This is a book about unfinished knitting projects, gathered by the artist Kari Steihaug for more than 10 years and with comments by the knitters, an essay by Dag T. Andersson, Professor of philosophy at the University of Tromsø and another by Art Historian Jorunn Veiteberg written in both Norwegian and English. It is a book where the unfinished objects – UFO in knitspeak – are placed like pieces of art to be studied and analysed: Why was it abandoned? Was it pure boredom that put an end to the project? Or was it time or running out of yarn or lack of attention? Did the knitter change her/his mind about it? Did life interfere in a dramatic way? And maybe we will ask: What if… ?

“Archieve: The Unifinshed Ones is about the poetry in imperfection and about directing attention to something failed and lost. It is a documentary project and can simultaneously be read as an expression of the many aspects of life that turn out differently than we plan.” Kari Steihaug writes in the introduction and confirms that the unfinished garments have been donated by strangers, acquaintances, friends and family through different events and arrangements. See her amazing knitting installations – Rewind: an 11.5 m dress slowly rewound back on the cone. “Something ends and something new can begin” – at karisteihaug.no.

All the UFOs are photographed on knitting graph paper just as the front cover with a brief comment by the knitter whose name, age and location are given. For instance the cover: “9809 01.10.07 (ca. 8 cm x 21 cm x 3 pcs) Found at a flea market at Vinderen elementary school. Anne Karin, 44, Oslo. Photographed by Espen Tollefsen.”

Another unfinished garment that attracted me looked like the beginning of a grey cardi knitted on grey plastic circular needles. The knitter, Randi 47 years from Elverum, stated that: “Jeg er ingen grå mus lenger.” which translates to: I am no grey mouse any more; meaning I am not a wall flower anymore. It is numbered, dated and measured like all the garments in the book: 0265 18.04.07 (170 cm x 15 cm)

“0053 18.01.07 ( 10 cm x 50 cm) Black strip that I made to have something to knit while my son practiced knitting. Kristin, 44, Oslo.” Yes, it is garter stitch – knit on all rows – on standard grey Innox needles. I always unravel – rip in knitspeak – those pieces made while teaching others to knit.

Jorunn Veiteberg essay “A Collection of Remnants – a series on knitting.” tells the story about the author’s interest in knitting: “A ruin – not made of stone, but knitting: Stacks of garments packed so tightly together that they form a wall. That was the sight that confronted visitors to Kari Steihaug’s solo exhibition at the West Norway Museum of Decorative Art in 2007, an exhibition that introduced the museum’s theme for that year of knitting.”

Dag T. Andersson essay: “The Order of incompleteness” asks numerous questions we do not always ask ourself when we abandon yet another UFO: “Our attention must be directed towards those images that show us what history could have, yet did not become.” He refers to the literary critic Walter Benjamin that it is not the finished products that the child is primarily interested in, but the remnants or “waste material”. We all recognise the child’s play with the empty box in preference of the valuable gift inside it.

The Norwegian title: “Arkiv: De Ufullendte” has a deeper meaning than just unfinished, it is closer to unfulfilled but I believe the editor chose the title unfinished in English since it refers to the common knitspeak term UFO as in unfinished objects.

The book is published by Magikon, see magikon.no and yes, they do send abroad. Steihaug is still collecting so I believe we will more from her in the future and I for one will be delighted.

Finally, we are moving to Oslo next month. My husband promised that we would be in Oslo before the Olympics hit London and we will! We spent weeks looking for a flat to rent online before we were able to start to book viewings in Oslo and by then numerous flats were already let. But the one we always came back to – a house horizontally divided for 2 families at Bekkelaget in Oslo – with stunning views over the fjord and the nearby islands as well as large spacious rooms was still available.  We were captivated as soon as we saw it but viewed another one just to leave out all doubt. The day after the decision was taken since we were both afraid to loose it. Here is the view from the garden.

The house is designed by famous Norwegian functionalist architect Arne Korsmo, who drew plans for more than 50 villas, several of which are regarded as masterpieces of Norwegian functionalism, during his 20 year long architectural practise run together with architect Sverre Aasland. His most popular building is his own house, in Planetveien – a newly published book describes its history – and the villa he built for the then current prime minster in 1937-1939, known as Villa Stenersen. Both Arne Korsmo and his wife Grethe Prytz Kittelsen were designers, especially well known for their furniture and cutlery, at the forefront of their time. Kittelsen also designed jewellery made by silver and enamel. Here is the cover of the book we simply had to buy:

My brother suggested that we visit the Agency for Planning and Building Services, read planning office, to take a look at the plans and all the original papers submitted by Arne Korsmo. An excellent suggestion, especially since my husband is an architect and wanted – rather desperately – to see a plan to scale! The folder for the house is still in paper form, only records from 2004 are digitalised, and we were thrilled to find hand drawn plans, facade and elevation as well as the engineer’s hand written calculations. We found the digging application signed by Arne Korsmo with hand written comments plus approval, in red pencil, by the planning officer and a completion certificate was dated 23.12.1941. The third bedroom is small and was initially made for the maid, it says “pike” as in “tjeneste pike” meaning serving girl on the original plan drawn on linen paper. As you may suspect, we are planning to go back for further study into the build of the house and to enjoy all the material available for everyone to view.

One of first things I crave when I am back in my native Oslo is waffles. Like most Norwegians I have tested out different recipes and made my own lunch version, which tastes delicious served with honey, especially after a long walk in Marka.

Here is the recipe:

• 1. 5 dl plain flour
• 1.5 dl oats
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2.5 dl soya or ordinary milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 dl melted butter or margarine

Mix well and leave in the fridge to swell/prove for at least an hour, before using the waffle maker. Serve with real Norwegian honey, now available to buy online from Scandikitchen in London, see www.scandikitchen.co.uk. Enjoy!

Finishing is such an elementary part of knitting that I believe you have to learn to perfection to enjoy. Many knitters tend to avoid projects where time consuming finishing is required just because they do not take any pleasure in sewing, especially compared to knitting the different parts. I, on the other hand, believe that a bit of finishing can sometimes make the difference between looking handmade and looking professional. I have learned to enjoy and take pleasure in my finishing with the aim of making each garments nearly as beautiful on the wrong side as the right side. So do I need yet another book on the topic? Yes, I believe I do! There is so much I – and you – can learn from, the acknowledged designer, Deborah Newton. So off I go to Finishing School!

“Good finishing is just as important as good fit – without it, my sweaters would look homely rather than stylish. There is nothing worse than a bumpy, uneven seam or sloppy or too-tight edgings – these off-kilter details draw the eye away from the beauty of even the most lovely knitted fabric.” Newton claims in the introduction and I could not agree more. I believe – as she does that – it is merely a question of gaining a few skills and thinking ahead. My basic tips are to sew up as you finish knitting the different parts and do it the same way you would knit, stitch by stitch. I become like the knitting process myself and it is the ultimate achievement.

It is a question of respect, to each piece you have knitted – the craft and the material involved – and justifying the hours spent knitting it. So do spend a bit of time doing the finishing and do not rush through it. Newton offers workshops with a number of photos and drawings to guide you on edgings, seaming, lining, custom couture and steeking. The cover photo is the materials used to make a custom couture knit and is 1 of the 14 excellent patterns offered in this comprehensive and resourceful book.

Her final note on finishing is my goal, always: “Through careful attention to detail and an eye toward perfect construction, you can make your sweaters look fabulous. You can learn new techniques and valuable skills. You can repair and rejuvenate. And you can take the old and make it new again. Finishing School is never out of session.” Thank you, Deborah Newton!

I am pleased to announce that Hifa will sponsor more of my designs. They are pleased with the 3 designs in my book knitted using Hifa yarn which I selected after drooling over their large colour selection offering clear hues with great saturation. Even their factory shop outside of Bergen is currently knitting the Japanese Vest for display to promote my book to my amazement! It is knitted in Hifa Huldra Kamgarn in shade 8021 sea green, worn by Kari Anne Næssø and photographed by Kim Müller.

Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk, producer of Hifa yarn, was established in 1898 and has always focused on creating colour dyes that captivate nature’s colours. Take one look at photo of the Hifa Kamgarn below and you understand what I mean – yes, they do ship abroad, even though their website is in Norwegian. See ull.no. The colours have name that gives you a good idea of its tone unlike shade names given by indy dyers such as DyeForYarn which leaves you guessing but does make you laugh, take a look at Etsy: etsy.com/shop/DyeForYarn

• Bat in a dark mood – dark tones of purple with black.
• Bat biting the dust – dark and light tones of purple.
• Tarzan’s Very Bad Day – bottle green with some lighter tones of green.
• Too Much Mint Cocktail – shades of clashing mint green.
• Poisonous Marshmallow – pale rose pink.

I am nearly ready to open my Ravelry pattern shop – today – and add another page to my blog with 5 patterns knitted in a selection of Thomas Kvist Yarns with alternatives offered to begin with. Here is the logo my husband has designed for me – which I love -he is faboulus! My latest challenge – yes, I know there are many – is to start offering all patterns in the following sizes XS to 3XL.

My latest design, an A-line top with ruffled bell border, three layers to twirl around in, and a continued bell-rope stitch pattern. Wear it with belt if you like. Comfortable for the summer with loose sleeves. Why not pin one sleeve into a scarf collar? Both are knitted in Aneta, from Thomas Kvist Yarns, a lovely soft, denim cotton tweed, with a great stitch definition. See thomaskvist.

Aneta is a sport weight yarn made of 100% cotton denim tweed and comes in 100 gram hanks,  330m/361yards. I chose a delicate medium blue shade. Knits to a 24 sts tension/guage to 10cm/4″ using a 3mm/US 2-3. It could easily be replaced by Drops Safran by Garnstudio or Ultra Pima by Cascade Yarns.

The ruffled borders and the bands around neck and arms are knitted in the round, while the top and the sleeves are knitted flat.

The pattern will be available in both Norwegian and English as a downloadable pdf to buy from this website and Ravelry. My husband is currently working on the schematic and assisting on all technical issues, I have.

I have called this a top but realised it could also be called a sleeveless pullover, sweater or even jumper. To be enlightened read Karen Berthine’s brilliant post: A Kangaroo and a Sweater, here is the link: sweatyknitter.

Here is a close up of the stitch pattern, which shows off its beautiful texture.

This is not a description of what I do – only what I aim to create in knitting – but a series of 3 cult pattern-cutting books from Japan by Tomoko Nakamichi, published by Laurence King that I discovered at the V&A bookshop. The books show you how to create stunning, sculptural and Japanese inspired clothes step-by-step through clear diagrams – not unlike knitting schematics – and detailed photographs. Each of them is a gem, revealing the secrets of each garment like pieces in a puzzle.

Who is the genius behind them? The answer is Tomoko Nakamichi, a professor in Pattern Making at Bunka Fashion College – yes, that sounded familiar because it is the college where both designers Kenzo and Yamamoto among others studied. See bunka-fc.ac.jp/en/history. The books bring together the results of the research on garment patterns she has carried out to help instruct her students.

“Making a pattern. Clothes are a way of expressing oneself, and with this in mind I’m often inspired by fashions of the past. To discover how they were made, I try drafting the patterns myself, and sometimes come up with designs that are entirely my own” she writes in Pattern Magic available at Amazon, here: amazon.co.uk.

My own sewing skills are very limited and need to be improved immensely but that is not the only reason why these books appealed to me. Learning more about pattern making, I believe will make me a better knitwear designer. Take one look at Mathew Gnagy’s designs and you will understand me, see my post on knitting-off-the-axis. Merely studying each photograph is like admiring a beautiful sculpture, each garment a piece of art! A true inspiration and an outstanding source of pattern knowledge – indeed, they are magic!

Knit speak for Knit Along. I am taking part in my first KAL and knitting my first top down project. Why Mystery? Just as all knit projects are a bit of mystery at times before what feels like revelation kicks in, this is no different except that this time none of us taking part have seen a photo or drawing of what we are knitting. Designer Vera Sanon of SunFunLiving is holding all the clues, and drip feed us – we her fans, an ever increasing group of women – through her group on Ravelry. We knew it was a summer top, we knew the tension/guage of 17 sts to 10cm/4″ and that it incorporated lace knitting but the rest remained a mystery at first. Here is a link to her other designs: ravelry.

Not only do we have the thrill of seeing what we are making as we knit, we are also supporting Fanm pou Fanm (Women 4 Women) – a micro-business project that serves the poorest women in Port-au-Prince, Haiti founded by Vera (an expatriate) and her friend Mary Ann. Vera designed the pattern for free but wanted to raise money for the project so the groups’ advice was to set a price for the downloadable pattern clues and let the money go to the project. The ‘fanm pom fanm’ women learn to crochet and make market bags sold to women in the U.S. and Germany. You can read more about the project on Vera’s blog: sunfunlivingknits. The market and fancy bags are available to buy through Etsy:  HaitiCrochetProject

I discovered Vera’s designs on Ravelry and befriended her. Several messages later – I was tapping into her design expertise by asking questions about sizing and top down knitting – I was challenged to take part in her Summer Top Mystery KAL. How could I resist? The advantage of top down knitting, as I am learning, is that you can try it on as you knit to check the sizing and adjust if you prefer the pattern to your own specifications. I have not come that far yet, but here is a photo of my mystery KAL – looking at the sleeve part of the yoke. The yarn I chose is Rowan All Seasons Cotton, in Strawberry, one of the alternatives suggested, which I know from my days as a Rowan Design Consultant and felt obliged to chose. My stash dive did not give any results – I do have a bit of a selection but nearly all of it is 4-ply/fingering or lace yarn – so an online shop had to be found. Not exactly a difficult task these days when all it takes is a few clicks and buying more yarn is dead easy for a yarn addict.

Now – Vera – if you are reading this, I am ready for the second clue. In fact I am very ready.

My mission at the exhibition was to make a short list of the favourite ballgowns – yes, it did include both Gareth Pugh and Alexander McQueen. I was thrilled to be able to walk around a selection of contemporary designs, studying them from every angle. The vintage collection, on the other hand, is unfortunately behind glass but you will find an excellent selection of film clips from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. The exhibition is the closest I have been to ballgowns since I designed a collection for my paper doll, as a young girl.

The exquisite fabrics in all the colours of the rainbow, beaded or embroidered or printed, were a feast for the eye. As was the projection of a selection of the garments exhibited photographed by David Hughes, in the gallery alcoves. You lifted your eyes to gaze in amazement at each gowns and at the sculpture replacing the head of the mannequin for then to see it vanish replaced momentarily by shooting stars on the alcove heaven. I could have stayed there all day. Here is link to two of the photos, see www.vam.ac.uk/content/exhibitions/ballgowns.

Afterwards I had the obligatory wander around in the bookshop and discovered, to my delight, that the knitting section has increased since my last visit. You will find talented designers with a focus on vintage knitting such as Susan Crawford and Claire Montgomerie on the shelf. My discovery was a new Pattern Magic book, the third in the series, called Stretch Fabrics by Tomoko Nakamichi, post will follow do not worry, and bought only that one – a new record! I can also report that not a single person was knitting in the courtyard in the sunshine and me – I was too busy munching my scone!

If you are not able to visit I recommend you to find your magnifying glass and study the main photo on V&A’s Facebook page and the articles on their website. In addition, you will also find a fascinating collection of free knitting patterns from the 1940’s, see www.vam.ac.uk.

Fitting title to designer, emerging according to Interweave but I would have chosen acclaimed instead, Mathew Gnagy’s first innovative and exciting knitting book. The collection consists of 15 sweaters mainly for women but there are a few, 3 actually, for men, all designed sideways or in an unusual knitting direction. His pattern making skills are unsurpassed and my jaw dropped when he illustrates this in the digital video Sideways Knits which you can buy separately and download at http://www.interweavestore.com

How do you adapt a woman’s sweater to a man’s if you are Mathew Gnagy? You make a paper pattern, as you would for sewing, and with an incredible precision you draw all essential lines and add measurements. So that when you have measured your swatch you can calculate and re-write your pattern. Yes, at least in theory that is easy but it would take a bit more practice in reality. Then when you start knitting you can use the paper pattern as you would a sewing pattern and make sure that it is correct. Note to me: this is an excellent challenge; a new design method I will need to learn more closely.

The favourite pattern of mine is the front cover, Becca, due to its elegance and delicate design details visible in the collar and the large bell sleeves.  A designer whose contemporary work I will follow closely as his adventure will continue. Listen to him being interview by Kathy Elkins, owner of WEBS, always worth listening to, podcast: http://blog.yarn.com/ready-set-knit-244/