Estonian Stockings

I made myself Estonian stockings. The pattern is the optimized version of Nancy Bush's "Folk knitting in Estonia". Material used is an Estonian lambswool (colored yarn is at elast 10-15 years old). I think they are cool. And never mind that one of the stockings seems smaller than the other it's just bad photographing not knitting skills.
I made the stockings a) longer b) more shaped c) followed only the lace and colored pattern part. Then got tired of reading and made the heel and tip like my mom teached me when I was beginning to knit my first socks years ago.

The books is surely great inspiration and I gotta buy some more natural white wool from Estonia for I already drew up 3 pairs of socks I wanna make for nexy Christmas.
I must say that the best sock yarn is Shetland type, like Estonian wool for many reasons... it might not be the softest one and it makes you itchy if your skin is tender, but, hey, use a pair of light cotton socks under.
Reasons:
1) it's very very resistant
2) it goes only softer with every wash (only handwash, with natural detersive if possible)
3) it stays in form
4) it's warm when it's cold and doesn't make your feet sweat even if it's warm outside (of course I don't recommend wearing them with 25+ C)

Yarn: Estonian lambswool, 100% pure wool, quantity: 106 grams for pair of long socks.
Needles: 2 mm
PAttern: Modified "Rita's Stockings"

Posted by Ing. at 12:03 5 comments Links to this post

Labels: FO, Knitting, Stockings

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Capecho

Update! New Pictures

Actually these two projects were finished nearly a month ago, ~~but I haven't been able to get really good pictures of them. And I don't think I will in the nearer future. So you have to do with these lousy pictures.~~
The KNIT that worried me the most, that made me swear the most and that I love the most.
I don't like you, Vogue knititng though, for the pictures for this project were obviously misleading.
And I think Norah Gaughan knits really tight, for I couldn't understand how she could get such short pentagon sides with 5,5 mm needles. I used 4,5 mm. The yarn is extremely similar to the one N.G used.
Anyways it was very obvious when I had knit around 5-6 pentagons that it's going to be huge! I didn't stop though thinking it would be OK when I get the second row and sleeves done. I nearly cried standing in front of the mirror seeing the big potato bag I had spent hours working on.
I threw it aside for 2 days, then picked it up and knit the collar, it didn't get much bigger - it was still floppy. What horrible holes under the arms - I really couldn't stand watching me move inside it. I then realized what this capecho meant. Thanks for the warning. It wasn't wearable. I had one and half ball of the yarn left and finally I decided to add another band to underarms and back. It worked, it was still too big from front but fit well from back, the bottom band pulls down the pentagons on the back fitting it better and closes the underarms which means no more floppy "ears". It's still slightly too big from the front, so I have to cross the hems well (added a button on the innser side of collar to keep the hems together). Closed with great-grandmothers silver pin - perfect. (nearly)
Parameters
Yarn: Canetta Merino's Otto (100% meriino, 50 gr = 90 m)
Needles: 4,5 mm
Pattern: Nora Gaughan Capecho Vogue Knitting, Winter 2007

Photo thanks to Typesetter

Here I am surrounded by a mob of Italian knitters wanting to know how I made it. And me trying to explain not very well, I hadn't prepared. See the bottom band!

Posted by Ing. at 10:43 4 comments Links to this post

Labels: FO, Knitting

Suur lõnganäitus minu inglise keelses kudublogis

Posted by Ing. at 10:41 0 comments Links to this post

Labels: Lõngajutud

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Flash Your Stash: Yarn Pr0n

Update: My camera self-repaired this night and now functions again, therefore some missing pictures are added. I told you it does it.
So, I'm a little late, the real prongorayhp (had to mix up the letters) as we all know was done last year on April 1st, but back then I didn't have much to flash. I've been a busy little bee though and bought a lot this year. And I cannot wait until 1st of April to see whether it will be organized again.

Winter yarns

Estonian yarn - some colored by myself, some are mixed with dog hair, most are very old (at least 10 years) and my Estonian Stocking :). Subtotal: 2860 grams

Southern American 100% merino handspun, handdyed yarn perfect for felting, with amazing colors. Subtotal: 400 gr.
Finnish yarns from Novita. I had an idea to make a sweater for my daughter, she didn't like the colors so they are waiting for someone :) next winter maybe. I got some babies coming around in the next few months. Novita Neliraita (100% wool) and Novita Bambino (100% wool). Subtotal: 380 gr

Vintage yarn. Schaffhauser Wolle Laine de Schaffhouse "Allround" (100% merino) light blue (which I've used quite a lot in mitts and socks) and yellow (that I use to try out new patterns). Subtotal: 280 grams.

Some nice stripy baby-yarn for a tiny summerish sweater for Mari's funky baby! Mari do you like it? I'm gonna knit it soon! GRM Filati Super Baby (100% virgin wool). Subtotal: 150 grams.

GRM Filati Norvegia. 100% wool again. It's actual color is dark egplant color, and it's gonna be a hat probably. Cabled probably. I don't know yet, it was on sale. Subtotal: 150 grams (one skein is missing from my stash! Edit 14.03.2007: Found it!)

Mohair. Vintage. Jaeger Softy Mohair (70% mohair, 30% acrylic). 115 gr. Jaeger Fine Mohair (70% mohair, 30% wool). 265 gr. Subtotal: 380 gr.

Lace yarn. I got this bagful for some 10€ a year and half ago from Canetta store. Super Zephir - it's an amazing cobweb weight yarn, 100% virgin wool, merino I guess. And I haven't seen it anymore. I have 315 grams. (And I've knit with it 2 lace shawls)