Strik – Side 8 – Garngalleriet Mikrofarveri

Udgivet i 21/05/2014 af Birthe P — Skriv en kommentar

Perlegrus – Linen Stitch

Perlegrus er en meget enkel vævestriks-teknik med en flot effekt. Det strikkede tekstil ser rent faktisk ud som om det er vævet, hvilket er meget fascinerende!

Teknikken er som sagt meget enkel. Til gengæld er den lidt tidskrævende. Hver anden maske tages løs af, men skal strikkes på næste pind – det betyder at man har fat i alle maskerne to gange, og det gør det jo i sagens natur lidt langsommeligt.
Til gengæld skal man bruge en pindetykkelse der er lidt grovere end hvad man normalt ville vælge til det pågældende garn, ellers bliver det meget fast. Til et pind-3-garn passer det med pind 4 eller 4,5 mm.

Strikkede tekstiler i perlegrus bliver glatte, lette og ikke særligt elastiske – i hvert fald set i forhold til almindelig strik. Perlegrus ligger helt fladt: der er ingen rullende kanter, hvilket kan være en stor fordel.

Teknikprøve:
Slå et lige antal masker op på strikkepinde der er lidt for tykke til garnet.
1. pind = retsiden: 1 ret, 1 maske løs af med garnet på retsiden. Gentag pinden ud.
2. pind = vrangsiden: 1 vrang, 1 maske løs af med garnet på retsiden. Gentag pinden ud.

Voilá. Det er såmænd det hele!
Prøv at strikke smalle striber (2 pinde hver) og tjek effekten! Eller brug garn med indbygget farveskift.

Jeg har eksperimenteret lidt med kanter og fundet at strikningen bliver pænest uden nogen specielle kantmasker. Altså ikke noget med at bruge lænkekant, knudekant eller hvad man nu plejer. Blot perlegrus, helt enkelt, fra højre til venstre! 🙂
Ind- og udtagninger:
Indtagninger laves som man plejer: 2 ret sammen eller 2 drejet ret sammen, alt efter omstændighederne.
Udtagninger laves ved at strikke 2 masker i 1. Lænkeudtagning fungerer ikke godt.

Nå men, prøv det selv. God strikkelyst! 🙂

Sweateren "Gudenå". Perlegrus-teknik, i håndmalet Opus-garn. — Sweateren “Gudenå”. Perlegrus-teknik, i håndmalet Opus-garn.

English Summary:
How to work linen stitch:
Cast on an even number of stitches, using a slightly thicker needle as you normally would for the yarn.
1. row (right side): Knit 1, slip 1 with yarn on the right side.
2. row (wrong side): Purl 1, slip 1 with yarn on the right side.

No particular edge stitches needed, the knitting looks best without them! Linen stitch looks almost as if it was woven, the fabric lies flat, is smooth and lightweight.
Try experimenting with narrow stripes (2 rows of each colour) or with variegated yarn.
Happy knitting!

Udgivet i 06/05/2014 af Birthe P — 2 kommentarer

Næsten færdig – Almost done!

Jeg lukkede masker af her til morgen – endelig! Selvom perlegrus er en meget smuk og enkel strikketeknik er den også lidt langsommelig at strikke, og jeg nåede at blive en smule træt af det her til sidst. Men nu er blusen omsider klar til sammensyning, og så skal der kanter på. Hvilken slags har jeg ikke besluttet endnu, men jeg hælder til en enkel hæklet kant rundt i halsen og på ærmerne. Måske også rundt forneden.

Jeg elsker farverne! — Jeg elsker farverne i det håndmalede Opus-garn!

Jeg glæder mig til at flashe blusen til Saltum Uldfestival her i weekenden! 🙂

English summary:
I have just cast off the last stitches of my linen-stitch sweater this morning. Now all that remains is sewing up the seams and making some kind of edge at the neckline and the sleeves.
Looking forward to wear this garment at Saltum Uldfestival this weekend!

Udgivet i 28/04/201428/04/2014 af Birthe P — 2 kommentarer

Nyt værksted – new studio

(English summary at the bottom)

Jeg er lige flyttet fra mit store, rummelige og dejligt lyse værksted til et, der er både mindre og mørkere. Det var ikke med min gode vilje, men desværre kunne jeg ikke længere få lov til at være hvor jeg var – et sted jeg ellers var rigtig glad for.

Mit nye sted skal nok blive godt, jeg skal bare lige vænne mig til det.. Det vender mod nord og der slipper ikke meget dagslys ind gennem de små vinduer. Noget mindre plads end jeg er vant til betyder at der lige nu roder helt vildt! Jeg har en udfordring nu med at få tingene til at være der på den mest praktiske måde..

På-plads-sætning / putting stuff in its right place

Det var her i weekenden jeg flyttede, og nu mandag formiddag har jeg stillet væven op (og ryddet lidt mere op). Et kvarters spinding ude i formiddagssolen betød også at jeg blev færdig med at spinde en portion BFL/silke-garn, som jeg har arbejdet på sådan on-and-off i et godt stykke tid. Så blev det lige pludselig færdigt! 🙂
Garnet er 1-trådet og skal bruges som islæt til et tørklæde eller sjal. Det bliver det første væveprojekt på mit nye værksted.

BFL/silke, 1-trådet. Spundet på en Bosworth Midi / BFL/silk singles, on a Bosworth Midi spindle — BFL/silke, farve “Jupiter”, 1-trådet. Spundet på en Bosworth Midi / BFL/silk singles, colourway “Jupiter”, on a Bosworth Midi spindle

Det vidunderlige vejr har givet lyst til udendørs kreativiteter, og jeg har nydt at sidde og strikke på mit nyeste design: en bluse i perlegrus-teknik, strikket i Opus i 5 forskellige farver. Jeg tror det bliver godt!
In English:
I have just moved to my new workshop/studio this weekend. A little less spacious than what I’m used to, I need to be good at placing all my stuff, yarns and wool in a practical way.
I finished spinning some BFL/silk singles for a woven scarf or shaw. I have spun this over a longer period of time, in between other projects. Suddenly it’s finished! My current knitting project is a pullover in linen stitch. I’m using Opus Handspun yarn in 5 different colours. I like it 🙂

Udgivet i 25/03/2014 af Birthe P — Skriv en kommentar

Alma Ella Shawl

"Alma Ella" in Serenade, colorway "Turmeric" — “Alma Ella” in Serenade, colorway “Turmeric”

The Alma Ella Shawl is a free pattern over on Ravelry. Designed by Robin Lynn and generously made available for all lovers of simple, but beautiful shawls.
Here is a linkie to the original pattern on Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/alma-ella-shawl

My friend Mariann, who is a skilled knitter (and now also a spinner with a serious spindle collecting issue, but that is a whole different story..) has created an Alma Ella in my handpainted lace merino yarn, “Serenade”.

Is it not beautiful? I think so!
I have translated the pattern into Danish and placed it in the “patterns” section of this blog. Go ahead and download, if you please.

Alma Ella-sjalet er en gratisopskrift ovre på Ravelry. Jeg har oversat det til dansk og det kan nu downloades her på bloggen, under “patterns”.

Udgivet i 22/02/2014 af Birthe P — Skriv en kommentar

Just Blue – Blot Blåt

I am a relatively new member of the knitting society “Seriøs Strik For Sjov”, which means “Serious Knitting For Fun”. Every year the members are encouraged to knit/crochet/craft something for a travelling exibition. This years theme is “Just Blue”, and that simply means that only blue items are allowed.

The deadline is on March 1st, but I handed in my blue item the other night when we met at Silkeborg Museum, as usual on the third thursday of the month.
Before I let go of my blue thing, I took a few photos. Our chairman Hanne has given permission to publish photos, so here it is:

The top is knitted in two long panels that goes over the shoulders, each one dyed in two blue colors. The idea was to knit with exactly the number of stitches required for the color change to find place in the middle of the panel. It meant that I had to pay great attention to gauge – I litteraly had to count on every row, allowing for some drifting – but not much.
The two panels were joined front and back with mattress stitching, and the sides are mesh panels.

I like how the two panels that make up the front and back are so different. The dark blue/turquoise panel gave name to the top: The color shifting looks kind of like the equalizer-panel on the stereo..

Apart from finishing my Equalizer Top I have been weaving. Soon I will be ready to cut down the two rugs in Swedish Rosepath-pattern. They will be approximately 2 meters (80 inches) long, the first one a little longer than the second. The weaving width is 80 cms (32 inches), but I expect the width to crawl in to about 70 cms.
Here is a look at the pattern of the second rug:

Cutting down will be very exiting! It will happen in a few days.. I’m curious to weigh the rugs to find out the amount of yarn that has gone into them – I have used nothing but stash yarns.
Yes. I have a serious stash..

Udgivet i 05/01/201413/01/2014 af Birthe P — Skriv en kommentar

Sweater love

I knitted this sweater in no time. Even spun the yarn in no time. I just loved the pattern so much, the stitch pattern was easy and fun to knit, and the ever changing colors of the handspun singles just kept med going and going..

The yarns (because there are two yarns) are: Handspun singles, Noro-look-alike-yarn, spun pretty fast from carded wool/silk/alpaca-fibers in colorway “Delight”. The other yarn (the top of the sweater body and sleeves) is BFL-Steps, my handdyed sock yarn. The latter held double.
The pattern I found in Noro Magazine #2. It’s called “Mesh banded pullover”.

I am really happy with this garment. It fits perfectly and is not too hot to wear indoors. Love it!

Udgivet i 24/11/2012 af Birthe P — 8 kommentarer

Finished project!

Ta-daaa!!
I am so pleased with this sweater! My handspun Swirl (designed by very talented Sandra McIver) is done and almost dry. Dry enough to do some photos while it’s still daylight outside.

This has been a very pleasant knitting adventure. The pattern (“Strata Sphere” from McIvers book “Knit Swirl”) is well written, has very usefull schematics and was easy to follow. It was especially nice and thrilling to work with my own handspun.
I had dyed up a big bunch of different fibers (wool, alpaca, silk, bamboo, mohair) in the colourway “Icarus”. First I separated the fibers into different piles of colours, carded it together and spun a singles yarn.
I aimed at getting the same grist, look, hand and colour-magic that we see in Noro Silk Garden, which was the yarn called for in the pattern. I think I got it pretty well! Only problem was that I had underestimated the amount og fiber to spin, so in the middle of the project I had to dye, card and spin some more..
The second lot of course came out a little bit different than the first, but it’s not to be seen at all in the finished Swirl.

swirldetalje — A closer look at the yarn and knitting structure.

I predict that this sweater is going to be worn a lot this winter!

Udgivet i 27/07/2012 af Birthe P — 2 kommentarer

Finally something finished..

My new dress (or tunic) in fair isle style stranded knitting is called “Mirabel”. It has been underways for a little more than a year, but last week I finally got it done.
I like how it turned out. What do you think?:

I have drawn the different patterns myself and it was a joy knitting the garment and watch how it came along. There was no plan for the colour placement – that part I just made up as I went.

Now I have hauled out another unfinished object from the depths of a knitting basket. Also a fair isle garment, a sweater. Very traditional. This one I knit with wool yarn that I have dyed with plants and mushrooms. It wont turn out nearly as beautiful as the dress, but it will be a warm and comfy sweater for next winter.
I’ll show it when it’s done. I’m good into the second sleeve.

Udgivet i 19/05/2012 af Birthe P — 2 kommentarer

Work in progress.

This project has been with me for ages. About 3 years, to be more precise.. I recall that it started out as a sample. I wanted to try out a new shape in a modular knitting technique, a letter T-shape.

At the same time, the sample served as a test-knit of my handspun yarn out of Silk Hankies.
Soon I was hooked on this T-shape and I sketched out a garment with short sleeves and began spinning and knitting.
It went well for some time. Then other projects and fabulous ideas came along and had to be delt with. I put my “T-shirt” aside and kind of forgot about it for a very, very long time..

But recently I digged it out, seriously determined to finish it now! There was (is) still some spinning to be done, and a few design issues to be taken care of. I try to keep good notes as I knit along so that there’s a chance that I can write some kind of pattern later on.. With projects like this, that just seems to take shape as you go and is full of surprices, it’s often very difficult to produce a written pattern. In my opinion it’s much more simple to knit modular projects from a drawing/sketch, with som key-numbers and technique-explanations added to it, of course.
Let’s see if I’ll be able to whip up a proper written pattern for this baby!

This morning I just completed the first shoulder.

The lower body, back and front, is almost all done, so now only shoulders and neck shaping remain. Borders too, of course.
I’m very pleased with how it turns out so far. The silk Hankies-yarn is nice to work with, and it looks great in simple garter stitch. I’m pretty sure the T-shirt is going to fit (me) nicely and that it will look good with my long brown summerskirt. Can’t wait to get it finished now! I’m off to do some spinning and knitting..

Udgivet i 25/03/2012 af Birthe P — Skriv en kommentar

FreeForming

Yesterday I gave a class in Freeform Crochet and Knitting. I have teached this workshop before, but the last time was surely a long time ago, so a little preparation was needed..

I made this FreeForm scrumble/patch ahead of the workshop, just to get into the groove again. This scrumble contains all the elements that I planned on teaching my students later in the afternoon, and when finished it became a decoration in the neckline of my vest.

I had a group of 9 students. While freeforming was new to them all, they were all skilled knitters, and most of them also good at crochet, so they very easily grabbed the new techniques I presented to them. They were clever students!

Concentration was intense. Not much talking. They had no time for breaks: the work continued uninterrupted even though fruit, coffee and cake was served.

At the end of the day we gathered all the pretty scrumbles and tried to fit them together. As if by magic they (almost) fitted perfectly together, and even though each student had picked her own pallette of yarn colors we agreed that all the different pieces actually could be used in the same colorfull project – if desired..

Now I have an urge to create some more Freeform (to go with the one I made yesterday). I had forgotten how much fun it actually is! And afterall it is sunday. I actually have the time to dive into it. I’ll do it!