Cloudberry

First of all
I hope all of you had a great Christmas and I hope the new year will bring you lots og joy and good memories. Hopefully there will be some nice yarn and great projects in there too!

Well, I managed to finish 71 projects this year :)
How productive was your year?




I'm not very good to keep up with new years resolutions, but I've made some for my knitting ;)
I’m going to try to knit down my stash in 2014.
I'm aiming for 52 projects and I have done some “cleaning” in my queue. It’s still very long and it will take me ages to knit it all, but I have made a 2014 list, so we’ll see how much I’ll be able to actually knit from my list during the year ;)
I’ve also made 14 goals :)

Knit or crochet an afghan for each of the kids
Make 14 socks - I want 7 of them to be in a stranded pattern
Remember to knit the christms gifts throughout the year
Knit some sweaters to myself, Nancy, Snowflake and Marius
Make some pillows for the livingroom
Make 14 projects from 14 books in my library
Make 52 projects all together
Knit the kids new christmas stockings
Learn to knit entrelac
Knit and crochet some candle jar cozies
Make a christmas tree skirt
Crochet a few toys
Make some Dr. Who stuff for the kids - they love the series
And I’d like to try to join a or two kal or cal each month



My last knitted item this year became a pair of socks for myself :)
It was good to knit on a familiar pattern and just let my mind wander.


Ravelry project page
Pattern: Blueberry Waffel Socks (free pattern)
Yarn: 81 g Regia Blitz Color #02527
Needles: 2,5 mm / US 1 ½
Size: 64 st, eu size 39-40
Started: December 20, 2013
Completed: December 26, 2013



As you know I set a goal each year to read 100 books.
This year I managed to read 101 :) You can see the list here.

Three pairs are off the needles and ready to be wrapped in! All three patterns are from the booklet pt design nr.82. Lots of great patterns in it for mittens, gloves, hats and socks. I think I will knit these socks for Eirin.
I know I said I would knit some hats and then I would be done with my christmas knitting.
But Endre come home from school on Wednesday with a stomach flu, so him and I spent the night awake... And to make things more "interesting" the power went out just after midnight and was gone about three hours. I tried to knit from the light from the candlelights, but it just made my eyes hurt... Yesterday was spent on the sofa while I tried to get some sleep. I managed to finish the last mittens, and decided that it would be my last kitted present. I need to do some thing else than knit this coming weekend ;)
So far it's just Endre who has been sick, so I'm crossing my fingers that the rest of us won't catch it!


Ravelry project page
Pattern: 82-1266 Mittens pattern 2
Yarn: withe #300 Nagano and charcoal #277 Rubin
Needles: 3.0 mm /  US 2½ and 3.5 mm / US 4
Size: Woman
Made for: A friend
Started: December 17, 2013
Completed: December 19, 2013




Ravelry project page
Pattern: 82-1266 Mittens pattern 1
Yarn: withe #300 Nagano and charcoal #277 Rubin
Needles: 3.0 mm /  US 2½ and 3.5 mm / US 4
Size: male
Made for: My father in law
Started: December 13, 2013
Completed: December 17, 2013

Joining Yarn Along :: WIP Wednesday :: Keep Calm Craft On
What's on your needles today?


Knitting: I'm still on the mitten train... I have about a half mitten left to knit and then all the mittens are done and I just have to sew in some ends. After that I will make to hats and all my christmas knitting is done :)


Reading: I don't have so much time to read during the day, but as I can't seem to fall asleep at night I have plenty of time to read in bed. The polar nights have been interrupting my sleep the last couple of years, but this winter is bad. I can lay awake until 2 am and have to get out of bed around 6 am to get the kids up and off to school. Not much sleep... I guess I could take an afternoon nap, but that just makes it worse... Can't wait for the sun to turn!
Anyhow, the bok I am reading is an Icelandic crime - My Soul to Take by Yrsa Sigurdardóttir. It's a good one and I have the third book in the series about Thóra Gudmundsdóttir on the nightstand waiting.

When the body of a young woman—badly beaten and with pins inserted into her feet—is found at a New Age health resort in a renovated farmhouse, lawyer and single mother of two Thóra Gudmundsdóttir is called upon to represent the chief suspect, the resort's owner. But upon her arrival she encounters more than a fresh corpse—local legend has it that the resort, located in the mystical region of Snæfellsnes on Iceland's west coast, is haunted. At first Thóra dismisses the claims as nothing more than myth and superstition, but even she can't explain the bizarre occurrences she witnesses in her search for answers.

As Thóra digs deeper into the farm's past, she discovers long-buried information on the property's disturbing history, and her once-solid view of reality begins to waver. Are the hauntings real, or just a case of folklore gone wild? And, more important, does the farm's eerie past have something to do with the murder? When another body is discovered—looking very much like the first—Thóra is forced to put aside her doubts and confront the horrors of the present before a twisted killer strikes again.

Weekending, my favorite part of the week. A time to relax, live, love, just to be.
Joining with Amanda.






It's been a weekend mostly spent in the kitchen
with kakemenn, julebrød and a gingerbreadhouse.
We've also decorated the christmastree.
I'm still knitting mittens as gifts and hopefully I
will have 4-5 new pairs to show you soon.
We've been watching Dr. Who this weekend too.
The kids are hooked, so I think I will knit them
something Dr. Who related next year ;)
Oh, and I have joined instagram, follow me if you like :)

How was your weekend?

Finally the Marius hoodie is done! And just in time to be wrapped in and sent to it's receiver.
I'm so glad my mom made three of these for my kids, because I would never have had the patience to knit three with all the steeking and seaming...


Ravelry projet page
Pattern: Marius hettejakke from Marius strikkebok
Yarn: Gjestal superwash sport
Needles: 2,5 mm / US 1½ and 3 mm / US 2½
Size: 8-10 years
Made for: One of my nephews
Started: October 26, 2013
Completed: December 11, 2013
Modifications: I made it a bit shorter in the body as it would have been to long if I made as the pattern told...




I've also finished another pair of mittens - Vigur, which is an island on Iceland. They are a christmas gift as well.

Ravelry project page
Pattern: Vigur from Varme hender / Hlýjar hendur - I love this book!
Yarn: Rubin and Mor aase
Needles: 2,5 mm / US 1½ and 3 mm / US 2½
Size: Woman medium
Made for: A friend
Started: December 9, 2013
Completed: December 11, 2013
Modifications: As I made it with a thicker yarn and needles, I skipped a few stripes here and there ;)

Four more gifts are off the needles :)
This pattern is from a new mitten book - Varme Hender, that came out this year. It's Icelandic and has been translated to norwegian. I borrowed a copy at the library, but I really have to buy one as it's filled with mittens I want to knit!
The name Dyngja means chamber when translated. And they were so fast to knit. So I think I'll have to make some more ;)


Pattern: Dyngja 1
Yarn: Rubin and Mor Aase
Needles: 2,5 mm /US 1½ and 3 mm /US 2½
Size: 3-4 years
Modifications: I knitted a ribbed cuff instead of a folded one.




Pattern: Dyngja 2
Yarn: Rubin and Mor Aase
Needles: 2,5 mm /US 1½ and 3 mm /US 2½
Size: Around 10 years
Modifications: I knitted a ribbed cuff instead of a folded one. And on these pairs I made the white stripes more symmetrical than in the pattern. I wish I had done the same on the toddler sized mittens as well...

Weekending, my favorite part of the week. A time to relax, live, love, just to be.
Joining with Amanda.


It's been a cold weekend with -25 C...
So no playing outdoors,
but lots of wood burning to keep us warm and cosy indoors.
There's been
taco's
Dr. Who  episodes
knitting
sunady roast
apple pie
way to much time spent on pinterest
more knitting
picking up books at the library
finishing a couple more christmas gifts


And I've finally bought some "Julestjerner".
The Christmas Star flower, more commonly called poinsettia, is found in nearly every Norwegian home during Christmas. It's star-shaped petals and deep red colour make it a popular holiday decoration. It also thrives in low-light conditions, making it ideal for Norwegian winters.

Joining Yarn Along :: WIP Wednesday :: Keep Calm Craft On
What's on your needles today?


Knitting: Well, it sems like steeking isn't so bad ;)The sleeves are in and the hood is alomost done, so I just have the front edges to knit and a zipper to sew in  and then it's finished.  It feels like I've been knitting forever on this jacket, but I guess it's because I've been knitting on other projects too. I'm still trying to knit up as many gifts as I can before christmas, therefore a new pair of mittens on the needles.

Reading: I'm still reading a chapter now and then in The sweetness of forgetting, but my main reading at the time is norwegian crime  - Glassdukkene. I have a few pages and the disclosure of who the killer is left. I couldn't put it aside last night, so I laid in bed reading until 1 am ;) The story is set in Tromsø, our nearest big city. And the movie is cooming next year - so looking forward to see it!
I'm also flipping through a new book with gingerbreadhouses :) Not sure which one I'll make yet, but I'm sure there will be some baking this coming weekend!

Ble Hilde :)
Send meg adressen din, så kommer boka snart i postkassen din.

På spørsmålet mitt om hvilken genser eller jakke hun husket best fra sin barndom, skrev hun:

"Eg husker best ein genser med folk på som besta mi strikka til meg. Aner ikkje hvilket mønster det var, husker bare at me kalte den 'sissel-genseren'. Eg fikk velge farger, og den var i nydelig neonrosa og petroleumsblå og garnet var passe fluffy, alla mohair. Eg husker eg syns den var veldig fin, og brukte den masse. Skulle gjerne sett den igjen :)"

Weekending, my favorite part of the week. A time to relax, live, love, just to be.
Joining with Amanda.



It has been a busy weekend.
And I still don't feel that I have managed
to do all the things I had on my to do list...
We've put up our christmaslights and christmas
curtains and the house is so cozy :)
I managed to squeeze in a shopping round
with my mom and my sister on Saturday.
The plan was to buy the latest small gifts for
the advent calendar, but I found only a few ...
The advent calendar came up nevertheless,
and the kids know that there are
a few more small packages to be put up ;)
As you can see there are many cards and cookie cutters her too.
It's because I think we should indulge in advent.
And what better way than to bake a lot, going to the cinema,
walk in the woods and make some Christmas decorations!
Do you make advent calendar for your kids?

I try to make some knitted gifts for the kids adventcalendar each year. And this year they are getting a pair of socks :)


Pattern: Blueberry Waffel Socks (free pattern)
Yarn: Blue pair - 60 g Sisu Fantasy #6457, Pink pair - 68 g Fabel #310p, Blue/green pair - 122 g ONline Supersocke 6-ply #1201
Needles: 2,5 mm / US 1½
Size: European 33 (52 sts), 36 (60 sts) and 41 (72 sts)
Made for: The kids
Started: November 10, 2013
Completed: November 27, 2013

Joining Yarn Along :: WIP Wednesday :: Keep Calm Craft On
What's on your needles today?



Steeking: Well, I just have to do it if the jacket shall be finished in time for christmas... I mean how hard can it be? And it's about time I get over my fear for steeking ;)

Reading: I started Så lenge det er stjerner på himmelen  (The sweetness of forgetting) yesterday. It will be my comfort reading in between my knitting as it's a light read. As the story is about a bakery, there is a few recipes in it too. So I might have to try out some of them :)
On my nightstand is a pile of crime books by a local author - Jorun Thørring. And right now am I reading Tarantellen.

The North Star Bakery has been in Hope's family for generations, the secret recipes passed down from mother to daughter. But at thirty-six and recently divorced, with rebellious daughter Annie and elderly grandmother Rose to care for, Hope is less than enthusiastic about carrying on the family legacy. When the bakery runs into financial trouble and Rose takes a turn for the worse, Hope's delicate balancing act is in danger of crumbling entirely.

Then Rose reveals a shocking truth about her past and everything Hope thought she knew about her family and the bakery is turned upside down. At her grandmother's request, Hope travels to Paris, armed only with a mysterious list of names. What she uncovers there could be the key to saving the bakery and the fulfilment of a star-crossed romance, seventy years in the making.

Weekending, my favorite part of the week. A time to relax, live, love, just to be.
Joining with Amanda.



It's been a weekend filled with loads upon loads of snow...
The kids have had free from school Thursday and Friday,
so it's been a long weekend for them.
Friday was spent on grocery shopping and a quick stop at the library to pick up a book.
I'm glad we went to town on Friday,
because we had a snowstorm here yesterday.
So most of the weekend has been spent inside
with candlelights
The Croods and Oz the Great and Powerful
fire in the woodstove
knitting
many cups of tea
"ribbe" as Sunday dinner

It still snowing outside which mean I will have some snow to shovel tomorrow.
Endre is a bit feverish and has had a nap on the sofa...
Hopefully he will sleep it off during the night and feel better tomorrow.
I'll spend the rest of the night knitting on a sock that will go in the adventcalendar
and flip throuhg the pages in "Knas" for inspiration for our gingerbreadhouse.

How's your weekend been?



Joining in with Taryn for her heartfelt Sunday tradition. A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful. This week I have been grateful for...

... a warm fire
... meeting up with Tove Fevang and other knitters
... the good, but tired feeling after shoveling snow for hours
... the good help from my eldest while shoveling snow
... laundry smelling of crisp winter air
... the local library
... finishing some christmas gifts
... the snow - since it makes the day brighter now when the light is fading fast
... candlelights
... my mom taking Eirin with her shopping
... taking the kids out for dinner in the middle of the week
... chocolate

As some of you might remember I had some secret knitting going on back in May. Well, It was for Tove Fevang's latest book - Klassisk småbarnstrikk. 25 old and classic pattern from Sandnes Garn from the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's has been rewritten for the yarn available today. The patterns are from age 0-4 and the book is filled with cute photos taken by her husband. Two of the models are their grandchildren the twins Nicolai and Oscar.


Besides patterns for sweaters, jackets, pants, hats and mittens, there is a big section in the book with great step by step parts, showing techniques such as raglan, steeking, sew in sleeves, etc


Last night Eirin and I had the chance to meet Tove at one of my local yarn shop as she was there to promote her book. It was great to meet her in person and talk to her after just being talking with her pr mail and telephone the last year or so.
I have been knitting three jackets and hats for this new book :) She is holding two of them.



I remember my mom knitting the sweater that is on the cover for my brother when he was little :)

And now for the giveaway, which is only open for norwegian readers...

If you want to win this book, leave a comment and let me know which sweater or jacket you remember from your childhood. 
I remember I had a sweater with polarbears and one of my favorites was a fluffy kind of sweater in black with pink stars and stripes.

I will draw a winner Tuesday, December 3.