Have a look at this!

Borrowed the picture from the Sneakers n Stuff homepage.I am still sick. Tried to ignore that earlier today, without any luck.
Soon returning to my Lady E and a large cup of tea I just wanted to show you these wonderful shoes, now avaliable in Sweden. By illustrator Camilla Engman.

It is my birthday in may. Just telling.

Mopey me

Well. Since my sinusitis and fever is getting the best of me, I am just presenting the glorious result of a test showing how much of a "literature-nerd"(sv. boknörd) I am . And then I am off to bed again.

A update in short

Sinusitis. Again! We arrived to Djurmo and my father in law yesterday. Since I appear to have regained my sinusitis I am not feeling to well - and this update will be a short one!

On the needles: Dearest Lady Eleanor entrelac stole from Pam Allens scarf style.
I really enjoy knitting it, and this far I think the yarn (Noro Silk Garden) fits the pattern as a glove.

On the iPod: The wonderful soundtrack of "Once". I haven´t seen the movie yet, have you?

Reading: The jubilee publication of knitting from Halland- "Binge"

On the wishlist: "The Creative Family" by Amanda Soule, i just might order it..

Todays adventure: A stop by "Tulavippa" - a rather large and well-stocked thriftstore closeby and then a trip to Falun: Hemslöjden and The Museum of Dalarna - where almost all the exhibitions were closed due to refurbishment.

Inspiration: Small magazine, Lisa Congdons Etsy shop and brooklyntweed.

Over and out.

Bye for now

Tomorrow afternoon we will leave for Blidö and some peace and quiet. We will spend this Easter at Blidö, then we will go to Gagnef and Valdars grandfather - to be back in Stockholm at the end of the week. I hope all of you will have a peaceful Easter.

Now I will try to find some recipes for painting eggs for easter, make carrotcakemuffins, pack my knits, paper and scissors for papercutting, Valdars watercolours and books. Lots of books.

The weekend in short

Tuesday already! Thought I´d begin by showing you some pictures from this weekend.

Saturday. I went to Slöjdhuset (The Sloyd/Crafthouse) and attended a papercuttingclass, held by artist Agneta Flock. The papercut on the top was made by a very talented woman attending the class.. The next three pictures shows the papercuts made by me, Satoko and another friend and shows some of the exercises we went through: a tree, different kinds of trees, hearts with things growing out of them and so on.

I really enjoy papercutting and it is something I have devoted some time over the past eight years. I think I will spend even more time cutting now, as I have noticed Valdar really enjoy playing around cutting shapes in left over pieces of paper and cardboard.

Nikki McClure
Tord Boontje
Scherenschnitte
Peter Callesen
Robert Ryan





Sunday we went to Överjärva gård to visit this years eastermarket. Of course I visited Karin Erikssons newly opened shop manos, where we are not only able to purchase Karins wonderful ceramics, but also other carefully selected items from artists and crafters like Port 2 Port Press, Camilla Engman and Processor among others. It is a great shop, a welcoming atmosphere and I will return - at the launch of this if not sooner.

Afterwards we visited the market, bought some freshly baked walnut/olivebread, caramel almonds (or is it candied), had some tea in the and visited the baby lambs. Valdar, of course, vistied his favourite tractor. This time, hiding (resting?) beneath a blanket. We also past by Eva and Nicke - admired their items: handwoven doubleweaved rug rags, steelwire baskets and handcarved birds.

More pictures form this weekends various adventures at flickr.

Yesterday we entered a three day intensive woodturningclass. I thoroughly enjoy it, although I have to admit I am not completly relaxed around machines that size. And I do enjoy fairly quite forms of crafting. Our teacher, Åke Landström is vastly competent- both at his craft and as a teacher. Should you ever get the chance to take one of his classes, you really should. Tomorrow I hope to make a nystpinne. And maybe a small spin (snurra helt enkelt). Keep your fingers crossed for me, hopefully I will be able to show you some kind of result.

On the needles:
Finally I have decided what to make from the lovely Noro Silk Garden I bought about two years ago. It will be a Lady Eleanor Entrelac Stole - pattern by Kathleen Power Johnson from Scarf Style. This far, I enjoy it. I think that this will be my easterknitting. I am in a very impatient mood that goes well with the possibility of making one square, seeing the result and then decided whether I want to make one more.

Now, time for tea and som blogreading.

Collages of shapes

Collages of shapes
Originally uploaded by Wynja

Midnight collages. I am beginning to realize I really like to play with images, words, scissors and glue off the computor aswell as on the computor..

Sunday

After a short visit at Nysta yesterday me and Satoko ran some arrends, had some lunch and went for a walk through Södermalm. As we passed these two houses I fell for the wonderful combination of colours.

The late daylight has a very special impact on these limewashed jugend houses, I noticed the same effect in Helsinki. It might the "Baltic Sea-effect"..

If anyone, and I say anyone, has a flat to spare around in one of these houses we are more than happy to take care of it for several years. Promise. I am quite good with tile stoves.

After a quick stop a Nysta - in which I managed both having a chat with Karin AND avoiding to buy any more yarn we went to the japanse shops to make some grocery shopping and then we ended up at morkarin.

Here is a picture of the article in Elle Interiör I mentioned the other day.

And this is some great news! They sell prints by Camilla Engman! I mentioned her prints to them a month or so ago, and now they are available in the shop. Great gifts, if you have got them for yourself...

One of the things I am looking forward to this spring is defintly the exhibition of the exciting collaboration between Camilla Engman and Karin Eriksson in late may at Överjärva Gård. Although I will go to Överjärva next sunday. Time for Eastemarket! I am excited about the newliy opened craft/design shop manos and to see talented craft by my dear friends over at Hand & Tanke (Hand and Thought).

And here´s a finishing pictures from morkarin.
I bought some stamps by The Small Object.
They make me immensly happy. Valdar loves them too.

This afternoon I went to Ikea, hoping to buy some fabric to make cushions for our lillberg rockning chair - no luck. I ended up buying plants, candles, a chunk of parmesan and a picturefram to frame a lovely print by Stina Wirsén. This is another of her prints I got hold of some weeks ago. You have not missed the Stina Wirsén stampcollection? I think I will frame mine.

Todays inspiration comes from making beadnecklaces with Valdar, reading Fine Little Day and planning a tweedie-project. Soon to be revealed.

Have a nice week!

Colours

A picture from this Saturday, I really liked the combinations of colours. Light blues and red are colours I often return to; in planning of projects, in sketches, in things I immediately react positive to.


OH God I am bored. You know that space of time between when you are sick and well? I am there. Not yet fit to go about my normal every-day-life, but still - so bored. Lucky for me, Elle Intertiör arrived today. This is a new subscription to me, and I am still surprised everytime the magazine appears. In this issues "Right now" (just nu) -spot the magazine covers a favourite shop of mine of which I written before - morkarin. This is a shop at Tegnérgatan in the central parts of Stockholm, selling indie items and more. The article also mentions The Small Object, one of my personal favourites.

Time for pasta, and then some more knitting.

Links:
Sofia Karlsson - great musician! Went to her concert this Tuesday at Rival in Stockholm - despite my sinusitis. I suppose she might not remember, but we used to sing together at Skeppis "Visstuga" - sort of a folk song-lounge almost every sunday about twelve years ago. If you´re not yet familiar with her music and enjoys Dan Andersson, swedish visa/folk tradtion, do visit her website.

My Folk lover Etsy store Great artwork!

Resting

My spot
Originally uploaded by Wynja

Thought I´d show you where I often sit when I update the blog, and where I spent the last four days - recovering, resting, knitting, and listening to music or radio.

The pillowcase comes from Afroart. It was woven in Nigeria. I simply love large striped pillows. The striped thingie on the table is the -soon-to-be-sock I wrote about yesterday,

It is time for bed. We´ll see about tomorrow. I am bored. I want to go to school.

I have an idea, or actually more of a wish. Since I am a very curious person, I really would like see where you sit when you search the internet, update your blog och simply where you sit down and rest, knit or write. Show me that or those corners of your home. If you want to that is. You could also invite me for tea - as soon as I am well.

<3

Sinusitis

So. I´ve been down for a couple of days. Today I finally went to the district health care centre and got some antibiotics. I am still here, a bit fuzzy though. I spent my day listening to P1, a radio channel at the Swedish Broadcasting Corporation and knitting. The project of the day was a pair of socks for me. Knitted out of Regia sockyarn, the Kaffe Fassett "landscape fire" colourway. Love the striping!

Valdar

Valdar
Originally uploaded by Wynja

Well. I admit. I could not resist. This is Valdar trying to convince me he is not up to something.. Well. Go figure.

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.

Baskets from Ghana

Baskets from Ghana
Originally uploaded by Wynja

Day two of my trainee-week. Today I was at the Nybrogatan-shop in another part of town. A considerably large portion of my day was spent getting to know these GORGEOUS baskets from Ghana. I wish I coould do this every day, my feet are not convinced. They want me to buy better shoes first...

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!

Concering mulesing

Earlier this evening Kalla Fakta - "Cold Facts" a weekly inquiring journalism tvshow - featured a piece on Mulesing. If you have not heard of this horrible, sickening pratice concerning the merinosheep in Australia; maybe you shuld have a look. You are able to watch the programme at Kalla Faktas website or/and a spot on the news.

Still tired

It is no more exciting than a cold. I inherited one. So, I mostly spent this weekend in my bed - reading, sleeping, knitting and reading to Valdar. Tomorrow I will start as a trainee at one of my favourite shops in Stockholm: Afro Art. I will also appear as a guest-blogger at Kravallslöjd next week, starting tomorrow. Kravallslöjd translates into something like "Riotsloyd" or "Riothandi-craft". It will be in Swedish, but I might translate bits and pieces into english and put it up here. It will be a inspiring and interesting week! My cold sadly compelled me to miss both a long wished-for birthday and a gettogether with the Spinning Guild in Uppsala.

And some pictures.

I am SO happy about this yarn! Bought it from the owner of Herrviks Gård at the Woolday last weekend. The yarn is spun i Estonia from the pälsfår and finullsfår they own, but the farm is situated about 100km from where we live.
Hopefully the dark brown one will turn into a faroe-shawl in a while. I have been searching for the Perfect Yarn. This just might be it.

This is a close up of one of my WIPs. A shawl knitted from single ply yarn from Grimslättgård - frequently blogged here! Hopefully I will be able to present some kind of pattern in a while. I am trying to unravel the copyrights concering this technique.



My still feverish, but always happy, Valdar.

Time to have some tea again. Bought some LOVELY jewelery this Friday. I have to show you all soon. I am looking for the perfect sockpattern - any suggestions? Two balls of Kaffe Fassett Regia and one ball of Opal - one pattern each please, socks for me :-). Maybe I finally got the sockbug? Finished a pair of socks for Valdar today and I think I actually like it (she said, quite surprised)!

Do check out Rob Ryan and his WONDERFUL prints, found him through Camilla Engman. And, if you need any inspiration regarding pathwork - Rosa Pomar is always a goog place to start.

Tired tuesday!

Well, I guess that that says it all. I am quite happy but tired. Very tired. Yesterday I posted the final version of my paper. This means I am partly finished with my degree, in a couple of weeks I will start the concluding part of my degree project. I will tell you more about it in a while. I can tell you as much as it will be knitting related. And, I am very excited!

I got home just about an hour ago after a committee meeting with the Stockholm Handweavers. We are planning the annual meeting, with elections of new committee members and also practical stuff as how much the tickets to VÄV 08 in Leksand will cost. VÄV 08 is a large weavingfair held by the Swedish Weave council. We will also have an exhibition at Skansen in June showing the results of a six months long project. More information to come!

Now, time to sleep. Tomorrow we will hit the new Sápmi exhibition at Nordiska Museet. Lucky us!

Todays inspiration!

Todays inspiration!
Originally uploaded by Wynja

It is friday, and I am tired. Oh so tired. Here's todays inspiration from Flickr.

I am going to have a cup of tea, a blanket and then probably fall asleep on the sofa. Today "Last-minute fabric gifts" arrived. So far, I like it. I am not jumping up and down, as with the other two. Not yet anyway.

Tomorrow we've arranged a wool-day for the Stockholm Handweavers - (Stockholms handvävare) I suppose you could call it a guild, or an association of guilds. Since one year I am part of the committee, and this is the first of two days with a wool-theme we have planned this far. Hopefully I will be able to show you some photos tomorrow. Before I get to fall asleep on the sofa, I should probably pack all my books on wool and fibers for tomorrow.

Have a nice friday!

On the wishlist:
A subscription to one of the best magazines EVER: Selvegde.

Take a look at anaventura.com ! This is one VERY talented woman,

So! Today we made cards for St. Valentines day at Slöjdhuset! Fourteen children. They made cards and pencils. Cards from paper, wool, broadcloth and more paper and pencils from fresh twigs - given we have No Snow At All in Stockholm -perhaps due to global warming.

I really look forward to every wednesday at Slöjdhuset. Love the way the children immidiately gets to work, how they encourage eachother and the discussions. Today we talked about God, the swedish Royal family, the spanishlessons at school, footballpractise and whether you should write your name at the Valentine-card or keep it a secret.

These are some of the cards I made. I thought about showing you the sketches I wrote about, but I am just to tired to fix that today.

Comicstrip by one of my favourite illustrators Nina Hemmingsson.

Woolly heart. A classical Lord Byron poem: "She walks in beauty like the night..." Made another one with a poem by Karin Boye, a personal favourite.

A piece of Morris-pattern and one of my terriers cut in the front.
____

I really enjoyed making cards! I liked used the sewingmachine and paper. As always it is my happiest moment when I get to work in mixed medias.. paper and textile, wool and paper, paper and thread.

More books on my wishlist!
Simple Sewing by Lotta Jansdotter. Found her webpage with ALOT of desireable things via Shash at Mecozy. Lotta Jansdotter is soon to release a book on printing fabric. I am excited!

I actually knitted a couple of rows today at my third Lace leaf scarf. I will TRY to finish this before I start my next laceproject - the one i pirrka-lanka I blogged about the other day. Guess I've got the startitusbug aswell...

Now, I will have a cup of tea and some of Björns freshly baked bread.

In my lunchbox tomorrow:
Baked salmon and wholegrain basmatirice, broccoli and onion fried with some soy and honey.

Follow this link to see the original photos and the artists behind them!

Todays inspiration. I am really looking forward to the papercut workshop. I am also getting more and more convinced I not only need to spend some time exploring the art of patchwork, I also really need to make some stamps.. But how?

I am indulging in some new books:

"Last-Minute Patchwork + Quilted gifts"
by Joelle Hoverson

I really really like this book. It is a beautiful book, lots and lots of inspiring projects, tips and also photos by the super-talented Anna Wiliams. There is several patterns that makes me want to get to sewing right away and I know I will try some of them.

I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of another book from the same series: "Last-Minute Fabric Gifts".

"Om Konsten att Trycka tyg"
by Anna Häggblom

This is a swedish book, written in swedish about the art of textile printing.
Yet another modern, graphically winning book which manages to balance the content between inspiring views over classical prints, techniques and artists, such as Viola Gråsten, Marimekko, William Morris, Josef Frank and Astrid Sampe.
I have heard from others, much more experienced people that the author might make the reader think that the process of screen-printing is much easier than it really is. On the other hand, that might de-dramatize it all - and maybe beginners like myself will be less intimidated. But then again: these eager beginners may fail hopelessly, but isn't that always the challenge and the risk of trying and conquer new skills and techniques?
...

Anyhow, I am planning a tag - or rather a series of them depicting a fox, a terrier and an oakleaf. I really would like to print something on these tags - which will be made from broadcloth. I will put these on the tweedies - should anyone want one. And on the scarfs.

I will try to get some pictures up here - showing you some of my sketches. I could use your opinions.

This was a book I stumbled over this evening, over at author Amy Karols blog angry chicken.. Maybe next month...!