Monday, September 14, 2015

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.
 
 

 

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

...another testknit...YAY

had the pleasure to do a testknit for lovely Justyna
...sometimes I am a lucky girl, right?

just loooove how mine turned out...love the colour (used two yarns held together), love the drape (think it's all about the linen...), love the whole jumper!!!

there is a little story behind my threads ....
when Justyna offered me to test her new sweater I only could say: YES!
she sent me the pattern and I (like I usually do when testing) printed the pattern to be able to write my notes into the pattern (not that there was much to write down...her testversions are ususally perfectly written...not like mine....hahaha)
I found a lovely yarn combo (Isager Bomulin and Blackhill Pacalina) and started immediately
...I was right through the Stockinette part of the yoke, and had done the first 2 rounds of the lace pattern, when we left for the birthday party of my sisters boyfriend
...it was a lovely, sunny day with lots of laughter, good food and some relaxing time to knit....I got about 15 cm of the body done...just to realize (I only had 2 pages of the pattern with me at the party...because I was sure that I know how to work the lace pattern)
that I omitted round 3 and round 6 of the lace pattern all the time....
can you believe this????????????????

sh...happens, right?
after some minutes (I needed them to cool down) I ripped back ...and here we are:
a beautiful cool jumper that will be worn to death, promise!!!


photos are taken before blocking, but you can see the gorgeous drape, can you?

pattern. Threads by Justyna Lorkowska 

hope you have good days

isa m.

 

 

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

the Boardwalk Collection Blog Tour Part 3

...today's my day of the Blog Tour...so...here we go!

The Boardwalk Collection has been designed to showcase Islington DK, Kettle Yarn Co.'s thicker weight yarn in the same fibre content as the popular Islington fingering - 55% British Bluefaced Leicester/ 45% silk. A digital issuu ‘look-book’ was created for the heirloom collection with each pattern available digitally from the designers direct by on Ravelry.




...and me and myself were lucky enough to be part of this journey... :)


Arcade – a sumptuous A-line top by Isabell Kraemer 
Bagatelle – a long, sensuous lace cowl by Rachel Brown
Pavilion – an opulently glamorous rectangular wrap by Renée Callahan
Promenade - a exquisite lace cardigan by Maria Magnusson
Jetty – a gently flowing, crescent shawl by Linda Lencovic
Seaward – an elegant lace and cabled hat by Rachel Coopey

When Linda offered me to work with her beautiful yarn I had some difficulties to choose from her wonderful range of bases. But then she told me about Islington DK and I knew I had to try this one....:)

Islington DK is a luxurious blend of 55% British Bluefaced Leicester and 45% silk that is robust (that's what I most love about it....quirky, I know ;)) and versatile while maintaining buttery softness. Each 100g skein measures 212m/232yds.




The collection highlights six shimmering, juicy new shades: Marigold, Padparadscha, Peony, Purple Reign, Verdigris, and Neckinger.
look at these gorgeous colours....makes me wonder why I decided to go with a grey (...not that Old Smoke isn't a stunning colourway as well) 
When I wound the first skein I knew that I had to create a sweater that showcases the elegance of the yarn, and still is casual enough to wear it with jeans

...here it is....Arcade





a jumper that can be dressed up or worn casual with jeans (...or maybe a striped shirt underneath.....hahaha). Worked seamlessly from the top down, Arcade is an easy knit that can be adjusted to your own liking (you know that you can try your garments on from time to time to check the overall fit and length of the yoke, when you work from the top down, don't you?). Just for the fun of it I added diagonal eyelet stripes to both front and back and they turned out soooo lovely...that a tester (Lydia - gypsythedog) added them to her sleeves as well (gorgeous addition....love the creativity of my 'gang')...go check out their stunning testknits here


Want to get your hands on Islington DK this summer??? You can buy the yarn online at kettleyarnco.co.uk or see Kettle Yarn Co. at Fibre East 25-26 July and the Yarn in the City Pop-Up Marketplace in London on 5 September.


tomorrow the Blog Tour stops at Curious Handmade

see ya' there ♥





 

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Kaarina and Ingrid....after a long journey

it's been a while that I made these 2 beauties....
don't ask me what happend during the last months...
but finally the pattern for Ingrid 




and for Kaarina
were released today!!!!








maybe we can do a KAL (no fear! not immediatley....., I know...holiday season, hot weather,.....) in the group? I thought about a general sweater KAL in fall (starting beg of september or so)...what do you think? 

hope you all have fun out there

xxx
isa m.

 


Friday, July 10, 2015

Dexter left the house

....it's 'only' 4 weeks that I last wrote here...yay!!!
maybe I can keep going on this way...1 post a month should be doable.... ;)

the pattern is published and I am happy to hear (and see...hahaha)  that some of you already started their very own Dexter 
it is a versatile, cute cardigan that can be worn with jeans, or your favorite summer dress

 for the red sample I worked with easyknits.co.uk Arcadia a lovely alpaca base that comes in some really, really beautiful colours 


there are so many other things going on at the same time right now (seams that this is usual behaviour for my life for quiet a while now)
running 5 testknits at a time (2 public - go and have a look through the test threads in the group ...and 3 secret ones)...I should quit my dayjob....


today another long kept secret was published

Arcade  was a perfect collaboration between kettleyarnco.co.uk and me...

Linda does such a glorious dyejob... (I am only a knitter...not a dyer...and I am impressed by those lovely colours one can do)

it's not usual that all is going smooth within such collaborations, but this one was pure pleasure for me...I just had to create a new sweater...everything else ( and I bet there was a lot of work behind) was done by Linda...
go and check out her beautiful yarns here...
you won't regret it , I swear ;)

some more designs with her lovely Islington Dk base will show the next days, stay tuned and check out The Boardwalk Collection

love ya' all

Isabell
 

 

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

it's been a while.....but you all know me ....I am still knitting (hahaha)

I won't try to talk about all the crazy things that happened since my last blog post....this post would be HUUUUUUUGE, and as always time is a rare thingy at the moment

I am doing testknits at the moment...YAY!...testknitting was so rare for me the last months, and I seriously missed it
so.... the first testknit after a long time was this beautiful cardigan (finished this a while ago, but it's worth to be mentioned...!)

pattern. Naima by Ankestrick (aka Fallmasche)
yarn. finkhof-merinowolle-dünn a rustic, 'sheepy', low processed wool made in germany
loooved working with it (I used this yarn before for my wanderling and for my own version of phillipa

a few days ago I finished a sweater testknit for Justyna....think I have to wait until I am allowed to show it...just a few words about it...it's gorgeous, it's lacy, it's casual, it's blue (hahaha...only mine is blue), and it's soooooo utterly cool - just love it

I used 2 yarns held together and I swear I will use these yarns together again
they gave me such a cool and drapey fabric! 
ok....I used 1 strand Isager Bomulin, held together with Blackhill Pacalina (a thin linen/alpaca blend ...just gorgeous)

oh...just another thing before I have to leave for work.....Dexter will be ready for release very, very soon...so... all of you waiting for Dexter, make sure you keep an eye out for a bloody red (cute) cardigan♥


or for a light pink one???????

 
 hope you all have good days

love
isa m.