Monthly Archives: November 2019

Photoshoot at Oslofjord Museum: O-Chem Tunic

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Here is the last series of photos from the Oslofjord Museum for now, it is of the O-Chem Tunic designed for Interweave Knits Winter 2019 worn by the gorgeous Kaja Kvernbakken, with hair & makeup by Sissel Fylling and jewellery by Kaja Gjedebo Design, brilliantly captured next to the corten steel wall by Eivind Røhne. I decided to style the O-Chem Tunic with a burgundy Wolford tube skirt since the colours matched so well and with my red pair of Amanda Skovgaard shoes.

The O-Chem Tunic features a striking central panel of hexagonal cables inspired by organic chemisty compounds. For visual balance with the three cables in the body, the sleeves have one main cable running down the arm, and all the cables in the sweater are framed with rope cables. The sweater sports a cozy standing collar and side vents in the rib at the bottom for a relaxed fit.

The O-Chem Tunic is knitted in Tahki Yarns, Alden made in 50% merino wool, 25% alpaca, 25% acryl, with 230 meters/250 yards on each 50 gram ball. The sample is knitted in 06 Wine and only takes 7 balls. The gauge is 20 stitches and 30 rows in stockinette stitch using 3.75 mm/US 5 measures 10 cm/4” square.

The O-Chem Tunic sample I knitted was returned from Interweave in the US, so that I could photograph it again and release the pattern, when the rights returned to me after a year.

I have graded this from size XS to 2XL with a bust circumference of 81 cm/32 to 124 cm/49″. The sample in size Medium has a 94 cm/37” bust circumference and is worn with + 8 cm/3.25” ease on the model. I loved seeing this pullover on Kaja! I am so proud to have such a fabulous team to work with! Thank you!

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Barcelona Knits 2019 Part 2

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I just had to share this lovely photo Michael took of the four organisers of Barcelona Knits with the popular male model for the festival pattern: Mediterráneo Shawl by Ester Romo Alonso – aka elleplusdesign – he was photographed throughout the day. From left to right is: Anna Chao, Eva Rodríguez, the man of the day, Marta Martínez and Kiara Bonini holding up the photo of him from the festival brochure. Their enthusiasm was non-stop throughout the weekend, I can confirm, as Michael and I met them at breakfast at 7am at our hotel and then again after my second workshop at 8pm.

In my first workshop: Smart Knitting Techniques, I also meet Giovanna Marrese, aka LanaWasi who had travelled all the way from Peru, who brought me a couple of lovely gifts from the company she runs together with her sister-in-law in Peru. I received a handmade doll with a shawl pin and an embroidered notions pouch. Thank you, Giovanna!

The market hall was separated into two halls, and the smaller one also had a coffee shop with a view to the nearby parked yachts. Do watch Grace O’Neil, aka Babbles Travelling Yarns Podcast from Barcelona Knits where she asks knitters where they have parked their yachts, as well as detailed views of the vendors in the Market Hall: www.youtube.com.

Here is a photo I took Monday morning after the festival, where you some of the larger yachts and ferries as well as one part of the World Trade Center buildings, see the round building to the right.

For the first time I could take a look at the yak yarns from Myak. I spoke to Andrea who is a vet and works very closely with the nomadic yak herdsmens. You can see an interview with co-founder Paola and him in the Fruityknitting Podcast Episode 56. Yes, do remember to watch episode 67, while you are at it, that is the interview with me.

Above is a photo inside the market hall taken on the less busy Sunday.

La Bien Aimee was also at Barcelona Knits, and I had the chance to present myself. I was wearing my Yellow Gold Pullover and it seemed to fit straight into her colour scheme.

The last photo I will share with you is from after the closing of the Market Hall and of the packing down of the stalls, the Walk Collection stand in particular, where I had agreed to meet Isabell Kraemer, aka lilalu72, and her husband. Isabell had promised to help pack down their stand before we all went for dinner together. The seven of us had a lovely dinner and a fabulous time close to the Walk Collection team’s Airbnb flat. It was the perfect end to a perfect weekend, really! Thank you to all the designers, vendors and knitters I met at Barcelona Knits!

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Barcelona Knits 2019 Part 1

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I can confirm that Barcelona Knits! Several people have asked me just that after I told them I was going to the Barcelona Knits Festival 2019! What a festival it has been, I have had a blast and must admit that I have never been to a festival so well organised as this one! The four behind the festival, running for the second time around, are: Anna, aka misswasabi81; Marta, aka tricotoseando; Eva, aka lalanalu and Kiara, aka lalanalu. You can see them at the front in the Instagram photo below. Above you see me photographed against their wall, wearing the Yellow Gold Pullover.

The venue was the World Trade Center in the harbour, I was teaching in the Mohair Classroom and on the television screen outside the door was the name of the workshop, my name and my photo. The view from the classroom was magnificent, just take a look above.

All participants to each workshop received a free ball from one of the sponsors of the festival. I on the other hand received a large box from one of them: Las Hidalgas, a goodie bag from the festival and presents from one of the attendees after my first workshop.

On Sunday 17th, about 1,5 hour after the market hall closed, a group photo was taken of the organisers, vendors and workshop holders. You would not believe how far knitters had travelled to come to this festival. They had come from the US, Peru, Taiwan, Scandinavia, Germany, the UK and Spain, just to mention a few of the nationalities present. I even met two Norwegians I knew from Stavanger at the airport in Oslo going to the same event as me.

I knew that my test knitter, Heidi Torres was coming from Sweden together with three of her friends, since she wrote to me and told me that only two of them got tickets for my workshops “Smart Knitting Techniques” since they were too late in booking. Heidi, aka Heidi197 on Ravelry, was very easy to spot since she wore my design Mistale in a gorgeous bright pink. Above you see us, and I am wearing my Ena. After my first workshop, there were many that wanted to take a photo with me and that was fun!

Michael and I flew in on the Friday afternoon, leaving our house very early in the morning.  Barcelona Knits had booked our flights as well as the hotel for us, it was only about 10 minutes away from the venue. They also offered to organise a taxi from the airport, making it extremely easy for us. Arriving just after us was Susanne Sommer, aka SosuKnits, another workshop holder who flew in from Austria. We went sightseeing on Friday afternoon, before the festival began on Saturday morning at 9am. Just before the market hall opened, the queue to get it went around the inner courtyard, see above. For the second time, the festival hit another record with more than 2 000 visitors. The queue was still there, when I finished my first workshop, so I decided to visit the market hall on the Sunday instead.

My second workshop was “Perfect Fit” and not until 5pm. Straight after the workshop at 8pm, the “Tapas & Yarn Party” began. Michael had spent time in the backstage room (read: husband room) which had a fabulous supply of fruit, water, tea & coffee and snacks. Julie Dubreux, aka JulieKnitsInParis, who I first met at Bergen Strikkefestival; Isabell Kraemer, aka lilalu72, and Anna Maltz aka SweaterSpotter, who I first met at Vienna Wool & Design, all brought their husbands too. Above is one of the exciting yarns on offer in the market hall.

Eva introduced me to the yarn company Las Hidalgas, run by Alberto Diaz, who had asked to meet me and above you can see us talking. I discovered that one of the yarns he had showed me was not in the box I was given, so I came running back in on Sunday just after the market hall had closed. They had already packed down their stand but managed to find the ball I wanted!

The “Tapas & Yarn Party” on Saturday night was at a cool place called Ultramarinos at La Rambla only 10 minutes away from the World Trade Center. A smart move since I came straight from the second workshop to the party, which was limited to 200 people. Michael and I found seats next to the Norwegian yarn dyer Norne Yarn, who had a stand at the festival, and a lovely group of Spanish knitters & crocheters. The food was fabulous and never stopped coming, so many of us were too busy eating to actually knit! To be continued…

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Aife Knitted by Petra Friedrich

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I am so pleased to present Aife test knitted by Petra, aka Petra777 on Ravelry and petra_friedrich on Instagram. She knitted it in a divine red colour called Zimtapfel (read: Cinnamon Apple) in Blend by Rohrspatz & Wollmeise in size Medium. The yarn is made of 70% wool, 20% goat and 10% polyamide with 499 meters/546 yards on each 150 gram skein. It knits to the given gauge in the pattern: 25 stitches and 32 rows in stockinette stitch using a 3 mm/US 2.5 measures 10 cm/4″ square. Petra initially thought the Wollmeise yarn she had ordered was lost since it took a long time to arrive so she tried a yarn from her stash first. But when it arrived, she wrote in the test knit thread on Ravelry: “I love this design and I cannot wait to see how it turns out using this yarn!” Petra did a wonderful job test knitting it and you can see how stunning it looks on one of her three daughters in these photos! Thank you so much, Petra!

 I also wanted to show you how it looks from the back, with a slightly higher neck. Petra’s chosen yarn has a lovely stitch definition that shows of the cables so well. Here is my introduction to the pattern: “Aife was the Queen of the Isle of Shadow according to Celtic mythology. This elaborate cabled pullover with a slightly fitted waist, is made for a female warrior. A large cable panel, created by Devorgilla, is mirrored with two small cables at the center. The sweater ends in a generous turtle neck in ribbing. To show off the stunning hand dyed Pure Sport yarn by Dye Dye Done, the sleeves are in stockinette stitch with only two small centered cables. Aife is knitted in pieces for the ultimate fit.”

The pullover comes in sizes XS to 2XL with a bust circumference of 86 cm to 123 cm/34 to 48.5″ and a waist circumference of 80 cm to 118 cm/31.5 to 46″. The pattern is available in both Norwegian and English to download from both Ravelry and from Lovecrafts.

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Geilo Photos

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I wanted to show you some more of the photos that Michael took at the ski resort of Geilo, while I was holding workshops at Strikkehelgen/Knitting Weekend organised by the Norwegian magazine Familien. When you are reading this, Michael and I will be at Barcelona Knits, which you will hear about when we are back home. Continuing on the theme of churches, here is the amazing Geilo Kulturkyrkje/Cultural Church. I only got to see it from a distance from the car on our way home, so I hope to see it up close at a later time.

Here is another view of the hotel we stayed at called Vestlia Resort, and as you can see the snow canons were at work preparing the slope!

Finally, I will leave you with this artistic photo of a fence, that reminds me of the mountains!

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Behind the Scenes: Photoshoot at Mortensrud Church

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On Monday, I had a photoshoot at Mortensrud Church in Oslo. Yes, it was the day with heavy snow in Oslo (read: it felt like a whiteout) where the traffic was at a standstill. Only the make-up & hair stylist Erica Poppe, recommended by Jens J. Wiker since both he and Sissel Fylling where busy on other jobs, made it on time arriving by the tube. The gorgeous model Olivia Lindtein, hired on Saturday due to a cancellation, joined Erica shortly afterwards. While the photographer Eivind Røhne, Michael and I came last and one hour late. Anyway, we made it in time and managed to photograph all the ten garments I had brought. No, they are not all new designs; only six are new, three are returned from the UK (Ataraxia in two colours) and the US (Euler Cardigan) plus one old design (Harding Cardigan). Above you can glimpse one of the new pullovers that has a matching pencil skirt made for Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk.

If you are Norwegian reading this and recognise Olivia’s surname, I can tell you that her mother is Tove Lindtein and that her Norwegian knitting book “Lindteinstrikk med stil” has recently been published by Cappelen Damm. Olivia and her sister Louise are models in the book and they feature on the cover of the book together with Tove. So I had seen a number of photos of Olivia before I sent the request via Tove. Olivia looked divine in my designs and I loved seeing them coming alive on her!

Michael and I were married in Mortensrud Church back in 2003 and we have been there for concerts as well as for my father’s burial in 2005. My mother still lives in the area and had planned to visit us during the photoshoot, but due to the heavy snow she stayed at home.

After I had placed all the designs and clothing on the clothes rail, Eivind and I walked around in the church to discover possible backgrounds. Further above you see us testing one, we did not use in the end. As we found several better than that, while Erica was preparing Olivia’s hair and then her make-up. I was wearing my Brewster Cardigan, in case you were wondering. Despite the delay, we took time to sit down for lunch, I had ordered catering from Eckers with juices and smoothies to keep us going, and we finished as we had planned at 3.30 PM, just as the daylight started to go away.

Michael made a behind the scenes video which will be available for all my patrons on Patreon only, after he has edited it and we are back from Barcelona Knits. So if you are interested in learning more about my life as a designer and want to support me, choose your level based on the rewards here: www.patreon.com/lindamarveng.

We had a wonderful day and it was a magnificent photoshoot! Thanks to my brilliant team! I look forward to showing you the new designs – I still need to finish off those patterns – as well as selecting from Eivind’s photos!

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Ena in Familien Kosestrikk 2019

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The Norwegian magazine Familien has just published another special issue on knitting called “Kosestrikk”/Cosy Knitting and it landed in my postbox the day before we went to Geilo for the Knitting Weekend! That was perfect timing since it has one of my designs featured in it and I had planned to wear my Ena going to the mountains. The pattern pages have two full page photos of Emma Ross, with hair & make-up by Sissel Fylling and jewellery by Kaja Gjedebo Design, taken by brilliant photographer Eivind Røhne at Bøler Kirke/Church in Oslo.

Ena is Celtic for fiery. As you need to be passionate about cables to make this jacket. The woven cables lean towards the left and the right hence the spine has been accentuated with a twisted stitch at the center back and along front opening. Ribbing in the sides make the jacket appear casually fitted. The collar in rib can be worn open or closed and folded over. Ena is knitted in the rustic Acadia with silk noil from The Fibre Co.

The jacket is made in pieces and seamed for the best possible fit. I have graded the jacket in sizes XS to 2XL with a finished bust circumference of 84 to 124 cm/33 to 48.75″ circumference. Em is wearing size Small which measures 92 cm/36.25″ with 6 cm/2.25″ positive ease. The gauge is 21 stitches and 30 rows in stockinette stitch using 4 mm/US 6 needles measures 10 cm/4” square.

The bespoke buttons are like small pieces of jewellery and hand-made by Siri Berrefjord. Above you see one of the photographs of them, taken by Siri herself. See more details about those buttons in this blogpost: Ena Buttons By Siri Berrefjord.

The English pattern is available on LoveCrafts and on Ravelry to download, while the Norwegian pattern is only available, printed in “Familien Kosestrikk”. The special issue Familien magazine is available at selected news agents and super markets. If you are in Norway you can buy a digital version for iPad, see www.klikk.no. If you live abroad you can order the Norwegian special magazine by e-mailing kari.bachke@egmont.com and then transfer payment into their bank account.

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Strikkehelg/Knitting Weekend at Geilo

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Friday morning my husband and I drove to Geilo, heading north-west from Ørje, half way to Bergen. I was booked to hold a talk Friday evening to the 460 attendees and workshops on both Saturday & Sunday at the Strikkehelg/Knitting Weekend organised by the magazine Familien published by Egmont (a Danish media corporation). Geilo is a ski resort, preparing for the upcoming season with snow canons, and the event was held at the posh Vestlia Resort. This weekend  the knitters had taken over the hotel. Above you see me holding the talk “Teknisk Strikking”/Technical Knitting in front of about 300 knitters, I am wearing the Damara Skirt from the Norwegian book “Norsk Strikkedesign. Strikk din favoritt” knitted in Tinde pelt wool from Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk, while on the huge screen is model Emma Ross with my Autumn Symphony set knitted in Ask (also by Hillesvåg). I was talking about the uses of left over yarn as well as sizing of the cowl and the belt which are included in the pattern. While other knitters were attending knitting yoga or a workshop in Entrelac.

We were three designers holding talks: Nina Granlund Sæther about the oldest “kofte” found in Norway with photos from her lates book Norske strikketradisjoner/Norwegian knitting traditions (take a look at the photos in the issuu link) and Bjørg Minnesjord Solheim about her company Telespinn who spins wool from the mohair goat. Below you see some of the colours and pullovers made of the Telespinn yarn.

In addition four designers held workshop in different topics: Nina in Knitting with Beads, Pinnedans in Entrelac, designer Anne Tvedt in Steeking & Securing the Seams without a sewing machine and I held a workshop called Perfect Fit. Many of the knitters wanted to join so we all held the same workshop two or three times during the weekend. I held three workshops and there were still waiting lists, in case someone dropped out.

There was a small shopping street in the reception area, mainly with yarn store stands but also a jewellery stand, an optician and a health supplement stand. Above you see the shopping street early Sunday morning and below late on Saturday evening. Take a note of the amazing art collection found throughout the hotel, woodcuts on paper by Edvard Munch in the Telespinn stand photo.

Mohairia is another yarn shop stand. I can tell you that the stands where very busy in the middle of the day. There was also an excursion to the nearby knife factory Brusletto. Michael went together with Nina’s husband on the Saturday and they did not come back empty handed…

Here is the view from our hotel room in the old part of the hotel. I had time for a quick walk and a visit to the Spa (with a small pool, steam room, sauna, jacuzzi and a cold plunge pool) while Michael had time to visit the town of Geilo.

We had delicious food during the weekend, above you see a part of the seafood on offer for dinner on Saturday.

The organisers had booked a separate room inside the dining hall during meal times for us working during the weekend. Do notice the art pieces in the room.

The bar and lounge area had a number of seating groups with comfortable chairs and sofas. In addition to the art collection there was also a number of historic posters promoting Norway on the walls. I met a number of knitters I knew and also new knitters during the weekend. I enjoyed having time to catch up with Nina, Pinnedans and the Egmont team. After my third workshop on Sunday morning we headed home! I had a great weekend! Thank you to the organisers, designers and knitters!

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Macha Jacket Pattern Released

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The test knit of the Macha Jacket and Macha Cowl has come to an end and the patterns have been released. I was so excited to see the colour combination chosen by my test knitters, one of them even let her what she had in her yarn stash decide upon the colours. Soon I will show you more versions of Macha Jacket. Both the designs were made for Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk in the Vilje Lamullgarn and in Sølje Pelsullgarn. On the pattern cover the jacket and the cable cowl is worn by Emma Ross, with make-up & hair by Sissel Fylling and jewellery by Kaja Gjedebo Design, photographed by Eivind Røhne at the Oslofjord Museum in May.

Macha is the Celtic protectress in peace as well as the name of this heavily textured jacket with cable and tweed body and stranded colorwork sleeves. A tuck marks the end of the cable pattern, the beginning of both the tweed pattern and the deep v-neck shaping. The Macha body is worked in pieces but the sleeves are knitted in the round to the armhole in stranded colourwork with purl stitches and garter stitch stripes in three contrasting colors in both Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk Vilje Lamull and Sølje Pelsull. A cable cowl completes the jacket which can also be worn together with the Macha cowl.

Sizes: XS (S, M, L, XL, 2XL)
Shown in size Small
Skill level: Experienced

Finished measurements:
Bust: 86 (92, 100, 106, 116, 126) cm/34 (36, 40, 42, 46, 50)“
Hip: 92 (98, 106, 112, 122, 132) cm/36 (39, 42, 44, 48, 52)”
Length: 61 (62, 63, 64, 65, 66) cm/24 (24.25, 24.75, 25.25, 25.5, 26)“
Sleeve length: 49 (50, 50, 50, 51, 51) cm/19.25 (19.75, 19.75, 19.75, 20, 20)”
Cable cowl: Circumference: 49 cm/19.25” Height: 19 cm/7.5”
Intended ease: + 5-7 cm/2-2.75”. Sample shown is 92 cm/36” and worn with + 6 cm/2.25” ease on model.

Yarn: Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk, Vilje Lamull (100% lambswool, 100 g, 375 m/410 yds). The sample is knitted in;
COL A: Charcoal 7415: 3 (3, 3, 3, 4, 4) skeins; 825 (923, 1020, 1118, 1275, 1433) m/902 (1009, 1115, 1223, 1394, 1567) yds.
COL B: Natural 7400: 1 (1, 1, 1, 2, 2) skeins; 225 (262, 300, 338, 401, 465) m/246 (287, 328, 370, 439, 509) yds.
Sølje Pelsull (100% pelt wool, 350 m/383 yds, 100 g). The sample is knitted in;
COL C: Lime 2107: 1 (1, 1, 1, 2, 2) skeins; 210 (245, 280, 315, 375, 434) m/230 (268, 306, 344, 410, 475) yds.
Cable cowl: COL A: Remnants or 1 skein: 168 m/184 yds.
https://www.ull.no/produktkategori/garn/vilje-lamullgarn/
https://www.ull.no/produktkategori/garn/solje-pelsullgarn/

Yarn alternatives: Cascade 220 Sport (100% wool, 50 g, 150 m/164 yds).
http://www.cascadeyarns.com/cascade-Cascade220Sport.htm
Tosh Euro Sock (100% wool, 100 g, 397 m/435 yds).
https://madelinetosh.com/collections/fingering-sock
Berroco Cosma (60% alpaca, 30% wool, 10% silk, 50 g, 150 m/164 yds).
http://www.berroco.com/yarns/berroco-cosma
Or another Sport/5 ply or Fingering 4/ply yarn.

Needles: 2.5 mm/US 1.5 circular needles (either 120 cm/47” or 2 sets of 80 cm/32”) for hems and buttonband.
2.5 mm/US 1.5 DPNs for hem on sleeves.
3 mm/US 2.5 circular needle for body and sleeves (2 sets of 80 cm/32” for tucks and 40 cm/16”).
3 mm/US 2.5 DPNs for sleeves.
3.25 mm/US 3 straight needles for sleeve cap.
3.5 mm/US 4 circular needle (40 cm/16”) for sleeves.
3.5 mm/US 4 DPNs for sleeves.
Adjust needle size as needed to match gauge.

Notions: 10 Buttons (12 mm/0.47”), stitch markers (removable), stitch holders, cable needle and yarn needle.

Gauge: 24 sts and 32 rows in st st using 3 mm/US 2.5 needle measures 10 cm/4” square.
24 sts and 30 rnds in stranded colorwork in st st with purl sts using 3.5 mm/US 4 needle measures 10 cm/4” square.
24 sts and 40 rnds in garter st using 3 mm/US 2.5 needle measures 10 cm/4” square.
26-sts cable panel using 3 mm/US 2.5 measures 10 cm/4” across.
50-sts cable panel using 3 mm/US 2.5 measures 19.5 cm/7.75” across.
22 sts and 54 rows in Tweed using 3.5 mm/US 4 needle measures 10 cm/4” square.

Notes: The jacket is worked in pieces and seamed. The stranded colorwork is worked mainly in stockinette stitch with a few purl stitches and the repeat ends in 6 rows of garter stitch worked on a smaller needle to stay in gauge. The cable cowl is worked in the round with ribbing on each side of cable panels. The tucks are made with 2 circular needles held parallel, hence the bottom part of the body is worked with circular needles for ease.

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