Nicky Epstien who?

Nicky Epstein knitting Guru! that's who...........

A Funny post as I as have been a little serious of late (I think so)

My friend Quirky lil knits just had her launch in the UK Stall at the Twisted Thread.
http://www.twistedthread.com/
I really wanted to go.......... unfortunately it didn't happen.
(Nov, I'm helping in Yorkshire;-)

Second show case......flight booked. Repeating an earlier post, just so we know where we are.

My reason for this post, I felt that I needed to mention her name. After all it is a
knitting blog and she is world famous and as usual, I had know idea who she was.

Text

We kept updated through text and I checked her Twitter.
(Technology don't you just love it)

Any time any place..........

Quirky's Text.........


I think that it's Nikki Epstein, who's looking at my flowers!


Knits pearls text..........


Cool! (I'm in town so no pc, no idea who)


I have absolutely know Idea who she is but cool all the same
(That name did sound as if it came with knitted fame). In the bulk load.........


Quirky...... smiley smiley , She laughed/explain later. Google

Elegant

Structure and Flowers, things I really love.

Her book list is huge book after book after book. The funny thing I have a lot of

knitting and crochet books

And not one by Nicky E;-(

Challenge hat, Part one of my J,C's project.

Challenge continues.......


With one rectangle already completed. I made a second as I figured that was required by the diagram(imagined?) Or it would just be to small otherwise.

To Big to small

This brings me to my next learning point of the challenge.......

The part about me being right the 1st time(aaaahhhhhhhahhhhhh)

It was indeed cm's and not in fact the number of stitches.

On reading up the how to stitch together properly my finally finished yet
petite pieces. The 1975 way, I found the page that's titled Teckenförklaring.

Translation google last use, (it really is rubbish for Swedish) Legend!!!?

Using a recommended on line dictionary 2nd translation, (Helen suggestion) Translation this time.........

key to the signs (symbols), table of signs (symbols)

Instructions and keys!!! yes good question how I missed this?, I do no know.




Even though the hat is petite size, I think that I'll now move on to the next step of the challenge, gloves/mittens as two attempt and a small hat should count for part one and if I get ahead pretty quick I'll come back to the hat.

So please don't think I'm cheating, I am simply resting part one.......

Hibernating

Promise a little pic of the tiny hat on full completion.

Knit Challenge, Bits and bobs.

A hat?

Well it will be........

This was the 1st part of the hat pattern, that Celine kindly completed today. Nacka(Stockholm) knit cafe, with and extremely beautiful view.

Thanks Aleah.

How its a hat? who knows so I think that maybe a missed the translation for two sides, so I have now begun part two;-)

Reinforced Bag handle.

I brought Ribbon from the local craft store, cut the ribbon to a size.

So that it could be doubled over, then threaded it though.

Weaving the bag strap in the ladder effect crochet.

The ribbon as well a looking pretty acts as a reinforcement
I felt that the bag handle was a little flimsy for the size of the bag.

Purpley lilac ribbon 9mm at 29kr's bargain.
(Apologies the Camera flash affected the silky ribbon)

If you forget to take your photos before 4 pm in Stockholm the flash is now needed
unfortunately Winter darkness in full force.

For the accessories I recycled the buttons from my Gino dress.


Phoenix

Here is the final skein that completed Phoenix my new winter party dress,

And Now

all I need is a party invite.............

Phoenix completed.

The Knitting Challenge Begins.

Not quiet the start I had planned, above my 1st wrong attempt of yet the simplest hat ever. But to my fairness the pattern/digram is in another language.



Here's how I began.

Pattern 0ne

Hat!

Easy peasy (hopefully)

Mössa

Storklek: Vexenmodell, lätt att minska till barnmodell.

Garn: Ett tjockt,mjukt och luftigt ullgarn rekommenderas. Till mössan s. 16 och 24 har” Gute” garn från Bergå använts.

Garnåtgång: 1-1 1/5 hg.

Tips: Om man vill ha en smidigare mössa kan man dra ifrån 5 cn på

Uppläggningsvaret och vika upp enkel kant.

Translated

Cap



Storklek: Vexenmodell, easy to reduce the child model.

Yarn: A thick, soft and fluffy wool is recommended. To cap p. 16 and 24 have "Gute" yarn from Berg used.

Materials: 1hg.

Tip: If you want a flexible cap, you can subtract 5 cm on

Posting answer and unfold single edge.

Ok then lets work that out……..

Diagram below

This was my big mistake the 36 width and the 44 height I assumed was Cm's So attempt one just like my Fiona hat grew way to fast to ever be a basic hat.



Attempt two



36 stitches

44 rows



And I'm off again.



Here I have to apologise to Helen(Sticka) and Karin(Ex knit lab)



As they kindly offered me a lot of help with the translating, but this post was already prepared and ready to go.(Organised week)



So I promise my next translate will be Spot on......100%;-)



Below attempt two............

Phoenix

More Photos of Phoenix, to finish I just have to complete the skirt. One skein that today I will go to Panduro(Swedish craft store)



Which was where I purchased the yarn and hopefully they will have some thing similar, as I brought the orange a while back in the sales:-(.

Traditional yet funky

Detailed neck stitch, I think that this is my favourite part.

Christmassy Ribbon

Twisty Stitch

My knitting challenge (Julia Childs Style)

My knitting challenge

The book is by MAJ-BRITT ENGSTROM

A 1975 published Swedish book in Swedish being step one of the challenge,

Stica Lätt

På Nytt

Sätt

Raka stycken och räta

Maskor. Med 25 plagg

For Barn and vuxna

Translation (roughly) the front page introduction of the book

Knitting Easy

(for this Im using google translate none are 100% but this seemed the best)

New

Way

Straight pieces and straight

Stitches. 25 garments

For children and adults

Published by Prisma

An earlier post about this book

http://knits-and-pearls.blogspot.com/2009/06/how-to-knit-jumper-with-no-pattern-1975.html

The Challange

My Juila Child, Julie blog film/book version inspiration but of course knitting not cooking challenge.

For me knitting is a challenge!

The most difficult part is that it’s all in Swedish and I don’t understand Swedish.

A little,(3rd year here) yes, no, please and the odd knit term but that it that's my Swedish in a nut shell.

So a lot of typing and thankful for translators.

I also as you all know have a few very good Swedish knitting friends (aka)

Knit family that I'm sure will be laughing loudly at my translation.

Before I even start this challenge I need to work out how to add the dots!

(Keep reading you’ll see)

Unlike the Julie Julia film challenge, she had a time set 1 recipe a day? in 365 days (I think)

Knitting and translating will obviously take me a little longer, not a year but a few days to weeks each project.

(1st pattern, the hat above. Looks easy but we will see.)

The reason for this book choice

The reason for choosing this book, I will type the back translation.

I think from what I can tell!, From the picture and diagrams that it is aimed at non

Pattern readers like my self.

So here’s to the translation…….

Wish me luck, I feel a good challenge coming on.

Sa har roligt och enkelt kan det vara att stick!

Did have fun and easy it can be to stick!

Ok..........so far so good.

Du behover bara kunna upplaggining, ratstickning och avmaskning, och aven pa

Detta finns enkla beskrivningar I boken.

Ok, I need to add the dots etc as the translater just will not work……deworming?

You only need to upplaggining, by ticking and deworming, and also on

This is simple descriptions in the book.

Lets try that again!

Du behöver bara kunna uppläggining, rätstickning och avmaskning, och även på

detta finns enkla beskrivningar I boken.

2^nd try

You only need to uppläggining, PLAIN and deworming, and also on

this is simple descriptions in the book

Avmaskning = Worming de-worming this I will need help with?

Bestäm själv färg, garn, stickor och storlek. Använd gärna gamla restgarner. Sätt igång och sticka mössor, vantar, sockor, tröjor, polokragar, halsduker, schalar, jumprar, klänningar, blusar, solliv, linen, vaster, jackor, koftor, kappor, ponchos och väskor på ett

Nytt och inspirerande sätt!

And again

Decide for yourself paint, yarn, knitting needles or size. Please use the old residual yarns. Go ahead and knit caps, gloves, socks, sweaters, polo collars, scarves, shawls, sweaters, dresses, blouses, solliv, linen, waistcoats, jackets, cardigans, capes, ponchos and bags in a

New and inspiring way!

I will start the challenge today.

Phoenix

My back and the sleeves, the left sleeve a brand new stitch for me. Discovered whilst running errands in the car on sat, Rich was doing the driving.



I was doing the crochet experimenting, whist back seat driving.

Almost completed



I was one orange skein short of completing the full skirt. I need to go shopping and try and find a yarn that is the same thickness, nothing in my stash will suffice.

Shrek bag lining

How I lined the knitted Beret bag.



I took one old recycled carrier bag

(You know the fabric type that replaced the plastic)



1st I cut the strap off, then stitched it loose in side the knitted bag. To make the body of the bag stronger thus stopping the stretching and keeping the bag shape a little better.

Inspiration, Dedication, Crochet Experimentation.

My Fiona Hat

(Biggest Beret ever, featured if you scroll down the blog)
I really tried to make it smaller but with my best effort,

It still fell down over my eyes,

So a bag it is! (Yes Angela, we think very alike)

I made the strap free-form and when I took the photo,
I loved the shadow.

And of cousre, my new hobbie seems to be play on
Paint Shop.

So I Crocheted played away,

pleased with my Art Knit results.

Original

Foil

Foil Edges, Below
Leather

International Friday,

my most recent Stockholm knit cafe.

A quick mention for the school knit cafe I run, this week had the biggest turn out yet 11 and two babies. 8 different country's represented, randomly three Brits,

French,
German,
Maltese,
Australian,
Canadian,
Swedish, and Macedonian.

The group is split almost 60/40
(knitting the most popular, but I'm working on that:-)
knitters and Crocheters, beginners to advanced. Some just stopped by for a coffee and to be inspired.

Aleah a knitting Newbe, eventually got the confidence to (KIP) knit her stitches in public and even learn a little crochet, Celine and karin happy to help.

Sabine modelled her newly finished lilac top, Anita working away at those slippers Norwegian style.

Suzanne getting thorough her projects at a rate of naught's!!!
(looking forward to the cushion unveiling)

Our aim
Chat, pass patterns look at inspirational books and just generally have fun.


Angela Hatton

My dear friend, designed a free form dress inspired around me!

"Free form expert, is quoted on her blog"

(I'm very proud) Angela (aka Quirky lil knits)

A knitted professional so I feel privileged that I inspired her.

As she, to me......Vise'r(Vise)... Verser.

A dress I made in 2008 Angela
(Inspired by yes you get the theme here, Angela)

Inspriational over load.

http://knits-and-pearls.blogspot.com/2008_03_01_archive.html

Twisty Crochet Funky Phoenix

So I frogged the pink........
Then I began again using the Red lidl acrylic and the left over
Maria's Garn yarn. (Marks & Kattens,funky bright sock yarn)

Sitting today watching The Sex in The City Movie

I just have to stop here and talk about that movie. Honesty, hand on heart, I absolutely love that movie. The Writers did me proud.
(Yes I am a huge sex in the city fan)

I like that the movie repeats so many of the best lines..........Ever

Ever ever from all the series, It gives me goose bumps talking about it.

If I can ever get past the part that he jilts her with out crying, i'll be amazed.

That's usually the point that I make a cuppa, but I still get choked.
On an hormonal day sobs! (soft)

I think that it is because I have watched every series so many times that I almost believe that it is true, that its their real live's.

Carrie and Big, WOW.

I diverse as usual, Inspired by such strong women characters, my crochet was on a roll.

TWISTY STITCH

I have used this Twisty Stitch before when I made Vogue Buttons,

I used it on one of the sleeves, black glittery one.(it's on my web site)

www.knittingforart.com

Here is my Twisty Stitch work shop, as promised.

Quick version as I'm not a teacher/nor do I know the technical term for any parts of the stitch, so here goes with pictures;-)

1) Wrap the yarn around 6 times.

Slightly Advanced Crochet.(maybe)

But you will get their eventually, practice make perfect.

Next step

You then go in the next available hole, I love the structure and the pattern of crochet it is so easy to see where the stitch needs to go.

It's almost like a game of connect four and once the structure is started you can see where to drop the red or yellow chip.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connect_Four

Then wrap the yarn around and back through.

A closer upper;-)

Pull back through two stitches at a time, this way the twist starts to form.

The last two pull through and then go again. I don't use an end stitch here.

Stitch Completed.

Here is my skirt part of my dress almost completed.

Autumn Dress Phoenix

Autumn Inspiration
And I have my new dress Phoenix.



What to say, what to do! well 1stly this Red Heart Pink,
I was really disappointed.........

I know the mention of acrylic's make a lot of peoples heads turn.

But as you know, if you know or follow me, they make my art affordable.

But this pink, knitted up "O" so very cheap.

I have actually today frogged it, and begun again............

So that will make for the next post!

Back seam the ladder red (Lidl yarn) Oj oj oj and it's pretty impressive sock yarn.

This impressive back stitch up was the result of yesterdays take my stitch to town

And no not an impressive kenny Rogers song title,

My dress and how Im going to fasten it!;-)

Here's the pink top layer which today I flogged!!!!! I mean frogged green and cute small county beating/you think I would get that right?

I Can not blame it all on the dyslexia..........

(Some times it's just simply stupidity;-)

Cheap

Cheap acrylic Yarn, and I use cheap all the time but this just felt so poor.

Spilty!!!!

Pink up close, reminded me of a baby Loopy jacket? remember that stitch
(long time ago)

The Orange is Ull, wool to every one out of Sweden I have such little Swedish I like to use the words that I am confident in ant ULL is one of them.

One skien short of a full skirt I will have to work on that but for now it's on the back burner.

I need to catch back up on the frogged Stitches.

Lidl yarn this week, this type of deal is only on for special set weeks and this week is one of them in Stockholm.

This pack of a lovely red orange was 59kr around £5 bargain. It,s really soft and sumptuous.


Fiona Hat Modification


Well I'm trying, I have used crochet to pull in the knitted Beret, so far not so good it still is huge and I have a large head;-(