gloves, cozies, and stoles

Happy Birthday Dad! These lovely green gloves are for you and your (at times) chilly home... and along with this snazzy pair, are a pair of matching opposite stitched java sweaters too! Hope you like 'em!

I must say, I really do enjoy how they all turned out. In case you readers haven't noticed, I used the same yarn from my Mary Jane slippers in the little java sweaters. They really are smashing together. So, in that note, here's a pic of the first slipper done and knitted! Just the second to whip out. I must say, the one is really comfortable and stretchy... they're gonna come with me whenever I travel... perfect for cold floors, and even probably airplanes!

I've been continuing on my light blue t-shirt and am nearing the end of the first piece, the back side piece of the shirt. I think I'll still wait to take a pick. ha ha!

However, I've had a blast beginning the knitting of this fabulous lacy 100% Organic Pakucho cotton stole! I love it already. If the white matches well enough, I'm offering my soon-to-be-sister-in-law to borrow it for her big wedding day in October! They call this a heart pattern, and it sure is supper lovely! Seriously, isn't it gorgeous??

And just for fun, (as if all of these projects weren't already!) I've whipped out an adorable little stuffed cow! How cute is this little guy?? I'm pondering a few of these and other animals for a cute gift for my niece, come Christmas time. Not sure of farmyard or zoo or Noah's ark... I'm open to suggestions folks. Whether it be themes or specific animals or collections or what not. Open to what your kids (if you have had or have some) enjoyed or perhaps something you wish you had as a little 4 year old.

Next week, I hope to just keep going, along with this week, but I will be headed to Gothenburg to attend a huge horse show and serve espresso for 5 days. Should be long, slow at times and busy-crazy at times. Minimum 3 hours drive north of here. Wish me luck and fun!

Beaded Socks

I finished these really cute socks... last week? Maybe even a little earlier actually. Aren't they so so lovely?! I was so bored knitting them around the heals, but I'm so glad I kept to them and knitted a few rounds each morning. Because, when I finally got into the foot portion, I started to get back into them and before I knew it, I was knitting the toes and closing them shut! I've worn them, much thicker than I really thought they'd feel, but they're a ton of fun! Whoo hoo!.


On the needles now are a pair of fingerless mitts for my dad. I found this absolutely gorgeous dark green tweedy yarn with wool, merino wool and viscose in it. I absolutely adore the colours. The yarn was not cheep at all... especially here in Lund. For each standard 50 gram ball it was 72:-, which is about $11 each! I bought 2 due to the uncertainty of needing just more than one ball or not. So, Dad? You're getting some seriously fancy gloves! They're knitting up famously though... which just adds not only to the joy of knitting, but to the joy of giving them as well. :)

Also on the needles are a pair of Mary Jane slippers. Here's a cute photo of the butterscotch wool and nylon yarn I've chosen for them. Sadly, the photo looks a little muted. I'm learning about Photoshop, so soon, I'll be able to adjust the photos to help make them represent a little better. It's a fun twisted yarn of 4 colors, dark yellow, orange, blue and brown. They've got a really comfortable sole too. I can't wait to keep working on them this week as well.

The on going t-shirt, which, when I eventually get more done, I'll take pics. I'm expecting that one to take me all summer to make... so don't hold your breath, but it's coming along nicely... even if all I have done is the hem and lower back side panel of the shirt!

And then I'm swatching up 2 yarns for 2 other patterns. One lovely light yellow for a pair of footies that will have double knitting on the sole for added padding and comfort, and the other in a natural tone of organic cotton for an absolutely gorgeous heart lace shawl/shrug.

Perhaps, the next post will be about the auto show I was serving espresso at. Very fun show, to put it shortly. Happy Spring everybody! Not much else happening, except for my self learning Adobe Photoshop, knitting like a mad woman, reading a book in Swedish, and designing a new website and blog for my dear friend Bekki and I to post our artistic endeavors... very excited about that.

"Bubby"

I've finished a really cute bear named Bubby. He's been knitted out of a cotton/acrylic blend and is a really fun red and white blend of colors. I wondered if I could pull it off and I did! He's really quite cute and I'm giving him to our nephew, Shepherd. He turned one on Easter, but we're going to a dessert party tomorrow, Saturday. Very nice.

We see "Bubby" laying and enjoying completion and then a closeup of his little face and bow/scarf. He's a happy-go-lucky interested sort of character. He's seen with Teddy next and well, diving for a toasted almond muffin I baked. Adventurous little guy. I hope Shep likes him!

So, along with this mini photo shoot of the more than full of life little bear, I've got some cute photos of snowy daffodils I took just 2 days ago with some light fresh snowfall... which is already melted and gone. :(

I really enjoyed these though. Great bright lovely spring yellow flowers engulfed in the fluffy white snow. Quite pretty really!

And for those interested, here's a shot of my latest colors in the hairdo. Lots of pinks and purples now. Really only one side of my head, the left side, has good bits of blue left. I'm certain that's because the hairdresser began on the left side, so there's more time for the dye to set in there!

I do miss the rich blue, and am beginning to ponder what I can do with the hair once the color has really really faded. I'm pondering red at the end of the summer. I can get it freshened up and/or cut in October, when I plan to travel to the States again. Lots to ponder about.

A recap on knitting though...
I've done "Bubby" last week and I've just finished my beaded blue socks too, today. Pictures to come later though. I have a light blue t-shirt on the needles and a pair of gold Mary Jane slippers, from Purl Bee's website, on the needles too. (That's it, heh heh) Thanks to Sarah-Ji for finding those for me! We'll see how they cruise. So far, so good.

I do love snow

I love snow, I miss snow, I enjoy snow... Snow makes winter bearable, beautiful, lovely, serene, quiet, gorgeous, different and bright!


It has been deemed Spring here, since well, before Valentine's Day! Can you believe that? Well, it's true. Crocuses are well bloomed and nearing their finish. Daffodils are up and Tulips are on their way. Trees and bushes are budding with leaves too. Seriously, it's been that nice, and not too rainy and too dark with the overcast business either.

Well, we've got some snow as of 2 days ago and some of it is still around! We are expected to get a lot in Southern Sweden by the weekend (Easter!) Here are some irresistibly pretty trees from ourwindows.

Here's some lovely flowers around our kitchen that help brighten the space. Thanks to Doug for buying these at Valentine's Day! They're a wonderful touch to the kitchen, especially when the weather's so gray. They're still bright and blue and lasting! YAY!

I couldn't wait, here is a pick of the gloves and beverage sweater I made for Becki. I love how they turned out. They were tough, and I had to undo portions several times, but I'm quite proud of the Superhero mits and sweater! Hope you like them too Becki!

On the needles are still the beaded blue socks. I work on them a little most weekday mornings after I wake and while caffeine starts to engage my brain over coffee or tea in that early morning. I trudge on them because I got bored during the heel portion, but I'm proud to say, the heels are all done and now I'm on the home stretch in the foot part knitting round and round until I get to the toes! I had gotten bored, but now, slowly and surely, I will finish these cuties! I guess I'm a little concerned they won't be tremendously comfy, but we'll see. I'll finish them anyways.

Also on the needles are a light baby blue and navy t-shirt. Got a long way to go on this one, but I'm hoping to learn, not just basic knitting, but piecing a project together. I want to design a kick butt navy 2-D butterfly to put into the front of the t-shirt. The pattern suggests a snappy clever word, and I love my little mantra word: BREATHE, but I've decided to go with an image instead, so I'm working on a butterfly... I have a long way to go before that needs to be decided though!

And thirdly on the needles is a little teddy bear. From the same pattern as Bubby that I mentioned in a previous post, but new yarn, in a cool dark red and bright white super soft acrylic and cotton blend yarn. I'm knitting this in hopes that it'll be ready by the end of the week for Easter. Our nephew, Shepherd is turning one on the 23rd.

And, I have a question to anybody out there who knits. I was balling a hank of cottony yarn when I got it into the biggest of messy tangled messes. Are there any tips on how to do this? I have some ideas for next time, but if I can avoid it, I'd love to! I did finally get this ball of yarn undone and balled nicely, but it took me a good week to unravel!

2nd to latest finished work...

This here scarflet is my 2nd to latest finished work. I must wait until the end of the week or next week to post the latest since they were a pair gift to my maid of honor for her birthday this week!

None the less, the felt bag is considered done by the directions, but I'm gonna keep going on it, embroider around the handle cuts and maybe try to reinforce the top of the bag to be a bit sturdier... the whole thing seems a bit floppy and weak. :( Pictures to come later when I feel a bit more proud and "finished" with the bag.

This little scarf... I love it. It's stretched a little from wear, which is I guess to be expected. So, I need to move the button over so it sits a little more snug again. But I seriously love this thing! It's comfortable, the extra little "flap" that curves up under the chin, oh man, it's so nice and comfy.

Yarn used: 100% new wool in a fabulous red (that could be felted if I'm not careful)
Knitted on US size 6/4 mm needles.
Found my leather button in town for about 15kr or $2, but well worth the price!

And for those of you craving a hair colour update, here are some photos from about 1-2 weeks ago. I need to take more this week since the tops of my blues are fast fading into a weird pale purple and pink, even whitish in places, like the bleach! so, I try to style the hair to show minimal colour or to show as much of the lower more deep set blue as I can. I was nervous at the start, but now I'm sad that it's fading so quickly!

works in progress

Here's some pictures of what on the needles, or just off of them.

Here's the bag awaiting felting. Purple on top, which, after felting, I'll slice handle holes into the fabric, and navy on the bottom.


Here's the little cute scarflet that I'm beginning. Awesome little cables already!! I can't wait to wear this one! and even try other designs into other cute little scarflets.




Here's the bead in socks I was talking about. A picture of the pattern and a closeup of the beading before I enter the heal work.



And lastly the bright yarns of merino wool to make my and Becki's gloves from. Question to the viewers though... do you like the dimmer picture or the flashed picture better? I'm trying to determine which is best to continue putting on the web. I like the dim, but the brighter one shows the colors only a little better? Just don't know, really. Maybe Sarah has suggestions?


And last pics yet, are some photos I finally took from what I think may be the graffiti knitters' work! More about them later...

Busy Bee

It's funny... here, I thought I'd be able to just chill out and knit. Well, apparently not only that!

I've been trying to catch up with all sorts of folks here from after the holidays and loads of traveling... well, my bosses already hired me back on! Tomorrow even. I only called them today! Wow wow, that's pretty awesome though, however slow they've even assured me tomorrow will be. I really am just glad to be working a bit. I can still knit when I'm home... which I fully intend to do!

For those of you whom haven't seen these, they are my first pair of socks, knitted one, then the other, with a nice long ribbed cuff for easy folding over. This pair was knitted in a mostly wool with poly blend yarn. Very easy to use. Superwash too, so, it's easier than just normal wool to take care of! Me love that!

I've just finished knitting a handbag that I'm planning to felt up. It's purple and blue. And I'm knitting a pair of blue socks at the same time with some cute beads in the simple lace pattern by the cuff. Almost done with the leg to be moving into the "daunting" heal portion next.

On the needles also as of today, will be a little neck scarf with ribbing and cable knitting. It'll just wrap around the neck and close with a button. Very very cute.

Also needing to be worked on are 3 pairs of fingerless gloves. One for me with a fun stitch pattern in the glove, a pair for my dad, and a pair for my so lovely and hard workin' soon to be sister in law, Becki with Super Hero red and blue. Lots to do, pics to come as they're completed. If you'd rather I try to get pics up of the process too, let me know... didn't know if that'd bore y'all. Gotta keep knitting!

Let me know if something strikes your interests. We can always talk in the comments, email, or phone to set up any requests you might have. I know there are some interested parties out there, don't hesitate to get on the list! Java sweaters are the hottest new thing! Aren't nearly as clumsy as cardboard, fits nice and snuggly around the cup and still comforts against the heat (or icy touch), and you get to save trees by not using all that cardboard! Many smiles, enjoy those warmers sibs. More to come... (I haven't forgotten the star Sarah, it'll be better than I could have done it while in the states, I've learned some tricks ;))

Knitting, knitting and more knitting...

I can officially say that my new hobby is knitting! I have taught myself, with the help of many websites, but one to be the most help, knitting help, how to knit!

I love it, and have come a long way in just really 2 months. I began with a little holiday week we got off from class at the last days of October and the beginning days of November. I studied a lot due to a huge exams that were coming up soon after that, but the knitting was such a fun way to relax and get away from the usual studying and a way to give myself something else to focus on.

Boy, did I underestimate how much of a new crush I would have on this new craft! Since starting I've done: a cloth, 2 java sweaters, a beaded bracelet, and well, 4 pairs of fingerless gloves!! I want to do another pair for me in yellow with some knitting pattern in it, rather than colour changes like I've done with Doug's and Otto's pairs. I also want to make a pair for my lovely and dear friend, Becki. Thanks for traveling to Sweden and Greece over the holidays girl!! And thank you too, for bringing my dear brother David with you, I kinda doubt he would have made the trip otherwise... :)

Left are mine in a self striping sock yarn, right are my friend Rebecca's with a matching java sweater with the left over yarn, then Doug's pair and Otto's pair with tougher thicker wool and my own attempts at striping and intarsia patterns in the gloves! Try to do a little something different, so I don't become too bored with the same pattern over and over again.

I'm actually about half done with a little teddy bear called Bubby. More photos of that cutie when I'm done or close to it... we'll have to see what Ted E. Bear has to say about Bubby... if he's too cute, we'll have to give Bubby away because Teddy won't allow 2 adorable bears to be in the center of the spotlight!

We'll see if I get some photos of Greece up too, we'll just see...

But I must say, I've passed my Swedish exam and the social studies class I took, in Swedish... and passed both with flying colours! So, technically, I know enough, for what beats me, cuz it sure feels like I don't know enough, but they say I'm at a high school level of Swedish now. So, that's nice to hear.

Greece was fantastic! Just loved it, aside from all the smoking. (not a single soul doesn't smoke, even kids are getting constant second hand smoke!) But other than that, I really loved the food, the people, and even the sites. Didn't do much more than Athens seeings much was closed for Christmas and the holidays! But great time, none the less.

The holidays were relaxed and subtle otherwise here in the Gumaelius home, but I hope that all had a wonderful little holiday as well, and seriously, I wish a wonderful and eventful new year to you as well. Thanks for reading! I'll try to be better about posts this year, but we'll see, so keep checking in, and don't be a stranger, leave a note and share your thoughts as well.

Skål!
Kram (hugs)