knitting – Life with Ólöf

Mine Slippers Review

January 11, 2019February 17, 2020 Olof

I purchased the Mine Slipper pattern by Faye Kennington at the end of December of 2018 after I had run across her Instagram where I saw them and I really wanted to make myself a pair. I have made several of these lovelies myself and others so far and I’m sure I will make quite a few more in the future as quick gifts.

The pattern is well written with a lot of explanations and options. Faye also manages to fit the pattern all on just 2 sides of a paper which I appreciate when I print out patterns or purchase them already printed. The pattern is easy to memorize after knitting a pair. I only have to refer to it now when I am making different sizes so I know what to leave out since I have giant feet and made the biggest size for myself. Size 11 USA and 42 in European sizes.

I chose to make the left a mirror of the right but I don’t think that is a must, it would look fine either way. I used Thick and Quick yarn by Lion Brand Yarn, which makes this a very economical project and a US size 6 double pointed needles and each pair only took me about an evening to do. I’m a quick knitter so the average knitter should be able to manage around one in an evening.

On the first pair I made I missed a line in the pattern and forgot to knit 4 rows after the picked up stitches on the sides of the cables. I loved the way they looked. I tried knitting another pair following the pattern exactly and I was not a big fan because I felt they came up too far on the ankle and where just a little too loose. I thought they were more fitted and slipper like without the 4 knit rows. My mess up slippers were so popular with my friends that I had several ask me if I could make them some. Of course there were a few that deserved a pair and since it only takes me an evening, and I still enjoy making them, I obliged.

These were for a mom friend that spends a lot of her time helping out at my kids’ school and leads M’s Bear Den at Cub Scouts. Because of her my kids’ lives are more enriched. The least I could do was knock out a pair for her, especially since she brought her own yarn.

In conclusion, these are a joy to make. I really love a quick project that is also functional. It always makes me feel so accomplished and proud of myself. Especially when I have been working on big projects or I have gotten out of the knitting groove. I wear these every day at the moment, especially when I am getting out of bed or lounging around in my PJs. I think they are just pleasing to the eye too.

What is your go to quick knit for gifts that everyone enjoys?

free, free stuff, knitting, pattern

Free Hat Pattern

December 31, 2018November 25, 2019 Olof

Spent some time recovering from a procedure that left me sitting more than usual and after spending some time on Instagram I was inspired to pick up the needles again. I had some yarn that had been sitting for a few years gathering dust that I started using first but realized that the yarn that the people on Instagram was on sale at Micheal’s so I made a trip and got a few skeins. After spending years being a yarn snob I was quite surprised with the feeling of Thick and Quick by Lion Brand Yarn. It is soft but doesn’t feel like the cheap stuff I had found in craft stores in the past. It has a blend of wool and synthetic fibers but it feels warm and comforting to the touch. I linked to Amazon where you can get it but I got it at Michael’s for only $6 a skein plus Oklahoma tax.

I made quite a few hats. Often getting 3 done in a day. I have 3 sizes, adult, kid and little kid.

This is a loose quick pattern that I just made up as I went along. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask in the comments so that others can see the answer when I answer you.

Here is what I used to make the hats:

Size 10 (8mm) double pointed needle

Thick and Quick by Lion Brand yarns in whatever color combos you wish. You will only need part of a skein even if you don’t do any color work.

Tapestry needle to weave in ends

Cardboard to make a pompom maker but you can purchase them on amazon too.

Small scissors to cut the yarn

Stitch markers

The Pattern

Cast on 10(12,14) stitches on each of 4 needles 40(48,52 stitches total) with your contrasting color if you plan on doing color work

k1,p1 for 6 (8,8) rows

Knit with main color for a full row

knit 1 with main color, knit one with contrasting color,* knit 3 with main color and knit one with contrasting color* repeat last 4 stitches until you reach the stitch marker.

Knit with the main color for a full row

Knit 3 with main color then one stitch of contrasting color and repeat that until you hit the stitch marker.

Repeat the last 4 rows for 4 (5,6) times or it measures the height of the persons crown that you are making it for.

Next row, with the main color, you knit 2 together and then knit one and repeat that until the end of the row

Then knit a row

Repeat the last 2 rows until there are fewer than 10 stitches left, end with a decrease row, cut a 6 inch tail, put it on a tapestry needle and pull the yarn through the remaining stitches and then weave in the ends

Next make a pom pom in whatever color you chose OR you can purchase the fake animal fur ones on amazon here. I just use cardboard. Here is a link to a video on how to make pom poms.

Attach the pom poms how ever you see fit. Some people like to put 2 like bear ears or like me I just add one to the very top.

Hope 2019 treats you well! Happy New Year!

ANKESTRICK, giveaway, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, knitting

New Favorite Designer ANKESTRICK and Giveaway!

May 14, 2013November 25, 2019 Olof

ANKESTRICK which goes by the username fallmasche is my new favorite designer on Ravelry. I stumbled upon her while I was surfing patterns on Ravelry and had to stop by and tell her how much I enjoy her creations. Here are some of my favorites….

Her designs are elegant but wearable. I love her natural colors and flattering designs.

Anke was nice enough to answer some of my questions.

Who is Fallmasche?

Hello, my name is Anke. I wanted to knit something after several years of not knitting and was looking for a shawl pattern on the internet. There was a nice one: “clapotis” on ravelry. Because clapotis was made out of dropped sts “Fallmaschen” in german, I took this name as my username. I was hooked on this pattern and made 5 or 6 of them.

How did you learn how to knit?

I learned it from the women in my family and in school. I always like to craft and from time to time knitting was my favorite for some months, maybe years.

When did you decide to start designing and why?

During my knitting times, I always made my own designs, but I hate sewing and could not get the shape I wanted when sewing. When I learned the top-down seamless knitting from all the talented ravelry designers I knew immediately, that I would be able to make the garments I like to wear. I love to see how it grows and being able to test the fit at every stage of the process. (especially the neckline, my favorite part of a garment)

What is your favorite pattern and why?

My own or in general? My own favorite is always the next one I have in my mind. My first and all-time favorite on ravelry (after clapotis 🙂 is Snowbird by Heidi Kirrmaier and than Holl by Kirsten Johnstone. Some day I’ll knit them …

Who is your favorite designer and why?

I love the cool plain style of Kirsten Johnstone (assemblage) design.

I could feel the joy playing around with knitting possibilities itself in the pieces of Heidi Kirrmaier and I love how she modeled them.

I admire the output and nonchalant style of Isabell (lilalu)

I admire too the simple but still charming pieces from Veera Välimäki.

And I like to put Nicole (chirimoya) on the list. Even if she didn’t publish here own designs, she always interprets a pattern with her own sophisticated style.

Where do you find inspiration?

Sometimes from the enthusiasm of trying to tape the full potential of seamless knitting itself. Sometimes from designs I saw on the street or in shops. Sometimes it is just enough to touch a nice yarn and the garment appears on my inner eye.

What are your favorite colors and fiber to work with?

My favorite thing is to knit with two threads of different yarns and colors to make the garment more lively maybe a little mysterious. I prefer to use natural based fibers.

You designing something at the moment and when do you believe it will be ready for the public?

I am planing to release my “Birdsong” ebook with several patterns. They all will use my new favorite neckline in different shapes. Very easy to knit and made for the warmer period of the year. I finished two (Tschilp and Zalp) of maybe 4 patterns, so it will take a little time until I will be able to publish it.

I have to say I am pretty excited to see what these new designs will look like!

Anke has been so generous to offer one of my readers a pick of her patterns. You get to go look at all her patterns and decide which one you would like. My personal favorite is the Walnuss since it is so versatile and usable.

This giveaway will be open til Monday, May 20th 2013.

Entry http://giveawaytools.com/wid/embed.php?sk=509734004 -Form

cascade, ecological, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, itty bitty toys, knitting, Mitered Cross Blanket, odds and ends blanket, recycling, spinning, the wacky windmill, turkish spindle, Yarn

Knitting Update- Blankets and Spinning

May 2, 2013November 25, 2019 Olof

As you can see on my to do list today is write a blog post and I realized that for being a blog with knitting in the title I have had very few posts about knitting lately. I have been busy the last 2 months designing things and making very large changes to my home and family for the better. But as I finished my last design project (having a giveaway tomorrow), I started revisiting some of my unfinished projects.

I have been spinning the fiber I got from The Wacky Windmill and finally plied it yesterday to make my first ball of plied yarn! Then I started spinning some more on my Turkish drop spindle. I have plenty of roving left to make more. Can’t wait to knit something with it.

I then had a ball wound up of odds and ends and in the spirit of not wasting yarn I crotchet it on to my odds and ends blanket. For this blanket I don’t care about the weight of the yarn. All I do is tie the ends together and then with a large crotchet hook, I just single crotchet it on. I love watching this blanket come together because each strand reminds me of one project or another.

Finished another block of the Miter Cross Blanket and started another. I have now finished 7 blocks and only have 3 more left to make before putting it together. The colored blocks are all made from leftover yarn from when I knit the Princess and the Pea while I was knitting through the Itty-Bitty Toys book by Susan B Anderson. It’s Lambs Pride worsted and the outside is Cascade Ecological wool. I’m trying not to have to purchase anything to finish this blanket but I might need to unravel a vest that doesn’t fit well to use the yarn to finish this blanket. Have any of you ever done that? I’ve been thinking about that a bit lately. Unraveling and re-purposing yarn from projects I no longer love.

What do you have on your needles these days?

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100 Things About Me

April 3, 2013November 25, 2019 Olof

I saw this on Lorna’s Laces and thought I would do mine.

1) I am 5’10”.

2) I have one brother and 4 sisters. They are all much older than I.

3) I have 3 male children.

4) My last child was born 11lbs 14oz.

5) I’m a part time vegetarian, only eating animals that were treated humanely.

6) I’ve been married since 2003.

7) I was born a blond, but have been a redhead and brunet and even all 3 at once. But right now I am naturally a brunet but get highlights every once in a while.

8) I used to be an apple picker in France.

9) I tended bar when I was in college.

10) I was fired once from being an apple picker in France when I was 17 because I was the only female and was distracting the other workers, slowing down production.

11) I learned to knit when I was 6.

12) I’ve lived in 3 different countries. Iceland, USA and France.

13) I use to hold grudges but have learned to let go.

14) When my ADHD is at it’s worst I stop being able to keep up with housework.

15) I wear a size 11 shoe . It use to be a size 10 but pregnancy really did a number on them.

16) My favorite color of yarn is grey.

17) I make a mean leg of lamb.

18) I’m planing on running my first 5k in 17 years on the 20th of April. God help me.

19) I wear glasses all the time since I am blind with out them.

20) I keep chickens.

21) I prefer baths to showers.

22) I’m reading through the 1001 books to read before you die list and I’m taking forever.

23) I wish I could fly first class all the time but I have only been bumped up a few times.

24) I don’t like carnival rides that make you feel like you are dropping.

25) I love wine.

26) Left to my own devices, I’d eat chocolate for all meals.

27) I sleep with 2 pillows.

28) If I find a piece of clothing I like and fits well, I’ll buy more than one in different colors.

29) I perpetually wish I was 25 pounds lighter.

30) I spend waaaay too much time on the computer

31) The homepage on my computer is Google.

32) I own stock in Google.

33) I need a vacation.

34) I have a red couch.

35) I like pedicures.

36) I don’t like Tulsa summers.

37) I am learning not to be so mean to myself.

38) I can’t keep almond butter in the house.

39) I drive a Mazda 5.

40) I belong to 2 book clubs.

41) My mom is amazing and lives in Iceland.

42) I am afraid I will get cancer since it runs in the family.

43) I am even more afraid of dieing with out warning and not being able to tell my children one more time that I love them.

44) I love to go to Paris.

45) I hope I never want to have plastic surgery.

46) Too many of my clothes are from the Gap.

47) I listen to audio books, not music, on my iPad.

48) I wish I gave myself more time to draw.

49) I have 15 nieces and nephews. The oldest is 29, the youngest is 5 years.

50) I almost always have chocolate in the house.

51) I wore retro suites in high school.

55) I once forgot that I was in London airport and not still in France and asked where the restroom was in French.

56) I prefer the Chocolate dessert.

57) I am afraid of failing.

58) I’m done having babies.

60) My spelling skills have gotten better because of spell check.

61) I have a bachelor’s degree in Mental Health Psychology with a minor in Business.

62) I love interviewing people.

63) I started smoking cigarettes in high school. Quit over 6 years ago.

64) I love making good food.

65) I’d like to go to Italy and soooo many other countries.

66) I have too any allergies.

67) I’d rather have jewelry then another kitchen product for my birthday.

68) My favorite flower is a calalily .

69) My husband is a genius.

70) I like to knit simple things.

71) I never wore braces.

72) I use to host New Years Eve dinner parties before kids.

73) I over think things.

74) I’d like to live in Europe again.

75) I’m not a big fan of perfume.

76) My husband’s blue eyes and height were what attracted me to him at first.

77) My dad is a retired airplane mechanic.

78) I wish I had more time.

79) I try not to have regrets.

80) My dream house is an old restored homestead in the south of France.

81) I love fountain pens.

82) I am impatient.

83) I get stressed when I am away from my baby when they are still breastfeeding.

84) You couldn’t pay me enough to be single again.

85) My handwriting is awful.

86) I grew up in Iceland and the USA

87) I listen to NPR more than any other radio station.

88) I love to wear a skirt or pin stripe pants when I get dressed up.

89) I wish I’d rather read than watch TV but I watch way too much TV.

90) I met my husband at a coffee shop.

91) I’m a dreamer.

92) I require Coffee.

93) My favorite color is grey.

94) I am planing on keeping bees for the first time this summer.

95) My right foot is bigger than my left foot.

96) I drink home brew Starbucks coffee.

97) I like cardigans better than pullovers.

98) I passionate about simplicity Parenting

99) I have been knitting more small projects lately.

100) I love designing knitwear and seeing that people value it enough that they purchase my pattern.

Now your turn!

bird house, Birthday, children, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, knitting, organizing, Painting, Parenting, Right now, scone

{This Moment}

January 29, 2013November 25, 2019 Olof

Starting my in this moment post and offer you to do the same on your blog and link to it in the comments. This post helps me ground myself. Feel how I’m feeling right now, seeing right now, and smelling. Using my senses and heart to feel the moment.

My Bird House

Magni Painting

Ódinn’s House

Morning Scones

Magni’s House

Added the fabric in the glass and a Basket for remotes

Organizing baskets and wool felt for birthday crowns

Óðinn busy painting this morning

Alexander thinks Mornings are sleepy time.

Scull and cross bone socks

Test knit shawl

Pied Piper Socks for Óðinn

Óðinn being silly!

Just need to finish pockets and weave in ends.

Organizing this today with the baskets.

Right this moment I…………..

:: feel tired from my odd midnight insomnia that I’ve suffered from for the last few nights.

:: hoping that it gets colder again so this asthma issue stops.

:: listening to my boys paint their birdhouses again this morning. Leaving them out with the paint today so that they can keep adding to them until they are tired with it.

:: glad that I spent my free time last night going to Joann’s and buying fabric to put in the glass built in under the TV hiding the computer and all the wires that are in there and baskets to keep the remotes in and to organize the art and homeschooling cabinet (which I’m doing today).

:: wondering what I will put on Magni’s birthday crown made out of the wool felt I bough from Joann’s last night. Buttons? Embroidered M?

:: enjoying my first cup of coffee before Alex wakes up.

:: wondering why I didn’t start baking scones sooner since they are so simple and quick to make.

:: listening to the rain fall outside.

:: watching my WIP basket overflow with projects.

:: wondering what I’m going to do about my Snowbird Cardigan since I ran out of yarn and I still have the pockets to make.

:: enjoying how that Shawl I am test knitting is coming together.

:: looking forward to Magni’s birthday on Saturday knowing that there will be some late nights making his present (he is getting a home made play teepee) and cleaning and organizing in the next few days. The mustache theme will bring about some fun photos!

:: anticipating seeing family and friends and looking forward to seeing my nephews that I haven’t seen in a month. I’m sure they have grown.

:: believing that my boys are hitting a growth spurt with all the eating they are doing these days.

:: enjoying the peace and ease that has come with simplifying my home with the Hectic to Harmonious Home Cleans and looking forward to listening to last nights call on healthy eating and making family meals more meaningful and a time to connect.

:: wishing you all love, peace and connection with your loved ones today.

Baby, book, Cooperative press, giveaway, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, kid, knitting, Tiny Treads

Tiny Treads-Review and Giveaway

January 27, 2013November 25, 2019 Olof

Those that know me know I have three boys under the age of five. I’ve always wanted to knit socks for my older boys but had a hard time finding patterns that were sized so that I knew that they would fit with out me having to fit them on them all the time and have been too busy to design my own. The Cooperative Press has been nice enough to share with me a PDF copy of a new sock knitting book for children that just came out, Tiny Treads by Joeli Caparco. If you have kids and like knitting socks or you want to start knitting socks but not ready for adult size socks this is the book for you. They work up quickly and are great as holiday and birthday gifts. As soon as I got it I cast on for the Pied Piper using sock yarn I had bought for the purpose of knitting for my kids years ago. The instructions are easy to follow.

What I love about the book is that there is sizing in both English/American sizes and European sizes as well making it very easy to find the right size to make when gifting socks and the size range from newborn to big kid sizes. She does both toe up and top down knitting. The patterns work for both boys and girls and the photos show off the sock very well.

The only things I would have changed is that I’m not a fan of the font of the titles, which doesn’t get in the way of making the socks but for some reason the font just bothers me, and there are no pages in the book that show finishing techniques or how to cast on toe up socks with photos. Other than that the book is great and I love supporting crafty mothers.

The Cooperative Press is being kind enough to give an electronic copy of this book to one lucky reader.
You can enter up to 4 times just read how and post a comment for each entry. Don´t forget to leave a way to contact you in the post.
1. Follow my blog and leave in the comment thread how you are following my blog
2. Follow me on twitter. and if you already follow me on twitter then tweet about the giveaway
3. Like my Facebook page if you already like my page then share the post about this giveaway
4. Tell me which one of the patterns is your favorite and you would like to make.

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Boys’ Knits Review and Giveaway

January 18, 2013November 25, 2019 Olof

Today I´m sharing with you the book Boys’ Knits by Katya Frankel. As most of you know I only know how to make cute little boys. Girls don´t seem to be in the cards for this family. As much as this has been hard on me in the past I have come to terms with the fact that I have boys that are amazing and cute! It is harder to find knits for boys that are masculine but fun. Boys’ Knits is one of very few pattern books that I actually want to knit most of the patters and my picky, almost 5 year old, actually wants me to make for him. I LOVE the vest on the front of the book and the green zipper sweater. Katya also does a great job in the beginning of the book of showing finishing techniques and how to modify the sweaters to fit that skinny, long kid (this is my problem) or if your kid just has a long body. I have to admit that some of the patters I would never make but they are just a matter of taste and over all I would make most of them. I only showed photos of the patters that I will make for my boys. Katya uses popular yarns so it is easy to replicate the model exactly if that is what you want or you can use your own yarns and just make sure the gauge is right. As you know I´m on a yarn diet. No purchasing yarn until I knit down my stash. But I do believe that I have enough yarn for a few of these. As soon as I finish my Snowbird Cardigan which I only have 6cm left to finish the bottom then I will cast on the vest Epsilon on the front of the book.

The Cooperative Press is being kind enough to give an electronic copy of this book to one lucky reader.
You can enter up to 4 times just read how and post a comment for each entry. Don´t forget to leave a way to contact you in the post.
1. Follow my blog and leave in the comment thread how you are following my blog
2. Follow me on twitter. and if you already follow me on twitter then tweet about the giveaway
3. Like my Facebook page if you already like my page then share the post about this giveaway
4. Tell me which one of the patterns is your favorite and you would like to make.

children, Christmas Cat, Christmas gifts, cross stitch, Grýla, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, Icelandic, Jólasveinn, knitting, Playmobil, Stubby, Stúfur, Yule Lads

Third Yule Lad Stubby- Jólasveinn Stúfur

December 14, 2012November 25, 2019 Olof

LOL you think he had fun? One dirty boy!

Óðinn has amazing balance and I found him here when I looked out the window, checking out the Christmas lights

So the third Yule Lad or Jólasveinn came to town early this morning and stopped by my kids window dropping off another piece of the Playmobil Christmas Market. The Yule Lad who arrives on the 14th of December is called Stúfur or Stubby in English. He is a little, shall we say, vertically challenged. He is also known as Pan Scraper because in the old days he used to try snatching bits of food from the frying pan.

Stubby was the third called,
a stunted little man,
who watched for every chance
to whisk off a pan.
And scurrying away with it,
he scraped off the bits
that stuck to the bottom
and brims – his favorites.

These Yule Lads or Jólasveinar are the perfect example of how a person can change. These 13 lads use to be nothing but trouble. Born to a troll (their mother is a troll and father is human) and their cat, the black Christmas Cat, takes little children that get out of bed on Christmas day with out new clothes and takes them to Grýla, their mother the troll, so that she can cook the children and eat them. Gory I know. But even with a background like that the jólasveinar or yule lads have turned in to kind souls that give good children a little something in their shoe. Traveling all over the world to all Icelandic children.

Expected some mothers over with their kids today so I baked some of my healthy chocolate chip cookies.

Can you see a difference from the one on top?

Alex hasn´t been feeling all that great so I haven´t gotten the time I needed to work on the stocking like I need to, or any other needle craft for that matter. I´m worried I won´t be able to finish. It´s like he has a radar on when I touch the projects that need to be finished by Christmas and starts crying after only a few stitches. Like the projects make a horrible sound as soon as I touch them that only he can hear. The second stocking photo is from this morning while the one on top is from 3 days ago. Sigh. Haven´t been able to finish much in 3 days.

christmas, Giljagaur, holidays, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, Icelandic, knitting, Longies, Pebbles, Playmobil, Turtle Butt, Yule Lads

Second Yule Lad Showed this Morning

December 13, 2012November 25, 2019 Olof

As I listen to Dean Martin’s Baby, It’s Cold Outside play on Pandora, my kids are busy playing with what the Yule Lad Giljagaur, or Gully Gawk in English, brought them this morning. Like I said in yesterday’s post the Yule Lads come to visit us. They got another piece to their Playmobil Christmas Market this morning. As a therapist I listen to their play differently than most mothers and it warms my heart to hear the play with out much drama or hurt. Maybe acting out a Dr’s visit that they had a few weeks ago that wasn’t too pleasant or just fun play. Warming my heart knowing that my children are happy, healthy and well cared for wishing the same for the rest of the world but knowing full well that there are troubled people out there that have children and that their poor mental health causes scars that can not be taken back from a child. This is the only reason I miss my job at the moment is helping teens work through those scars and be able to look at the scars as a painful memory and not something that is controlling their life right now.Then hoping that my help will help them not passing the pain on to their future children.

Any way, here is some information on today’s Yule Lad:

In the early hours of December 13th Gully Gawk walks down from the mountains of Iceland to magically get a small, little something in each good little child’s shoe. Before milking machines were invented he had a habit of stealing into the cowshed and slurping the foam off the milk in the buckets.

The second was Gully Gawk,
gray his head and mien.
He snuck into the cow barn
from his craggy ravine.
Hiding in the stalls,
he would steal the milk, while
the milkmaid gave the cowherd
a meaningful smile.

And Alex wearing the Pebble that I made for Magni two years ago. He is also wearing the turtle butt longies I made for Ódinn when he was a year old. He was also wearing them in yesterday’s post. They keep him the perfect temp while he is in his little bouncy seat. It makes me so happy when my knitting gets used.

Wishing everyone a beautiful, loving holiday season filled with being in the moment with family and friends.