Whitewater Wristwarmers Chart

While knitting, I charted out the lace pattern from Jennifer Meyer's Whitewater Wristwarmers. Thought I'd share for those who might have a use for it. I showed the pattern as it is over 14 sts, one needle. The pattern repeat, as you can see, goes over 7 sts, but I find it easier to read if there are two repeats of the pattern:



The pattern is free and available online here.

Wow, it's been a while!

So, let's see... What's happened over the past two months? I've been working at the bookstore, I've been given more free lance assignments from Gyldendal than ever, I've gotten a new job - working in the tourist information every Saturday, a job I like a lot so far. I've been working as a temp at the switchboard of the university for three full weeks and I'm hoping to get more work there. I've lost my internet connection for two weeks (it's back now - yay!). I've watched season two of Dexter and started following the new episodes of Grey's, ER, Private Practice and House.

Oh, and I've managed to keep my weight! Mainly due to the fact that I can use my step machine while watching already mentioned tv-shows and also because I've been able to keep my eating healthy and balanced (letting myself have yoghurt ice cream and dark chocolate from time to time, while making up for it by eating lots of fruit and vegetables and avoiding to eat between meals - yay for me!(I am a bit proud). So at the moment I'm at 62,7 kilos, which is 11,6 kilos less than in January. My waistline has gone from 103 cm to 86 cm, so that's 17 cm less. To be within what's healthy for a tiny woman like me, I should still lose 6 cm, but the weight is okay. More importantly, I'm still not in very good shape, I tend to be a bit on and off about my motivation when it comes to working out, but I'm getting better. My goal, after all, is to be in better health, to stabilize my mood and improve my immune system.

Yesterday I started a new work-out program from a magazine I read. It's a program that helps strengthen the muscles that support the body which is something I really need considering my genetic heritage when it comes to back and pelvis. In addition to this, I'll be doing my stepping in intervals - One minute as fast as I can, two minutes regular stepping. Did that yesterday and it felt great, I need the extra challenge, since I usually just walk for half an hour on it. Eight months ago, that was enough to make me feel as though I would die, but now I just get warm. Which is good, I guess ;)

The same magazine had an article called "100% happiness", that was about research within positive psychology - how to think and act to be happier. It was long and I didn't agree with all the things in the article, but I think it's important to remember that how happy we are is something we can actively affect by changing our attitude and patterns of behaviour. One exercise the article suggested to be aware of the good things in your life and think positively, was to list three things for which you're grateful, everyday. (No repeating the same things from day to day, and try to be specific instead of just listing vague notions like family or work.)

Today,
I'm grateful that I feel motivated when it comes to exercise.
I'm grateful that I have a really good physiotherapist.
I am grateful that I woke up feeling quite all right today (rather than with a headache as I did on Sunday and Tuesday)

Feel free to feel "tagged", I'd love to hear what makes other people thankful.

Oh, and I've knitted a bit these past two months as well! Finished a Sheldon assignment for (deep breath in) my brother's girlfriends's father's girlfriend's daughter's newborn baby (wow, that's long). I used a cotton-acrylic blend that's really soft. Here it is:



Also, I finished a pair of socks in the loveliest silk yarn from Regia. The pattern is My Purple Dream, from NorwayKate on Ravelry, here's her blog, and you can find the pattern on the right hand side, under "Mine mønstre/my patterns". I used 1,5mm DPNs and knit the cuff over three needles instead of four, to fit my tiny feet. The lace pattern is easy to remember, but not too boring:

Spirogyra!

I just finished a pair of knitty's Spirogyra in the wonderfully soft yarn Sophia sent me this week.

Here are some photos:



Pattern adjustments:
- I went down one needle size and went with 3mm needles all through the pattern. I did not change needles for the wrist shaping.
- I started out with 36 sts instead of 48 and did 6 pattern repeats before placing the thumb.
- I did one pattern repeat over the palms before ribbing, instead of two.

The yarn is Manos del Uruguay's Silky Blend, colourway 3117.

Baby knitting

Today is my birthday, and I've had such a wonderful day!! I spent the first half of it cleaning the kitchen and baking while listening to an audiobook, and it was so much fun - feels great to finally take a breather from exams and work. I made almond-biscotti and Jasmine Tea Cookies, and both turned out great. After having had one too many of the cookies, I spent an hour working out so that I didn't have to have a guilty conscience ;)

After that, my brother and his girlfriend came to pick me up, and we went to my parents' for a birthday dinner - turkey and chicken with rice, salad and baked potatoes... So good! And healthy! My mother had bought me 24 roses (one for each year), and I got a necklace and a nice fruit tea from my brother and his gf. And then they asked me to be a god parent to the girl they're expecting in June!!! I'm so happy, it was totally unexpected, and I feel so honored. My brother said he knew I cared so much for my nephews and nieces, so they wanted me as god mother if I wanted to.

On that note, here's a baby bonnet I've made for the little one:




The pattern is Little Shell Lace Baby Bonnet by Dawn Adcock. I hope to get a lot more knitted for my little baby niece before she arrives in June :-)

Lace knitting!

So it's been a loooong time since I had the chance to knit, but it's been even longer since last time I updated my blog. I have recently discovered lace knitting and finished a Kiri Shawl(.pdf-file):




I made it for my grandmother's 85th birthday and she even called and thanked me for it, telling me that she wears it all the time (We rarely speak on the phone, thus my surprised tone). Since I really liked knitting lace, I decided that I had to learn to follow a chart. I first knitted one Branching Out-scarf following the chart and the written instructions:



My aunt got it as a thank you-gift for letting me live at their house while in Oslo. And while I was on vacation I started knitting another scarf, this time following the chart only, as I had gotten used to. I'm about half way done with it now, but the photo was taken a bit before where I am now:




Hopefully I'll get to finish it in April. That's a little bit of news from my creative world, which unfortunately is severely limited these days and for a couple of weeks now... I need to catch up on my Latin, my mythology and my Spanish. However, I've been working really well the last week with structured work hours, time for healthy food and lots of breaks for walks outside and stepping to Daft Punk on my new Twist&Shape step machine :-)

I've also become completely hooked on the tea Purity from Tavalon Tea Bar. Stephanie506 from Ravelry has sent it to me twice now, I received a package about a week ago, and I'm already halfway through the box of tea! It's a blend with a detoxifying black tea, peppermint and ginger which has a very round and smooth taste.