Dusty pink yarn, one of spring’s trend colours, tempted me. A summerly shawl jacket knitted sideways in a dewdrop pattern where both sides are equally stunning, one is elegant, the other more relaxed. Drape it with a shawl pin or use it upside down giving it a longer back and a smaller collar. Designed for Thomas Kvist Yarns.

Knitted in Colina, a mixture of cotton and linen giving the jacket substance. The yarn is soft and comfortable to wear in addition it is of a slubby nature giving it an exciting uneven finish.

It requires 9 hanks of 100g Colina, by Thomas Kvist Yarns, shade 12 (70% cotton, 30% linen, 160m/175 yds). The tension is 17sts and 24 rows in patt = 10cm/4’’ square using 3mm/US 2-3. See selection of shades and retailers on www.thomaskvist.se. Below is a close-up of the swatch, unfortunately photographed upside down.

I look forward to seeing the professional photos and will show you those when they are done.

My new knitted, actually a knit print, raincoat given to me by the yarn shop Nøstet Mitt after a successful knit café fashion show & presentation. It makes my rainy day! Yes, it is photographed in the mirror – due to lack of assistants. The pattern chosen is a variation of the traditional Fana pattern from Fana outside of Bergen, Western Norway, from the 1850’s. Annemor Sundbø claims, correctly, the pattern is a Setesdal pattern and not Fana.

It is designed by Grete Marchmann-Jensen, manager of Søs Jensen, søs is an abbreviation of ‘søstrene’ Norwegian for sisters, see the reflector image on fabric swatch at the back in the middle of the shoulders.

“The idea to make raincoats for women came from one of the sisters, who looked around and said, “What about cool outdoor clothing for women in the city, “it doesn’t exist in the market.” The idea and research started autumn 2006. 3. July 2007 SØS Jensen was established.” See www.sosjensen.no.

Freddy, co-owner of Nøstet Mitt, discovered the collection and knew that most knitters would be intrigued. So it is available to buy from them. See www.nostetmitt.no.

“Our PU Raincoats have welded seams and supersoft qualities that fits you great with a high waterproof and breathability rating.

The raincoats are feminine and contain raffined details. Our technical raincoats/parkas have taped 3M seams for great comfort. The parkas looks like a regular parkas, but has all the qualities of a raincoat. Our clothes also have reflective elements for your safety.”

My new raincoat and this photo, a different colour way, makes me happy!

Copyright: Søs Jensen

For all of you that could not make it to the Knit Café on last Wednesday at Lille Persille at Lambertseter Centre, organised by Nøstet Mitt, here is a report.

61 knitters (including my mum) + my brother, designated driver for the evening, made it to the knit café where I was to present my newly released book ‘To rett en vrang. Designstrikk’. I was chuffed that Thomas Kvist, owner of Thomas Kvist Yarns, came from Sweden to see the complete collection, shown for the very first time. 3 of the garments in the book are made using his yarn. Below you can see Thomas studying the snood & Blackberry sweater.

I had requested 5 models (since I had 2 on the book launch) which meant that one of the owners of Nøstet Mitt, one of their managers, one of their employees, their daughter and a friend, all had to take part. They were all pleased that I had not brought the Camilla Skovgaard shoes with the 11cm heels and had decided that since Katrine is a dancer she had to wear the highest heels.

As I presented the garments and talked about my knitting experiences, I am pleased to tell you that nearly everyone was multi-tasking by knitting or pattern checking the book simultaneously.

All the models posed on a stand like a live sculpture while I talked about each garment before they walked a round so everyone could feel the texture and study details close up.

After the presentation of all garments, Nøstet Mitt offered 25% discount on everything in the shop which was ever so tempting and most of the knitters present took the opportunity to increase their stash. I was ready and where happy to sign books, as you can see below.

In addition there was a draw for a gift voucher worth 500 NOK, valid in all 3 shops, which everyone, excluding my brother would like to win. Glenn was actually happy he did not win.

Just before leaving, more than 3 hours later – the knit café was from 18.00 to 21.00 – I was photographed together with Anne Grethe (owner) and Vibeke (manager.)

I was given a stunning rain coat with a knitting print by Anne Grethe and Freddy (co-owner and photographer for the evening – more photos on Nøstet Mitt’s Facebook page)! It is unbelivable and you have to see a photograph of it – try imaging a knitted raincoat in a traditional Norwegian knitting pattern. To be continued…

Please find errata on the book page, me on Ravelry (I am lindamarveng) and on Facebook.

Inspired by Balenciaga’s asymmetrical colour blocking tunics I have designed an oversized sweater with a snood in shades of grey with a beautiful lilac as contrast. Three different stitch patterns from the same family complete the look. The seed sweater and snood is knitted in Amoretto, a lovely soft and warm mixture of alpaca and cotton, with a stunning stitch definition. Here is the professionally photographed Oversized Seed Sweater and Snood.

Copyright: Thomas Kvist Yarns

Amoretto is a mixture of 45 % alpaca and 50% cotton with a small percentage of polyamide 5%, 100 g/3.5 oz hank, 250 m/273 yds. Tension/guage is 27 sts in pattern equals 10cm/4″ square using 3 mm/ US 2-3.

Copyright: Thomas Kvist Yarns

The sleeves and the snood is knitted in Seeded Rib Check, see swatch below, using col A, Lilac, while the body of the sweater is knitted in 2 identical middle sections in Moss/Seed Stitch using col C, Pale Grey, and 2 identical side sections in Seeded Rib Pattern using col B, Dark Grey. The collar band is knitted in the round.

The pattern will shortly be available as a downloadable PDF in English and Norwegian, due to be translated into German soon, through selected yarn shops see www.thomaskvist.se

My 3  first designs for Thomas Kvist Yarns have now been photographed professionally and the thrill of seeing them is hard to describe in words. The first one I want to present is the Loose Woven Shrug and Wrist-warmers.

Copyright: Thomas Kvist

A Japanese inspired shrug that can be used several ways with a shawl pin. Make a laced polo neck and fasten the pin at the back creating a hood, or fold in a Japanese triangle at the front and fasten. You can also use it as a traditional shrug, fastened if you wish, or wear it across one shoulder. Or why not use it double as a cowl? The wrist-warmers can be tied with a cord onto the shrug, so that they stay in place. They are knitted in Amoretto, a lovely soft and warm mixture of alpaca and cotton, with a stunning stitch definition.

Copyright: Thomas Kvist Yarns

Amoretto is made of 45 % alpaca and 50% cotton with a small percentage of polyamide 5%, 100 g/3.5 oz hank, 250 m/273 yds. Tension/guage is 27 sts in pattern equals 10cm/4″ square using 3 mm/ US 2-3. More details are given in my post dated 15th February. The pattern will shortly be available as a downloadable PDF in English and Norwegian, due to be translated into German soon, through selected yarn shops see www.thomaskvist.se

I am chuffed to be the designer of the month at Stickskolan, a knitting school for knitfreaks & newbies by Muchis.se run by Swedish designer Maria Jäger, see www.stickskolan.se

‘I began experimenting with my own patterns, during my time at Loop. When editor Inger Margrethe Karlsen from Norwegian publisher Cappelen Damm asked if I wanted to design a knitting book for them, I was ready.’

 ‘My hope is that my designs will inspire you to knit. I encourage you to create your own personal expression by choosing color or make your own melange colour, when knitting in double yarn. That is one of the advantages of working with two strands of yarn and a reason for my love of yarn on cones, whether it is intended for machine knitting, weaving or lace knitting.

I have continued to design using Thomas Kvist Yarns, in my new favourite beautiful yarns such as Colina and Amoretto. The patterns will be available in Norwegian and English, awaiting professional photography. My book will be published in Finland in January 2013 and I live in hope that several other countries will follow their lead.’

Stickskolan has tips, ideas, videos, a forum and a designer of the month. Most of the text is in Swedish but you will find my feature and others in English.

I was very intrigued by the article on sticklingo/ knit-lingo by Johanna, here are a few, only some I knew from beforehand:

• UFO – Unfinished Object.
• KIP – Knit in Public.
• YAS – Yarn Acquisition Syndrome.
• STASH – unknown number of kilos of yarn taking over the home…
• SABLE – Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy.
• SSS – Second Sock Syndrome, what tends to happen when the first sock is knitted; a strong resentment to having to make another.
• TOAD – Trashed Project Abandoned in Disgust.

For the full list go to www.stickskolan.se/2012/01/sticksnack-pa-natet/

All photographs: Copyright Kim Müller.

The yarn shop Nøstet Mitt, see www.nostetmitt.no, has invited me to talk about my newly published book and show all the garments on models on Wednesday 14th March, 18.00 to 21.00, at Lille Persille a gastrocafé, next to the yarn shop, at Lambertseter Shopping Centre in Oslo. I am thrilled to have the opportunity not only to show all the knitted garments this time, as opposed to a selection at my book launch, and tell you my history, inspiration and design process, to a knitting audience. You will have the chance to see and feel all the garments in addition to having your book signed.

Nøstet Mitt takes over the whole mezzanine floor of Lille Persille, which offers a selection of food, sweets and drinks as well as comfortable chairs & sofas. The shop will be open throughout the evening so you have the opportunity to buy books & yarn. From 20.00 to 21.00 Nøstet Mitt offers a 25% discount on everything, yet another reason to be there! In addition there will be a draw for gift voucher with the value of 500 nok valid in all 3 shops. The knit café is free and no booking is necessary since there is plenty of space. I do hope you can come!

My book displayed next to a cone of Alv Kamgarn by Hifa, knitted double in the Spine Sweater inspired by the late Alexander McQueen worn by ballerina Cristiane Sá and photographed by Kim Müller at the Architectural Museum.

Photograph: Kim Müller

The yarn, in beautiful grey shades, is also used in the Tweed Jacket, knitted double with fairisle sleeves and tweed patterned body. I chose to use yarn remnants to make a small matching cowl and the thicker Huldra Kamgarn, in dark rose-red, to knit a larger cowl with wrist warmers. Bring your knitting and join me on Wednesday 14th March at the knit café! Welcome!

Photograph: Kim Müller

I have skis somewhere, probably in my brother’s garage, sticks and boots in out-dated style and size since they were bought while I were still a teenager – ages ago! London does not offer many opportunities to ski so buying new ones have not been a priority exactly. But with all this lovely winter weather, while I am back in my Norwegian mother country, has made me realise the need for new equipment.

Here is a photo from a recent ski race at Skullerud in Øst Marka, the forest that surrounds Oslo, and I must say that I do admire the how easily these children can ski totally without using their sticks! I obviously need to practice a lot more…

My niece received her first pair, Christmas 1 year ago, at the tender age of 3! While she was keen to test them straight away, indoors, my brother had quite a job explaining why that was not such a good idea. I can report that they have been tested on snow and are in use.

Another photo from Marka where I love walking and will ski one day soon!

The book launch for ‘To rett en vrang. Designstrikk’ went so well and I had more photographs taken by Guri Pfeifer so I had to write another post about it. It was exhilarating to be able to present my first knitting book to the audience it was meant for, all of you Norwegian knitters who want inspiration as well as flattering and trendy knitting patterns, and show a selection of the garments on gorgeous looking models.

Here I am demonstrating how the reversible Japanese Vest, with only one armhole can be worn in two different ways with a shawl pin: Long with a small collar or short with a large collar. Katja is modeling the vest, knitted in Huldra Kamgarn by Hifa.

Photograph: Guri Pfeifer

Photograph: Guri Pfeifer

One of the most popular patterns is this Japanese Lace Jacket with a small puffed sleeve and a pattern from a Japanese stitch dictionary, hence the name. Worn by Anna and knitted in the soft Amoretto by Thomas Kvist Yarns.

Another popular pattern is the Mohair Poncho worn Katja, knitted in Alamo, now discontinued but can be replaced by Destiny Mohair, by Texere Yarns. It is an easy knit on 5 mm/US 8 needles, made up of 3 rectangles sewn together. My idea was to design a more fashionable poncho, than the ones worn decades ago, with a matching set of wrist-warmers.

Photograph: Guri Pfeifer

Blackberry pattern is an old favourite of mine, used here in a sweater knitted in Egyptian Cotton, held double, by BC Garn worn by Anna. I love wearing loose collars because they can be taken off, easily and make the sweater look more ‘dressed up’.

Photograph: Guri Pfeifer

Last picture from the fashion show is the Daisy Shrug and Snood, knitted in Tynn Alpakka by Du Store Alpakka, worn by Katja. It can easily be worn on top of a dress, oversized shirt or tunica instead of these body conscious clothes.

Photograph: Guri Pfeifer

I am so grateful that so many people came to my book launch, that ‘Nøstet Mitt’ took the challenge to sell yarn for the patterns, see www.nostetmitt.no, and that my publishers, see www.cappelendamm.no, believed in me. Thank you!