softies for electronics

Out of all my flax stash I decided to knit some accessories for the ipad, iphone, laptop etc. also a lovely way to try out some new and somewhat complicated stitches.

iphone softie in herringbone stitch, needle size 3,5mm using flax thread, with a little bit of Reblend upcycled yarn at the bottom

iphone case in the making, it wasn't easy on such thin needles

ipad softie, basket weave stitch

Wrap-around blanket cardigan, the original

The first pilot knit of the wrap-around cardigan was knitted out of my old stash of off-white wools, a bit a mix of everything, no labels, carried it around for years not being able to decide or figure out what to do with it. Later on I died it green, and the different kinds of wool are enhanced by the fact that they absorbed the die differently.

Totebags from my flax stash

I recently discovered this box of flax stash that I have probably been carrying around for at least 20 years. Time to use it!! for tunesian knit tote bags, as I'm so sick (not life threatening) that I the only thing that keeps me sane is to knit really simple projects. and this beautiful tote bag by Purl Soho. so I made some different versions which I gave away to different people.
as I just work with the material I have I ended up with a design with a contrast stripe, as I needed something to seperate the 2 different flax yarns that I was using.

this bag was for Ellen, who has been so kind to me in this difficult time.

It could be a man-bag

selection of somewhat similar flax, I still have some of it left

my long forgotten flax stash in a cardboard box

wrap-around blanket vest - the first

This is a fantastic knitted jacket or cardigan or something in-between, some people call it a flap jacket. It's one big rectangle in seed stitch with two sleeves inserted. so it's really simple. The trick or sophistication lies in how the shoulders are slightly raglan shaped which hangs the cardigan nicely on the shoulders, and then the sleeves are of the lovely top-down knitted style, credit to ByGumByGolly. so in the end there are also hardly any seams that need to be sewn together. great for a lazy knitter like myself, always nice to find out new tricks to save yourself time and effort.

This pattern is a better version of a cardigan that I knitted earlier for my sister, that one was really square, missing the raglan shoulders and top-down knitted sleeves.

I came up with this design as I was very, very sick in second half of 2014. I basically was lying down for 6 months (gastro-intestinal problems, not life threatening) when I was able to sit-up, reclined against a big cushion, the only thing I was able to do was listen to pod-casts and knit. so knitting big surfaces of just simple back and forwards was great. Being able to knit saved my sanity, I think.
(this is an ante-dated post, as obviously I was not able to write blog-posts at that time)

well, here are some pictures.

Repair vest

In august 2014 I became very, very sick. Knitting, crocheting and stitching became the one thing that saved my sanity throughout autumn 2014, as it was almost litterally the only thing I was able to do. In the periods when I was able to sit-up somewhat straight.
One of the first things I resorted to when I was able to crawl out of bed in the beginning of September was to repair a vest. It was full of holes, probably moths but I still wonder why the moths made the holes is such a randomn way and i.e. not all the way through the fabric, I still also consider that chemicals might have been the reason.

so on-top of the holes I embroidered a little dot in different coloured embroidery yarn

strange selfie :-) and I can see another hole that needs repair

the vest before, and as you see full of holes

Jacob's bear

Bianca calls Jacob "beertje", Helle was so kind to help me with this clue. cause I was a bit clueless about what to crochet for Bianca's baby. So it became a bear in perfect Bianca colours; brownish with accent of mostard yellow and beige. I'm particularly proud and happy about the felt-embroidery detailing of this bear.

julies mini-me

proudly presenting the mini-mi amigurumi doll that I crocheted for my favorite niece Julie for the celebration of her "confirmation" (first communion) specially on request of her. Worked out quite nicely if I should say it myself.

and yes! all star sneakers

The dress was a bit of work, I first knitted one, then realized it would never look anywhere near the real dress, then resorted to stitching one by hand from scraps that I had.  

Julie's amigurumi mini-mi backside

the hair really wasn't easy. It ended up quite tussled, which I thought was kinda ok, as Julie's hair on the day was also quite casually, naturally tussled

Oeps, for the actual party it was still only half finished

half finished in the box