Carolina's Christmas Cardigan

On the morning of Christmas Eve I finally sewed on the buttons.

What was actually intended as her birthday present, became my Christmas gift for Carolina. But with such a mild winter around nobody cared about knitting deadlines except me. And even though the cardigan's form looks strange when lying out flat, it stretches nicely around her little body.

The pattern is "apple" by Annette Danielsen and has been my favourite from her knitting book for children for a couple of years (since I bought the book in 2011). I am so happy it has now left the back of my knitting brain and became a wearable reality.

All patterns in the book are knitted with Isager yarns, and I substituted with Lana Grossa Superlana wool, which worked out fine. The size is for a 4-year-old. As Carolina is a tall 3-year-old it fits perfectly right now.

And the best part for me is - she likes wearing it.

Merry Christmas!

Clara Crafts

Clara was very busy last week with the knitting loom.

St. Nicholas' bags for everybody!

Pink Moment of the Week

This week we celebrated Carolina's third birthday.

And how it turned out at the end of this busy party day it also became the birthday of Carolina's and Clara's new cousin. My sister was due with her first baby actually a couple of days later, but how many babys really care about their due date? - statistically about 4 percent. I quickly knit up this little baby hat (it is this pattern here) with wool my mother once gave me for Carolina and finished it right on time (what can be quicker then a newborn baby hat) to send it out to my little niece. Aunts do things like that.

Handmade in Thailand

While we are already on another little holiday, I still owe you Thailand's crafty impressions. So now is a good time to fill that gap.

To be honest, Thailand was the first time for the last years that I didn't bring any knitting with me - knitting with white in the tropics? Not such a good idea. And I didn't feel like knitting anyway. I would have felt like the only person knitting in Thailand, because I didn't see a single person doing it. But I did see quite a bit of crochet.

Crochet also seemed like a popular pastime for some masseuses (that gave us those great massages) while waiting for customers.

I also found one fabric store called PhaiBoon in Hua Hin.

And you could always see some kind of sewing shop.

Knitting!

So this, dear readers, is my first yarn purchase of the year

(and it's already October!):

As you might have noticed, I was all about painting, colours and art this year - and I still am. But some night before falling asleep last week I felt like picking up the needles again. My ongoing (or better "onlying") projects couldn't spark my interest, so I thought a little thingie for the little one would be fun. I bought this wool and have already cast on. And it is - fun.

Yarn Graffiti

Spotted near the city centre:

We all start to need knitted woolies again for warmth.

Knitting in Wilhelmshaven

Last weekend I spent at a yoga ashram at the North Sea teaching a prenatal yoga training. I travelled via the city of Wilhemshaven and was quite surprised when I left the train station and saw a whole square full of yarn graffiti trees.

I don't know whether you have ever been to Wilhemshaven, but I think it is fair to say that it is a city that is really lacking in the beauty department. So it was a great idea to give this place some adornment.

 

These are just a couple yarn graffitis, there were so much more. But I had a train to catch and only photographed a random selection. And I also found out what there were all about:

They were part of the Wilhelmshaven Street Art Festival (here).

There is hope for Wilhemshaven.

Black & White Knitting

... yesterday at Clara's music school.

Knitting in Husum

Last weekend we had a large family gathering from my side, in an old barn converted into a guesthouse, up up North in Germany. All my aunts, uncles, cousins and all their loved ones and offspring under one roof (and also my parents and my pregnant sister, of course). It actually rained nearly all of the time, but that didn't spoil the cozy mood. Carolina and Clara just had a blast, running around and playing or sitting at the fire at night.

The town of Husum was about half an hour away and we ventured out once and left the clan for a couple for hours. Called the "grey colourful town at sea" - Husum lived up to its name on this rainy Saturday.

But we had just entered the pedestrian zone, 

when a lot of colour shone our way.

 The Lana Grossa Store Husum.

Wool galore on two floors.

 I was really surprised how large the store was.

The two nice ladies who worked there (one was knitting) didn't want to be in the pictures but told that there is a lot of knitting going on in and around Husum, validating all that wool.

Proof - next store down the precinct:

a book store with this on display:

We walked on and then Hubby pointed out to me:

"Look, yarn graffiti!"

(that man is knitting-conditioned)

And not only one!

The whole street "Neustadt"

got its lamp posts yarn-graffitied:

Oh yeah, big time knitting in Husum.

And three hours of knitting in the car for me.