Knitting woolly projects!

I started 2019 buy blocking this sweater that was knitted in Lettlopi yarn.  It was an enjoyable knit and I modified some of the design by Jennifer Steingass.  This sweater is called Telja and is a popular Lopi design.  The toughest part o modify was the neck.  This took some time but was worth the effort.  I like sweaters to have a collar and it was a challenge to get this one to work out.

 

I have fallen a bit into the rabbit hole of mitten knitting this year.  The above mitten is a wonderful knit and I have knitted this pattern before.  Snow Ghost is a design from Whitefish, Montana from my favorite local yarn shop. I decided NOT to knit them in blue and went for a fun bright color I could easily find! I knitted this pair in Rauma Finullgarn yarn.

 

 
I found this pattern on Instagram and loved the bold yet simple old Norwegian design.  The name of this mitten is Malangen Mittens by Jorgen Johnsen.  I want to knit more mittens using this design.  I would change the thumb to a gusset as that is my preferred thumb technique.  I went stash diving and used some worsted weight. This pattern I will be using again with different weight yarns.

One of the great tools for knitting is an iPad.  I love downloading my patterns and being able to keep track of colorwork on this device---great purchase for me!


The next pair of mittens on the needle is this cuter than cute design by Swedish designer Sofia Kammeborn.  The Trondheim pattern has many interesting design features.  I am knitting this pair of mittens for myself and joined the #twtmittenkal2019.

Knitting: Lopi and odds-n-ends in Wool

First thing Alaska Fans!  I know many of you visitors to my blog are Alaska fans and if you have not checked out some of the blogs I follow you should certainly follow this one: livingthedream-kathy.blogspot.com  Kathy is a very talented writer and her writing is a joy to read.  If you are taken by Alaska and just want to know what people do, how they make a living off the grid for the most part work---get a nice cup of coffee or tea and sit down for an enjoyable read!

Knitting & the Fall Knit Along (KAL)

I start a fall KAL with The Woolly Thistle on Ravelry  I am working with Léttlopi yarn which is an Icelandic wool and yarn.  I have always been taken by the Lopi sweaters colorful yoke designs.  There is a wonderful designer whose work has caught my eye, Jenn Steingass.  It was a great opportunity to order yarn from a new store, The Wooly Thistle (which has a podcast as well) and join the KAL.  I am knitting Jenn's Telja.  I am making a few small modifications tot he pattern which is pretty normal to me.  I love the yoke in this sweater design!

The blue is the main color for the sweater and the other 4 colors will be the yoke and the details on the lower body and sleeves.  

One of the great things about technology is being able to work off my iPad and write notes on the pattern.  It is just so slick!  At this point, I am thinking I will knit a hem for the sweater cuff and body as I did a professional cast on.   This is still up in the air and I have plenty of time to think this out a bit.

Selling Knitted Items

Now that I am retired from full-time teaching I am knitting and selling some of my work.  I have a lot of yarn that needs to be used up, none of the yarn is enough for a sweater, and why not knit up some smaller items and sell them? Well, why not!?  Over the summer I knitted a few pieces and thought I will just give this "Saturday Market" thing a try.  This is the equivalent of a "Farmers Market."  I sold everything but one pair of fingerless mitts!  I was thrilled as the yarn is only sitting around taking up space, and most of the yarn was bought on sale but is very high-quality yarn.  This way I can charge a reasonable price for my work.

That was the first batch of knitting that went to the market.  I am now working on a few hats and felted baby booties.  I hope to knit up a few more pairs of fingerless mitts but that may be over ambitious for this upcoming weekend.

One more very fun hat The Coming Home in PDS yarn as well.  This is a stunning hat and fun to knit!

I don't plan on making a living from selling my knitting at all!  I do plan on using up the odds-n-ends of my yarn stash!  I never want my knitting to feel like it is something I have to do.  I jokingly call myself a Shetlander knitting away to earn some funds.  I do think of these women, men, and children who had to knit and keep their hands working at all times to earn money for their families. How hard this must have been for them all!  Knitting was work and not something to enjoy while sipping tea.  It makes me appreciate these fine artists and their skills even more.  If you follow Shetland Wool Week then you are up on this event and what it offers knitters around the world.  I know I speak for us fiber folks when I say that the Shetland Isle knitters have helped immensely to save and preserve knitting heritage and traditions for all the world--THANK YOU!