I seem to be into a period of cabling at the moment. These periods do last a long time for me and I am starting to believe I am coming out of a lace period entering cabling, again. Yes, I have been there before several years back. There are two designers that reign supreme – to me at least – Elsebeth Lavold and Norah Gaughan. Strikk i Vikingmønster/Viking Patterns for Knitting by Elsebeth Lavold is close to my heart with cables inspired by Scandinavian archeology richly illustrated with photographs and drawings. Here is my version of Lavold’s design Ragna, fitted, shortened without the splits and knitted in double stranded Thin Alpaca by Norwegian yarn company Du Store Alpakka using 4 mm/US 6, see dustorealpakka. Since it was made decades ago – another knitting era – I even inserted shoulder pads!

The book was published in 1998 but it still one of the best books available on imaginative cables. I am not the only one with that view. Do read Karen Berthine’s blogpost and look at the photos of the vest she has designed for her husband using – guess which Lavold sweater? Yes, Ragna – sweatyknitter. Have you knitted one or used it as inspiration? There are hundreds of versions of it here on ravelry. I would like to end with a Lavold quote from her preface: “Knitting keeps your hands moving, but free your thoughts. To knit is a necessity.”

50 brand new groundbreaking stitch patterns. This is not a new book, but a very cherished one in my knitting library. First, because I am fascinated by any reversible stitch pattern – you can choose your preferred front – and second, because it contains so many wonderful, previously unseen, ingenious stitch combinations. Third, because some of those have become favourites already: like the grey on the front cover. Some of you will recognise it because I used it in my book. And I am certain I will keep choosing more of those challenging stitch patterns, all thoroughly explained! Fourth, because I adore several of the 20 patterns by acknowledged designers – among my favourites are: Norah Gaughan, Teva Durham and Véronik Avery just to mention a few. Plenty of reasons for me to place it on my favourite shelf.

If you do not already own it or know about it, there is an entertaining book review by Jimmy Beans Wool, do look at youtube and enjoy. You will find several more photos of the stitch patterns here at the publishers website: melaniefalickbooks. The dropped stitch pattern, photographed above in grey, I used for the Japanese Vest below.

“This vest is inspired by Japan, with only one large armhole, knitted in Hifa’s beautiful Huldra kamgarn in a pattern by Lynne Barr. You can easily close and fold it as you like using a shawl pin.” Translated from the introduction to the pattern, knitted in a stunning sea green Huldra – for more vibrant colours see ull.no  on a 3mm/US 2.5. Here beautifully worn by Kari Anne Næssø and photographed by Kim Müller. So I do give Reversible Knitting my warmest recommendation: it inspires!

Another post on Pelsullgarn just to let you know how serious this addiction has become! And yet I am still knitting on my first design project in it which I have already showed you a photo of (see norwegian-pelsullgarnfurwoolyarn) but what I have not showed you is the Aran Mansjetter/Cuffs from my book “To Rette En Vrang. Designstrikk” knitted in Pelsullgarn by Anette Toft. The yarn is an excellent substitute for Mostly Merino Light Sportweight, used when I knitted the first pair because it has the same feel – without containing mohair – and even more lustre. Here is Anette’s fabulous result and photo.

So that you can compare I wanted to show you the photograph from the book. Dancer Cristiane Sa is modelling the large cuffs, inspired by Yamamoto’s even larger cuffs, see below. I am afraid there is a mistake in pattern and I apologise; do check my Norwegian book page; the chart shows only the beginning of the round and not the repeat. Mostly Merino Light-Sport is made of 77% merino/fine wool and 23% mohair, 55g/2 oz, 228m/250 yds while Pelsullgarn/Furwoolyarn is 100% Norwegian Furwool, 100 g/3.5 oz, 260m/284 yds both  use a 3mm/US 2.5 or 3.5mm/US 4 knitting needle. Even though the yarn is heavier – it does not contain mohair even though it feels and looks like it does – Pelsullgarn actually knits to the same tension/guage so it can used as a replacement even though you need a larger amount of it.

Photograph: Kim Müller

I know it has been a long wait for some of you, but it is now available online from Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk, here is the link ull.no. I have more in my stash and I think you are beginning to understand how excited I am to design a garment in this magnificent colour – not an easy choice since I loved all 12 colours! I will keep you posted on my progress!

My husband and I have been visiting the new foodhall in Oslo. Its aim is to offer knowledge, inspiration and experiences. What is in there? A food market, a cooking school, specialist shops, coffee shops and restaurants – there were space for several more upstairs. Mathallen is surrounded by new hotels, yet to open, and is already attracting tourists.

The photos I have seen so far makes it look huge but it is not exactly London size, but it does offer a selection of temptations. We tested out the popular bakery which display window I could not resist, see above. A nice place to have lunch and when the nearby hotels open the surrounding streets will offer an even better attraction. It is located at Grünerløkka, in walking distance from the city centre. Do not take the shortcut through the muddy carpark but cross the river and walk past Dansens Hus/House of Dance then you will enter the magnificent entrance.

It is not many weeks since it opened and there is still building work going on upstairs, so I believe there are more restaurants to come! One of Mathallen’s secrets is Melkerampa/The Milk Ramp promoting dairy products, which did feel like entering someone’s posh kitchen! Go explore if you can, or just check it out here: mathallenoslo

Inspired by all the Fisherman’s rib – patent in Norwegian – garments in fashion at the moment, I have designed a poncho in an oversize sweater style with long splits in each side, to make it less voluminous, and with full arm capacity instead of a restricted one. The poncho is knitted in panels in order to create a contrast between the linear rib and the unstructured braids in a beautiful camel brown – another source of inspiration to me but not necessarily your chosen colour, there are another 85 solid colours to chose from – in Ask – Hifa 2, a pure wool with a lot of bounce, which also is available in an additional 16 stunning melange colours, see ull.no. The sleeves are knitted long to keep your hands warm on cold days.

The poncho is one size, but the length can easily be adjusted, and knitted on a 3 mm/US 2.5. I have sold the pattern to the Norwegian magazine Familien/The Family and will come back with details of publication date when it is confirmed. Indeed, it will be part of a series of my designs to be published together so I better knit and design some more! I am afraid that means it will be a year before the pattern will be released and for sale on my webpage, marveng-puckett and on ravelry. But it is not long – mid November – until the next issue of the digital knitting & crochet magazine Clotheshorse, see clotheshorsemag, is out and another of my patterns is released, this time in English. I am very excited to see it styled and photographed professionally. I will keep you posted and go back to my knitting…

Our garden has changed colour over the last month. Beautiful shades of red, orange and yellow have quickly replaced the green. Those are my favourite kind of shades. Vibrant earthy tones that show the gradual change like on a painters palette. I want to capture each one with the same vibrant hue it has when the sun finds it, in my designs! Here is a photo of our garden taken a few weeks back on a crisp autumn day. The hedge went blood red before the birch started turning yellow.

The tree above has captured my kind of orange. The first flurry of snow came on Thursday and we are expecting more this weekend. My husband is delighted and have already found the closest cross country ski tracks to us at Ekeberg – not that he has bought his skis yet – and their state of preparation. Yes, it does seem unlikely that their are already being prepared before the snow has fallen but an even ground does make a better basis for ski tracks.

Equally beautiful are these amazing shaped pods, I have just discovered in our back garden. Not unlike paper party lamps! I hope you enjoy the autumn and treasure the colours!

Does a fursheep exist? Was my first question when I received what felt like my perfect goodie bag, an envelope with a shade card, an information sheet and 3 hanks of Norwegian Pelsullgarn /Furwoolyarn from Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrik. Hurrah! At first it was on display but it did not take long until my knitting needles came out and I had to test it. And yes, a Norwegian Pelssau/Fursheep is a mixed breed of Norwegian Spælsau/ Old Norwegian Short Tail Landrace and of Swedish Gotlandsfår – no translation found. Here are photos: nsg. I have found yet another favourite yarn and this time it is Norwegian!

The wool produced is fine, soft with the lustre and feel of mohair. Most of their wool and skin are ideal in production of fur skin hence the name Fursheep but luckily for me and all you knitters out there Hillesvåg has been able to obtain the best quality for their Hifa Pelsullgarn. I am totally smitten by the yarn, which knits on a 3.5 mm/US 4 or a few sizes larger and comes in a few divine colours, all melange see above.

Reversible scarf in a melange grey is the project I started with but the latest list of yarn request to Hillesvåg was becoming longer by the day so I realised I better send it of this instant, which I did. The photo can not tell you how much you want to keep stroking this yarn but I can. Pelsullgarn is not yet on their webpage but the secret is out, so it will not be long before they will receive a deluge of orders, I believe. In the meantime you can study their other yarns and magnificent colours at ull.no.

I have designed another pair of wrist-warmers and a matching cowl in Lerke, a soft snuggly merino and cotton mixture by Dale Yarn, see dalegarn, knitted using 4mm/US 6. Texture and colour is my palette and this design began with a stitch pattern from one of my Japanese stitch dictionaries. I am pleased to say that the design is sold to the Norwegian magazine Familien/The Family but the publication date is not set yet. So it will be a year before I release the pattern on my webpage, see marveng-puckett and on Ravelry, see ravelry.com/designers/linda-marveng.

The diagonal triangles with an opening on top makes you think of Egyptian hieroglyphs depicting the pyramids with the sun above. A delightful image for a cowl to warm your neck or accessorise your dress. Fasten it if you wish, or wear it across one shoulder. Or why not use it double? The cowl and the matching wrist warmers are knitted in a lovely soft and warm mixture of merino and cotton with a stunning stitch definition.

I look forward to seeing it photographed professionally, as always, and will show you those when they are available as well as keep you posted on the publication date.

Even the second time around, trying to enter the exhibition at the Kunstindustri Museet/The Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, felt like a mission because the security staff at the reception desk was not aware of its recent opening. Not unlike the pop up shop it was well worth seeing and if you were there when I was there you would have seen me awestruck by several creations and garment stories told by prominent designers. One of the new upcoming designers whose name I have just learnt is Mari Vaagen, a 2012 graduate from KHiO/Oslo National Academy of the Arts, already presented in Vogue Italia and at the “Fashion – a development industry in Norway” seminar which I attended on Thursday. Take a look at the jacket to the left in the photo above and even more fascinating is the back of it, see below. Here are more stunning photos: vogue.it/designavgang-2012-oslo.

Vaagan’s lambskin jacket “Salt” is inspired by the Norwegian wild sheep bred and the rough coast climate where these sheep live according to the designer. It is made by a fur technical seam, while details and texture are created by felting, tying and shaving of the fibres. You will find more of her creations on marimagi.

A jaw dropping jacket by Nina Skarra – another international sensation do look at: ninaskarra, hat by Cathrine Hammell – known for her contemporary basics well stocked in my wardrobe, see cathrinehammel, shorts by Vera & William – luxurious underwear, see verawilliam. Not all designers, established and upcoming ones, were presented by their garments but told a story of their favourite knitted garment.  Norway’s most acknowledged designer, Per Spook – the only one who used to have his own fashion house in Paris – presented his old traditional jacket he inherited and still carry in his back pack when he is trekking.

Test yourself, “what is wool?” the sign says and encourage you to feel each sample and guess the fabric. A good lesson because I could not distinguish between all the different types of wool or blends. Several yarn producers were presented as well including my Norwegian favourite Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk who has just introduced a new yarn called Norwegian Furwool yarn – yes, there is actually a sheep breed called Norwegian Fur who mainly supply fur skin producers – until now, that is! I have received samples and I am ever so happy to test it out and will let you know my progress…

I have always considered my husband to be the gadget obsessed of the two of us, but I must admit that I relished inheriting his first iPad (read: 1. version, outdated – but still!) – and finally I have my own iPhone. But my next step is even more shocking, I have been discovering apps – nearly with the same passion as new yarn discoveries – and like any heirloom they should be passed on.  Yarn Pro is just what it says; a pro assistant always on hands when you need it when you have questions about substituting yarns in a pattern. Will this yarn work? You wonder and your Yarn Pro offers a yarn substitution calculator as well as an gauge/tension calculator in both inches if you are using an American pattern, or in cm if you are using a European pattern. All you have to do is simply key in weight and length the pattern calls for and then the yarn substitute numbers or the numbers of stitches and rows in the pattern and the ones on the ball band or the ones from your own knitted swatch.

A list of recommendation appears after you have filled in the yarn substitution calculator, here is an example: “How does the substitution yarn compare with the yarn called for in the pattern? With great reservation. The substitute yarn is significantly thinner than the original yarn. Should the substitute yarn be used? Probably not. How many hanks, balls, skeins or cones are needed of the substitute yarn? 10. Suggestion for gauge swatch: As the substitute yarn is not an ideal replacement for the yarn called for in the pattern, above average skill in pattern design and adjustment will be needed.” In other words time to rethink. The Sweaty Knitter who has created this masterpiece claims “[As] guage is critical to garment fit…” and I could not agree more!

I find Yarn Pro not only extremely useful, but also addictive because it also has a lot of essential info and advice about swatching, ease (read: do check how close fitting your project is), substituting yarn (read: should be close in weight), yarn weight & fibre content, the different fibres; protein, cellulose, artificial and synthetic in addition to list of comparable needle and hook sizes. You can read more about it here: sweatyknitter and you can buy your own Yarn Pro for your iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch through Apple’s App Store at itunes. It is a cheap way of obtaining your own yarn PA.