Light and Up

I've published a new and free pattern on Ravelry, Light and Up. I love simple designs and I love eyelets and my new shawl is a combination of both. It's very easy to knit and requires less than one skein of fingering weight yarn. The yellow shawl is knit in a linen yarn from Ullcentrum and is a perfect summer shawl. The blue shawl is knit in gorgeous Malabrigo Sock. The size is generous thanks to the bigger needles (5 mm) and the shawl is very light and airy. I love it and think it's very wearable. And I'm happy that many fellow knitters on Ravelry also like it! I'm also happy and proud that Malabrigo Yarn linked to my pattern on their website.

Zebra Cowl

I really like how this cowl turned out! It looks great with my black coat and is warm and cosy but light and airy at the same time.

It's very easy to make and is done in a couple of hours. You will need about 100 g of super bulky yarn in each color.

Here's what I did:

CO 21 stitches with needles 12 mm. This will give you a cowl 30 cm wide. You can easily change the width by casting on more or less stitches, but always an odd number.
Every row: k2, *yo, k2tog*, k1.
Change color every other row and always pick up the new yarn from behind the yarn you just used.
Knit for about 140 cm. BO with same color you started with. Twist the garment once and sew together. Voila!

    

The easiest fingerless mittens - ever!

I have to admit it: I have a large stash! I decided to start making something out of every small skein. I came up with these fingerless mittens. They took only a couple of hours to knit and I used just 60 meters of DK weight yarn. They are knitted in the round and NO seeming is required!

Here's how I made them:

CO 32 stitches on 5 mm needles and join in the round. Either use double pins or, as I always do, use the magic loop-method (you can find great tutorials on youtube).
Knit 3 rounds.
Purl 1 round.
Knit 3 rounds.
Purl 1 round.
Knit until piece measures 9 cm (or the length that fits you).
BO 2 stitches in the beginning of next round.
Knit back and forth (knit one row, turn the work and purl back) for 3.5 cm.
At the end of last row CO 2 stitches and start knitting in the round again.
Knit 3 cm.
Purl 1 round.
Knit 3 rounds.
Purl 1 round.
Knit 3 rounds.
BO loosely.

Make another one and you've got yourself a pair of nice and cosy mittens.

New pattern

I have released a new pattern. Nothing special, but it is fun designing things that actually can be worn. It´s a supercozy cowl you can wear in several different ways. It comes in two sizes, has a simple but effective lace pattern and is closed with three big buttons.

You can download the pattern for free here: Midwinter Cowl

The longer one you can wear both as a cowl and a scarf and you can pull it over your head on those cold winter days.

The short version is perfect to wear under a jacket or over a sweater.

Timantti

Wow! I´m so excited and happy! I have published my second original design on Ravelry and I am getting a huge response!

Here she is, Timantti:

This shawl is made from the softest merino yarn and the result is a light and airy shawl with a diamond pattern border as the only decoration. Timantti means diamond in Finnish and I think it´s a beautiful word!

The pattern is available as a free download:http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/timantti

Charts

Since I´m now a designer (haha) I have to have a tool for making charts for my patterns. I´ve tried different free softwares, but decided to buy the one from Intwined Pattern Studio. Not very expencive, 44 $. I like it a lot! It´s great and easy to use. Tonight I´ve made a chart for my new design: the ........ Shawl. Haven´t come up with a name yet.

This is an example of what a chart might look like:


When you´ve made the chart, you simply transfer it to a document, where you can write down anything you want and add pictures - and voilà: you got yourself a pattern. The software even make your pattern document into a pdf-file.

I spent the evening with some knitting ladies at Fröken Garn in Malmö. We discussed lace knitting, had coffee and mud cake. It is nice to meet others who share the same passion as me!

Another one

Creating your own designs is addicitive! I want to make another one! It is so much fun when other people appreciate what you have come up with! Over one hundred persons have downloaded my free pattern for the Harry Shawl at Ravelry since it was released on March 20th. 34 people have placed it in their queues and two people have started on the project. I feel like a proud mama! Somebody else likes my Harry! Yeeehaaa!

I have been knitting a triangular shawl in plain stockinette in a gorgeous handdyed baby merino (it´s the yarn in my blog header). The colors are bright pinks and oranges. I had the Seraphim Shawl in mind, but now I think I have changed my mind. I will try to design a nice finishing all by myself! Exciting!