Life LackaDaisiCal

This is a capture of my Ravelry Project Page - my 2011 projects. My Asymmetric Cable Wrap was something totally different for me - it's done in a Cascade Baby Alpaca yarn - it's very nice but I haven't worn it much. American Girl Doll garments - fun projects to knit up for two special little girls and their dolls. Hats - Sheep Heid, Peerie Flooers and Caller Herrin - all by Kate Davies .  (I think you'll see more of her designs on my Ravelry project page. Lots of Rowan - Anastasiya finished - but I don't like the neckline - I adjusted the neckline to be a deeper V and I don't like it - may have to make a pillow out of this sweater. My Striped Surprise is based on a Rowan design, done in a Rowan yarn, so it's a Rowan - love this sweater and wear it a lot! The Foolish Virgins Scarf - well I have to be honest with myself and admit that this is NEVER going to be knit - so I might rework this yarn in the Gridlock or Moody Blues cushions from Kaffe Knits Again....

Lackie and Daisy are all snuggled up....and wish everyone a happy Christmas (insert Holiday of your choice) filled with contentment. See you in the New Year - for The Great Yarn Diet of 2012 where I challenge myself to stick to a year of being on a "Yarn Diet" Yarn Diet Rules to be established and will be posted on January 1, 2012. Any "rule" suggestions or anecdotes of how you managed your yarn diet - please leave a comment. Anyone want to join me - I know my Guest Author Renee is interested - anyone else? So the Shades of Shetland blog next year will highlight the inventive use of my stash. I have quite a bit of Rowan and Jamieson's Spinning yarns.  In particular, I have an  enormous stash of  Jamieson's Shetland Spindrift yarns. Luckily, I LOVE this yarn and have been researching projects that can be knit up in my stash yarn! See you in 2012! Happy New Year Everyone! from Anne (here with the DH at the North Cape! )

FYI - Sheeps Ahoy here in Ontario have put together a yarn pack for the Kate Davies design "Sheep Heid" which includes over 50m of each of the 9 shades that the pattern calls for - more than enough to complete the hat - for $32.85 + shipping (and applicable taxes if you are in Canada). You have to get the pattern via Ravelry or Kate's blog Needled.com No affiliation - just a happy Sheep Heid enabler! (It also gave me the opportunity of featuring these great photos of Daisy while we were out for a walk a while ago!)

Thinking of my self-imposed yarn diet in 2012, I did do a little yarn indulgence while in Norway. Our first Husfliden shop, in Bergen, the shop owner was wearing this.... I loved the idea of a stranded tunic! from this book! of course I will knit it in - cream, light and dark brown! The Sandness Garn web site lists 508 stores that sell their yarn - 508! all in Norway! In a country with a population of 4.8 million, well, that's a store for every 9,500 people! Obviously Norwegians like to knit! One thing I did notice in Norway - stores that sell yarn, sell other things too.....like fabric sometimes, or clothing, or kitchen goods....they don't just sell yarn......I think this is something that small yarn stores here in North America could emulate. Something else I picked up on the trip - a Knitpics Needle Case - for interchangeable needle tips - the little pouches are to keep your cables separate. See how all of the needle tips have their own little slot?  and it has room for ot...

We were lucky - there were only 85 passengers on our ship when we left Bergen - 31 of those passengers were part of the Arena Group - either a quilter or a knitter - so we had lots of room to spread out!   Quilters on one side, Knitters on the other of the Observation Lounge and Bar on Deck 7. Quilters on the Starboard side Knitters on the Port side Debbie Abrahams was the Rowan Knit Guru on board.  Debbie is known for her colourful and bead embellished designs.  She admitted that coming up with a design that was based on Norwegian traditional knitting was a challenge for her (ie no beads and limiting the colours used) - but she rose to the challenge, and came up with something totally spectacular!  This bag is knit using Rowan Fine Tweed and the Purelife Sheep Breeds.  Included with the yarn were "beads" hand made by Debbie's Mom - seems talent runs in the family! Although it wasn't a competition, and there was no prize for finishing first, knitting time ...

Although there was a great expectation of seeing the Northern Lights on this trip......after all..... "Hunting the Light" is their catch phrase at this time of the year on the Hurtigruten Ships.  When you go to sleep at night, you can set your telephone to intercom - if the Aurora appears at night - they announce it and you can get up and see it.  Every night I had the intercom button on, the volume turned up, and went to sleep in hopes that the Aurora would appear. It wasn't to be unfortunately.......it was early in "the season" and the weather was uncommonly mild for this time of year...... So while we didn't see the Northern Lights, we did see some spectacular sights... While I totally understand that this trip wouldn't be for everyone.... WE LOVED IT!  It was just our cup of tea and we're glad we went, even though we didn't see the Northern Lights.....maybe next time!

After saying a fond farewell to the Nordnorge, we boarded the "Russian Border" bus.... for a tour of Kirkenes and a trip to the border itself. Everyone wanted a photo with the Border crossing sign - including Debbie! Alan and I did our self-portrait with the sign in the background. Two versions of Kate Davies Peerie Flooers - Juliet used yarn from her stash (she was on a yarn diet this year - only a few weeks to go Juliet!) and I did mine in Jamieson's Spinning Shetland Spindrift. Then it was off to the Gabba Restaurant, home of the famous Kirkenes Snowhotel , where they have a Reindeer Park -here I am  feeding them what looked to me like spagnum moss. Inside the Gabba Restaurant - where we had a lovely soup for lunch. This is a panorama shot taken when our bus let us out and had to turn around due to road conditions. (I wish I had figured out this setting earlier in this trip - shaking my head LOL) All in all a great time, met some wonderful people, and created memori...