talvi knits (and spins).

If grey and yellow is grellow, what’s pink and grey? Grink? Prey? Whatever it’s called, it’s a lovely color combination.

• On Ravelry: Retreat Companion
• Pattern: The Traveling Companion Shawl by Karen Strauss
• Yarn: Garnstudio DROPS Alpaca in #506 dark grey (146 yd/133 m) and #2922 Deep Pink (182 yd/166 m)
• Needles: 4.0 mm
• Mods: Made the triangular version, notes on my Rav project page.

The striped edging is not in the original pattern — it was just me trying to use up as much of the yarn as I could. And it worked! I used all of the grey yarn I had (about 40 g)  and had about a foot of the pink remaining.

New Etsy Favorite: Beautiful anklet by Koukuttaja (8.00 EUR) http://etsy.me/17F0gtu

Taking the project bag workshop revived by interest in sewing. When I got back home, I dug out the sewing machine and made another this space/Harry Potter themed one. The fabrics were bought ages ago and they were always destined to become project bags but I never got around to it until now. Can’t decide which side I like best!

One of the events at the knitting retreat was a yarn lottery. Everyone won something! I got a zippered linen project bag with 2 skeins of DROPS Alpaca in dark grey and HOT pink. It was very hard not to cast on something stripey right then and there. Even though I had two cardigans on the needles.

I’ve been attracted to this photo of the Traveling Companion Shawl, only to become disappointed multiple times when I realize it’s a square-shaped shawl. Not all is lost, though! The pattern can be easily modded to a triangular shawl by leaving out one of the sections. Muuuuch better.

A couple of years ago I won five skeins of Viking of Norway Frøyagarn. It wasn’t quite enough yardage to knit a garment, yet I didn’t want to make endless accessories with it either. I spent many hours on Ravelry doing the advanced search but nothing seemed appropriate. Ophicleide was a contender but I’m not a big fan of sleeveless nor A-lined cardigans.

Until I saw 2bev’s three-color version. And realized I could extend the yardage with another yarn. Longer sleeves, huzzah! So, Ophicleide is on the needles, hopefully becoming #6 of 2013.

New Etsy Favorite: PDF sewing pattern Whale plush toy softie by DIYFluffies ($9.00) http://etsy.me/10LcOH0

Everything in this shop is adorable!

One of the workshops I attended at the knitting retreat was for sewing a reversible Japanese knot-bag style project bag.

Ingredients:

• approx. 50 x 60 cm piece of exterior fabric
• same for interior/lining
• coordinating thread
• pins, scissors, markers etc.
• one patient sewing teacher
• four rowdy students

We ran a little over time but managed to get all bags finished. I don’t usually go for brown but the apple fabric was way cute.

There’s a bunch of free tutorials online. This one from Martha Stewart is pretty similar to the one we used.

New Etsy Favorite: PURE Fiber Club 4 Months 5oz hand painted top merino coburger romney falkland by lanitiumexmachina ($82.00) http://etsy.me/10cPPsG

I need more fiber like I need a hole in my head but her stuff is AMAZING. wantwantwant.

May 1st marked the start of Mad May 2013, the Must Stash Podcast sweater KAL and The Knitgirllls sweater KAL. I couldn’t resist the chance to triple-dip and cast on paulie that has been in the queue for so long. I don’t usually go for the color choices in the pattern but a) grellow is awesome and b) these two colors of madelinetosh TML, Tern and Candlewick, were already in my stash. A match made in knitting heaven.

Another one for 13 sweaters in 2013.

(via Way TOO far - Imgur)

I disagree — totally not too far but JUST RIGHT. :D

RETREAT!

A couple of weekends ago I went to a knitting retreat — my first! There was LOTS of yarn, spinning, cute fabrics, good food and great people. All in all, lots of fun, and it was very difficult to leave on Sunday night.

In between all the knitting, staying up late and stuffing my face with chocolate cake, I took two workshops: sewing Japanese knot-bag style project bags and making stitch markers. Like I need any more crafty obsessions, let alone stashes…

Thirteen sweaters in 2013 is rolling along. Here’s number 4.

• On Ravelry: Splash of ♥
• Pattern: Splash of Blue (€4.90 download on Rav) by Suvi Simola
• Yarn: 859 yd / 784 m of Garnstudio DROPS ♥ You #2 (limited edition yarn) in red #3650
• Needles: 7.00 mm and 8.00 mm circulars
• Mods: M1L and M1R instead of yo in the raglan increases. switched to smaller needles in ribbing (the pattern uses one needle size throughout)

This yarn bled dye like crazy! I washed the cardigan twice and must have rinsed it four or five times to get all the excess dye out. Still, I’m super pleased with the end product. Can’t wait to wear it next winter — now it’s too hot. :)

New Etsy Favorite: Aussie animals sock project bag by Knitrundig (10.00 GBP) http://etsy.me/12Zo1sQ

The third and final shipment of the Villavyyhti fiber club is definitely more my kind of colors: mossy, foresty greens. This is Norwegian wool top from Lanitium Ex Machina in the color “Suolaheinä” (Sorrel).

(Source: ravelry.com)

New Etsy Favorite: Fantasia Lohikäärme superwash merino spinning fiber top 150 grams 23 mic 64’s by laikaknits (18.00 EUR) http://etsy.me/YjU0EG