Norsk Strikkeforbund/Norwegian Knitting Association 2019

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I was there when the Norsk Strikkeforbund/Norwegian Knitting Association was established in 2014, as a presenter, and last weekend I was back giving a talk on Digital Knitting. The annual meeting was this time held at the Scandic Asker Hotel. Designer and author as well as editor of the membership magazine “På Pinnen“/On the Needles Tove Fevang asked if I wanted to hold a talk at the event, several months back. I am assisting Tove with the magazine (read: the editorial staff). She also suggested that Michael come too and that we stayed with Tove and her photographer husband Geir Arnesen for the weekend, since they live in Asker. What a treat it was. So we all turned up for the meeting, but Geir and Michael went on a photo safari in Asker, while Tove and I joined the knitters.

We started the day with the a knitting café, and I spotted several knitters I knew; among them designer Ellen Andresen, aka Siso Designs (siso is short for stash in, stash out – ask any knitter about this). Geir was asked to do yet another unpaid job, he had to take photos of the new board. But this time at least he got lunch. At noon we had a delicious lunch buffet, before the meeting itself started with Tove as presenter.

Here we are, knitting away also during the meeting. As you can see from Ellen’s instagram posting, we also received a yarn kit for a pair of mittens with the Norsk Strikkeforbund’s logo, designed by Lill C. Schei, as well as two numbers for the prize draw. The prizes were a number of books we have reviewed, yarn and knitting gadgets from Tove’s stash. See Ellen’s photo below.

Here are the prizes we could win. Throughout the year more books have been reviewed and then given away. So if you are a Norwegian knitter and not yet a member do join in, here are the advantages listed: www.norskstrikkeforbund.no

Tove and Geir also listened to my talk, I am pleased to tell you, and they enjoyed it.

I had brought a number of swatches, garments and magazines for the knitters to look at. Here I am talking to Berit who also attended the knitting weekend at Røros. She did not mind that I gave the same talk here at this annual meeting at all and enjoyed the repeat. I had a fabulous day! Thank you, Norsk Strikkeforbund/Norwegian Knitting Association!

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Weekend in Asker

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Michael and I have just spent a lovely weekend in Asker, staying with designer & author Tove Fevang and her husband, photographer Geir Arnesen. The occasion was the Norsk Strikkeforbund/Norwegian Knitting Association had their yearly meeting at Scandic Asker Hotel and I was invited to hold a talk on Digital Knitting. Asker is just outside of Oslo to the west. The photo above is taken on the Sunday when we went for a walk by the Oslofjord at Vollen in Asker.

A lone fisherman was out in the water trying his luck, probably for mackerel. While Geir and Michael were walking closer to him, Tove and I were chatting hence falling behind. Or maybe it was due to the amount of wine we had drunk during the weekend. The temperature was 10 degrees Celsius/50 degrees Fahrenheit so it felt balmy in the sun, but a lot colder in the shade.

Vollen is one of 5 recommended beaches in Norway, see this article. Here is Michael checking out the water. Unlike our local lake, Rødenessjøen, the Oslo fjord is not frozen. There were a lot of people out walking this Sunday, even though you cannot see them in these photos.

We also visited the Oslofjord Museum and their coffeeshop. It is the low building at the bottom with flats above in this photo.

@ Geir Arnesen

Geir took this photo of the three of us. During most of Saturday he and Michael were out photographing while Tove and I attended the yearly meeting for the Norwegian Knitting Association. Michael and I had a lovely weekend with delicious food as well as fabulous company. I will tell you about the yearly meeting in my next blog post.

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Photoshoot at Vigeland Museum: Andaman Top

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I am delighted to show you the last of the photos from our photos taken at the Vigeland Museum in November, they are of the Andaman Top first published in knit.wear Spring/Summer 2018. Eivind Røhne took these brilliant pictures of Emma Ross, with hair & makeup by Sissel Fylling and jewellery by Kaja Gjedebo Design, wearing the top together with Judith Bech’s stunning skirt. It was my suggestion that Em hold onto and steer the the impressive cast iron dragon, a sample for the Vigeland Park Gates by Gustav Vigeland. Sissel did wonder what I had for lunch, coming up with that idea, as she wanted some of that inspiration too. But actually we had chosen exactly the same; a very delicious chicken burrito from Eckers which I had delivered, after reading that it was a “must visit lunch spot and coffee bar in Oslo” on the Little Scandinavian blog.

I knew I wanted to borrow Judith’s skirt for this top, and it made a lovely contrast to the photos Interweave took of the top with a white shirt and trousers. The Andaman Top will have you craving the intense hues of a Mediterranean summer. With a cropped straight front, the flowing back creates a stylish contrast with its dramatic length and curved hem. The three elegant lace panels running up the front and back of this stylish top have an Egyptian art deco feel, with curving lines and geometric figures.

Em is wearing size S, but the top is available in sizes XS to 2XL, with a bust circumference of 90 to 134.5 cm/35.5 to 53″. The Andaman Top is knitted in Tahki Stacy Charles Fine Yarns BioMerino which is made of 100% merino wool with 110 meters/120 yards on each ball, in the Cobalt shade using 4 mm/US 6 and a 20 stitches and 28 rows in stockinette stitch gauge. 

This top is worked back and forth from the bottom and up in pieces and seamed. The lower back is shaped by short rows. During shaping, if there are not enough stitches to work an increase with its corresponding decrease, work the stitches of the partial lace pattern as they appear.

The English pattern will be available in my Ravelry Store later in March, will the Norwegian pattern will be printed in the magazine Familien at a later date.

I want to take my team for the fantastic day we had a the Vigeland Museum! Where are we going next, that is what I am pondering upon these days.

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Nemetona Knitted by Siret

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 I am so thrilled to be able to share the wonderful photos taken by Siret of her daughter wearing the Nemetona pullover at Mändjala Beach at the island of Saaremaa in Estonia. Siret, aka kollane on Ravelry, took part in the test knit of Nemetona and made size Large for herself initially, that is, since her daughter wanted it after their photoshoot. So now it belongs to her daughter. Her pullover is knitted in Rowan Cashmere Tweed in the shade of Granite using a 4 mm/US 6 needle and a 20 stitches and 28 rows gauge per 10 cm/4″ square.

Siret writes on her project page: “Rowan Cashmere Tweed is surprisingly good yarn for knitting cables. For a small and dense cable like the Roman cable, this yarn is too soft – the twists are not so clear. But amazing for the bigger ones.” She also recommend not using it for seaming as it breaks easily. I do love the finished look and how stunning it looks!

I could not resist including this photo too, since all the broken ice is so dramatic and trying to balance a piece of ice on one’s head does look funny. Siret had not planned to take part in the test knit according to her project page: “I thought I was not taking part in the Nemetona pullover test, I wanted to finish my Prescott before the new project, but …
But how can you resist the possibility of putting yourself to the test with such powerful cables, very interesting shorter front and longer back?” I am so grateful she could not resist it!

Finally, I want to share a photo of the back taken at the beach shore! Thank you ever so much for taking part in the test knit, Siret and for taking this stunning photos of your daughter!

Here is my introduction to the pattern: Nemetona is Celtic for goddess of all sacred places. Like a magical cable grove is each part of this pullover: Staghorn, Roman; and double cables are framed by Honeycomb pattern. The flowing longer back with its curved hem, creates a stylish contrast to the straight front. Nemetona is knitted in pieces in the divine The Fibre Co. Cumbria.

Nemetona is available as a digital download in English, in sizes XS to 2XL with a bust circumference of 84 to 126 cm/33 to 49.5″, in my Ravelry Store and on Loveknitting. The Norwegian pattern will be published in the Norwegian magazine Familien at a later date.

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Tweed Jacket Pattern Released

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The number of request for the pattern in English, made me have the Tweed Jacket from my Norwegian knitting book “To rett, en vrang. Designstrikk” (only translated into Finnish) photographed again and I also reviewed of the pattern. My American Technical Editor Barbara Khouri has checked it, and I am happy to say that it has been released on Ravelry with new fantastic photos by Eivind Røhne at the Vigeland Museum of model Emma Ross with hair & make up by Sissel Fylling and jewellery by Kaja Gjedebo Design as well as a skirt by Judith Bech.

A Tweed jacket inspired by Christopher Kane’s elegant tweed version. My version has sleeves in stranded colourwork in stockinette stitch as a contrast to the tweed pattern made with slipped stitches on the body and a fitted waist. The tweed jacket has been given a vintage look, by using the fine Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk Alv held double.

Sizes: S (M, L, XL)
Shown in size Small with Drewdrop Cowl
Skill level: Experienced

Finished measurements:
Bust/hip: 90 (94, 98, 106) cm/35.5 (37, 38.5, 43)“
Waist: 78 (82, 88, 96) cm/30.75 (32.25, 34.25, 37.75)”
Length to highest point: 53 (54, 55, 56) cm/21 (21.5, 21.75, 22.25)“
Sleeve length: 50 cm/19.75”

Yarn: Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk, Alv (100% wool, 200 g cone, 1400 m/1532 yds)
Sample is made in:
COL A: Black 418030: 1 (1, 2, 2) cones; 1050 (1260, 1470, 1890) m/1148 (1378, 1608, 2067) yds.
COL B: Dark grey 418073: 1 (1, 1, 2) cones; 1050 (1260, 1470, 1890) m/1148 (1378, 1608, 2067) yds.
COL C: Steel grey 418029: 1 (1, 1, 1) cone; 700 (840, 980, 1260) m/766 (919, 1072, 1378) yds.
Note: 2 strands of the laceweight yarn are held together throughout.
https://www.ull.no/produktkategori/garn/alv-kamgarn-14-2/

Alternative yarns: Cascade 220 Fingering (100% wool, 50 g, 250 m/273 yds)
http://www.cascadeyarns.com/cascade-Cascade220Fingering.htm
Jamiesons’ of Shetland, Spindrift (100% wool, 25 g, 105 m/115 yds)
https://www.jamiesonsofshetland.co.uk/spindrift-1-c.asp
Cascade Heritage (75% merino wool, 25% nylon, 100 g, 400 m/437 yds)
http://www.cascadeyarns.com/cascade-Heritage.htm
Note: Use 1 strand of fingering/4 ply yarn.

Needles: 2.5 mm/US 1.5 straight needles and DPNs.
3 mm/US 2.5 straight needles and DPNs.

Gauge: 30 sts and 31 rows in Sleeve pattern, Stranded colourwork in st st with 2 strands of yarn held together, using larger needles measures 10 cm/4” square.
27 sts and 60 rows in Tweed pattern with 2 strands of yarn held together, using larger needles measures 10 cm/4” square.

Notions: Markers (removable), yarn needle and 8 buttons (15 mm/0.6”).

Notes: The body is worked in parts and sewed together, while the sleeves are knitted in in the round up to the armhole. Check your waist measurement before you begin and adjust if necessary.

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Prescott Pullover Knitted by Patricia Bell

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Let me introduce you to Patricia Bell, who lives in Canada, and has knitted my Prescott Pullover with yarn spun from her own homegrown Llama. Pat took part in the Prescott Knit-A-Long that is still running in my Ravelry group and showed us a photo of both her and her Llama, which you can see below. So it all makes sense that her Ravelry name is Bellllama. On her detailed project page you can read: “The llama is from Anna K a lovely black coloured girl. I’ve included her photo from a time when both she and I were much younger!” She continues: …”I do like the yarn, it will make for a cozy sweater and there’s no itch!”. All these lovely photos are taken by her husband.

Patricia made size Small with the following modifications:

  1. Shorter body length – 38 cm to underarm
  2. Shorter sleeve length – 40 cm to underarm
  3. Front length to neckline – increased by 3cm
  4. Collar – picked up stitches called for in pattern, but did not increase. Knit collar as per pattern.

With these modifications, the pullover has perfect fit on Pat! She ends her project page with these words: “This is a stunning patterned pullover. The pattern is easy to follow and the cables are lovely to knit.” Thank you ever so much for making such a gorgeous version of my pullover, Pat! And for showing us Anna! Pat has also taken part in several of my test knits to my delight. So you can expect to see more of her project here on my blog in the near future!

The Prescott Pullover pattern was published in Interweave Knits Fall 2018 and it is available in a digital edition as well as a print edition. Here is how Interweave introduced it in their Pattern of the week blogpost: “This brilliant design by Linda Marveng is everything I want in a sweater! The cables, which emulate the iron- and stonework found on historic university buildings, are gorgeous and give the pullover texture and interest. The fit is very figure flattering but not too tight, and the long sleeves and turtleneck give it just the right cozy feel. And the yarn is a dream! Supersoft and warm, The Fibre Co. Acadia makes this an extra-comfy sweater you’ll want to wear right next to your skin.”

I am so thrilled that the pattern made it to the very top of the most knit Interweave Knits Patterns of 2018. Here are the Top 5 Interweave Knits Patterns of 2018.

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Photoshoot at Vigeland Museum: Canola

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Next out in the series of designs photographed at the Vigeland Museum is the poncho I have designed for Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk. Named after Canola the Irish deity who ruled over music magic is this poncho with sideways cables at the bottom and on the high collar. The upper part is picked up and knitted from the lower cable panel and worked in stockinette stitch with shaping for the shoulders. The short sleeves in rib hold the poncho together. You can wear it with a belt or a shawl pin to gather it at the front or loose, just as you prefer. Model Emma Ross, with hair & makeup by Sissel Fylling and jewellery by Kaja Gjedebo Design, wore the poncho beautifully, and photographer Eivind Røhne captured these brilliant pictures at the Vigeland Museum back in November.

I styled Canola with pencil pants and Benedetta high wedge boots from Monica Stålvang, to show off the oversized fit, and did also add a belt to the front. Canola comes in one size and has a 194 cm/76.5″ circumference and a 74.5 cm/29.25″ length, the sleeves which are worked separately are 32 cm/12.5″ long.

The sample is knitted in Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk, Tinde pelt wool yarn made of 100% pelt wool with 260 meters/284 yards per 100 gram skein in the divine shade of Burgundy 2104, using 3.5 mm/US 4. The gauge used is 21 stitches and 30 rows in stockinette stitch. 

The body is knitted in four parts with cables on bottom part and stockinette stitch on the upper part. A long circular needle is used to accommodate the large number of stitches. The sleeves are knitted in the round in rib.The collar is knitted separately using a provisional cast-on so that the ends can be grafted together. If you prefer to have the collar loose, pick up and knit stitches around the neck and work an I-cord bind-off.

The Norwegian pattern and yarn kit will be launched at “Fagstrikk (Knits trade fair)” in Oslo in April, while the English pattern will be test knitted in my Ravelry group beginning on 15th of April before its release.

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Photoshoot at Vigeland Museum: Corra

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Let me present Corra worn by model Emma Ross, with hair & makeup by Sissel Fylling and jewellery by Kaja Gjedebo Design, brilliantly captured by photographer Eivind Røhne at the Vigeland Museum in November last year. Corra is made for Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk and knitted in their divine Tinde pelt wool yarn in the blue turquoise colour 2129. The colour does look gorgeous on Em, I think. I choose to style it with black pencil pants and Benedetta high wedge boots from Monica Stålvang.

Named after the Prophecy Goddess is this elaborate cabled pullover with slightly fitted waist. Two large cable panels are divided by a small cable that ends in a Henley neck, framed with an I-cord. Unlike the body the sleeves only have two small cables surrounded by stockinette stitch, so all the focus is on the body. Corra is knitted in pieces and seamed.

Em is wearing size S, but I have graded the pattern in sizes XS to 2XL, with a bust circumference of 86 cm to 126 cm/33.75 to 49.5″. The pullover is knitted with a 21 stitches and 30 rows gauge in stockinette stitch using 3.5 mm/US 4 needles, measures 10 cm/4″ square. Corra is photographed in the Monolith Hall, with the plaster models made by Gustav Vigeland as casts in parts for the granite 17.3 meter tall/56 feet and 9.1″ Monolith (the center piece of the Vigeland Park in Oslo); a column consisting of 121 figures. The figurine part is 14.2 meter/46 feet and 7″ tall, excluding the plinth. Carved from one single granite block, hence the name (mono: one, litho: stone). Take a look at Em in front of the Monolith in this blogpost: Behind the Scenes Photoshoot at Vigeland Museum.

The Norwegian pattern and yarn kit will be launched at “Fagstrikk (Knits trade fair)” in Oslo in April, while the English pattern will be test knitted in my Ravelry group beginning on 18th of March before its release. It was like a dream to spend the whole day, surrounded by all these amazing sculptures, in the company of only the curators and my crew! Thank you!

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Patent Poncho in Familien 04/19

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For the second time around, the Patent Poncho has been featured in the Norwegian bi-weekly magazine Familien, I am pleased to say. The first time was in the special issue Familien Strikkebok that came out in August in 2013, then with photos taken by their in-house photographer Esten Borgos. These new photos were taken at Ingierstrand Bad, just outside of Oslo in May in 2017 by Eivind Røhne. Alexandria Eissinger, with hair & makeup by Jens J. Wiker and jewellery by Kaja Gjedebo Design, looks stunning in it. Check out the selfie posture, in this blogpost: Behind the Scenes Photoshoot at Ingierstrand Bad.

Inspired by all the Fisherman’s rib patterns in fashion, I have designed a poncho in an oversized sweater style with longs splits in the side. The poncho is knitted in parts to create a contrast between the unstructured cable and the linear rib, called patent in Norwegian. The large splits on the sides make the poncho less voluminous. The sleeves are knitted long, to keep you warm on cold days. The poncho is knitted in a beautiful Camel Brown Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk, Ask, a pure wool with plenty of bounce, using a 3 mm/US 2.5 knitting needles.

The poncho is one size with a 150 cm/59”  bust circumference. The side and back view are also shown next to the pattern on the following two pages. Both the English and the Norwegian pattern is available from both Ravelry and from Loveknitting.

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Irpa Knitted by Siret

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I wanted to share this gorgeous version of Irpa knitted by Siret in Brooklyn Tweed Loft. Siret test knitted the jacket for me in size medium, and made it for her daughter, who wears the jacket in these photos. The Brooklyn Tweed Loft is finer than the original yarn Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk Tinde, and Siret had a 23 stitch gauge instead of a 21 stitch gauge. The photographs are taken in the largest bog of Saaremaa (Estonian island in the Baltic Sea) – Koigi bog. “The bog is an important place of nesting and passing through for birds”, writes Siret on her project page.

“My daughter wanted a warm and big cardigan. It should be yellow! And Linda Marveng’s Irpa was the right one. Irpa is gorgeous cabled cardigan with v-neck. Linda designed Irpa to be oversized. She used an amazing Pine cable pattern which cover the center of the back. One pattern repeat is on the front panel and sleeves. Another wonderful knit from Linda Marveng!” You can find Siret as kollane on Ravelry and as siretsini on Instagram.

“Only 18 grams of yarn remained of the 8 skeins because my gauge was not the same as in pattern.” Siret had to adjust the needle size down to 2.75 mm/US 2 and 3 mm/US 2.5 to match the yarn thickness. I am so thrilled that she test knitted this for me, and took all these wonderful photos using her mobile phone. Thank you so much, Siret!

The pattern, in both English and Norwegian, is available on Ravelry and on Loveknitting.  My  introduction to it is: Irpa is Norse for dark brown and suited this long oversized cardigan with a v-neck and a slight shaping for waist. Pine cable cover the center back, while only one pattern repeat adorns the fronts and sleeve. A wide rib makes this casual jacket a perfect extra layer to the Sigyn dress.

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