way behind....as always

think you all know my lack of professionalism.....always way behind....
nevertheless...here we go
I did a few testknits and released two lovely patterns the last weeks

first the testknits...

I did a testknit for Sylvie (poloetcie at ravelry)...a wonderful...fantastic.... super colourful...gorgeous...and huge shawl!

mine is a tidy bit smaller than the pattern called for....

I followed the pattern until I had 345 sts (in section 4), then skipped the following rows and continued with instructions written for 377 sts (therefore only 20 repeats per half instead of 22 repeats)...no other mods

I used a lot of leftovers and single skeins....for the main colour (the grey) I used lithuanian wool I purchased ages ago ...rustic, but extremely lovey ;))

the next test was for Heleen, one of my all-time-favorite-speedy-testknitters

she designed a top that matches my Dexter cardigan 

I did mine a bit different:

due to this strange yarn I used (Moina by LANG YARNS), that was stretchy like hell and did what it wants to do...my gauge was off

I started with instructions for size XS until I reached the underarms, then I increased some stitches in the first round after Broken Seed Stitch to achieve a casual fit around the bust. On the way down to the bottom ribbing I added 4 increase rounds (no waistshaping for me....hahaha). that's it...and here it is (I love it)

 

...makes me feel like I need a matching grey Dexter in the near future...

now to the business (hahaha)

I published Edie and Reagan  (...you all know this....hahaha, but I never mentioned it here on the blog...)

I am still in love with both of them...maybe you'd like to knit one of your own and join our 'Take your pick KAL' ?

for all of you longing for news about Max (he was in hospital - myocarditis - some weeks ago)...he's doing better every day (yay!!!!), his last blood levels and ECG were fine!

altough I never, ever want to be in this situation again, it helped me to focus on the important things in life...there's nothing more important than our lovelies

isa m.

 

 

 

News and older tales....

just realized that i didn't keep the promise to post right after our "meeting" at Frankfurt airport....shame on me (but i think you know me already quite well and this is no surprise)

we had some incredible hours together....when i saw Jo sitting at the table in this italian coffee shop at the airport it was like a reunion of good old friends...not faint-hearted at all, we saw each other and the minute later we were in each others arms ;)
there was a lot of giggling and laughing, loads of yarn and coffee and way too less time (but we will meet again...sooner than we both hoped for ;))

 

seams that the upcoming season will be filled with neutrals and blue (hahaha...)

in the meantime (while Jo was travelling around the world....Helsinki, St.Petersburg...)I did some knitting (haha...how extraordinary ;)

 

seashore was released 2 weeks ago, after a wonderful test-KAL

with some outstanding ladies who never get tired to help me with testing my patterns

you can see all the incredible "seashores" they made during the test here in the test thread

finished a quick in-between-testknit for Justyna (Lete)

to practice my still not-good-at-all stranding skills....

because i signed in for 2 colorwork designs for Swans Island...

 

pattern. zig-zag-wings by justyna-lorkowska 

yarn. lang-yarns touring 

col.natural/beige and dark blue

aaaaand my first (yes there will be a second one...) pattern for Yarn Stories is live!

I did the sample in early august and need to confess that i didn't like the colour they picked for my design, but......it looks so freaking cool on this beautiful model!!!!

 photo: yarnstories

photo: yarnstories

this is such a lovely batwing-sleeve jumper.....need to knit one for me too!!!!! maybe in orange? or yellow? or toffee?

they carry some beautiful colours! go and check them out here 

for today i need to leave...need to do up a parcel (sample of the first colorwork design for Swans Island)

 

looks pretty good, right? 

take care out there

love,

isa m. 

new wool ....and a new hat

lately i got to test some little gems - lucky me!
i recieved a bag full of luscious skeins from lamana yarns
and in addition their new pattern booklet 

the yarn shown above is called cusco , 100 % pure alpaca and comes in a beautiful range of 28 (!!!) colors

again .... the little girl in me wanted .... pink!

this hat is just too lovely (pattern is in this booklet)- soft and cozy (touching this yarn is like touching a cloud...though i need to confess, that i never touched a cloud so far...hahaha!)

...there are some other yarns to try out in the bag...

first pic: perla a wonderful cotton/alpaca/silk blend
second pic: piura lace weight pure alpaca (soooo soft!)
third pic: nuro a worsted weight cotton/merino blend (...maybe a little too heavy for my taste)

 
and last: nazca a bulky weight merino/alpaca/polyamid blend
(there is already a sweater in my mind...we'll see...)
i need more time! that's the one and only thing that's true
...don't know how to get all those ideas out of my head
there are way too many for one knitters life!!!!







oh, and i would love to invite you all to join my new group.
a new group? yes, a new group! - finally there is a group for my designs at ravelry!!!!

i will announce test calls there, we could do KALs or just hang around and chat....

have great days out there

isa m.

refined driftwood and a sneak peek

a little sign of life....

so busy days over here, that i can hardly save time to
post about those things i spend my time on...(hmmm...)

did a refined version of driftwood lately
fingering weight yarn
fine stripes
more fitted
.....aaaand a little add on to the buttonband
(which i like the best!!)

yarn. kauni effect in col. EB

and kauni solid in col. HH3

needles. 3.5 mm [US 4] and 3.0 mm [US 2 1/2]

pattern. driftwood by (me.. hihihi)

hope to save some time over the holidays to write down

my adjustments, so everyone of you can make one too :)

the next sweater is already blocked, but no modeled pix yet, sorry!

worked the yoke bottom up;

did a provisional co of all yoke sts and worked from that point to top, then unravelled the provisional co and worked the

sweater topdown, to be sure the fit is as good as it should :))

placed the colourwork on the yoke and on the bottoms of the sleeves and the body, like this 

and i loooove it, just cannot take it off (LOL....i can!

cause there are sooo many sweaters to be worn in my closet)

also working on a little test for Jo

(simplicity at its best - a cardi with some colour details)

hope to be allowed to show it soon

stay calm and have bright days

isa k.

alpenglühen

a cardi like this was on my wishlist for ages!!!
classic lines (like those classy alpine jackets)
in a freaking funky colour!!

aaand .... here it is

made this little beauty bottom-up

the sleeves are worked top-down, so there are NO seams!

needles. 4.5 mm [US 7] and 5.0 mm [US 8]

yarn. malabrigo merino worsted col. sunset 

purchased at wollsüchtig 

the pattern is ready for testknitting, so i hope for

a release in mid december (hope dies last....)

there are many other knits on my needles,

fingerless mitts, scarfs and shawls .....(gifts,...all gifts!!) 

like this

pattern. the way from brighton by Joji Locatelli

yarn. merino 120 by LANG YARNS

needles. 4.5 mm [US 7]

and this

pattern. seeta fingerless gloves by Maria Sheherazade

yarn.  malabrigo silky merino col. smoke

purchased at wollsüchtig 

needles. 3.0 mm [US 2 1/2]

and this

pattern. toast by leslie friend

yarn. kauni effect

needles. 3.5 mm [US 4]

co 44 sts and decreased to 40 sts after 2 in

straight st st for another 9 in

....need to take pics of the rest, maybe over the weekend?

hope you all have good days

isa k.

double feature

finished all of my testknits...whew!
and i have to confess that i think i will need to slow down...
this was tooo much going on at the same time!!!
though i had lots of fun making these beautiful sweaters

meridien was unexpectedly easy to knit,
the pattern repeats were easy to remember and the yarn i used
was pure heaven!!!

i shortened the body, ....you know, i'm tiny!!!

12 sts less in DSS section

6 sts less in double garter section

12 sts less in st st section

so my body is about 10 cm [4 in] shorter than the original

had some difficulties with the first 5 sts, which were intended

to be knitted through the backloops....couldn't get the first 2 sts look even, so i ripped back and did them a little different

on rs rows: k1, p1, ktbl, ptbl, p1

on ws rows: k1, ktbl, ptbl, k1, sl1

aaand, i added a different BO to the sleeves

after DSS section (i only did this 6 cm long) i did 2 rounds 

in plain st st, BO all sts, then picked up all sts from ws

and did an i-cord BO

was wearing this beauty to work yesterday and got loads
of compliments!!! think i walked around with a smiling face
all the time...:)


the second was redy 
worked with one thread lama mochair (thank you, sweetie!) and one thread opal uni 

this is a perfect lounging sweater:
it is light, cozy and soooo soft 
i will get tons of wear out of this, for sure!

worked from the top down with contiguous set-in-sleeves

rev st st with a faux side seam

pattern. redy by ankestrick (think she will publish the pattern

over the weekend)

this is a typical ankestrick pattern:

pure, straight forward and absolute stylish, though it's quite classy - needless to say, that i loooove this :)

the other testknits are blocking right now, so i might come back

soon to show a bloomsbury in a stunning colour

and a sutra....

have nice days

isa k.

dragonflies

think this will be my favorite sweater for upcoming fall

in late june Joji asked if i would like to test her new sweater 
design, which was first intended to be a kit from Lioness Arts...

so i had the pleasure to receive a yarn especially dyed for me!!! lucky me :)

pattern. dragonflies jumper

needles. 4.5 mm [US 7] and 4 mm [US 6]

yarn. Lioness Arts MCN DK colourway tinder

this was such a pleasure to knit that i could hardly finish

it, cause i really didn't want this to end :)

a wonderful pattern, a pattern stitch that keeps you interested

and otherwise is very easy to memorize

just loved every single stitch i made...

and the yarn.... is definitely divine

Dani did such a wonderful job

only did some minor mods:

shortened the body and worked less garter rounds for the bottom

also worked less garter rounds for the neckline

(i thought a wider neck fits me better...and i absolutely love it

the way it is)

other than that i followed the pattern exactly and i think the fit is perfect - just love it

also finished a cute cardi i testknitted for Svetlana

it's blocking right now - maybe i can take a few pix over the weekend

aaaand i did a first step into dyeing

tadaaaa... my first handdyed

so now there is only to think what to do with those beauties...

have good days

isa k.

driftwood pattern

it's done!!!

so happy to share the newest member of my beach

collection with you ;)

all (hihihi, not all, but most;) my lovely testers are through 

and i am ready to publish the pattern for driftwood today

get your copy here

i wanna thank the girls for their help and their outstanding

work with this pattern THANK YOU ALL!!

some testing ladies said that the armhole is quiet long,

so i changed the pattern here and hope that the fit is now

better, though i liked it as it was before...

(but i think that doesn't affect the look that much)

my current work for now is to test this cardi for Judy.

laceweight!!! think i will be occupied with this for a while...

also planning to get the pattern for chalkstone ready to test

in 2 or 3 weeks (the raw version is ready, so i only (haha) have to check the numbers and my stupid english)

...and there is another new sweater blocking right now....

looove how this turned out and i love the colour!!

knitted with fingering weight yarn on 4 mm [US 6] needles

more details to come....

hope you all have good days

isa k.

friday on my mind

beautiful testknit for Anke [aka fallmasche]

looove my friday again 

was such a relaxing knit.... so relaxing, that my

knitting tension relaxed also (hahaha)

gauge was exact on my swatch...but somehow my knitting got

loose while knitting this beauty

i really don't mind the loose fit, think it looks quiet cool!?

or don't you think so?? maybe i will do this again with

smaller needles (i went up a needle size....shouldn't have 

done that;))

pattern. friday again (there will be an updated version 

available soon)

yarn. SoftLinen (linen/merino/acrylic) from cone

purchased on ebay

needles. 4.0 mm [us 6]

would highly recommend this pattern for contiguous beginners

easy and straight forward knitting and a totally amazing result

so now to my own patterns/projects

some of my stunning testknitters are already done with

driftwood and i hope to get ready to publish the next two weeks

aaaaand, i know some of you can hardly wait for it....(hahaha),

i'm into the pattern of il grande favorito, so i will be in

need for a few testers in one or two weeks

;)

see you,

isa k.

where's my time goin ???

just a little sign of life

had to take an additional job to get rid

of those financial problems my ex caused .....

and i had to realize that my time is running out..

not that i'm not knitting,...and sewing,...and crafting

but there's no time to take pics or post about

so for today i have only a few pics of

my new dresses and a sneak peak of my current knitting

have to take a better pic of the front

and show you this super cute velvet winter coat i made

working on a grey blithe 

only the cap sleeves to finish!!

hope you all have happy days

hugs isa k.

butterfly dress

sorry for being absent so long

have so much work these days...

not that i'm not knitting though(hihihi)

have been working on a few new things

but they don't work like i hoped ):

and......my sewing mojo is back!!!

made a few dresses to complete my summercollection

no pics yet, but i hope to be able to show them

this week

for now i like to introduce my butterfly dress to you

this turned out sooooo cute!

a bit long after blocking, but i love it just this way

pattern. butterfly dress by Jennie Atkinson

yarn. kid seta col. 108

needles. 4.5 mm and 5mm circulars

2.5 mm hook for straps

did only one hem edging and changed the straps

did 3 single crocheted straps on both sides

think they don't stretch out this way

the white underdress i made this weekend 

makes the look perfect

pattern.  no. 20 out of this book

all the best wishes for your next week

hugs isa k.