Sommarväskan

Ibland ser jag ett mönster som jag bara måste prova. Så var det när jag såg Purl bees "the Forty Minute Tote".  Det var en mycket trevlig beskrivning, och jag tror att det är en användbar väska. 

Fodertyget köpte jag från Karinottilia under Syfestivalen i våras, axelremsbandet och yttertyget är ur Afroarts Mira Maya kollektion. Så, nu är det bara att fylla den med stickning, filt och en god bok och ge sig ut antar jag?

So, it is snowing outside. Again. I am tired. Tired of being tired, but on the other hand - happy about getting better and better. However, this is a not-so-good-day and I had almost forgot about them. Instead of being frustrated about not having the energy to clean, sew and work today I should have curled up in the sofa several hours ago. Maybe knitting, maybe having a cup of tea and planning next week at Skogsbo and being happy about getting better. Today reminded me.

Concering knitting. I am still working on my Trellis scarf. I still love how the shawl is coming along. Love the pattern, the yarn and can't wait to wear it. Some weeks ago I went through all my WIPs, frogged some and found some I had forgot. Now, they are all sorted - laying in individual bags i a huge Ghanan basket waiting to be FOs. And some day I think they will. I am looking forward to some tvåändsstickning and some inspiration.

I also ordered some new knitting books earlier today - haven't done that in a while but I realised that "A fine fleece" and "Knitted Lace of Estonia" is just what I need!

A couple of days ago Easter arrived at Afroart and it did in a very colourful and inspiring way - just look at these! I tell you; several have moved in at Skebokvarnsvägen 324!


Have a nice evening. Time for tea.

Saturday

Yesterday I finished my first week at my new job. Everything is exciting, new, a bit confusing at times but on the whole almost to good to be true. I am very happy, to say the least. I spent a couple of hours at Skogsbo today aswell and realised that even though it is a beautiful place during winter, spring will be even more beautiful this year. I so enjoy the walk from the tram, among the sleeping gardens and houses, the woods and all the birdsong and then arriving at Skogsbo. Such a silent and kind place..! Valdar visited Skogsbo for the first time ever today and his first statement was "It is beautiful". We raised him well :-)

After spening an hour or two at Skogsbo we visited my grandmother who lives close by. Valdar and Farmor enjoys eachothers company a great deal, and it also feels great for me to be able to be closer to her at least a couple of days a week. After all, she turns 85 years this August.

This evening I have been replanting all our indoor plants - there are quite a few - and I got to use some of the 1950´s flowerpots I thrifted this wednesday, visiting Heléne in Täby. I have got a softspot for beautiful flowerpots you see, so I have alse fallen in love with pots by Anna Broström.

The one to the right is made by Anna Broström.

And then I painted my fingernails. It is Saturday, after all...

My knitting at the moment is going very well thank you. I bought some lovely, soft green/yellowish 2ply pälsull by Fjällbete at a craftfair in Östersund 1,5 years ago. I am knitting a kind of rustic version of the Trellis scarf by the talented Evelyn A. Clark. Lovely and fast knit, since I am using a thick-er and thick-er needles, although the rows where I have to knit seven stitches together no less then three times gets me inventing new profanities . Have to finish it soon though, in order to wear it a s a p ...

And so I finally got to visit one of the more impressive on-line shops I have ever seen! I bet you have been there before, but I had not. Such a impressive and tasteful collection of great products. Do visit Cosas, and if you don't have time I will show you some of the thing that left me speachless, impressed and longing.. Pictures are taken from the Cosas website.

All these pictures comes from the Cosas website

So, how are you? Have you noticed that it smells of spring outside? Even on the cold and gloomy days, something has shifted - and I always enjoy the shift. And I celebrate it by replanting flowers, cleaning, sorting out messy cupboards, piles of fabric and linen, by taking baths and long walks. By trying to take time to breath and enjoy - and sometimes succeding. By planting seeds to later plant outside on the balcony. Little V enjoys planting, and he also enjoys the idea of an aquarium of his own. In a couple of weeks that will be a reality. He can't wait. He wakes up every morning, asking about the water, the fishes and the aquarium. We will see, it is great seeing him this engaged. It is actually very nice to come home earlier aswell, to spend more time with Little V, B and by myself.

Take care, and have a lovely sunday!

Studio Violet
morkarin
manos
Afroart - do notice the new Etiopian stools!

Brrr

It is winter again. Cold and dark mornings, and I kind of wonder where autumn went? I haven´t had any, or at least to few, long walks enjoying the colours, cripsness and fragrance of fall.

But, I do enjoy the cold. I do. I´ve even started to knit socks, although I am no sockknitter. Now and then I forget this and I try, but I almost always fail. Hopelessly. Anyways; I´ve started a striped pair of "Sargents" from "Noro: Family" by Jane Ellison, using two skeins Noro Kureyon Sock - of different colourways. They will be kneehigh, striped socks and I need to finish them soon.. Wearing a skirt today was freezing I tell you...


The ribbed and striped beginning.

All three of us had some calm and cozy evenings together, Valdar practising his A´s and V´s - he tend to draw the A´s upside down. Otherwise they look great.





And me, making collages, knitting or just enjoying the cardemomcake B and V made earlier.

Some weeks ago there was a Autumn-celebration at Valdars preschool; a Lanternfestival where there are grilled apples, hot soup outside and then - when it gets dark - the beautifully decorated paperlanterns are lit, songs about light in the dark sung and the children takes the lanterns and the light for a walk.

All of this demanded a lantern. So, I made one and Valdar wanted his to have foxes and dogs, so it had.







One thing I really enjoy about this flat is how our diningplace is such a nice and calm workspace. Look at my beautiful cut-work pillow from work...! :-)

At the moment I am dreaming about going to Mali. To visit Hotel Djenne Djenno and take a Bogolan course with Swedish artist Sophie Sarin. Maybe one day I will.

And I have to show you what came in to the shop today. Mrs Hippo! She was part of the result of a campaign for "Save the Children"-Sweden and several swedish designers and was designed by Gunilla Lundberg - who is one of the owners of AfroArt and handstitched at a Fairtrade cooperative in Bangladesh. The Hippo is sold at the AfroArt shops and over at "Save the Children"´s website. Go shop!

Take care!

Unbelievably hot

It is like walking into a wall of heat, getting outside these days. But I am a polarbear you see. I love sunny days, if there is a shady spot for me. Or a wind at least. But I can´t handle this kind of numbing heat. Despite the heat and me being super-tired it has been a great couple of days! I worked until four this saturday, and then I met up with B and left for Jonas in Eskilstuna. First we had some dinner - or tried to in the heat. Earlier that day I passed by the Beirut Deli in Östermalmshallarna and bought some Mhamara (paprikarelish with walnuts and pomegranate), Fatayes (pirouges containing fetacheese and spinache), hoummos, Bulgursalad and Jonas served some great wine, grilled halloumicheese and icecream. Needless to say, that was a great meal. Later we went to listen to Sofia Karlsson by Rademachersmedjorna. Great concert, as usual - although I find it quite petty to sell tickets to a prize of 250 sek and don´t offer seats to more than a third of the audience. It would have been OK if 1) there had been a note anywhere, describing the seating situation 2) if I had not been standing behind the counter for six hours 3) If we had not been so darn polite and had gone fetching your average park bench as some of the senior citizens did. Well, the concert was great and the location beautiful, much resembling an traditional swedish "people´s park" - Folk park. In short - we did not get seats.

Afterwards we gave J a lift home and went to Näshulta and Vidåsen. As always it was great meeting Eva and Nicke. We spent the major part of yesterday by lake Näshulta, swimming and by Vidåsen. Later we went home and today I was back at work.

I have been knitting at my Lady Eleanor entrelac stole lately - but this is a far to big and warm a knit to knit daytime. I have also sewn a - according to me - fully functional and useful skirt inspired by angry chicken´s 5-minute skirt. I used this wounderful nigerian wax batik and no F.O.E. but a zip. Get some picture up later.

And, I have been reading. First "Kite Runner" and "Thousand splendid suns" by Khaled Hosseini, then "Bitterfittan" by Maria Sveland. Great books all three of them. Coming up is "Världens mått" by Daniel Kehlmann and "The Inheritance of Loss" by Kiran Desai. I am so looking forward to reading them! Reading is a great way of spending exhausted summer eves.
Any suggestions of summerreads? I will need a new one by thursday or so.

And! I almost forgot! Nicke made us a great summer´s lunch after bathing the first time yesterday: a great potatosalad - roughly based on this recipe by Ernst (quite famous interior decorator in Sweden) and a GREAT beansalad - roughly based on this:

1 can of large white beans
1 can of black beans
1 can of kidney beans
finely-chopped leek
sliced pickled garlic
chopped tomatoes
salad - any kind fresh!
curry (powder)
raisins
olive oil (a "light" one)
salt

Blend and rest for five minutes - enjoy!

Now, it is time to rest. We are actually not that happy tonight. Bs father and his family had to put down their 8 years old Leonbergerdog earlier today. I met him - Folke - the first time long before his new family did and have always loved him. Leonbergerdogs are particulary bred to look like lions - not to live, so they are often sick and Folke was.. We will miss him. Mother told Valdar this evening, that he would not meet Folke ever again and Valdar said "I will not pat Folke ever again, grandad will be sad".

That kind of sums it all up. Rest in peace Folke.

BOOKS!

BOOKS!
Originally uploaded by Wynja

These arrived today! Two GREAT books on crochet by Maria Gullberg and one by Elizabeth Zimmerman. So, I guess I don't have any excuse for not knitting the Tomten-jacket for Valdar.

As the two previous days, I really enjoy my week at Afroart. I am the MASTER of folding gorgeous quilts from Bangladesh. I want one. I want one in each colour. That makes ... eight.

There was another parcel arriving in the mail today. the Hairy Lady towel by Camilla Engman, Lovely. I will frame it.

TACK Camilla. (Om du av någon anledning skulle se detta :-) )

I also received the wonderful news that me and B are going to a concert next week. It is the wonderful Sofia Karlsson at Rival.

Looking forward to this weekends knitting-related-events: The textilefair - Syfestivalen - and the "Knit Out" at the Museum of Stockholm. And all in one day! This will require a great deal of logistics. The knitting-bag has to include at least one bottle of water, two wips, lunch, camera, sketchbook and well, money - should I find something...

Tjilevippen, as Nils Karlsson Pyssling aka Simon Small says.

Måndag

Concering last nights tv-show. Of course there is always (at least) two sides to a story. I am looking forward to next weeks programme where they will continue the discussion.

Today I have spent my first day at Afroart. Love it. My feet hurts (like hell), but I LOVE it. Will spend the rest of my mondayevening in bed, knitting.

Have a nice week!