A hat for Kaleido!

You know the saying that you should try something new each day? Well, this is a first, I knit a hat/cowl for a dog! This cute fella is called Kaleido and belongs to a friend of mine. Being more of a cat person I can tell you that my knowledge about a dog's anatomy is very limited. Kaleido is a whippet, which reminds you of a miniature greyhound. I learned that this breed has very sensitive ears and doesn't like windy weather (who does?) But Kaleido has got his ears covered now! It was a fun knit, hope that he enjoys it too. At least he looks great!

Princess shoulder wrap

Sometimes things don't turn out like you expect - they get better! I struggled with making a hat for Isola in a yarn I hadn't knit with before. Should be quite an easy task since I've knitted and designed quite a few hats for her. But I realized that it was becoming way too big at the same time I was running out of yarn. Annoyed I started ripping it all up but suddenly it occured to me that it looked almost like a small cape. A little alterations here and there and voilà, a shoulder wrap was born! And not just any shoulder wrap, it is sooooo soft you wouldn't believe it.

I think that a white one would look drop-dead-cute for Christmas...

Available for custom orders in my Etsy shop!

Available for custom orders in my Etsy shop!

Keep going or give up, that is the question

I'm currently working on a boat neck sweater for Isola. It's in a milk chocolate brown hue with a narrow hot pink brim and inspired by a very basic sweater of my own. But the designing of the sleeve caps makes me crazy. I don't get the math right by some reason... So maybe it will stay a dream, it remains to be seen. And typical me, when I get stuck on something, I feel like just tossing it aside and make something that's a complete opposite of what I'm doing. Which, I guess, is why I just bought this pattern for myself:



It's Still Light Tunic by Veera Välimäki and normally a piece of this size, all in stockinette stitch, makes me go snooze but for some reason a knit like this seems strangely appealing and soothing all of a sudden. I can't get it out of my head! I need to make this!

But then I look at Isola's sweater and feel guilty. Not that she would care, she is sick of me running after her with half-knitted garments to try on, but I feel it would be such a waste to leave it unfinished. It was so good in theory...

Little leafy lace cowl - free pattern!

My first fling with Malabrigo Lace resulted in this little cowl. I cannot talk enough about its softness! It's just so ridiculously soft... This is how I turned it into a cuddly cowl/wrap for Isola:

You'll need a little more than half a skein of Malabrigo lace and size 4 mm needles, OR size neede to get a gauge of 27 sts in stockinette sts.

Cast on 170 sts.

Work two rows of k1p1 rib.

Row 3: (right side) *p2, yo, k1, yo, p2, k2, k2tog, k3, repeat from* until 2 sts remain, p2.

Row 4: *k2, p6, k2, p3, repeat from * until 2 sts remain, k2.

Row 5: *p2, k1, (yo, k1) twice, p2, k2, k2tog, k2, repeat from * until 2 sts remain, p2.

Row 6: *k2, p5, repeat from * until 2 sts remain, k2.

Row 7: *p2, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, p2, k2, k2tog, k1, repeat from * until 2 sts remain, p2.

Row 8: *k2, p4, k2, p7, repeat from * until 2 sts remain, k2.

Wip in January

January is soon coming to an end, the first month of the new year have brought both good and bad news into my life. So I assume that it has been as life in general. Sometimes bad things happen and you just have to make the best of the situation.

Isola has been ill the past week, and she's still suffering from a nasty cough that keeps us all awake at night. I've been home from work to take care of her so I've had a couple of seconds extra each day to knit while she's resting. The Malabrigo Lace skein turned into a toddlers cowl, I used a stitch that is referred to as candle lights but I think it looks more like narrow leaves. I made a background in reversed stockinette stitch to it and think it turned out fine, at least I enjoyed knitting it and the yarn was soooo soft and light. It will be perfect for spring. I'll try to find time to write the pattern down if you want!

I'm also working on a striped vest with - what I hope - a cowl collar. I love stripes, and look forward to have it testknit in different colour combinations. Isola seems to like stripes too so it'll be a hit if I ever finish.

I also had a vision of a toddlers top with a little bit of crocheted crocodile stitch over the chest, made in Malabrigo lace. I actually wanted a cold grey hue for this but my LYS only grey was Polar Morn. I don't know how to described it, it's not a colour that I usually buy but I still think that it will be great for that Lemony Snicket-ish look I want. Can't wait to start with this, will be fun to crochet a little again. But first, I have to have a go at that herringbone stitch!

Pattern for Chunky Cables Cape out now!

The pattern for the cape is finally done! I think it worked out really nice, it's so soft and cosy and Isola just loves wearing it. And mums and grandmas will love it to - thanks to the chunky yarn, it will knit up in no time! It's great for gifts, one size fits most toddlers so you don't have to worry about that. Please check it out, it's available at both Etsy and Ravelry. PS you don't have to be a member of Ravelry to shop there.

The cape is great for in-between-weather and easy to put on. It looks particularly cute in the stroller. See all of my patterns here!

Chunky cables coming up

 I've been having some chunky cables on my needles lately since I'm working on a new pattern for a toddler's cape. I really like mixing moss stitch pattern with cables and it has been real fun to knit with chunky yarn again because you se the pattern take form in no time at all. Capes, or ponchos as some call them, is great for that in-between weather, not to mention that they are super cute on small kids. 

This time I worked in an alpaca and sheep wool blend from Garnstudio Drops, it's called Andes. They have the same yarn in three different weights which is great, but unfortunately the color range isn't so exciting in all of them. But it is soft, warm and very price-worthy.

The Chunky Cables Cape Pattern needs a bit more test-knitting but I hope that I can present it to you soon!

Together in Tweed - wristwarmers for kids and their mums, free pattern!

I finally did find a fun project for my teeny tiny tweed! And I'd love to share it with you:



Child fits mother so hold your baby tight...

In this pattern I teamed up lovely tweed with soft alpaca. Just as good a team as mothers and their kids. Both yarns come in a wide color range so the choices of color combinations are endless. Make one pair to each outfit! One skein of each will give be enough for both mum and kids size!

You'll need
50 g Drops Alpaca
25 g Rowan Fine Tweed
One set of double pointed needles, size 3mm, US size 2,5.
Gauge 9 sts of k1p1 rib on 1''



Toddler size, 1-4 years.
CO 34 sts with Drops Alpaca. Work in rib, k1p1. Work 21 rounds.
Switch to Rowan Fine Tweed and begin to work in moss stitch like this:
Round 1: k1, p1 and repeat. At the same time, decrease 4 sts evenly by knitting or purling two sts together, wichever is applicable = 30 sts.

Heart Stealer Mittens - Free Pattern for Mittens!

She's a little bit of sunshine/ She's a smile to light your days/ She will steal your heart and keep it/ With her warm endearing ways

She's your precious little daughter/ With a sweetness from above/ Who will fill your years with laughter/ And your lives with lots of love 

Like I said in an earlier post, this poem always reminds me of Isola and her sweet smile. I thought I had to make her mittens holding my heart! Now you can make them too, they are fast knits and great gifts. 
I've used a sport weight yarn and double pointed needles, size 3 mm and the mittens fit any 2-4 years old. I made instructions for hearts on both hands but I think it's quite cute with a heart on only one too. You'll need one main color, one skein is enough, and scrap yarn of a constrasting color...