Pattern Credit and Changes

I have to say there is a big difference between looking at a website on your iphone and using a computer, because it was with the computer that I was able to get the best translation. I had gone into the website once more on my computer, but did not get to it in a way that showed me the fabulous words "translate this page" next to it. I had tried (thinking is was Swedish) to translate from Swedish to English. When I used the translation link, I then discovered it was in Norwegian and got a good translation.

The Blog is called "Homemade" (Hjemmelaget).
Contact by mail margrete.birk@lyse.net
Posted January 3rd, 2012
Briefs with "proboscis" (men)

The pattern is free, I am not reprinting it here or claiming ownership, just talking about working a project.
I would recommend looking at Margrete's blog, she has some lovely projects. When you look at this blog you will see how multi talented she is with a variety of projects.
To start, I have been making some pattern notes as I go. After the 6th round an eyelet round is to be made, for a string to to be woven through for tying the briefs to keep them up. I did not do this and went two rounds past. not I'm having a mental argument with myself about following the pattern, not a big deal to go back. Then the argument goes on like; patterns are a starting or taking off point and the briefs will be in a shadow box. Hmmm.... I will let you know how that comes off later.

There is a decrease round before starting the patterning, it says to decrease by 8 evenly around. ok, knit 23 k2tog. easy.
Complete pattern A and continue with pattern B until piece measures 17cm. No problem!
Then the translation says: Share now work 95 m ahead and 97 m behind. Im going to just believe that is the no brainer it looks like and divide the stitches into front and back (yes, this is the translated version). The decreases look fun; bind every game of each side... hmm... Yup, I get it! onward!

I just decided the eyelets and string need to be included, if for no other reason that it will add to the character of the garment. Who knows what all this could lead to, and garments like this deserve character.
There does seem to be a women's version in the pattern as well. If I decide to make the women's version, I will share that as well, however it will lack the extra character of the "snabel" giggle giggle.

Kepp you sticks clicking  and as always
Happy sitiching trails.

Stitchinghermit

All fun in the Love and Pursuit of knitting

It's all fun, in the Love and pursuit of knitting! This could be my new mantra.

What I had this morning was, a desire to make a pair of Fair Isle man's underwear, a Pattern in Norwegian (which I do not speak), and the yarn. Now I have a 24" 3.25mm needle and some progress.

I knew I needed a 24", 3.5mm needle for this project, in the US that is a size #4, without recognizing what might look like gauge in the pattern, I decided to swatch (knit a mall square of fabric for measurement to equal stitch and row count needed for garment), to see what the knitted fabric would look like. I have knitted fair isle before and am used to using 2.5mm or 3mm needles, so 3.5 for underwear, even though I am not making them for wear, seemed like it would be loose.
I went to the yarn shop and knitted a gauge swatch (that I did not measure, it's not being worn) first with the 3.5mm which I thought seemed a bit too loose, and then with 3.25mm. The fabric created by the 3.25mm needles was more dense and seemed like it would work better and hide the floats; the second yarn trailing behind along the back of the fabric.
Here you see the gauge swatch below, the beginning was knitted with the larger needles, I purled a ridge before using the smaller needles. You may or may not be able to see the slight difference, It felt different as well. The fabric I knitted with the smaller needle is denser by look and feel.

This is not a good example of a gauge swatch, which is usually slightly bigger than your stitch count in 4x4" in the US or 10cm x10cm in Europe. So when a pattern says you gauge is 28 sts by 30 rows, those stitches and rows should fit within a 4x4" or 10cm x 10cm square of fabric knitted using the needles and yarn prescribed. If I were truley making these to wear, I would use the same yarn or an equivalent yarn and needles to get the gauge called for in the pattern. Now, there are a lot of horror stories about people having terribly large, small or misshapen garments because they did not work a gauge swatch or get gauge.
Not to worry, I am adjusting this as i go to make sure I end up with a reasonably sized and shaped garment. I went with the smaller needles, so my finished product should be on the smaller side if not right sized or close, if I end up with a more loose gauge than the designer. Again, I am not making these to be worn, it could be that they will be able to be worn, but mine are to be framed, Fair Isle is Art right? Knitting can be considered Art.
I could tell by the pattern in Norwegian that I would need to cast on 200 stitches, at least I think it is. Here is what the pattern says;
Legg Opp 200 m og strikk Vrbord 6 omg.
So my guess was, cast on 200 sts and either work 6 rounds or 6 inches, I opted for rounds since from the picture it looked like ribbing and it did not look like it was 6" worth. It also looked like later on the amount of stitches would be decreased. The original translation through babel fish did not seem to be helpful, it said it was 70% accurate and left me with questions, a lot of words were still a mystery. It was not clear in cast on, rounds or if there was a decrease or why the pattern looked like it restarted or something.
I ran the website through translation, ah, there was my problem. I still don't speak the language, but its wasn't Swedish as I originally thought, no, it is in Norwegian. So much more translated and it makes sense, its also not a step by step pattern. there will be a lot to work out, that just is not written in the pattern.
Here is my beginning;

The pattern Behind it is for a child's Fair Isle sweater, in English. As you can see I have cast on and knitted two rounds in knit 2 purl 2 rib. The pattern says (know from translation) to work 6 rounds, I plan on knitting at least an inch in rib, it could be that will equal 6 rounds, we will see.

As I have suggested above, I have a good translation of the pattern, and, I turned it into a PDF and its now in my ibooks on my Phone for reference; at some point I will print a copy, but for now I am working from this copy on my phone.

I had told people that there are pictures of a women's pair of panties by someone else in another blog, but it looks like there is somewhat of a pattern for them embedded in this pattern. and now I'm wondering if I bought enough yarn for both and it is possible, but we will see, first thing s first, one pair at a time.

Keep your sticks clicking and as always,
Happy stitching trails
Stitchinghermit

Setting up for the Underwear

I'm almost ready to start the man's Fair Isle underwear.
First it is important to say a few things that I know about the pattern and creator. This is the Website Mame and Preliminary information until I get a translation going.

Hjemmelaget - Blogger

hekle-strikke.blogspot.com/.../oppskrift-pa-snabeltruse...

Not sure what it all means, but its the link to the underwear. And I thank the Blogger for sharing her creation.
This adventure is me having fun and sharing the journey with others.
I have worked with both vintage and now foreign language patterns, they are not the same to work with, they are different to figure out.
Without translation I selected my needles and yarn, MJ at Linden Yarns and Textiles was helpful in making sure I had enough skeins in each of the colors, going into back stock for me. What I did not know at the time was that I do not own a 24" circular 3.5mm needle and due to having to shovel snow to get out of the drive way I was not able to get one. Oh darn, a trip to the yarn shop tomorrow. Because knitters don't like going to yarn shops. ha ha...
I thought I would post the project picture today and show the cast on tomorrow.

So here are the yarn and pattern. My background color will be the red and the white will be the design. I'm pretty excited about the project and thinking of following up with a women's pair. My head is already starting to spin with spin off projects, lol.

I am pleased with my chart re-work and can't wait to get started.

Here's to knitting wishes and project dreams....

Happy stitching trails, keep those neeldes clicking.

Stitchinghermit

Wow, that's a long time!

Okay, It's been over a year since I have written a blog post. A few things have happened, I have been on the Board of the Minnesota Knitter Guild, I have been knitting, but not posting my projects anywhere, I have made some shop models and I'm looking to challenge myself and have decided, with encouragement to blog about that journey.
I am taking a couple of classes at Yarn Over this year and I hope you attend and take classes if you can. If you don't know what Yarn Over is, you have missed out. The Minnesota Knitter Guild has an event every year called Yarn Over, where iconic knitters from around the world converge to teach classes, there is a Friday night dinner, a day of Classes on Saturday as well as a vendor area that brings in vendors from around Minnesota and surrounding states. I have been volunteering in the mornings and its a lot of fun, very energizing. Shelley H. is the whirlwind ball of energy that puts Yarn Over together, bringing in the fabulous teachers and putting everything together with a wonderful committee that Includes cheerleaders who call themselves the Woo Hoo girls.
I have a couple of challenges in my knitting life right now, but will blog for the most part on a pair of fair isle underpants for men. No, my husband will not wear them, but I think they will look fun on the bathroom wall.


Watch for my Fair Isle underwear challenge posts, starting soon.

Happy Stitching Trails to all of you!
Clicking on all neeldes,
Stitchinghermit

Progress in my summer of 2012

I have been working on breaking out of a self imposed shell in life; I was locking into a complacent walled in court, keeping myself safe from the pains that irrational family can bring surrounded by safer family members and friends. I needed to breach out and live a lte more, my friend are wonderful but unwittingly enabling me to keep my head firmly placed in the sand so to speak. This break out began with the feeling of smothering within the confines of my friends and feeling quite overwhelmed, I needed to step back , or outside of the wall, but unsure of the footing or turn I just plunged out, I think that surfing the course of doing this I offended some, but as I did not mean to do so, hopped that because of thief caliber and or strength of relationship they would find some sympathy and understanding. I have become more of a part of the Minnesota Knitters Guild, my first time mailing out the "Cable grams" comes this week. I volunteered for yarn over for a couple of hours, that was fun, and I was able to get out before my sensitivity to the environment made me I'll. My niece Tia graduated in spite of a trying year, and I am attempting to be adventurous as I am able, with things and activities that are manageable. I certainly don't always get it right, I have had more reactions and migraines this Year, but I do try to buck up as they say and move forward. I am still working on the master knitters program, but in the process discovered that more company does not always help the depressive episodes and pulled back from that group, still considering how that could be reworked. I have completed several knitted items, I do need to work on getting pictures. I am reading more again, rediscovering this activity, much like an old friend, I am slowly working through my Jane Austen collection and a book mentioned in Northanger Abbey called "Udolpho" and other mysteries by Ann Radcliffe. These are not fast reads but I am reading. I also checked out a book called "Scuse me while I kill this guy" a rather humorous short book in a series by Leslie Langtry, the books Very humorously tell the story of a family of hit men or people if you prefer going back to Roman times. Happy stitching trails to all, I'm venturing out to see about joining in some knitting

3rd Annual Knitting Retreat

Nokomis knitters just returned from their 3rd annual knitting retreat at Bug Bee hive resort in Paynesville Minnesota. Before we left we picked up my Facebook friend, Fudwick Pilwinkle the garden gnome so he could participate on the knitting retreat. Apparently like all or most garden gnomes, Fudwick like to travel. He did put on his speedo to go to the pool and hot tub, but it was too cold. We coordinate meals and clean up, and we have someone that brings her espresso machine and makes wonderful Lattes.

 Fudwick at the bug-Bee sign

 Fudwick by our door at Colony A.

 Heidi contemplating Fudwick and his new found friends.

 Fudwick met friends at the cabin, they are Desuma (with the pink hair) and Tip (sitting and bald).

 Fudwick and Desuma

Some of our knitting friends, knitting of course.


We went to yarn shops on the way up and while we were there. There is Silver Creek Cabin in Buffalo, Gruber's and Bonnie's Spinning wheel in Saint Cloud, in New London there is Uniquely Knit and The Flying Goose.

Heidi and Tia knitting

Some projects were finished, some were started, some were frogged. I finished the back of my sweater in progress, did some frogging on a sleeve and a slipper I started while there. I began a pair of Fast and Furious Fingerless Mitts while I was there.

Smart phone?

One of the reasons I went to a smart phone was to make blogging on the go easier, I have to say it has taken me far too long in finding the blogger app. Before this I did manage to get one post out via phone and now I can happily say that I have another one out. This being said, I now hope to post more often.
I haave been working out a rough patch with myself and. At present I am climbing back up hill. I am one of the secretaries of the Minnesota Knitters Guild, I am looking forward to this new opportunity to add some of the needed change to my life. Unlike most people I am agreeable with change, I facilitate it, lifes inertia pushes me in to it when I begin to feel as though I am suffocating in a vacuume (dang! I knew how to spell that word once).
I finished the wrap I was working on for my niece along with a couple pairs of baby socks and now I am working on a summer sweater, because it was calling to me incredibly loudly. I have not forgotten about the bazillion winter sweaters I have in progress, nor am I any longer delusioned that they may not know I am cheating on them with this lovely linnen sommer sweater.
I am bringing my new sweater that I am making, the Pemberly slipper project as well as a sock project on the retreat. I am getting things together to bring on the retreat and I should be at least half packed for it by weeks end, although it is two weeks away.
My niece had her baby boy last Friday, Korey Floyd was born at 12:40pm, seven pounds and looks like his momma, according to Gramma. I am going down for a visit before the retreat to meet little Korey Floyd and hug his momma.
I tried out a new egg bake recipie for the retreat and have been eating a lot of egg bake since, I could be burning out on it before the retreat, so, making egg bake and oatmeal for beakfast on my day to cook.

Keep your sticks clicking and happy stitching trails