tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74084605146213969902024-03-05T05:58:02.425-08:00Elise Sophietesttestelisesophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00230764575529449994noreply@blogger.comBlogger198125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7408460514621396990.post-91487998660973261322016-08-15T05:59:00.001-07:002016-08-15T06:03:01.569-07:00Busy as bees<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Lately I've been thinking what I want to share with you on this blog. I've got so many things going on in my life that I don't think it's realistic that I share every aspect of it with you, even though that would be cool. But blogging is not my job, like it is for so many of the people whose blogs I read weekly. I tried to make this space into a knitting blog, but that put too much pressure on me to produce stuff, and I lost focus (and got an inflammation in my arm/wrist!). I don't want my favourite hobby to become a chore and something that I dread to do. I'm sure you can sympathise with me here. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I have been learning how to sew, both garments and other things for the house, but I don't feel skilled enough to write confidently about it, and I normally keep everything so busy around my sewing space that it isn't very photo-friendly. This has contributed to me not feeling that inspired to share my sewing adventures with the world... So, that leaves sewing out of the picture. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I've always been really into food, and especially traditional cooking and older methods of making delicious and nutritious food. I want to become more or less self-sufficient in vegetables at least, and preferably animals, too. I've recently started to indulge my passion for herbal medicine, and have started to harvest wild foods from our surrounding area. It is so rewarding and so beautiful, and it gives me so much satisfaction and joy. I'm only a novice farmer/gardener/herb-geek, so I take my notes and keep them safe, mostly for my own good and learning. I don't feel confident writing about this either. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
All this leads me to my motivation for blogging in the first place. I started this blog when I was 18, I think, and now I am in the middle of my 26th year. That is nearly ten years! I think at the time I needed this space to sort of create my own self a bit, after having struggled with relationship- and family stuff for several years, resulting in me just putting myself and my needs/wants on hold. This space offered me an opportunity of showing the world what <b>I </b>was and what I wanted to be. It was great and it was liberating. The blogging world was also quite different then, it was just starting to grow into a proper community, and I felt like I belonged. While I still truly love it, I don't feel like I necessarily need to have my own space anymore. I think for me this is mostly a good thing. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
So for now I'll leave you with this busy bee, and I'll continue to be a different kind of busy myself. Perhaps I'll return to this amazing world in some other form at a later time, when things have calmed down, when all our walls have been painted and our shelves of books have been put up, and our vegetables are properly settled and the herb garden flourishes. We'll see. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
If you want to follow me on my adventures, you can find me on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/elise_albrektsen/">@elise_albrektsen</a>. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/DSC_0033_af0a8c44_zpsotjqffhc.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo DSC_0033_af0a8c44_zpsotjqffhc.jpg" src="https://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/DSC_0033_af0a8c44_zpsotjqffhc.jpg" width="610px" /></a><br />
<br />
<i>Thank you for having me. </i></div>
elisesophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00230764575529449994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7408460514621396990.post-78143174555726241472016-08-03T02:03:00.000-07:002016-08-03T02:03:40.216-07:00August <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222224; font-family: "open sans" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>How much better is silence; the coffee cup, the table. How much better to sit by myself like the solitary sea-bird that opens its wings on the stake. Let me sit here forever with bare things, this coffee cup, this knife, this fork, things in themselves, myself being myself. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b>- Virginia Woolf.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/IMG_20160801_170112_zpslrm5pbak.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo IMG_20160801_170112_zpslrm5pbak.jpg" src="https://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/IMG_20160801_170112_zpslrm5pbak.jpg" width="610px" /></a></div>
elisesophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00230764575529449994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7408460514621396990.post-68805705414816481342016-07-13T00:44:00.002-07:002016-08-03T02:04:46.823-07:00little helloSince the last time we spoke, we have:<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Painted two hallways in lovely shades of green:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/DSC_1483_zpsq3kf3xea.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo DSC_1483_zpsq3kf3xea.jpg" src="https://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/DSC_1483_zpsq3kf3xea.jpg" width="310px" /></a> <a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/DSC_1423_zpsiyozr7rs.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo DSC_1423_zpsiyozr7rs.jpg" src="https://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/DSC_1423_zpsiyozr7rs.jpg" width="310px" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hung the curtains in the dining room and made sourdough pancakes for breakfast:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/DSC_1425_zpsjviakjwu.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo DSC_1425_zpsjviakjwu.jpg" src="https://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/DSC_1425_zpsjviakjwu.jpg" width="310px" /></a> <a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/DSC_1460_zpstgzgu2x3.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo DSC_1460_zpstgzgu2x3.jpg" src="https://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/DSC_1460_zpstgzgu2x3.jpg" width="310px" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Put some potatoes in the soil to grow, and whilst said potato have been growing, I have been reading:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/DSC_1472_zpsi8zbixyh.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo DSC_1472_zpsi8zbixyh.jpg" src="https://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/DSC_1472_zpsi8zbixyh.jpg" width="310px" /></a> <a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/DSC_1494_zpsob0ukzjh.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo DSC_1494_zpsob0ukzjh.jpg" src="https://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/DSC_1494_zpsob0ukzjh.jpg" width="310px" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
And I started a colourwork jumper for a little friend: </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/IMG_20160707_134056_zpsa7hq3lxf.jpg.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo IMG_20160707_134056_zpsa7hq3lxf.jpg" src="https://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/IMG_20160707_134056_zpsa7hq3lxf.jpg" width="410px" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><i>What have you been up to? </i></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><i>- Elise</i></b></div>
elisesophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00230764575529449994noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7408460514621396990.post-5592026847697857432016-02-02T12:09:00.000-08:002016-02-02T12:09:17.265-08:00Monthly Quote: February<br />
Happy February, everyone!<br />
<br />
I've been working a lot on the issues I spoke of in my last post, and I feel a lot calmer and more "settled" in myself now than I did a month ago. I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying it - the ease of feeling sufficient and good enough, no matter what I do and choose.<br />
I still have a ways to go, but I'm relishing the progress, and feel steady as I go on accepting and relaxing in myself and my life, whatever each new day brings.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/IMG_20160130_113709_zpsnyfudvhz.jpg.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo IMG_20160130_113709_zpsnyfudvhz.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/IMG_20160130_113709_zpsnyfudvhz.jpg" width="610px" /></a></div>
<br />
As you might have gathered from this image, I'm knitting again! I've even finished a project - a headband from the clever women at <a href="http://klompelompe.myshopify.com/">KlompeLompe</a>, and I'm thrilled with the end result. I bought a Busy Lizzy to make the I-cord, and I couldn't have made a better decision. The decision to get one was motivated by my limited knitting time, since I can't knit for very long sessions at a time (at least not for now). It took a few minutes to have the I-cord finished and threaded into the headband, and I don't think you can comprehend the joy I felt as I held my first finished project in my hands since September last year. As you can also see from the photo, I've started another headband, this time in opposite colours, and I'm still really enjoying the pattern.<br />
The best thing I did in January was to consult an expert regarding my arm, and consequently get two sessions of treatment which initially made me feel a lot worse, but which has led to my arm improving substantially in the subsequent weeks. I still need to be careful doing repetitive work for longer periods, but I got the experts blessing to knit a bit when I feel like it. So I do, and I love it and thrive on it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/IMG_20160131_120537_zpsx8xly4lc.jpg.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo IMG_20160131_120537_zpsx8xly4lc.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/IMG_20160131_120537_zpsx8xly4lc.jpg" width="610px" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Since last we spoke, we've gotten the window frames and the sills attached to the windows in the dining room. I took this picture to see how I liked the curtains I've bought for the room - and to get your opinion! What do you think? I like it more and more the longer I look at the photo. All that green is just yummy. In this photo we had yet to attach the frame below the sill - we've done that now, and it looks so nice!! Pictures to come...<br />
<br />
<br />
Now - on to the quote for February (which I will spend holidaying in South Africa and England with my dear Alasdair, hooray!):<br />
<b><br /></b>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>"In three words I can sum up everything that I've learned about life: it goes on." </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
- Robert Frost. </div>
<b><br /></b>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Have a beautiful month, everyone!<br />
<br />elisesophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00230764575529449994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7408460514621396990.post-30996353495701216192016-01-01T09:20:00.000-08:002016-01-01T09:20:23.173-08:00Happy New Year<br />
In January 2015 I started the year off by stating that this quote from Walt Whitman was going to be my guiding motto for the following year:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>"Happiness, knowledge, not in another place, but this place, </i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>not for another hour, but this hour."</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
By the end of the year I'm sad to say I had completely forgotten this guiding principle that I so hopefully set myself at the start of the year. I'm also rather saddened by the fact that my state of mind this New Year's Day is pretty much the same as it was at the same time last year: hesitatingly optimistic, but still mostly<i><b> </b></i>rather insecure. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I do get a general feeling of eagerness when I look ahead at what the new year might bring, which I try to hold on to whenever it takes place in my mind. My problems in the past couple of years haven't really been that I haven't been able to imagine good and valuable things to come in my life, but rather that I struggle to thoroughly appreciate the small, but good, things in my day to day life. By thoroughly appreciating I mean letting those little things form the basis of my happiness and become my focal points from day to day. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I have a bad habit of always wanting to be in control, to always have a master plan for the future. I think part of being able to live thoroughly in the present involves letting that need for control go, and to accept the future as something malleable and variable. The nature of the future is to succeed the past and the present, therefore allowing my current self to change and develop involves allowing the future to be what it will be. I <i>do</i> have a plan for the future, but it is overarching and indistinct, and the road to that future is unclear. My future, however, does <i>not</i> involve an insecure and apprehensive person like the one I see myself as now. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/Juniper%20Frost_zpscbel4r7j.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo Juniper Frost_zpscbel4r7j.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/Juniper%20Frost_zpscbel4r7j.jpg" width="810px" /></a>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
A lot of my insecurity revolves around career options (or in my case, the non-career option, which is my ultimate goal which I hope to achieve in not too long) and it has to a great extent been chequed and kept under control by the constant comfort I get from being able to sit down with my needlework at the end of the day. As you may know from previous posts from last year, I overworked my arms and wrists some time in October, and had to stop both knitting and refurbishing the house. I currently work as a teacher in the local high school, another one of my career options, after having received a MA in History from the University of Edinburgh. The problem is that I'm not sure. I'm unsure and insecure about what I want the portion of my time that I spend outside of home, earning money, to consist of. I've given working in nurseries a fair chance, having worked in a couple for over 12 months together, and now I'm giving teaching teenagers a fair chance. Getting a job after uni is expected, and from I finished studying in June 2014 I decided that, having a job that's non-profit, and which can benefit more people than only myself (in that I make money from it), is something that I'd like to do. The trouble is, after having spent over a year trying it out, I'm not so sure anymore. One way of escaping the gnawing thoughts about the future and what I <i>should</i> or <i>should not</i> do, has been to knit. <br />
<br />
What I do know, is that I obsess over the fact that I'm not enjoying the 'plan' I had for my future self, back in the spring of 2014. I also obsess about the fact that I can't knit at the present, and not being able to escape my thoughts through working with my hands (either knitting or refurbishing) has had a severe effect on my general well-being. I'm quite shocked by the importance that knitting has to my sense of well-being, and frankly, a bit frightened of my dependance on it. Therefore I've tried to reflect, and reflect again, on what's important to me, besides knitting. Knitting and textiles remain my number one passion, and that will not change. However, harking back to the paragraph above the picture, the future is uncertain. My current self will not be the same as my future self, therefore the future I envision now, cannot be the future that I eventually will experience. This necessarily means that the current situation in my life and health is not the entire and eternal situation of my life and health. Things change, develop and move on. Just as surely, my arms will improve, and in the mean time I need to focus on my motto of last year (which I officially choose to claim for 2016 also), which to me means to let the present take centre stage in my life. To not obsess over what I can't do right now (knit), but embrace all the things I <i>can</i> do and <i>do </i>right now. I'm in the geographical place I want to be, now I just need to get comfortable with the person that I am, and will become, in time, and accept that I might need to try a hundred different "careers" (non-profit <i>and</i> for-profit ones) and still perhaps not find the right one, but that that is also just fine. <i>It's ok. </i><br />
<br />
<br />
On another note, I would LOVE some suggestions of interesting and fun new hobbies to try out, while my arms recover their former strength. Preferably something that does not involve using one's arms... and does involve using one's head (or any other body parts). <br />
<br />
<br />
Happy New Year to you all, and thank you for sticking with me through this past year, your visits mean more to me than you might think!<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
Elise</div>
elisesophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00230764575529449994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7408460514621396990.post-26988654980394271292015-12-03T05:52:00.000-08:002015-12-03T05:52:01.474-08:00Monthly Quote: DecemberI'm late I'm late I'm late, and so sorry. Better late than never, though!<br />
<br />
I now work in a place where I'm on the computer for a lot of the day, and that limits my need for computer based activites to checking Ravelry and Netflixing... sorry! But I really want to carry on with the monthly quotes, they've helped shape the way I approach each month, and it sets the tone nicely. This month I've decided that listening to my body is the most important, and to not let the things I can't do anything about upset me so much. I'm a queen of worrying and being upset about things that are really out of my hands. So - forwards and onwards on the path of letting that stuff go is a motto this month.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/ceilingkitch_zpsnvro1egu.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo ceilingkitch_zpsnvro1egu.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/ceilingkitch_zpsnvro1egu.jpg" width="810px" /></a>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/kitchenceiling_zpsvdhbsbgx.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo kitchenceiling_zpsvdhbsbgx.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/kitchenceiling_zpsvdhbsbgx.jpg" width="410px" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Alasdair and I are still painting, still working hard to get the house liveable. The next room after the dining room/library, is the kitchen! It's probably the room I'm most excited about of all the rooms in the house. The ceiling in this room was also just wood like the walls you see in the photo, but it had been treated with some sort of varnish which made it look really blotchy, dirty and not nice at all. There's patina, and then there's patina...The top photo is of the ceiling mostly unpainted, but it doesn't actually show how bad it looked in real life. Anyway, we decided fairly early on that this room needs a total paint-job, from top to bottom, and now that the base coat and first coat of paint is on the ceiling, we don't regret this decision at all. It's so motivating to work on now that we see how nice it's getting in there.The ceiling seems to be breathing again, and the room's atmosphere has been transformed - from a dungeon-like room, to an airy space which feels inviting. It really helped putting in a large window, too, the previous window was very small. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm not really painting that much, or at all yet, but I'm tidying, cleaning and hoovering in between, to keep things neat around us while we work. I also have the task of reading to Alasdair while he paints. I'm the entertainer - and right now we're reading Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. It keeps him entertained while doing the hard work, and I feel useful for it. Win-win situation! </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">This weekend I'm planning on doing my first little bit of painting in over a month - I'm both excited and nervous about how my arms will cope, but I've decided to really check how I feel on Saturday, and if I'm in doubt about whether it'll hurt or not, I'll wait a bit longer. There's no rush. My arms are doing a lot better, and I can knit and embroider a bit these days, but I'm not sure how painting'll be, but time will show. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Enough about this, and on to the quote of the month, if you've stuck with me so far... </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="copy-paste-block">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>"I have never seen a greater monster or miracle in the world than myself."</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>- Michel de Montaigne </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> </b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
As always, go visit <a href="http://abutterflyinmyhair.blogspot.co.uk/">Vibeke</a> and <a href="http://raincloudandsage.blogspot.no/">Ruth</a> for more inspirational quotes, they were the ones who inspired me to join in! </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Have a good December everyone! </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b> </b><span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>- Elise</b><span></span></div>
<span></span></div>
<span><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
elisesophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00230764575529449994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7408460514621396990.post-178421004271466942015-11-01T09:50:00.000-08:002015-11-01T09:50:03.235-08:00Monthly Quote: NovemberOctober was a month where my patience was (yet again) put to the test, as I struggled and still struggle to cope with sore arms and wrists, making me unable to knit. It was also a month where a lot of things happened, and not only frustrating things. We started to work inside our house, painting the first few walls of our dining room/library, and seeing that the colour we picked out worked out beautifully. I also published my very first pattern, <a href="http://elisesophie.blogspot.no/2015/10/the-little-bumps-cowl-now-available.html">The Little Bumps Cowl</a>, and the joy of realising a dream like that (almost) makes me forget my aches and pains.<br />
<br />
So, the dining room/library has gone from looking like this:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/IMG_20150919_135648_zpsbxftg3ok.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo IMG_20150919_135648_zpsbxftg3ok.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/IMG_20150919_135648_zpsbxftg3ok.jpg" width="610px" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
To this:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/IMG_20151030_083601_zpsvj0mxm6d.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo IMG_20151030_083601_zpsvj0mxm6d.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/IMG_20151030_083601_zpsvj0mxm6d.jpg" width="610px" /></a></div>
<br />
And we couldn't be more happy about it. We are eagerly awaiting the skirting boards as well as the window frames to finish the room off. Earlier today we planned our kitchen using the IKEA kitchen planner. It's all very exciting, and I'll share more pictures as soon as I can.<br />
<br />
<br />
But - for most of October I've been unable to participate in any of the renovating. Painting the outside of the house, as well as the ceiling in the room above, the base coat and the first coat of yellow on the walls did my arms in. It probably didn't help that I spent every evening, after a good many hours of renovating, knitting frantically to get all my Christmas knitting done in time. I should've known this would happen. It's happened before, the summer two years ago, and I had to go through a period of no knitting for what seemed like an absolute age!<br />
<br />
I hate that my arms are, apparently, so weak. I hate that I get jealous and think horrible things about people who can knit and knit and knit for however long they want without even the tiniest twinge of an ache in their arms (I've never been able to do that, I've always had to check myself from time to time, because there's a history of <i>tennis elbow</i> in my family). I hate that I let this upset me so much, when I know that it will most likely get all good again, with time and rest. Most of the time I think I'm just terrified that it'll become a permanent thing, something that I'll just have to 'learn to live with'. It makes me incredibly sad to imagine a future where I can't do all the needlework I want to do, because my arms refuse to cooperate. I stress myself out thinking about all the things I'd love to knit and want to finish for my friends and relatives. Then I try not to worry about it, it's not a big deal, and I'll get it done <i>eventually</i>. But this time, it just doesn't seem to help, I'm too scared and sad.<br />
<br />
The past few days I've knitted one row on a hat a day, to see how my arms would cope. Yesterday I did two rows in one go, and I think I may have upset my right arm again. And so the story goes...<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/IMG_20151031_114713_zpshxwxpejg.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo IMG_20151031_114713_zpshxwxpejg.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/IMG_20151031_114713_zpshxwxpejg.jpg" width="610px" /></a>
</div>
<br />
I'm absolutely loving the look of this hat, and can't wait to get it finished. It's <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/curam">Cúram</a> from Knitworthy 2, by Ysolda Teague. The yarn I'm using is Sandnes Garn's Alpakka Ull, which consists of 65 % alpaca and 35 % wool - it's delicious and soft to knit with. I'm knitting it without the fold, for a more simple look, but it's still a really interesting knit. It'll take forever to get it done, though, but so be it...<br />
<br />
Let's hope for better knitting times in November! In the meantime, I'm bathing my arms in Epsom salts, and eating lots of turmeric in the hope of getting rid of my inflamation, and fingers crossed they'll get better soon. <i>(This has been an uncommonly negative post, and I apologise for it, things aren't really as bad as I make them sound. At least I can function normally and do normal things with both my arms. They've gotten SO much better since I stopped knitting, and I'm sure only a few more weeks will cure them almost completely). </i><br />
<br />
So, for November I've chosen a quote to remind me to see the good and positive in every day as it comes, and for that I turn to Walt Whitman:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>"Keep your face always toward the sunshine - and shadows will fall behind you." </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Have a wonderful week, everyone - I'm starting a new job tomorrow, wish me luck! </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b> </b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>x, Elise </b></div>
<b> </b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />elisesophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00230764575529449994noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7408460514621396990.post-68871470696185754102015-10-08T04:09:00.000-07:002015-10-08T04:09:36.772-07:00The Little Bumps Cowl Now AvailableSo the day came a bit sooner than I had thought for the release of my pattern, which is great for you, since it'll give you ample time to knit one of these for Christmas!<br />
<br />
It's a fast and enjoyable knit, and will come flying off your needles in no time as you hurry to get to the next row with bumps. <br />
<br />
I'm absolutely thrilled (and a bit scared) at having a pattern online, and I'm so looking forward to hear your response and see some cowls knitted up by someone else. I hope you'll enjoy making one as much as I did! <br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/LBC_zpsxxy8jthl.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo LBC_zpsxxy8jthl.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/LBC_zpsxxy8jthl.jpg" width="610px" /> </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/purchase/elise-albrektsen-designs/296303"><img border="0" src="http://www.ravelry.com/images/shopping/buy-now.gif" /></a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Happy knitting to you all! </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
xx, Elise</div>
elisesophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00230764575529449994noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7408460514621396990.post-47379624357188235232015-10-02T12:08:00.000-07:002015-10-02T12:10:56.570-07:00Monthly Quote: OctoberIt's almost becoming a tradition that I am one day late in posting the quote of the month, but I'm choosing not to let that put a stopper to the fun.<br />
<br />
These past few weeks (September, really) have flown by so fast, and I'm sad I haven't been sharing more on this blog of what I've been up to. I hope to remedy this as the days grow shorter and the time spent indoors gets longer. Alasdair and I are busy bees, trying to bring life back into our new old house. So far we've finished the last wall on the outside that needed fixing up - we've put in new windows and new panelling, with a huge amount of help from my dad. He's really our go-to helper for all things related to the house. Since the daylight hours are shorter now, we've taken the work inside, just in time for the autumn storms and rains to test the quality of the work we've done on the outside. We're crossing our fingers and toes that we won't have to worry about anything on the exterior of the house for many years.<br />
<br />
On the 1st of October we did the first bit of painting in one of the rooms; the library dining room, to be specific. The old panelling on the walls have tasted their first ever coat of paint, a base coat of white, to make the subsequent painting smooth and easy, and the ceiling was repainted tonight with its refreshing coat of paint today, as it had been painted before (a long time ago). We're hoping it'll only need this one coat of paint, but we'll make our decision once we've seen how it dries tomorrow morning.<br />
<br />
While doing up the house, I'm working full-time as a sub in a nursery AND trying to get into pattern writing. It's a bit of a hectic time for me, and I'm not getting as much done with any of the things I'm doing as I would have liked. But I'm still practicing patience with my self, and trying to just do a little bit everyday and be happy about the things I <i>do</i> get done, instead of worrying about all the things I <i>haven't</i> been able to do in a day.<br />
<br />
<b>So</b> - this month will see the release of the my very first knitting pattern! I'm frantically knitting a second sample of my Little Bumps Cowl, and pestering my mum to test knit a little sample for me, just so I can get <i>some </i>idea of the quality and clarity of my written instructions. I hope I'll be able to upload the pattern to my Ravelry shop by mid-October, and I so hope you'll all like it!<br />
<br />
This photo is of a very thoughtful, and somewhat tired, me - wearing my own design. Not quite sure what to do with my hands when modeling knitwear...<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/ThoughtfulLBC_zpsrwxzxpz7.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo ThoughtfulLBC_zpsrwxzxpz7.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/ThoughtfulLBC_zpsrwxzxpz7.jpg" width="810px" /></a>
<br />
<br />
It is every bit as soft and warm as it looks, I promise! And it wraps perfectly around the neck twice, which is just what one needs on a chill autumn day.<br />
<br />
And now, to the quote I've chosen for the month of October, by yet another woman I greatly admire:<br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns."</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
- George Eliot<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
As always, visit <a href="http://abutterflyinmyhair.blogspot.no/">Vibeke</a> and <a href="http://raincloudandsage.blogspot.no/">Ruthie</a> for more inspirational quotes and other loveliness. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> </b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Have a very delicious October, everyone, and I'll be back with more on the house and the knitwear, I promise! </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
- Elise</div>
<div class="copy-paste-block">
<br /></div>
<br />elisesophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00230764575529449994noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7408460514621396990.post-46512015212825464402015-09-01T12:09:00.000-07:002015-09-01T12:18:01.765-07:00Monthly Quote: September Hello, September!<br />
<br />
Without further ado, I'd like Louisa May Alcott to do the talking for me this 1st of September:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/IMG_20150901_180730_zpsiiffrmd0.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo IMG_20150901_180730_zpsiiffrmd0.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/IMG_20150901_180730_zpsiiffrmd0.jpg" width="610px" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>“I've got the key to my castle in the air, but whether I can unlock the door remains to be seen.”</b></div>
- Louisa May Alcott, <i>Little Women</i><b> </b><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
For other insightful and inspirational quotes for this month, please visit the lovely <a href="http://abutterflyinmyhair.blogspot.no/">Vibeke</a> and <a href="http://raincloudandsage.blogspot.no/">Ruthie</a>, who inspired me to post monthly quotes here on my blog. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b> </b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Love, </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Elise</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
elisesophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00230764575529449994noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7408460514621396990.post-8587675250642189592015-08-16T04:13:00.000-07:002015-08-16T04:13:57.508-07:00Moving out!We are in Oslo again, packing our books (how can there be so many?) and yarn into boxes, preparing for our big move next week. It's so amazing to think that soon we'll be living up north!<br />
It is pretty hectic around here as you can probably imagine, with boxes everywhere, and laundry hanging to dry at all times, but I'm making sure I get some knitting time every night, just to keep me sane.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/IMG_20150813_104510_zpsuh4zhwbd.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo IMG_20150813_104510_zpsuh4zhwbd.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/IMG_20150813_104510_zpsuh4zhwbd.jpg" width="610px" /> </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Right now I'm knitting on a pair of socks. It's about as mindless and straight forward a project as I can manage at the moment, but it is proving the best choice for now. I'm using the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lifestyle-toe-up-socks---no-swatch-needed">Lifestyle Toe Up</a> pattern, by Charisa Martin Cairn, which has become my go-to pattern for toe up socks. It is so simple, and I love the fact that you don't have to knit a gauge swatch before you start. You just cast on either 8, 10 or 12 stitches for the toe, depending on the size of the feet they're knitted for, and you're off! I'm using left overs for these ones, some Filcolana and some Lang Wool, I think. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
These socks are destined for my ever expanding Christmas pile, which pleases me immensely - I love gifting homemade things for Christmas! </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Have a happy Sunday! </div>
elisesophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00230764575529449994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7408460514621396990.post-88151549924385828692015-08-02T13:59:00.000-07:002015-08-03T00:56:15.180-07:00Monthly Quote: August First of all, my apologies for being a day late in posting my quote for this month (and also, July?! Where did you go?? And what about all the blog posts I had planned to fill you with? Oh well.) I have a very good reason for being late, actually. I don't know if you recall a somewhat enigmatic sentence in one of my <a href="http://elisesophie.blogspot.no/2015/05/fo-cable-cloud-cowl-sneek-peak.html">previous blog posts</a>? I mentioned something about "exciting future plans" that were "yet to be revealed"? Well, the time has come for me to share our exciting news with you, blog readers:<br />
<br />
Alasdair and I are moving to the countryside! We have been given an amazing opportunity by my dear parents. They own an old farm house (in addition to their own beautiful house) that used to be the accommodation for farm labourers once upon a time. The house has been empty for many years now, but recently my mother and father have been thinking about renovating it. Instead, they asked me and Alasdair if WE would like to do it up, and live there, so we can try out living a more self-sufficient lifestyle. We've been dreaming about living in the countryside, having some sheep and goats, some chickens and a big vegetable garden, for many years, so we hopped to it immediately, of course. It'll be lots of work, since the house needs a considerable amount of TLC before we can move in, but it is so exciting! I feel so grateful and happy about this, I don't know what to do with myself. I channel all this positive energy into working on the house, which brings me to this month and the <i>true</i> purpose of this post, to share an inspirational and lovely quote with you. I was so busy tearing down the old panelling on the last outer wall on our "new" old house, that I simply forgot to post anything yesterday. I hope you can forgive me, and that you'll enjoy the quote and pictures I've decided to share with you for August.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/Gulthus_zpsxkpihdxg.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo Gulthus_zpsxkpihdxg.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/Gulthus_zpsxkpihdxg.jpg" width="810px" /></a>
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<b>“Where does it all lead? What will become of us? These were our young
questions, and young answers were revealed. It leads to each other. We
become ourselves.” </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> </b>- Patti Smith, <i>Just Kids</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i> </i> </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/Ersfjordstranda_zpsrlv7zmzh.jpg.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo Ersfjordstranda_zpsrlv7zmzh.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/Ersfjordstranda_zpsrlv7zmzh.jpg" width="610px" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
If you want more regular updates and photos of our renovation (which will take a significant chunk of our time), please check out <a href="https://instagram.com/elise_albrektsen/">my instagram account</a>, I'm @elise_albrektsen there. But, I will of course share progress pictures, and some before/after-pictures, on this blog, too. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Have a wonderful week, dear readers! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
x, Elise </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>Edited to add:</b> The yellow house in the top photo is not the house we will be renovating, but just a lovely little house I spotted. : ) </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
elisesophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00230764575529449994noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7408460514621396990.post-33557500622529380092015-07-01T12:43:00.000-07:002015-07-01T12:44:04.465-07:00Monthly Quote: JulyThis month I've chosen to share a quote that is close to my heart, one that makes me smile and relax. Hope you like it!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/IMG_20150701_090422_zpsjc2vwxl3.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo IMG_20150701_090422_zpsjc2vwxl3.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/IMG_20150701_090422_zpsjc2vwxl3.jpg" width="610px" /> </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>"If you have a garden and a library, </b> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>you have everything you need." </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
- Marcus Tullius Cicero<b> </b>. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
And now I'll go and watch my tomatoes grow. Bliss! </div>
elisesophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00230764575529449994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7408460514621396990.post-69045717550719186952015-06-29T01:03:00.000-07:002015-06-29T01:03:41.843-07:00A pair of shorts and gained confidenceAt the start of June I decided to get sewing, and this time do it for real! I've been meaning to really really learn how to do it for a long time, but never gotten round to truly work on it. So - I set out with an <a href="http://elisesophie.blogspot.no/2015/06/monthly-quote-june.html">inspirational quote</a> at the start of the month, to remind me that learning and perfecting a craft takes time, and decided that June 2015 is the month that I get really into sewing.<br />
<br />
After a few very hectic last weeks at work, I don't have much to show you at this point, but I managed to make a (wearable) muslin of the brilliant PurlBee pattern <a href="http://www.purlbee.com/2014/07/24/corinnes-thread-city-gym-shorts-for-all-ages/">City Gym Shorts</a>, plus a finished and really cute looking pair of the same shorts: <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/IMG_20150629_093936_zpsl05gw8xv.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo IMG_20150629_093936_zpsl05gw8xv.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/IMG_20150629_093936_zpsl05gw8xv.jpg" width="610px" /> </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Practising patience has been challenging - I have such clear ideas of how I want my garments and projects in general to look that I often disappoint myself. But taking the time to sew a muslin first and following all the steps of the pattern carefully has really been eye opening. It takes<b> a lot</b> of skill to sew! And even though I'm only a beginner now, I think that some day, if I keep taking my time with this craft, I' can get really good at it. So here's to another month of crafting and sewing and knitting and just plain having a good time. (Can you tell that I'm on holiday?) </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
What are you making? </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
X, Elise</div>
elisesophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00230764575529449994noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7408460514621396990.post-40465636021997053332015-06-03T12:14:00.000-07:002015-06-03T12:14:42.376-07:00Mittens in June? June seems to be a bit weather confused in these parts of the world. So far we've had<br />
<br />
- one day of wind and sun<br />
<br />
- one of pouring rain (cats and dogs style)<br />
<br />
- and one of calm, but chill stillness requiring socks (and <b>mittens</b> for the extra cold)<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/LOL3_zpscdjosqh7.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo LOL3_zpscdjosqh7.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/LOL3_zpscdjosqh7.jpg" width="810px" /></a>
<br />
<br />
I don't know if you remember these? They've been in the making for<a href="http://elisesophie.blogspot.no/2014/03/left-over-love.html"> a long time</a>! Here's just photo proof that they're all done, at last.<br />
<br />
I really hope that I won't be needing these in the near future... but if I do, my hands will at least look quite nice! elisesophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00230764575529449994noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7408460514621396990.post-8273918178736238632015-06-01T09:25:00.000-07:002015-06-01T09:31:04.538-07:00Monthly Quote: JuneI was so inspired by <a href="http://abutterflyinmyhair.blogspot.no/2015/06/monthly-quote-june.html">Vibeke</a> and <a href="http://raincloudandsage.blogspot.no/search/label/monthly%20quote">Ruthie</a> that I decided to join in their initiative to start each month with a quote. To set the tone, and to inspire me (and you!) for the upcoming month. I chose this particular quote because I'm practicing to sew, and I'm finding it so much more challenging than I do knitting. I've come to realise that I'll just need practice and a lot of <i><b>patience</b></i> in order to reach the point I'm at when knitting something. After all, I've knitted relatively consistently since I was 8 years old! So, for June I'm practicing both sewing and patience. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/Strawberries_zpsmqf8gkqf.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo Strawberries_zpsmqf8gkqf.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/Strawberries_zpsmqf8gkqf.jpg" width="510px" /> </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>"Have patience with all things, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>but, first of all with yourself." </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
- Saint Francis de Sales. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b> </b>
</div>
<br />elisesophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00230764575529449994noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7408460514621396990.post-29421042728899789542015-05-30T05:56:00.001-07:002015-05-30T05:58:33.429-07:00FO: Cable Cloud Cowl + a sneek peakHello again!<br />
<br />
It's been a while since I blogged, but I've been busy knitting, spending time with my dear <a href="http://apencilcasecalledv.tumblr.com/">sister</a> and otherwise being really enthused about future plans that are yet to be revealed (har har). Stay tuned for that, it will be so amazing!! <br />
I've got some lovely pictures to show you of my finished Cable Cloud Cowl, which I finally took yesterday with said sister as my model. I couldn't be more happy about it - it turned out exactly the way I had envisioned, and is even more cuddly and cosy than I expected!<br />
You can find the (k)nitty gritty of it on my <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/elisesophie/cable-cloud-cowl">ravelry project page</a>, if you are so inclined. (Or <a href="http://elisesophie.blogspot.no/2015/04/cable-cloud-cowl.html">read my previous blog post</a>!)<br />
<br />
Now to the photos!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/CCC4_zps4sq2q4fz.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo CCC4_zps4sq2q4fz.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/CCC4_zps4sq2q4fz.jpg" width="610px" /></a>
</div>
<br />
For a 5'4" person this is a bit of a wide, or should I say deep, cowl, but once it's folded it works:<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/CCC2_zpse39nk2a2.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo CCC2_zpse39nk2a2.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/CCC2_zpse39nk2a2.jpg" width="810px" /></a>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/CCC_zps2njobh6r.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo CCC_zps2njobh6r.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/CCC_zps2njobh6r.jpg" width="610px" /> </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
All that's left to say is that this project was FUN! It inspired me and motivated me to do more Christmas knitting, and has got me working on a wee "design" of my own: </div>
<br />
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/LBC2_zpsxndbbknk.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo LBC2_zpsxndbbknk.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/LBC2_zpsxndbbknk.jpg" width="810px" /></a>
<br />
<br />
This is just a sneek peak, but I promise I'll be back with more photos once it's finished. This new stitch has gotten me on a roll - I'm thinking of trying it out on a background of garter stitches, maybe for a shawl? I'm excited to try it out!<br />
(By the way, I'm in love with this colourway of Pickles Tweedy! It's called Perle, and can be found <a href="http://shop.pickles.no/no/produkter/garn/pickles-tweedy/pickles-tweedy-perle.html">here</a>.) <br />
<br />
Hope you are all enjoying the last weekend in May - it's gone so fast!! elisesophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00230764575529449994noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7408460514621396990.post-25016204707676184322015-04-28T10:37:00.000-07:002015-04-28T10:37:04.357-07:00Cable Cloud CowlOne of my WIPs is the Cable Cloud Cowl from the PurlBee, and I have to say I'm <b>loving</b> it! It is so much fun, and part of the fun is just imagining how squishy and soft and warm and - last but not least - how incredibly beautiful it will be when it's all knit up.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/CableCloudCowl2_zpspakqs4ue.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo CableCloudCowl2_zpspakqs4ue.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/CableCloudCowl2_zpspakqs4ue.jpg" width="610px" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I'm knitting this cowl in Drops Air, a fluffy yarn made from baby alpaca and merino wool (plus a bit of polyester for durability, I suppose). I was initially quite worried about how the stitch definition would be pairing this yarn and this pattern, but I needn't have worried, it worked <i>so</i> well in the end. I'm not only enjoying knitting this, but it is also making me feel really good about myself for other reasons. It's (can you believe it) a Christmas knit. Yes, I'll repeat it: a <b>Christmas knit</b>!! In April! I hope you are as shocked at this as I am (or maybe all of you fellow knitters who read my blog all start your gift knitting months and months in advance and never have to worry about getting it all done before Christmas because you started too late?)<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/CableCloudCowl4_zpsv9hm01oz.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo CableCloudCowl4_zpsv9hm01oz.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/CableCloudCowl4_zpsv9hm01oz.jpg" width="810px" /></a>
<br />
<br />
I'm also really in love with my new Oxalis (if my google search is to be trusted, this particular variety is called Oxalis tetraphylla). The leaves are just stunning, don't you think?<br />
<br />
I'll get back to my knitting now, accompanied by an episode or two of Twin Peaks - it is so good. Can't believe I never watched it before!<br />
<br />
x, Eliseelisesophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00230764575529449994noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7408460514621396990.post-81360417856924379712015-04-23T10:44:00.001-07:002015-04-23T10:44:17.054-07:00The Call of the SeaLately I've been missing the ocean. A lot. I grew up living as close to the sea as you could get, and the sounds, smells and accompanying wildlife, both floral and animal, is still very close to my heart. <br />
<br />
So, on a sunny but quite 'wuthering' day, we set out to find a nice spot to both touch and watch the sea. It was lovely.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/Hukodden_zpsznlxiuwc.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo Hukodden_zpsznlxiuwc.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/Hukodden_zpsznlxiuwc.jpg" width="810px" /></a>
<br />
<br />
I've been reading <i>Wuthering Heights </i>by Emily Brontë, and I have to admit it's taking quite a bit of mental effort to get through. So much so that I've had to have another book for bedtime reading (Amy Poehler's <i>Yes Please</i>, if you were wondering. It's very funny and good, by the way!) I love the intense feelings and the structure of the narrative, but I have to say the characters are quite unrelatable to me. I've been curious to read the works of the other Brontë sisters, having over the course of 2014 developed a strong liking for the books by Charlotte Brontë (and particularly <i>Jane Eyre </i>- it is thoroughly amazing, favourite book. <b>EVER!</b> At least for now... but <i>Vilette </i>was pretty good too. I could go on and on writing in these brackets...), and decided to pick up <i>Wuthering Heights</i>. A big thank you is due to my dear friend <a href="http://veganmorigirl.tumblr.com/">Sofie</a> for insisting on the necessity to read this novel in springtime or in the summer. I absolutely could not have gotten through it in the midst of a bleak, dark winter. The sun and the springing of the season has been welcome things to look up at whenever I've paused, which has been frequent; I've had to put it down for days on end, only to be completely captured by it when I've decided to pick it up again.<br />
<br />
Anyway, the book somehow made me miss the wind and the sea, and all things weather related. Heavy, blustery weather that is. I've discovered that the weather here in Oslo is not as temperamental as the weather is in Edinburgh, not by a long shot. I miss the unpredictable weather in Edinburgh - in Oslo you can, 9 days out of 10, be sure that you've put on a suitable outfit for the <i>entire </i>day, and not just for the next ten minutes. This might sound like an absurd thing to miss, but it did make for a lot of interesting situations and you could be sure of surprises every day. I do enjoy the sunny spring here in Oslo, but I think I need more <i>weather</i>.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/Blaveis_zpsr6smtefh.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo Blaveis_zpsr6smtefh.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/Blaveis_zpsr6smtefh.jpg" width="810px" /></a>
<br />
<br />
Have you read any of the Brontë sisters, and if so, are you as enamoured as I am?<br />
<br />
Have a lovely, lovely spring/autumn!<br />
<br />
xxelisesophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00230764575529449994noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7408460514621396990.post-58046085903510270422015-04-01T23:31:00.000-07:002015-04-01T23:31:35.742-07:00Easter plansMy Easter has started, somewhat annoyingly, with a stomach bug, but that won't keep me from enjoying my much needed days off from work. I've decided that the best way to deal with this is to just have no plans - no places I need to be, no chores that needs doing (apart from sowing some seeds for my herb garden), <i>no commitments</i>. Having just embraced the fact that I'll need to be a bit of a hermit, at least till the stomach bug decides to say adieu, has made me calmer than in a long time.<br />
I'll knit and watch Miss Marple and Poirot (it's Easter after all!) and just relax.<br />
<br />
Here's what I'll be working on:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/IMG_0690_zps0e6ddnc7.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo IMG_0690_zps0e6ddnc7.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/IMG_0690_zps0e6ddnc7.jpg" width="810px" /></a>
<br />
<br />
This is my <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hawser-2">Hawser </a>jumper, another Brooklyn Tweed pattern. I'm really enjoying it, and am hoping beyond hope that it'll fit when it's all done. (I have this weird habit of making jumpers that are either too small, or that "if they were just so" would have been 100% better fit-wise, but which I cannot be arsed to fix so they get given away to someone else instead...) This time, however, I've made careful calculations and think it'll be a success (I even knitted my gauge swatch <i>in the round</i> to make sure that my gauge wouldn't be off, which was a good move, because apparently I knit tighter in the round. <b>Great tip for everyone</b>!). I'm knitting it in a yarn that my mother bought, but which turned out to be the wrong colour for her, so lucky me! It's <a href="http://shop.pickles.no/no/produkter/garn/pickles-tweedy/">Pickles Tweedy</a> in the colourway '<a href="http://shop.pickles.no/no/produkter/garn/pickles-tweedy/pickles-tweedy-anorakk.html">Anorakk</a>'. This yarn is a bit bulkier than the BT Shelter, which is obviously the recommended yarn for this pattern, but I really like the result. The stitch definition is just right, and the yarn feels soft and has a good drape, even before blocking - a good sign! <br />
<br />
I've also just bought some fluffy yarn to knit the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/cable-cloud-cowl">Cable Cloud Cowl</a> by Purl Bee, which immediately caught my fancy when it was released a while ago. The yarn, the simple slender cable and the garter stitch just looks plain yummy! It'll be hard to part with it, but I'm determined to give it to my "sister-in-law" for Christmas - she deserves something warm and fuzzy to wear around her neck.<br />
<br />
What are your Easter plans - knitting or otherwise?<br />
<br />
xx <br />
Elise elisesophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00230764575529449994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7408460514621396990.post-12164664458311419492015-03-25T11:14:00.000-07:002015-03-25T11:14:09.196-07:00HalligarthIt's funny how it works, isn't it, that now that I've decided to be more impulsive about my blog and the contents I put up, I actually have a finished object to show you?<br />
<br />
I showed a few 'in progress' photos what seems ages ago (<a href="http://elisesophie.blogspot.no/2014/05/ma-history-check.html">here</a>), but I suddenly had the urge to finish knitting the Halligarth shawl for my grandma! I've loved working on this shawl, and remember thinking I didn't want it to end when I was in the middle of it. I struggled to understand how to knit "perpendicularly" for the edging, and had to try quite a few times before I suddenly had one of those wow-moments. It then took me about two nights, or about four episodes of Downton Abbey to have the shawl finished.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/IMG_0716_zps4jockvgs.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo IMG_0716_zps4jockvgs.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/IMG_0716_zps4jockvgs.jpg" width="810px" /></a>
<br />
<br />
The end result is a lovely, squishy, soft and luxurious shawl that will hopefully be to the liking of my dear grandma. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/IMG_0702_zpsctf0s9wx.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo IMG_0702_zpsctf0s9wx.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/IMG_0702_zpsctf0s9wx.jpg" width="810px" /></a>
<br />
<br />
The pattern was easy to follow (even the edging instructions that I didn't 'get' to begin with - after I re-read them <i>properly</i> the rest was easy peasy), and I even managed to memorise it, which is rare for me.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/IMG_0694_zpsv5vjwcyy.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo IMG_0694_zpsv5vjwcyy.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/IMG_0694_zpsv5vjwcyy.jpg" width="810px" /></a>
<br />
<br />
I was also eager to see how the Spindrift yarn would behave during blocking and after - I've heard so much good stuff about 'the good memory' of Shetland wool, and I wasn't disappointed! The shawl dried reasonably fast (I decided to <i>wet</i> wet block it), and the stitches and the pattern bloomed beautifully and when I unpinned it, it kept the shape remarkably well, and feels soft and firm at the same time. Lovely, mmm!<br />
<br />
<br />
I'm excited to start knitting the shawl for my maternal grandmother, Anna Elise (my namesake), and have started to look through Ravelry for patterns (there are SO many, oh dear). Will keep you updated on what I choose.<br />
--- --- --- <br />
<br />
<b>Pattern: </b><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/halligarth">Halligarth</a> , by Gudrun Johnston<b> </b><br />
<b>Yarn:</b> Jamieson's Spindrift, in the colourway 'Sunrise' <br />
<b>Needle(s): </b>4,5 mm<b> </b> <br />
<br />
--- --- ---<br />
Hope you've also had some knitting successes lately! elisesophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00230764575529449994noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7408460514621396990.post-91973149383458382732015-03-21T11:14:00.000-07:002015-03-21T11:14:35.424-07:00lifeAfter much toing and froing on this blog, I've decided to let my shoulders down when it comes to the content I post in here. I hesitate to share <i>anything</i> in here these days, simply because I don't have any finished projects or any exciting photos to show you. I'd like this to be a space for me to share my finished knitting projects, but I'd also like it to be a space for the random everyday bits that I so enjoy in my life.<br />
<br />
So without much further ado, here's some <b>randomness</b>:<br />
<br />
- since the last time we spoke, I seen a bouquet of tulips bloom<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/IMG_20150208_133929_zpsfmc2muvv.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo IMG_20150208_133929_zpsfmc2muvv.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/IMG_20150208_133929_zpsfmc2muvv.jpg" width="510px" /> </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
and wilt </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/IMG_20150221_131150_zpsjfs5zp57.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo IMG_20150221_131150_zpsjfs5zp57.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/IMG_20150221_131150_zpsjfs5zp57.jpg" width="510px" /> </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
- I've decided (after much deliberation, mind you) to upgrade my phone, and the result will probably (it already has!) be visible here on the blog, in the form of pictures I take </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
- I've tried to calm down about the future a bit more, sometimes with success, sometimes not so much, but I think I'm getting there </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
- I've finished a pair of socks for my dad, and it was one of the most satisfying knits I've done to this day, because they were so thankfully recieved and they have been so gently taken care of since he got them </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
- I've been burning candles and enjoying all the lovely green plants that I keep in my house - they make me so happy! </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/IMG_20150212_091832_zpsxnq8fsvd.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo IMG_20150212_091832_zpsxnq8fsvd.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/IMG_20150212_091832_zpsxnq8fsvd.jpg" width="810px" /></a>
<br />
<br />
<br />
So, I survived after uploading grainy mobile phone photos, and I have to admit it made me want to do it more!<br />
<br />
If you read all the way to these last lines, it would make me so happy if you would let me know what you think about these little changes I've made.<br />
<br />
Have a happy weekend,<br />
<br />
Elise elisesophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00230764575529449994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7408460514621396990.post-65655902531596874602015-01-20T13:36:00.000-08:002015-01-20T13:36:23.426-08:00EpistropheidFirst project finished (and begun) in 2015:<br />
<br />
An <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/epistropheid">Epistropheid</a> hat for my dear boyfriend, Alasdair.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/IMG_0605_zps7467e752.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo IMG_0605_zps7467e752.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/IMG_0605_zps7467e752.jpg" width="810px" /></a>
<br />
<br />
It's knitted in Pickles's Tweedy, a nice, worsted/aran-y yarn (don't actually know what I'm talking about here, but hopefully you'll get an idea of the thickness), which leaves the knitted fabric with lovely little specks of unexpected colours dotted all over it. While I loved the yarn in the ball, I'm not so sure about how I feel after knitting with it. I think it had something to do with the gauge I knitted this hat in, and not actually the yarn itself. Although the hat ended up fitting Alasdair surprisingly well (especially considering I skipped the oh-so-important gauge swatch this time around), it doesn't drape. At all. Which means that this hat, while looking great on Alasdair, looks funny (a.k.a. ridiculous) when worn by yours truly, as in standing up oddly, kinda sortof like a fez... Which is good for Alasdair, but not for me, since I had a cunning plan involving me using this hat as much as him. But! The pattern was an absolute treat to follow and knit, so it won't really be much of a bother to knit another one, hooray!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/IMG_0608_zpsd9f8507e.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo IMG_0608_zpsd9f8507e.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/IMG_0608_zpsd9f8507e.jpg" width="810px" /></a>
<br />
<br />
Like any hat pattern by Kate Davies, the crown stands out as a masterpiece (especially to a novice pattern "creator" like myself). I'm especially pleased that I managed to knit the decreases smoothly - practice makes one better at knitting, apparently..<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/IMG_0609_zpsad87cb87.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo IMG_0609_zpsad87cb87.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/IMG_0609_zpsad87cb87.jpg" width="810px" /></a>
<br />
<br />
And after all this I'm left with a chuffed BF, who's not going to have to walk around with a cold head in the Norwegian winter, which sometimes lasts for a very long time indeed. (Also, the warm and cozy looking cowl he is wearing in this photo is none other than the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/elisesophie/calimero">Calimero</a> I <a href="http://elisesophie.blogspot.no/2013/09/calimero.html">test knit</a> for <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/elizabeth-brassard">Elizabeth Brassard</a> a year and a half ago!!)elisesophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00230764575529449994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7408460514621396990.post-64238034002970521272015-01-03T03:04:00.000-08:002015-01-03T03:04:13.777-08:00Happy New YearI'm starting the fresh year by doing some embroidery, using old materials that feel good in my hands, and thinking of new projects to knit and make this year. It's a bit overwhelming!<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/IMG_0599_zps8de7757d.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo IMG_0599_zps8de7757d.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/IMG_0599_zps8de7757d.jpg" width="810px" /></a>
<br />
<br />
But my motto for this year is going to be this one by Walt Whitman:<br />
<br />
<i>"Happiness, knowledge, not in another place, but this place, not for another hour, but this hour."</i><br />
<br />
Happy New Year everyone, and thanks for visiting and reading my wee blog! elisesophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00230764575529449994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7408460514621396990.post-27653528326569941732014-12-13T08:56:00.000-08:002014-12-13T08:56:10.026-08:00December in OsloIt's been a long, long time since my last post - I think I must have broken my old record, leaving no posts behind re: November 2014. It's been busy. <br />
I've gotten lots of good Christmas knitting in these past couple months, and I'm not doing a quite as <a href="http://elisesophie.blogspot.no/2013/11/low-key-christmas-knitting.html">low-key knitting</a> this year as last. I've been working on some Cricket cardigans for our two nieces and our nephew, and I'm nearing the finishing line! I'll have to do some serious knitting on <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/elisesophie/cricket-3">the pink one</a> this coming week, but I'm positive I'll be able to finish it. (Writing this, I realise I never posted the FO pictures of the first Cricket I made, only the <a href="http://elisesophie.blogspot.no/2014/05/ma-history-check.html">WIP </a>ones! Kindly find photos below in this post). <br />
In other knitterly new, I'm experiencing some serious craving to do some good old ego-knitting, which is typical, I believe, for this season in particular. The other day we watched The Matrix, and I sort of fell in love with the well-worn knitted jumpers that Neo and crew were all wearing, and what do you know? There is actually <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/matrix-sweater">a pattern</a> for one on Ravelry (I shouldn't really be surprised, Ravelry is amazing!). I like the look of the pattern, but would like it to be a bit less fitted, and more like Neo and Trinity's:<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPyvwZL6sMxW2q4bBLcukuHqKwF2NGfPH8svEpOAwH09VQKKs3gB0hq6tzSbjn0n3dZmP2pwIQyog1GnTFVcP0-mgm9mDFEG3EKz_KV9pj78ZTLQPoykYKt-UZBSEO6Df1G_MYShfCk8OB/s1600/CarrieAnneMossCapMatrix111_thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPyvwZL6sMxW2q4bBLcukuHqKwF2NGfPH8svEpOAwH09VQKKs3gB0hq6tzSbjn0n3dZmP2pwIQyog1GnTFVcP0-mgm9mDFEG3EKz_KV9pj78ZTLQPoykYKt-UZBSEO6Df1G_MYShfCk8OB/s1600/CarrieAnneMossCapMatrix111_thumb.jpg" height="226" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Excuse the poor image quality on this one, I did a simple google search and this picture shows what I mean, I think (plus a really nice moment between these two). I think my one would be in Neo's coulourway, but in the style of Trinity's (that is, less ripped, and with a boatneck). </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Enough of these ramblings, and on to the Cricket photos: </div>
<br />
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/IMG_0246_zpsa7dfe764.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo IMG_0246_zpsa7dfe764.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/IMG_0246_zpsa7dfe764.jpg" width="810px" /></a>
<br />
<br />
Here's the cardigan all finished, but pre-blocking (I haven't gotten round to blocking it yet, and might just do a steam press instead, I think it looks about right and quite good as it is). <br />
<br />
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/IMG_0249_zpse74ee222.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo IMG_0249_zpse74ee222.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/IMG_0249_zpse74ee222.jpg" width="810px" /></a>
<br />
<br />
I chose to line the pockets with green leftovers from another project, and it looks really sweet, I think.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s740.photobucket.com/user/elisesophie/media/Blog/IMG_0247_zps147651ea.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo IMG_0247_zps147651ea.jpg" src="http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx45/elisesophie/Blog/IMG_0247_zps147651ea.jpg" width="810px" /></a>
<br />
<br />
And then I put a fox on it, just because! If you want more (not-so extensive) notes on this project, go check out my Ravelry project page, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/elisesophie/cricket">here</a>. <br />
<br />
I'll try my best to take a decent photo of all the cardigans when they're done, but the light here is terrible these days. When I leave for work it's dark, and when I come back, it's dark again!<br />
<br />
I hope you are all having creative and happy Advents, wherever you are in the world!<br />
elisesophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00230764575529449994noreply@blogger.com0