3 Favorites - Week 3

My three favorites this week are all related to my wish to travel. It's spring, it's been a while since I've left my nest and I'm feeling hungry for new inspiration. These two places are my favorites, and the third is my favorite thing to look for in a new city.

Image by _dChris

London, England

Image by Bosc d'Anjou

Lisbon, Portugal

Image by Mr.TinDC

Yarn stores

The Process of Wool

Left: Picking locks of wool into clouds.                                        Right: Bamboo and Mohair to be mixed in with the wool.

I washed this wool 2 years ago. It's been living in an IKEA-box under our bed since it was dry enough to go in there, just waiting for me to get to it. This week I had two night shifts, that promised to be quiet enough to get some wool picking done.

Wool picking is the process before it goes in the carding machine. Some wool is already fluffy enough to go straight in, but not this one. Firstly because it was the first wool I ever washed, so I was a bit hard on it and it felted in places. Secondly because this wool was not sorted, nor was the sheep wearing coats, so there's plenty of second cuts and vegetable matter. Wool picking is opening the locks up, so they resemble fluffy clouds.

After I had picked the entire box, and tricked my husband into helping me with it, I carded the wool. I own a Louët Drum Carder Standard, which is wonderful to work with. After running about 50 grams of wool through once, I mixed in some other fibers, like bamboo, firestar, mohair and nylon, making sure to measure up what I used for each batt and writing it down. Some of the batts I ran through the drum carder 3 times, others up to 6 times, depending on how blended I wanted the fibers to be.

These are 3 batts of 50g each, after the first run through the carder.

Now I've got a box full of finished carded batts under the bed instead of raw wool, ready to be dyed or spun when I feel like it.

The Knit Girllls Stash Dash 2015

The Knit Girllls' Stash Dash 2015 is starting May 22nd and lasts till August 14th.
If you're not familiar with The Knit Girlll's, I can tell you that it's a video podcast by Leslie and Laura that is most amusing to watch. It's like being in a knit group every week. 
They've got a thriving group on Ravelry, and this is where Stash Dash is happening. To quote what it is: "This isn’t a contest - it’s a group event to knock down some of our accrued stash." 
Each person sets a goal of how many thousand meters they will knit, spin, crochet or otherwise craft out of their stash. This year it looks like there will be a 3k, 5k and 10k goal. I'm aiming at the 5k, five thousand meters of yarn knitted out of my stash! 

This is my current UFO(UnFinished Objects)-pile that I will aim to finish: 

1. Still Light Tunic

This has been on the needles since June 2014. It was a weak start. The summer of 2014 was one of the warmest in a long time here in Norway, so a dress of wool on thin needles didn't tempt at all. Then it was out shined by new projects in brighter colors, only receiving a few rows now and then when I needed a good TV-knit. After Christmas I was a bit lost at what I wanted to knit, so I forced myself to knit on this and nothing else during my night shifts at work. I got both sleeves done in two nights! I've only got a few centimeters left now, and one pocket, so I ought to finish it. It should give me about 2000 meters worth of yarn de-stashed. 

2. Blueberry Waffle Socks for the husband

These have been on the needles for a shamefully long time, meaning a few months. I was on such a sock knit roll earlier this year, but  when I grew tired of it, all breaks were on! And this is all I left. It will get finished. 

3. College Sweater

I did enjoy knitting on this a lot, but I ran out of yarn. It's been waiting for the shipment of fresh forces, and should be easy to finish up. It's nice, thick merino on needles 3.5mm, and it's a itty-bitty-sized sweater.

4. Homespun Sweater

This too should be a quick finish. It's been in the UFO basket for a bit because I've been unsure if I've got enough yarn to finish it, or if it'll just end up being a vest. The insecurity has made it a less attractive knit in the evenings, unfortunately. 

5. Serpentine Socks by Wendy D. Johnson

Knit from a petrol blue handspun (BFL/nylon), and the only thing remaining is the ever-so-boring rib on both socks.

6. Almondine by Anne Hanson

I'm knitting these out of purple Malabrigo. They're great, but I can't memorize the pattern so they're slow going.

7. Green Raglan Sweater

Knit out of Kauni on needles 4.mm/US 5/UK 8, this should be a quick knit. It's knit top down and I'm doing the waist shaping right now. Sleeves will be done in a matter of two nightshifts (thumbs-up for quiet nights).

8. Diamond Gansey Socks by Wendy D. Johnson

Ever since I learned to knit socks I've been wanting to knit these. But I haven't had the skills or the right yarn. Now I've got both, so I can't wait to get these done. I need to buy some new cute Mary Jane-shoes to show them off this autumn!

I'm knitting these out of Uncommon Thread Tough Sock that I bought at Loop in London when we were  there on our honeymoon. Perfect match, in other words.

I'm also hoping to spin a bit during Stash Dash. I've got two batts of some grey wool left that I'm spinning for a cardigan. I also joined Three Water's Farm's Top Of The Month Club, as well as ordered a braid from them that I just couldn't resist. In the past week I have also processed one box of Norwegian wool that I had ... Let me just say that I'm lucky to have an understanding husband.

3 Favorites - Week 2

Socks from the Toe up by Wendy D. Johnson
I adore this book. I bought it a good long while ago, and was daunted by the instructions and charts, being brand new to knitting socks from the toe up. I just picked it up again and really, it's not hard at all. The patterns are really, really good! They're well thought-through, and I've yet to get stuck anywhere (apart from my own uselessness, I should know that reading through the pattern before beginning is a good idea by now.) I'm currently knitting two pairs of socks from this book, and I just can't get over how much fun it is. Highly recommended!
This book can be bought several places, they're listed on Wendy's page.

I need a prompt.
Sometimes I need to step out of my comfort-zone and try to draw or write something I normally wouldn't think of. This page is great for that. You can choose nouns, adverbs, adjectives, location ... Endless possibilities at the click of a button!

Have you seen Pusheen the cat?
I'm sure you've come across it somewhere on the internet, here you've got all of the drawings! I always go here when I need a pick-me-up. I also love that Pusheen has stickers on Facebook's messenger. I use it instead of words, just ask my friends.
Pusheen is also on Instagram.

Illustration

I've drawn for as long as I can remember. As you might have guessed by now I feel fairly creative and I can't contain it to just one craft. 

I often sketch out the garments I wish to knit. This is a raglan sweater I'm currently working on, with YO in the raglan.

 I began drawing "seriously" when I was 12. I had big plans on making a living for myself as an artist. And there was no doubt in my mind that I could do it if I just practiced, dressed right and hung out with the right people. Oh, to be that young again. (Not really.)

Mange and anime had just arrived in Norway, and being so different from anything that was on the market already, it drew aspiring artists like myself to it like wasps to beer. I've put that behind me now, but I'm glad I got to try it out. It taught me to draw in a way I doubt I would have tried if I went to a classic "Learn to draw realistic"-course. I've had my own style since then, ever changing, but at least I'm trying.

The manga-wave is also to blame for bringing me online, where I met a community as interested in drawing as myself. It's also where I met my husband!

I decided to take Arts in High School, and that was by far the most clever decision of my life. Not only did my style and preconceptions about art get challenged, but I learned a variety of new things, and met some kick-ass people at the same time.

After High School I started working, instead of studying. I was faced with reality and adulthood and inspiration took a back seat. Way back, it was like it became a bumper sticker on the back of the bus that is my life. I did pick up knitting at this time, because I desperately needed wool socks in my new city. But the art was gone for a long time. Until now.

I've left all thoughts of living off my art behind, starving artist just isn't my style. But I do hope I get to illustrate a book one day. That is my secret little dream.

Knitting

I learned to knit when I was about 6 years old, while I was in after-school. There was an elderly woman there that taught me to knit. Even if she hadn't taken the time to teach me, I would have been taught it later. I grew up in a family where all the women knit, so I've never known that it was possible to not knit. During my teens the knitting was put away and the pencil picked up instead. I was more interested in art for a long while. What brought knitting back into my life was a deep wish to own a pair of Norwegian selbu mittens.

My mum would not knit me a pair. It's not that she can't, but rather that I could do it myself if forced. I had never tried stranded knitting before, so this was something brand new for me. It was not easy, I had to re-learn how to knit on five needles, I frogged the knitting many times and I had to figure out how to hold two strands of yarn at the same time. But i succeeded and the knitting fire had been re-lit!

I'm known at work as the knitting girl. I've overheard people mention me, not knowing my name but referring to me as "that young girl that's always knitting". I'm strangely pleased with that, but it also goes to show just how big a part of my life knitting is. I've even got an emergency kit in my closet at work; one ball of sock yarn and 5 double-point needles. You know, just in case I should forget my knitting at home.

From this post it looks like I only knit stranded, but I don't. I'll show you more of what I'm knitting later, but I update my Ravelry and Instagram frequently.

3 Favorites - Week 1

I'd like to share three favorite things with you every weekend, this is first three things I'd like to share:

Top Of The Month Club by Three Waters Farm

I just joined this. I've bought two of their braids before and I just love this fiber so much, and the colors! I was looking to buy a braid again from their Etsy store, but I just could not decide on one. I wanted all the colors! Then I discovered there's a club, where for a really reasonable price, you'll receive one braid a month (or more if you want). After a look on our budget we decided I deserved this; I'm so excited! My first braid will arrive in May.

The braid on the picture is named Scottish Landscape, it was my first braid from TWF. It spun up like a cloud, and I'm saving the finished yarn for a special sweater.

The Blue Rabbit House

I can't stop looking at her illustrations! The soft tender lines, then the surprising amount of details, not quite realistic but so far from abstract. She has a style that speaks to me, and I truly enjoy it when she posts new pictures. I also love how she incorporates these into her craft and the final item that she sells in her Etsy store. On the subject of her store, do go in and look at what she creates there. I bought a crochet hook holder from her in 2012 to hold all my double point needles. That holder is in constant use, on constant travel and under a lot of wear, and it still looks brand new. Her stuff is quality! 

Sarah Selecky's Daily Writing Prompts

I used to write short stories all the time before. Then life happened and the inspiration disappeared. Lately I've felt the need to put my thoughts on paper again (or rather into a google document, so I can access it at all times). I do feel a bit rusty though, so when I found Sarah Selecky's Daily Writing Prompts through Pinterest, I signed up immediately. It's free, and every day she will send an email with a prompt. I choose to write only for 10 minutes. If I feel done before those 10 minutes are up, I force myself to continue. If I'm not, I finish it right then and there anyways. It's working well for me so far.

Spinning wheel

In 2013 I heard about spinning in a modern setting for the first time. I was watching The Knit Girllls' podcast (you should really check them out if you enjoy knitting, spinning or general nerdiness), and that's where I first discovered that this wasn't just a craft of the past. I started checking out norwegian websites and soon found that there was quite the community here as well. Being the nerdy crafter I am, and on the quest to expand my hobby, I set out to learn this. I signed up for a beginner's course at Spinnvilt and my mind was blown. An entirely new world opened up to me, and it was wonderful! It was filled with a whole new understanding of how clothes are made, and just to top it; the community is amazing! I've yet to meet a surly, crabby person. Even when it comes to different opinions on how things should be done, there's no quarreling. For a conflict-shy person like myself that is awfully refreshing.

It didn't take long after that first course before I bought my first spinning wheel (I say first, because there will be more wheels in my future. This hobby has now become a lifestyle.)

It took me a good bit of contemplating, but I ordered the Louet S11 Julia from Spinnvilt, and I've never looked back. It's got double treadle and it's made in birch. It feels sturdy and safe to knit on. The only thing I'm missing is the ability to spin more yardage on it! I can fit 100g/4.oz on it, but I often want to spin more than that in one go. I feel like a new wheel might come my way in the future, not to replace Julia, but to join the family.

Before I got the spinning wheel I bought a spindle to try this out, and to see if I liked spinning enough to spend money on a wheel (because they're not cheap, but definitely worth it). I enjoy the simplicity of spindles, but I'll tell you about that in a later post. 

About setting up

Setting up this blog again has been confusing. The blogosphere is huge, and I've struggled to figure out what I actually wanted to do with mine. I use Instagram regularly, and I follow a lot of great people. But sometimes they post images I want to look closer at, and I just so wish they had a webpage as well where I could look closer at what they share. That's what I want this page to be; an extension of the profile I keep at IG.

For the past 5-8 years my online avatar has been an owl with red glasses. That started in my youth because, apparently I look a bit like an owl according to friends, and I wear big, red glasses. Hence;

I had an idea to change my avatar when I first started refurbishing this blog. So I drew up several sketches for a new owl.

But for now I'm just keeping my avatar and I'll get back to this idea. 

Mainly because I can't decide on any of the above. They're all sweet, but non of them feel like "me"! 

Introduction

Hi! I'm Podam and I'd like to welcome you to my blog. Here I will be sharing some of my interests with you.

I live in Norway, sharing my home with my husband and an immeasurable amount of yarn, wool and fiber. If you've yet to guess; I enjoy knitting and spinning and spend most of my time on that. But once in a while I pick up some old interest that I've only recently returned to; illustrating and writing. I was heavily into this a few years ago, but life happens and inspiration left me. I re-found inspiration in the fiber-world, but lately life has come on track again and my old sketchbooks have started humming my name again.

I hope you will enjoy following me, but if my life isn't interesting to you that's also fine. I'm glad you looked in on me.

I can also be found on Instagram and Ravelry!