake

2008-04-11T20:39:00.006+02:00

..here are two of my last baked cakes. First an apple-cake, just chopped apple on an ordinary sponge mixture. Extra on top: small pieces of mint chocoloate - here: after eight. This is just one of my experiments, and it's really good, but I have to take more the next time.

The other one is a banana-cake after an old danish recipe, or better from an old danish cookbook.

This recipe is one of my favorites, since the cake does not get too soft, what happens with bananas very often. Here the translated recipe for those who can deal with metric measurements:

Ingredients: 3 eggs, 170 g sugar, 2 tsp vanilla sugar, 125 g flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 100 g cooled down melted butter, 1-2 smashed bananas, 100 g dark chocolate coating

Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla sugar until it's a creamy consistence. Then add flour, baking powder and butter alternately. Finally add bananas carefully. The mixture will be relatively thin.

Fill in form and bake for ca. 55 min with 175°C in fan oven.

Remove cake from form and after it cooled down coat it with chocolate.

Bon Appetit!!!

Dishcloths

2008-04-10T01:23:00.008+02:00

This will be the last entry of my catch-up. As you might see, the dishcloth-fever arrived as well in my household. There was a diskussion about these little items in the German blogs recently, and so I began to pay attention to them. I saw them before, but I never really thought seriously about knitting one. Then I found some leftover cotton yarn and remembered the dishcloths. Well, here they are, my first two copies with easy pattern, just knit, because I had to figure out how many stitches I had to cast on, and what needle-size I had to use, in order to get a convenient result. I'm happy with these, optimal size (25 cm square) and optimal strukture for this purpose. Now I can create more different patterns on this base. And, not to forget, the colors match the room-colors I'm using them in...

Material: Schachenmayr Catania and Catania Color (125m/50g) and needle 3,75 mm.

Socks 12/06/08 "Husbeast Socks" / "Vinland Socks"

2008-04-10T01:02:00.010+02:00

These socks are knitted for reasons of precaution, since the Sokker KAL challenge for this month requires a selv chosen cabled pattern. I only modificated the given pattern as I knitted six rounds between the cables and not only three rounds. I like it better when the cables are not that close together.
Actually I decided to knit the "Vinland Socks". This pattern it not difficult, but very time-consuming, so that it may be possible that I will not be finished before the end of month. But see, the "Vinlands" are already in progress...

Material: Flotte Socke Colori 6-ply with dpn 3,0 mm.

Jam/Jelly

2008-04-10T00:43:00.009+02:00

If you think you bought oranges, and at home you find out that it were grapefruits - they look almost the same, yes.. you don't have any other chance in order to keep them, than to cook jelly. I mixed this with a good portion of passion-fruit-liqueur, since it turned out to be pretty sour. May not be everybodies taste, but I like it, especially on top of quark. I didn't crochet hats yet, they still look a little bit naked.

MAGKNITS

2008-04-10T00:24:00.003+02:00

Well, it's tooo sad, but Magknits gave up it's website. I read it in a blog and yes, it's obviously true. The site can not be found anymore. Hope you all saved enough patterns, I 'm afraid, I did not. Even via Ravelry is no chance to get them anymore. No, nothing nowadays, you can trust on anymore...

WIP III.

2008-04-02T16:28:00.005+02:00

Since I may participate in the Sokker KAL now, I've got to start early enough with my projects. This month the main task is to knit a pattern with cables, and the bonus are the monkeys from knitty. First I chose the Vinlandpattern for may cables, but then I found out that it is very complicated to knit and needs a lot of time. Just to be able to meet the deadline, I began the Husbeast Socks, an easy thing that will go very fast. Then I can try the Vinlands without any pressure. The Monkeys will grow as well relatively quick, it's not difficult to knit.

All patterns can be found below under "personal patterns"

Pic: top - Husbeast Socks, bottom - Monkey Socks.

March 2008

2008-04-01T15:38:00.006+02:00

Socks
100 g Gedifra Color - Anastasia Socks
100 g Flotte Socke Stretch Color - Circle Socks
75 g Gedifra Color 6-ply - Swirl Socks
150 g Universa - Drops 98-9

total: ca. 425 g

Socks 11/08 couch/bedsocks

2008-04-01T15:25:00.005+02:00

just between the sokker kal's I knitted a pair of couch/bedsocks, inspired from Drops 98-9 pattern. I finished them last night, and they are already tested. I suppose, I'd never had warmer feed before *smile*I liked this harlequin version, it's colorfull and good enough to wear at home.

Material: Schachenmayr Universa (125m/50g) with dpn 3,5 and 3,0 mm.

Socks 10/05/08 "Circle Socks"

2008-03-30T00:30:00.006+01:00

finished last night. "Circle Socks" from Siljas Sokker Kal. Now there is only one more sock left, then I'm ready with catching up. I'm already anxious to what the April-patterns will be...*wait and see*

The pic is not one of my best, I will make another one during daylight where the pattern can be seen better. But not tomorrow, since we're going to chance to summertime, and then the day will have an hour less.....not enough time...*smile*

Material: Flotte Socke Stretch with dpn 2,5 mm

..and I finally managed to take a better pic, where you can see the pattern and the color is very close to the original.

X-MAS 2008

2008-03-30T00:15:00.006+01:00

since I took up myself to finish one x-mas gift each month, I'm still a little bit behind. This is supposed to be a gift for my brother. Potholders in VW-beetle shape. Well, he is collecting almost everthing that has to do with the subject. These are not appropriate to be used, only for decoration....but now, as it comes to the tricky parts, I think I'll let it wait again for a while...Yes, I know, not very consequently, but there are other things that go faster an make living easier at the moment.

..well...

2008-03-26T22:40:00.005+01:00

all these birthdays and Easter are over and it hadn't been good for my diet. But I could manage it, not to gain weight..at least

March, 25th 2008

Socks 09/04/08 "Swirl Socks"

2008-03-26T22:31:00.006+01:00

Finally I finished the swirl socks from Sokker KAL. It was the first time I knitted toe-up.

Material: Rest of Gedifra Color 6-ply with dpn 3.0 mm.

Happy Easter

2008-03-22T00:46:00.004+01:00

I hope you all will have a nice weekend. Relax with your family and your favorite hobby if you can, and wherever you are, may the weathergod have mercy on you.....here it is cold, ugly, snowy, rainy and icy. It's always changing during the entire day....

WIP II.

2008-03-22T00:41:00.006+01:00

..I still have to catch up three pair of socks from the Sokker Kal for the current year. There is only one left from January and the rest is from March. Hope I will be on schedule at the end of the month....

Left circle socks, middle drops design and right swirl socks.

Socks 08/03/08 "Anastasia Socks"

2008-03-20T23:02:00.003+01:00

Finally I've finshed my "Anastasia Socks". I'm not satisfied with the picture quality and I'll think about other ways of getting better ones.

Material: Gedifra Socks Color with dpn 2.0 mm

Febuary 2008

2008-03-20T00:15:00.006+01:00

Socks
75 g Calzino 6-ply - Thuja Socks
75 g Gedifra 6-ply - Blueberry Waffles Socks
rest - cabled socks

Accessories
250 g Gedifra Surprise - hat and scarf matching with fetching
reste cotton - div. jam glas tops

total ca. 400 g plus rests

January 2008

2008-03-20T00:09:00.007+01:00

Socks
100 g Gedifra cotton - Jaywalker Socks
100 g F.S. Bamboo - Blue Bamboo, plain stockinette
rest - "Hundertwasser"socks
100 g Gedifra Funny Socks Color - "double moss", SKS

Accessories
150 g F.S. 6-ply - headband and gloves matching with Hip Hop scarf
50 g Gedifra Surprise - headband matching with crotched scarf

total: ca. 500 g plus rest

My Jacket..

2008-03-16T23:28:00.004+01:00

..I'm not so happy with it, as I should be, and I cannot find out, what the problem is. The yarn is alright, it knits perfectly. Okay, the pattern is adjusted to the amount of material I had, but I mean, it doesn't look too bad. Anyway, I'm not going to rip it again. See, what happens, when I've finished....

Old Memories...3

2008-03-16T00:25:00.009+01:00

When I was looking in my bookshelf for something to read, I found the biography of King Olav V. of Norway. He died in Jan. 1991, at the age of 88 years, after having suffered from several deseases. That was an experience I never had before. I was aware that the Norwegians loved their king very much, he was called a "folkekonge", which means that he was just like everybody that lived in his country. There were many stories told, such as he sometimes was seen in the "trikk" - tram, on his way to Holmenkollen ski center. Or in younger years he did cross-country in the Oslo area as anybody else. He always denied having bodyguards. His point was that there were 4 mill. Norwegian people taking care of him.
He was King of Norway for almost 34 years. His wife died in the early fifties, so that he unfortunately had to rule without a queen by his side. The Norwegian Royals live, as the country requires. This needs some review to Norwegian history. Originally it was a very poor country, since the landscape doesn't provide enough possibilities for farming. Only in the South agriculture is done. In the rest of the country, people had to live from fishing and hunting, but it never was enough for a good life, and in bad years people were starving. The result was that in e.g. 19th century many people emigrated preferably to the United States. But since Norway has access to the oil-sources in the Northsea, the country is wealthy, but still decent.
Coming back to the Royals. Well, the younger generation might be scandalous, but nothing compared to the Brits. Sometimes I think that Olav would turn over in his grave, but modern times are as they are. In his time Royals lived as idols and there was never a whiff of a scandal or something. His attitude was conservative as it was expected from a Royal.
When he died, I saw people standing in the street, crying and telling me, they could not believe that the King was dead. I carefully argued that he was old and sick and that people just die. And I still remember the answer of one lady: "That's all true, what you say, we know, and this is effective to everybody but not to our King." For his funeral many heads of state arrived in order to condole a person that had a worldwide respect. I saw a whole country lament their King and this was an experience I'll never forget, because this as well is something that we don't know.

..step by step..

2008-03-16T00:16:00.002+01:00

...and one more step closer to the goal...

March, 16th 2008

...by the way...

2008-03-13T00:55:00.008+01:00

..I frogged the Kyoto, after Miss Sophie used it as a temporary bed. I wasn't happy with it anyway, and so the decision was easy. Now I found a pattern in an old book that inspired me, and I knit a rhombus-pattern, in order to make it not so boring, as to knit plain stockinette. And I decided to knit a jacket, the back is already finished. Hope that I will not run out of yarn, since it are only leftovers. Otherwise I will have to rip again.....
That does not mean that the Kyoto is out of sight. I found material in my stash that is almost the same green color as the original, and it matches much better with the pattern....

Loosing weight...

2008-03-09T00:14:00.006+01:00

..is not that worse..although I had guests for dinner this week, I still lost 2 kilos. Well, good motivation to continue. Following step, at least 1 kilo next week...

March, 8th 2008

Cookery show...

2008-03-07T00:46:00.004+01:00

..I just got home, because I went to a cookery show with my friend next door. Our local shopping center celebrates it's 25th anniversary, and so a well-known cook created some wonderfull dishes. First there was a so-called "Bauernsalat". That are different sorts of green salats, black olives, cocktail-tomatoes and pistachios garnished with a special balsamico dressing. The highlight to this salat was a piece of baked feta-ost topped with a mixture of greens, olive-oil and spices. Then we had a chinese chickensoup with glass-noodles, followed by selfmade ravioli with cheese-filling and seafood. Afterwards we tasted strips of beef with diverse mushrooms, fried potatoes and cream sauce. And last but not least the cook served a local dessert made from yeast-balls, stewed fruit from pears and vanilla sauce. Hmm, it was all perfect and so yummiiieee. At the end we got a little cookbook with all these recipes in. Well, I'm sure, I will try the one or the other...but they are supposed to be in the "slow food" way - as opposite to "fast food" - , which means, I must have a lot of time to prepare and eat it...*smile*

Spring is in the Air...

2008-03-06T17:38:00.005+01:00

..but only in the house. Now we obviously have the winter we should have had in December/January. It's cold, ugly, snowy, slushy and stromy outside, and the only thing that makes it acceptable, is to sit in front of the fireplace with a hot cup of tea, knitting and a nice bunch of flowers that reminds us that spring is not far away...et voilà, here it is, I got it yesterday from my friend W.

Cookies II

2008-03-04T11:31:00.005+01:00

..since I will have guests during the week, I baked some more cookies, just after my own ideas using the ingredients I had.

Arrangement clockwise: ginger with almonds, spices with walnuts, blond with sugar-deco and hazelnut.

Dicipline?

2008-03-03T01:38:00.003+01:00

..well, a few days ago I wrote about it, and now I started a new project. I couldn't resist, when I saw this pullover. It's absolutely mine, the only modification, I had to elongate it. Material is Schachenmyr Storia, blue for the bottom, the top will be in white and beige, I don't have an idea up to now, how it will look like, since I'm working with leftovers.

Good friends...

2008-02-29T01:54:00.002+01:00

refering to my post Feb. 20 th...
my very good friend living next door stept by this afternoon and gave me a brandnew toilet bowl and tank that was surplus, since she decided to use something else. And the best, I got it for free, because she said, she would trash it anyway. Well, although my bathroom is beige - that was up to date in the early 80th - and this is white, I don't care. It will do, good enough for me and my purse. Thank you U.

..it's absolutely necessary..

2008-02-29T01:48:00.006+01:00

..well folks, I've got to start a diet, right now, at once, without any delay...it's so depressing...look at this...

March, 1st 2008

Socks 07/02/08 "Blueberry Waffle Socks"

2008-02-26T23:56:00.003+01:00

..here they are, my finished Blueberry Waffle Socks, knitted after this design.

Material: Gedifra Funny Socks Color, dpn 3.0 mm.

Knitting Dicipline

2008-02-25T02:40:00.006+01:00

Reference to my entry from Friday, Feb. 15th

I had been thinking about this problem and decided to work out a monthly plan. Otherwise I would never be able to get on with my stash. In order to reduce my sock yarn stash, I will continue sticking to the sokker project, then I have to finish one gift for Christmas, well there are already a lot of ideas in my mind.. and if there is time left, I can work on other projects, especially my patchwork-leftover-blanket.....because I still have to take care of my house and garden, and I really didn't remember that it is a hell lot of work, if you will always keep everything clean and tidy. In all these years I wasn't at home more or less, I was only able to get the important things done, such as laundry, ironing and shopping. During vacation I cleaned the house, but this was never all I had to do. Gardening was impossible, so the place looked accordingly. And I admit that I didn't have any energy to do housework after 12-hour days. Only just a few rows of knitting in order to retire before bedtime. I already created a weekly plan for my housework and up to now it is working fine. I'm not finished with everything yet, and I didn't start the gardening yet, due to rainy weather, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. But I realized as well, if the household has to be proper managed on a regular base, there is no time left for doing a job. I hope I will not mutate to a maniac for housework, this would definitely controvert my temper.....

WIP

2008-02-25T02:35:00.004+01:00

..well, still in order to catch up with all the sokker patterns, here a pic from the three socks in progress. I took the foto during daylight and finished the blue one on the left this evening during Sunday night crime time on TV.

Socks 06/01/08 "Thuja Socks"

2008-02-22T00:25:00.009+01:00

This is my first pair of socks from the sokker knitalong made after this pattern.

Material: Calzino Color 6-ply, dpn no. 3.0 mm.

And I already started these, in order to catch up asap.

Gift 01/Jan

2008-02-21T01:47:00.008+01:00

Socks for my Sister Katha

Material: Rellana Flotte Socke Bamboo, dpn no. 2.0 mm, plain stockinette

Good things come to those who wait...

2008-02-20T23:58:00.005+01:00

Finally my good friend Jue called in order to let me know that he will be able to help me fixing my bathroom soon. Since ages I couldn't use my guest bathroom, it's always inconvenient when I have to share my private bathroom with them. So I will have a job to do tomorrow, go to the DIY store and look around for tiles and sanitary ware etc......how exiting....

Old Memories...2

2008-02-20T01:48:00.006+01:00

During cooking my dinner today, I continued recalling my time spent in Norway, and I was thinking about the food there. Well, when I went out shopping groceries, I had to learn that I couldn't buy like I was used to. Basically no problem at all, and after a while I had my shopping list adjusted to the food offered. What I missed during all these years were only two things every German is missing while living overseas, is "our" brown bread and "our" beer. And I had to experience that "H-melk" is fresh milk and does not longer hold than the eat-by date. "Normalsaltet smoer" is salty, so I had to buy "usaltet smoer" - not salted butter. If noone tells you..? In the first time I couldn't get any "quark", but then it was offered under the name "kesam". I had to get used to that salami is pink, that most of the cold meat contains horseflesh and that you cannot beat "husholdningsfloete". What I didn't like were the sweets from "Freia" and I was glad, when I got somewhere "Milka" or "Haribo", and the Norwegian coffee, it was too much roasted for my taste, but I had possibilities to get German decaf. After I got used to all these "imponderables", which just require some flexibility, I began to go through Norwegian food and found things and dishes like "brun ost" - my son really loved - , "jarlsberg", "noekleost", or "roemmegroed". For Christmas - Jule - I prepared traditional food like different sorts of "sild", "lammrulle", "juleskinke", "pinnekjoett" etc. By the way, this is all special Norwegian food, you won't get anything that will only come close to that in Germany. I tried it, no way. And my hubby baked "kransekake" every year, decorated with loads of little Norwegian flaggs. I've still got the form for it. And we adopted as well some other Norwegian traditions, such as hanging out a flagg on each birthday of a person that lives in the house. It's supposed to hang there only for that particular day, but since my son and I have our birthdays one after another, the flagg had to hang for two days. In the first year our neighbours stepped by and advised us to that, because they didn't know....And we always shared May 17th - national holiday - with the Norwegians. The whole country is on the way, people waering their "bunads" - liveries, and flaggs. It's just formidable to see, how a nation is celebrating itself, something, we don't know. Well, when I think, I would hang out a German flagg in order to indicate my birthday, or on October 3rd, my neighbours probably would call the ambulance....

12/24 Pairs of Socks

2008-02-18T23:08:00.007+01:00

I found this blog sokker2008. It is run by silja-devine from Norway. I like the idea of a new pattern each month. May be, that I'm a little bit late to start this program, but I'm sure, I will be able to catch up these two months. This does not mean that I'm going to participate, because I don't like to be under some kind of pressure, I will just do it for me and see how far I can get. This blog is written in Norwegian, what I don't mind, but the patterns I saw up to now are in English.

Cookies

2008-02-18T20:46:00.006+01:00

..and here they are, the cookies I baked yesterday afternoon from the before mentioned dough. I was not satisfied with the consistence, don't know what happened, and since I could not roll it out, I used a form for baking. Well, on one hand it makes them look all the same, but on the other hand you don't have to clean the whole kitchen from flour and leftover dough afterwards.

Arrangement: almond-balls in the middle, right side blond cookies with dark crumble and on the left side blond cookies with honey and trail-mix, just an idea, but it's yummi.

Old Memories...

2008-02-17T02:21:00.012+01:00

I was preparing some dough for baking cookies this afternoon, and when I opened the box, where I keep my "baking secrets", I suddenly remembered all these years I used to live in Norway. Well, it's ages ago, but I still have flashes about the one or the other memory once in a while. I really loved this country, and I was very sad when I had to move back home. Now, almost 20 years later, I'm still familiar with the language, that's why I'm reading Norwegian blogs as well. But I'm not able to write, I never learned it. I could write down after hearing and suppose that it would be almost correct, but I can't express in a proper grammatical way. This would be very embarasing, so I would never really try to do so.

I loved all seasons there, but I prefered winter time. It is cold and dry, due to less humidity, and when the sun is shining, it's wonderful. I lived in the Oslo area, and there you can do a lot of sports like alpine skiing, cross country, telemark, skating etc.

In all these years we had a White Christmas. I remember looking into the sky, see big snowflakes falling down, the illuminated town in the background and waiting for Santa Claus to appear with his sledge every minute. This is our association to Christmas....Friends from the States told me that their children grew up in Key West, Florida and when they saw snow for the first time in their life, they were really scared, because they thought it was the end of the world and heaven was falling down.

Summers were hotter than in Middle Europe, but again due to humidity it felt not so hot as it really was. So I didn't care enough and was sunburned several times. Shame on me, I know that it's dangerous. In summertime we went swimmig in a lake nearby that was located in a little forest. The water did not reach caribian temperatures, but it was warm enough to swim..and in the background rose the all-season snow covered mountains. Fantastic view. Alternatively there was waterskiing, sailing etc. on the Fjord.

What else did we in our spare time? E.g. there were a lot of possiblities for trekking and hiking.

We rent a cottage up in Hemsedal in order to spent our weekends there. This is the best way to relax, to be away from home, I really didn't believe it before I tried.

I think I've got to stop here, otherwise I'm going to book the next flight to Gardemoen tomorrow...old memories, sweet memories...

My Mom

2008-02-15T02:21:00.007+01:00

Today is a date to remember, annually...

Last year my mom had a very serious cardiac infarction, including reanimation and stent implantation, followed by intensive care. We were extremely shocked and stayed with her all the time. Doctors said that she had a guardian angel, since the cardiac arrest happened, when she was in medical care already. We are not very religious, but after she could get up again and walk a few steps, we went to the church nearby and lit a candle.

After she was released from hospital, she attended a rehabilitaion and recovered relatively fast. But in September she had to keep an appointment for follow-up examination. Now the result was not better than before. The stents could help only temporary so that a bypass operation was necessary. This happened in October and it took some more time to recover. But now she is doing better on every day and can live more or less as she did before.

Yes, it was a hard year, but we are thankfull that our mom is still with us and that she can celebrate two birthdays, one in February and one in June.

Discipline or Morality

2008-02-15T01:41:00.003+01:00

I refer to my post from Febr. 3rd 2008...
I didn't realize, how hard it is to stick to the complete programm. The household is almost done, here and there some leftovers that I don't know where to store. My house is definitely too small, I have to decide what I must get rid of.... Next week I will start with the gardening...horror for me, but I have to get through, otherwise the house will be ending up behind a green curtain...
And now, what's about my creative progress? I'm not able to finish one project at a time. That's, what I mean by dicipline. There is so much material in my stash that I can start new objects over and over again. Well, I admit, I finsh my stuff as well, but then I have already started at least two new projects.. Is there anybody who can give me an advice, how I can dicipline myself...???

Ha, and finally I tell you that I've got my first mosquito bite for this year. Not to forget, it is still February......

Jam/Jelly

2008-02-14T01:39:00.008+01:00

..see, what I did in my kitchen yesterday. When I defrosted my freezer, I found diverse juices appropriate for cooking jams. Then I crocheted "hats", in order to make perfect gifts. The yellow ones contain pear and some matching liqueur, the red/pink ones are red currant with sherry and the purple glas is plum with almonds.

Material: Schachenmayr Catania (125m/50g) and crochet hook no. 3.0 mm.

I cannot believe it...

2008-02-14T01:28:00.004+01:00

..but my german written blog has vanished from the web. I'm not able to find it, both via links or via search engine. Is it possible that it can be deleted without any message? I did not write "forbidden" posts or something, just entries about my creative projects, absolutely harmless...
I spent such a lot of time to create it..I could cry....
Well, I'm going to continue this blog and hope that it will not disappear as well...

Spring in Winter?

2008-02-13T00:06:00.001+01:00

Well, folks, what's wrong with this weather? Spring already in winter? It's in the middle of February, and it should be cold and frosty outside with a lot of snow. But flowers begin to bloom, bushes and trees are growing and I'm really thinking of cutting the gras for the first time this year...What's developing here? Warm winters, short and warmer springs and falls and long dry and hot summers? And this right in the middle of Europe? I can't believe that the climate is changing that fast, but we obviously have to live with it....gone, these wonderful long, dry, cold winters with loads of snow, skiing, sleging, scating and White Christmases when I used to live in Norway...but almost 20 years ago......

Socks 05/08

2008-02-12T23:39:00.006+01:00

Material: some cheap poly-yarn from the discounter. These socks are only supposed to be usefull for temporary couch-potatoe-times....pattern ist just an easy cable in two different directions, in order to create a right and a left sock for being able to keep them apart at any time... knitted with dpn no. 2.5 mm.

Socks 04/08

2008-02-05T23:52:00.005+01:00

Double Moss

Material: Gedifra funny socks sportivo with dpn 2.0 mm. The pattern "Double Moss" can be found on page 37 in Sensational Knitted Socks.

Winter Set

2008-02-04T16:53:00.002+01:00

this set I finished last night, it's still winter here, cold and unpleasant, but no snow. Instead we had some heavy storms that left a lot of damage.

Material: Gedifra Fashion Trend Surprise, needles no 4.0, 5.0 and 6.0 mm.

I ran out of yarn, so the snail at the hat turned out to be a little too small. I decorated it with the black elefant, a gift, my old friend Julie in London gave me in the late 70ties. Memories are made of this.....

The scarf is my own design, just a zick-zack, performed by decreasing and increasing stitches.

Pattern for the fingerless gloves is here.