Finished Object: Sliver

Pattern: Sliver by Jen Geigley
Yarn: Malabrigo Rasta
Colour: Pearl Ten
Needles: 10mm round needles
Start of project: January 24th, 2016
End of project: January 24th, 2016

On Ravelry

I saw this hat a while ago and fell in love instantly. The simple pattern with a little twist looked just like the thing I needed to have. I thought about knitting it with Quarry but then that yarn took a while to arrive (it would have been too thin anyway...) so I decided to find another yarn.

I saw that there were a couple of projects that had used Malabrigo Rasta (looking up yarn ideas is totally my favourite feature on Ravelry, because it shows you all the different yarns other people used and you can also read their thoughts about it) and I decided to go with that.

Yesterday my new yarn arrived in our letter box. Luckily I had just finished the body of my Ravine is the New Oranje and had to wait for it to dry, so I could cast on right away. I needed to knit the XL, my head is pretty big and my gauge was a bit off but now I am really happy with the way it fits. Yannick modelled it for me as well and I think it looks cool even though he never wears hats because they ruin his hair ;-)

This hat is such a fast knit, it only took me a couple of hours and then it was ready to be worn. I really love the little sliver that appeared after I dropped a stitches all the way down. And I am glad that winter isn't over too soon because even though I have lots of hats I always seem to see another one that I'd love to cast on ;-)

My precious are all here

106 days ago I was on holiday in Brighton with Yannick. We had spent a lovely day outdoors walking towards the chalk cliffs of the Seven Sisters and were quite tired when we got back to our hotel room, so we settled down and we both checked into the internet. Yannick watched his weird youtube films and I browsed the blogs I read and had a check-in on ravelry.

And then I saw this blog entry by VeryShannon were all the lovely sweaters and cardigans that had got knit during the Summer Sweater Knitalong 2015 were showcased. I was happy to see that Yannick's sweater was shown as well as the little stripey Playdate I'd knit for my newest niece.

And then I scrolled down to the end of the entry where the winners of the giveaway were listed.

And then I squealed and really freightened Yannick because I acutally saw my name there.

I usually never win anything but here I was, the winner of prize package #1.

So amazing, it still gives me the shivers after all these days.

And today I can show you everything because the last part just arrived:

• pompom magazine for a year - which is great because I love pompom and I always listen to their podcasts and I already knit a few of their patterns (Take Heart, Waterlily and Hitchcock) and I am sure there will be more...
• the Fringe Supply Co Field Bag - I hadn't had a proper bag for my knitting before so I am very happy to travel in style now. So far, I took the bag to the Swiss Mountains, but I am pretty sure this will travel with me pretty much everywhere I'll travel to.
• 7 skeins of Big Sister Yoth Yarn - a yarn I'd been lusting after for a while. I chose Thyme and Hazelnut for my colours and I am pretty sure this will be knit into a Clarke Pullover.
• and last but not at all least 4 skeins of Quarry and 4 Brooklyn Tweed patterns - this was probably the part I was most looking for because that yarn looked so tempting and I have to say it is just as beautiful on my sofa than it was on the pictures online.

So thank you thank you thank you again, for sending me all these wonderful presents.

Currently Knitting: Ravine is the New Oranje

Pattern: Oranje by Ann Weaver
Yarn: Tanis Fiber Art Purple Label
Colours: Ravine, Charcoal, Natural
Needles: 3.75mm and 4mm round needles
Start of project: December 30th, 2015

On Ravelry

Just before the new year began I finally started the cardigan that I'd originally planned to knit for SSKAL2015.

I'd seen the beautiful Oranje cardigan sometimes last spring and decided that was going to be my sweater project for the summer. I ordered the yarn but then I got sidetracked. Babies were born and needed gifts, Yannick and Andreas wanted their own sweaters and I knit lots of stuff, just never the cardigan I had planned.

I think I got kind of scared of this whole project, lots of fair isle with the unknown territory of the steek at the end of it. Whenever I looked through my stash this beautiful yarn looked at me but I couldn't get myself to get started.

On the 30th I looked through my stash yet again and there it was, looking all unloved and sad and I decided to finally give it a try. I cast on and have been knitting quite a few hours on it this year.

I totally love the colour and the pattern looks beautiful. I think I chose the right size (I will be able to try it on soon) and I managed to do most of the Vikkle Braids. There are two more braids to be knit, one more fair isle pattern (just a few rows), about 15 stripes of charcoal and natural and then I'll have to block it before I will get to the seriously scary part, the steek. I think I'll knit a little test swatch and try to cut it apart because even our handycraft teacher who normally knows everything has never done steeks.

31 days of New You Yoga Programme - my first Crow Pose

Oh my god, I can't believe what just happened. I am soo excited ;-)

I started this new yoga programme by Candace "31 days of New You Yoga Programme" on the first of January. For once there were no hints of what pose to choose for the monthly pose, it could be anything. I decided to be totally bold and tackle one of the poses I was never able to even get close to (even though it's supposed to be a beginner's pose...), the Crow Pose.

ready to try

On my first day I was hopeless, I just had no idea how to even start. So I googled and found this fantastic, really slow explanation of how to do Bakasana for Beginners and it made so much sense. Neil Keleher explained with much detail how you don't have to do anything else but lean forward on your arms until it just lifts you off the ground. No trying to jump up into the pose nor any trying to lift one leg and then the other (which also never worked for me). Just lean forward until you are being lifted by your own weight.

fully concentrated but still on the ground

It didn't work on the first day nor on the second day, but I could feel that this was going in a very different direction (and in the right one) than any other tries I'd done before. Yesterday my neck muscles and my arms were sore and tight and it was rest day so I didn't even try. I wasn't sure if I'd be ready for another try but did it anyway after about 20 minutes of feelgood yoga. And it just worked. At first try just a little bit, then again for about half a second ;-) and then maybe for a whole second.

in the air!!! with a big smile and a red head

I was so excited that I asked Antonia if she could try to take a few pictures even though it was almost dark outside which makes for crappy light indoors and though I felt quite tired. She took photos and the first time I was actually able to stay up for about 5 seconds and I could have stayed maybe a tiny bit longer and the second time I got up quite high and it felt so good.

ready for the second try

What an unexpectedly fast success and now I have all the rest of the month to practice daily and to improve my posture.

yessss!