So another pattern previously published in a magazine got a brush-up - and for once I started to work on it because I already had lovely pictures of the item taken. Usually the photography bit is what delays re-releases forever. Not this time, because I took the Bay Mitts with us on holidays the other day. And I really think I found the right setting for them.

The mitts, knit in fingering weight yarn, feature vertical lines of twisted ribbing that converge with horizontal rows of garter stitch resulting in a purposely skewed look because of the different row gauges.

These mitts are worked in the round from the cuff up, the thumb gusset is 'hidden' in the garter stitch section. The design is unhanded, i.e. both mitts are worked the same.

The pattern includes three sizes to fit a hand circumference of approximately 14.75 (17.25, 20) cm [6 (6.75, 7.75)”]. Hand length along pinky side of hand is 16 (17.75, 19.75) cm [6.25 (7, 7.75)”]

Bay Mitts is now available from my pattern store one Ravelry, here.

PS Looking at the pictures makes me want to go on a trip to the sea right away...

Today's the day and a fabulous new book (that for some reasons was in the making for what feels like forever) is now available in book stores: Operation Sock Drawer.

It is filled with  20 original designer sock patterns knitted using different techniques - and I am tickled pink that one of my patterns made it into the collection: Mesmerizing!

The socks are worked in stranded knitting and I  used a stitch pattern from Andrea Rangel's wonderful AlterKnit Stitch Dictionary, which I adapted to form an integrated heel. Totally love how these came out - what do you think?

So I absolutely love to knit, but when it comes to the finishing touches I am a demotivated loser. No matter if it is weaving in ends or blocking, usually stuff sits quite a while finished in my knitting basket before I get it done. And this time it was even worse, because I had to add a zipper... one of the things I hate so most, because I find it so hard to sew it in so that the fabric doesn't curl. Which is the reason that the colourwork pillow case I finsihed in August and that I really enjoyed knitting, had to wait until today before I got my act together...

... but ta-dah! It is finally done! The zipper is fine (the cushion might be a tad small), and I absolutely love how this turned out. I admit, it doesn't really work well with our terracotta-coloured couch , but I will find a place for it somewhere in the house. And who knows?  I might knit it again in colours that work better in our living room... we'll see.

... there is no way I walk past a yarn store. Imagine a sigh here - and I am not even sure if it's a sigh from frustration that I can't resist to purchase yarn even though I have tons of it back at home, or if it is a sigh from pleasure because I have some new yarns to fondle... I guess it's a bit of both.

But then, we went to visit Fanø and well, that's where designer Christel Seyfarth has her store, so a small souvenir was a must. I admit it took all my will power to not buy a - quite expensive - yarn kit for one of her fabulous shawls. On our way back from there we stopped in Ribe. And believe it or not, the fist store we came across was a yarn store... That was fate, wasn't it?  And since Sandnes Garn is hard to get here (or at least I told myself so)... I added a bit to my bag.

I think it's not hard to tell that I had my favourite colour scheme in mind when choosing my purchases, lol.

Unfortunately the store also had a HUGE collection of cross stitch kits - which is my second love besides knitting currently. They had sooooo many wonderful things , but for once I was a bit reasonable and realized that there is no way I could fit in a big project any time soon. But two kids  for tiny 10x10 cm pictures somehow hopped in my basket ... Love them - and love my wonderful husband who never complains when I all of a sudden spoil our plans when I see a craft store.

We've enjoyed our time on holidays so much, that there was hardly any time for knitting - but I did finish a new design I've been playing aournd with for a while. I think I mentioned before that I really have a soft spot for illusion knitting  and it was my goal to create a basic pattern to interest sock knitters for this technique. Here comes: Striped Illusion

The socks are knitted cuff down in two contrasting colours and they are worked always with one colour at a time. Depending on the angle you look at the socks, the diagonal stripes created by the clever use of knit and purl stitches, are either almost invisble or they are a prominent feature. I think the easy to memorize stitch pattern is a great introduction to illusion knitting (or shadow knitting).  The pattern will go into test knitting soon and I hope to have it available in my shop next month.

And once again is September 28th and once again it's DH's birthday! Congratulations, my love!

As some of you may know, Ulli always gets at least one knitted gift for his birthday, usually a pair of socks. And this year, I think I found the appropriate motif for his colourwork socks to remember 2020...

.. and I sure do hope that very soon all the craziness caused by the virus (or rather the measurements taken becaus of it) will be a memory only. Fingers crossed!

I've only finished the socks on our way to our holiday home, so they are not blocked and there still might be ends to weave in, but at least he didn't get his gift half-finished in a project bag, lol.

If the weather forecast is right, summer will be back for another round with temperatures around 30°C next week - so why not rerelease a pattern perfect for knitting on hot days? The Mantilla Stole is such an airy, lightweight project, knitted in a lace weight yarn on rather large needles in Shetland Lace motifs.

The stole is not only the perfect accessory for a chilly summer night, but it is also an eye-catcher when worn with your favourite outfit in the cooler season. Depending on the yarn blend and the colour, it goes with your favourite casual outfit just as well as with elegant evening wear.

Since today, the pattern for the Mantilla Stole is available from my Ravelry store, here: Mantilla Stole.

Look what I found deep down in my knitting basket: 4 hexagon modules for the Persian Dreams blanket (pattern by Jenise Hope ) in Cascade Yarn Heritage I started back in, hmm, January 2016.

For once I was honest with myself and realized that I'll probably never finish it. But what to do with the already finished hexagons? To pretty to frog, leave alone throw away. So why not turn them into two pillow cases? No sooner said than done.

Since I want my pillow cases to be bigger and square, I added about 16 more rounds in a colourwork pattern and then added corners in main colour only.

I think it looks pretty good and I can't wait to see them finished.