Tag Archives: Aksa Mortensen

Photoshoot at Hvalstrand Bad: Godi

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Here are the photos of the fourth new Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk design, the vest Godi that I have been looking forward to showing you. It is knitted in the Sølje pelt wool and looked fantastic on Model Aksa Mortensen, with make-up & hair by Nina Hjertaas Bull and jewellery by Kaja Gjedebo Design. Brilliant Photographer Eivind Røhne captured these photos at Hvalstrand Bad back in May. The yarn kit with a Norwegian or an English pattern will be available from Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk soon.

Godi, Norse for chiefton, is a long A-line vest with vents and a high collar that can be folded down or left to stand tall. The all over pattern is the ray of honey with a few stitches in reverse stocking stitch. A long twisted rib makes up the vent, while a short rib is worked around each armhole. Wear it with a belt if you wish. Godi is knitted in the bouncy Sølje pelt wool from Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk.

The vest is worked back and forth in separate pieces and seamed. The collar and armhole band are worked in the round at the end. I chose to style the vest with black pencil trouser and with a silk scarf at the neck. I also wanted to show how it looks with a belt in the waist.

Godi is knitted by my brilliant sample knitter Airin Hansen in size Small using a 3 mm/US 2.5 needle and a 24 stitch gauge. The pattern has been graded into sizes XS to 5XL with a bust circumference of 82 to 158 cm/32.25 to 62.25″. Aksa is wearing size S with a bust circumference of 90 cm/35.5” with 4 cm/1.5” positive ease.

The individual English and Norwegian pattern will be released after test knitting beginning in March next year. I am so thrilled with these photos and want to thank my wonderful photoshoot team!

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KAL 2021

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Autumn is Sweater Weather and bring with it evenings perfect for knitting. Hence I have set up another Knit-A-Long in my Ravelry group. You are welcome to join with any of your Linda Marveng designs (except for any test knits). The knitting project can be in progress but should not be close to finishing (less than 90% completed). Sign up whenever you are ready, buy the pattern (unless you already have it – that is) with KAL discount through the end of September and find your perfect yarn for it. Favour the pattern and make a project page. Do let us which design and show us your chosen yarn when you are ready. Show us your Work-In-Progress for the opportunity to win 1 WIP prize; one pattern of your choice from my Ravelry Store, that will be drawn each month on the 10th beginning in October 2021. In addition 4 Finished-Object, so called FO, prizes will be drawn on 30. December and again on 30. March 2022 and again on 30. June 2022. Each FO prize is 1 e-book or 4 individual patterns from my Ravelry Store. I choose to use a detail of the Mistale for my discount offer for my KAL for any of my designs, see above. You are also welcome to use the discount code without joining the KAL, that is your choice.

This is one of the new photos of the Mistale pullover and loop, taken at our photoshoot at Hvalstrand Bad in May. Model Aksa Mortensen, with make-up & hair by Nina Hjertaas Bull and jewellery by Kaja Gjedebo Design, is captured by photographed Eivind Røhne. Aksa is wearing size S with 8.5 cm/3.25″ positive ease, but the Mistale pattern comes in sizes XS to 2XL with a bust circumference of 89 to 129.5 cm/35 to 51″. The sample is knitted in the bouncy Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk, Tinde pelt wool in Lime using a 3.5 mm/US 4 needle and a 21 stitches and 28 rows gauge to 10 cm/4″ square. I will soon show you more of these new photos!

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Photoshoot at Hvalstrand Bad: Kolga

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Here are the photos of Kolga – pullover and cowl – that I have been looking forward to showing you. The set is knitted in the hand dyed Washed Out colour way in Walk Collection, Merino Sport and looked fantastic on Model Aksa Mortensen, with make-up & hair by Nina Hjertaas Bull and jewellery by Kaja Gjedebo Design. Brilliant Photographer Eivind Røhne captured these photos at Hvalstrand Bad back in May. The test knit of the pattern has just begun in my Ravelry group, so join in, if you are interested. I plan to release the English and the Norwegian pattern on 28th of October.

Aksa is wearing size Small with 6 cm/2.25″ positive ease. The pullover is graded in sizes XS to 5XL with a bust circumference of 84 to 160 cm/33 to 63″.

Kolga is Norse for a cool wave, like the one created by the Honeycomb cable pattern on this pullover. The A-line front moves the side seam and vent backwards, making it flow like waves. Kolga is knitted in the divine hand dyed Walk Collection Merino Sport yarn, in pieces and seamed for the ultimate fit. A folded down cowl gives the pullover a collar, while a standing cowl warms your neck.

I knitted Kolga with a 24 stitches and 32 rows gauge in stockinette stitch using a 3.5 mm/US 4 needle measuring 10 cm/4″ square. To style it, I choose my cream coloured silk trousers which pick up the white in the divine hand dyed colour.

The pullover is worked back and forth in separate pieces and seamed. The front is 40 (40, 40, 40, 40) (36, 36, 32, 32) cm/15.75 (15.75, 15.75, 15.75, 15.75) (14.25, 14.25, 12.5, 12.5)” wider than the back at the bottom before the armhole.

Above you see the cowl standing straight and not folded down as a turtleneck in the top photo.

The neckband and the cowl are worked in the round. A circular needle is used for the front to accommodate the large number of stitches. Above you see it with a silk scarf, that Nina styled to lie around Aksa’s neck. I loved the tone-in-tone mural as a background and the amazing job my photoshoot team did! Thank you!

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Photoshoot at Hvalstrand Bad: Mella

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The next new Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk design we photographed was the sweater Mella at Hvalstrand Bad, back in May. I chose to style it with black pencil trousers and and Evalina Olive ankle boots by Monica Stålvang. Model Aksa Mortensen, with make-up & hair styling by Nina Hjertaas Bull and jewellery by Kaja Gjedebo Design, looked gorgeous in the pullover, as you can see in these pictures by Eivind Røhne. A yarn kit with either an English or a Norwegian pattern will soon be available directly from Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk.

Mella, Norse for knot, is a straight cabled pullover. A wide central cable panel adorns the center of the body and the sleeves. Boxes of garter stitches interfere with the cables and erase half the cable. The sleeves have garter stitch edging while the front and back fade into a check pattern. The sweater ends in a crew neck decorated with an I-cord. Mella is knitted in the bouncy Sølje pelt wool from Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk using a 3 mm/US 2.5 needle and a 24 stitches and 32 rows in stockinette stitch gauge measuring 10 cm/4″ square.

Aksa is wearing size Small with 6 cm/2.25″ positive ease. I have graded the pullover in sizes XS to 5XL, with a bust circumference of 85 to 165 cm/33.5 to 65″. 

The pullover is worked back and forth in separate pieces and seamed. The neckband is worked in the round. Stitches are picked up and knitted from the first round of the neckband for the I-cord bind off decoration.

Above is a detail of the cable pattern and the neck. The English and Norwegian pattern will be released after test knitting beginning on February 7th. I am so thrilled with these photos and want to thank my wonderful photoshoot team!

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Photoshoot at Hvalstrand Bad: Nipa

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I am thrilled to show you the photos that Eivind Røhne took of the gorgeous model Aksa Mortensen wearing the Nipa sweater, made for Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk, with make-up & hair styling by Nina Hjertaas Bull and jewellery by Kaja Gjedebo Design, at Hvalstrand Bad, back in May. We photographed this inside the restaurant due to the bright sunshine and the crowded beach. The yellow columns worked as a nice contrast to the dusty light lime colour of Tinde pelt wool yarn Nipa was knitted in. I chose to style it with black pencil trousers and Evalina Olive ankle boots by Monica Stålvang.

Nipa, Norse for peak, is a straight cabled pullover. A central intricate cable panel adorns the center of the body and the sleeves. Twisted stitches play in the cable and along the edge of the stockinette parts. Nipa is crowned with an I-cord decoration around its crew neck. The sweater is knit in pieces from the bottom up in the divine Tinde, a pelt wool from Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk.

Aksa is wearing size Medium with 17 cm/6.75″ positive ease. I have graded the pattern from size XS to 5XL with a bust circumference of 84 to 162 cm/33 to 63.75″.

Nipa is knitted using a 3.5 mm/US 4 needle and with a gauge of 21 stitches and 30 rows in stockinette stitch measuring 10 cm/4″ square. The pullover is worked back and forth in pieces and seamed. The neckband is worked in the round. Stitches are picked up and knitted from the first round of the neckband for the I-cord bind off decoration.

Yarn kits with English or Norwegian pattern will be available early in September from Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk, while the single pattern will be released after test knitting set to begin 3rd of January in my Ravelry group.

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Photoshoot at Hvalstrand Bad: Varun

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My new design Varun looked fantastic on model Aksa Mortensen, with make-up & hair by Nina Hjertaas Bull and jewellery by Kaja Gjedebo Design. Photographer Eivind Røhne took these brilliant shots of her wearing Varun both with and without the cowl, at Hvalstrand Bad back in May. I asked her to hold her hands together so that you notice the different sleeves.

I choose to style Varun with cream coloured silk trousers and had brought a silk scarf for Nina to drape around Aksa’s neck and hair.

Varun is an A-line pullover with a cable panel that travels across the front and the back like a sash, that signifies a position not necessarily a royal one but a secret one. Varun is Norse for secret keeper. The cable sash meets on top of the left shoulder and at the right hip, like a sash. To highlight this the right sleeve has a cable cuff, while the left sleeve has two small cables running along it next to stockinette stitches. Garter stitches play along the seams on all the parts. Varun ends in an I-cord bind off neck but can be dressed up with a cable cowl, both are knitted in the divine hand dyed Norne Yarn DK – Merino/Silk/Yak.

Aksa is wearing size S with 7 cm/2.75″ positive ease. I have graded the pullover in sizes XS to 5XL, with a bust circumference of 82 to 162 cm/32.5 to 63.75″. The cowl is in one size.

The pullover is worked back and forth in separate pieces and seamed. The cable move is worked at the same time as the A-line shaping and the armhole shaping. The cable cowl is knitted back and forth and grafted together. Both are knitted using a 4 mm/US 6 needle and a 20 stitches and 30 rows in stockinette stitch gauge.

The test knit of the Varun will begin on the 18th of October in my Ravelry group. Both the English and the Norwegian pattern will be released after at the end of November.

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Photoshoot at Hvalstrand Bad: Saxi

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The next set of photos from our photoshoot that I will share are of the fitted pullover Saxi with a cowl. Brilliant Photographer Eivind Røhne took these photos of the gorgeous model Aksa Mortensen, with make-up & hair by Nina Hjertaas Bull and jewellery by Kaja Gjedebo Design, wearing the tweed pullover together with a brown skirt at our photoshoot at at Hvalstrand Bad, back in May. I also brought a matching silk scarf that I wanted Aksa to wear together with Saxi. The high heeled gold shoes were initially bought for styling my Norwegian knitting book back in 2011. The Art Deco cupboard together with a Bar chair – Michael’s clever idea – turned out to be the perfect backdrop for it. Above you see the cowl folded in half and on the inside of the pullover neckband. Nina first folded the silk scarf around Aksa’s head.

Saxi is knitted in Donegal Yarns, Donegal Tweed (also called Soft Donegal) 3.8/1nm from The Handweavers  Studio in London, by yours truly. The pullover is knitted in pieces and seamed, while the cowl is worked in the round, using a 3.25 mm/US 3 needle and a 24 stitches and 34 rows gauge.

Saxi is a fitted cabled pullover that ends in an I-cord crown around the crew neckline. The play of texture begins with the round cable shape mirrored in the honeycomb pattern and continues with purl bands in all the stitch patterns. The squareness of the check pattern offers a contrast to the cable and ends the texture in the side of the pullover. Named Saxi after the Saxon in Norse is this sweater knitted in the Donegal Tweed yarn. A cowl crowns the pullover and can be worn folded as a high collar or as a headband.

The neckband is worked in the round. Stitches are picked up and knitted from the first round of the neckband for the I-cord bind off decoration.

Aksa is wearing the sample, in size Small, with a bust circumference of 92 cm/36.25″ with 6 cm/2.25″ positive ease.

The pattern will be available in sizes XS to 5XL, with a bust circumference of 85 to 159 cm/33.5 to 62.5″.

In the photo above you see the cowl standing tall and worn outside the pullover, while below it is worn around the head as a headband or crown if you prefer. The last was another of Michael’s clever ideas! I love how regal it looked and how stunning Aksa appeared in the pullover! I do have the best photoshoot crew!

The test knit will begin on the 23rd of August, as the first of my new designs to be test knitted this Autumn. The English and the Norwegian pattern will be released after the test knit is completed.

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Photoshoot at Hvalstrand Bad: Keila

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I am thrilled to show you the photos that Eivind Røhne took of the gorgeous model Aksa Mortensen wearing the Keila dress, made for Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk, with make-up & hair styling by Nina Hjertaas Bull and jewellery by Kaja Gjedebo Design, at Hvalstrand Bad, back in May. We photographed Keila first thing on the diving tower in the shadow with a bright backlight. Eivind and I agreed that we only had one great angle and that was from the front. Of course having the diving tower in the background would also work, but then we would have to wait for two hours for the sun to come around. By that time the beach was heaving with people – as it was the very first warm summer day, so we gave up on that idea. Above you see the dress worn with boot laces inserted into the hem and tied to give a balloon effect.

I choose to style Keila, knitted in the bouncy Sølje – a pelt wool yarn – with thick black tights and a black Wolford tube top beneath, both with and without a narrow belt and with funky Trippen shoes as well as ankle boots by Monica Stålvang. Above you see the dress hanging loose and Aksa holding on to a ball of the Sølje yarn.

Above is the third way of wearing the dress, again with boot laces (or use elastic, if you prefer) inserted into the hem and pulled all the way up so that the skirt is double and turned into a tunica or mini-dress if you like.

Keila is Norse for straight, just as the skirt part of this honeycomb dress is. Elongated honeycomb covers the skirt, while ray of honey makes the high waistband, both are worked in the round. The pattern flow continues with a body in honeycomb including armhole stitches in stockinette stitch. Keila is worked flat from the armhole and ends in a Henley neck. Only the center of the sleeve has a honeycomb panel. Wear the dress as a balloon dress or a tunic by inserting a cord into the double hem. Keila is knitted in the bouncy Sølje, a pelt wool yarn, from Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk.

The sample shown is in size Small with a 92 cm/36.25″ bust circumference and worn with 9 cm/3.5″ positive ease on Aksa, who stands 167 cm/5’6″ tall. Keila will be available in sizes XS to 5XL, with a bust circumference of 86 cm to 158 cm/33.75 to 62.25″.

Keila is worked with a 24 stitches and 32 rounds in stockinette stitch gauge using a 3.5 mm/US 4 needle measuring 10 cm/4″ square. The hem is worked with 2 sets of circular needles held parallel when casting on, so that the hem can be closed by knitting it together. The skirt is worked straight, then decreased into the ray of honey pattern for the band before you increase for the honeycomb pattern and the bust. The Henley neck divides the front into two parts after the armhole.

Yarn kits with English or Norwegian pattern will be available early in September from Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk, while the Keila single pattern will be released after test knitting set to begin 15th of November in my Ravelry group. A big thank you to my amazing photoshoot crew!

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Photoshoot at Hvalstrand Bad: Syrin Shrug

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Finally, the time has come to begin to show you the magnificent photos Eivind Røhne took of model Aksa Mortensen, with hair & make-up by Nina Hjertaas Bull and jewellery by Kaja Gjedebo Design, at Hvalstrand Bad back in June. The first set of photos is of my old design Syrin Shrug, first published in Norwegian in my book “To rett, en vrang. Designstrikk” published by Cappelen Damm in 2012. It was actually the last design we photographed on that first hot day of the summer. Aksa was introduced to me by photographer Geir Arnesen and his wife designer/author/journalist Tove Fevang, early in the spring. My plan was to use both Aksa and Olivia Lindtein at the photoshoot, but Olivia had to go into a Covid waiting quarantine – as a friend of hers had been exposed to the virus – so she could not come (her friend tested negative a few days later). To my relief, Aksa could stay on for the full day.

I styled the shrug and the wrist warmers with cream coloured silk trousers and a top. Nina suggested to take Aksa’s hair down for these photos and I agreed. We photographed it in the different ways that the shrug can be worn and with the wrist warmers buttoned on. I love the look on Aksa!

The Syrin Shrug is knitted in the Australian Wagtail 4ply Kid Mohair in Violet using a 3.5 mm/US 4 circular needle. The pattern includes a pair of wrist warmers that can be worn as loose sleeves and was first published only in one size. I have revised the pattern and included three more sizes: XS to M (L to 2XL, 3XL/4XL, 5XL). With the elastic bind off worn at the bottom, the shrug can be lightly stretched to 110 (127, 145, 162) cm/43.25 (50, 57, 63.75)” wide.

Choose a larger size shrug only if you want to wear it around your bust. The sample shrug width 87 cm/34.25” (size XS to M) is worn on model with an 86 cm/33.75” bust circumference.

The eyelet pattern creates a spiral that moves around the shrug and the wrist warmer. The shrug is worn upside down with the cast on edge at the top, as the elastic bind off makes it wider. The yarn overs on the bottom of the shrug are used as buttonholes for the wrist warmers when they are worn as loose sleeves.

A beautiful subtle sheen mohair yarn shown off by an eyelet pattern, gives this set, consisting of a shrug and button-on wrist warmers, an elegant look. The color capsulates the essence of the lilac flower hence it is irresistible for warming your neck and shoulders. The Syrin Shrug can also be used as a hood or a cowl with wrist warmers that can be buttoned on like sleeves by using the yarn overs. The set is knitted in the round with the stunning Wagtail 4ply Kid Mohair.

I am ever so grateful for these new photos of my Syrin Shrug and want to thank my amazing crew!

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Behind the Scenes: Photoshoot at Hvalstrand Bad 2021

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What a difference a day makes; we went from what felt like a green winter to a hot summer over night. Hence I did not dress for a party at the Polar Base Camp, instead I should really have brought my bikini to cool down in the summer heat or worn a cocktail dress to fit in with the wedding that took place on the beach while we where at Hvalstrand Bad in Asker (about 20 minutes west of Oslo) on last Friday (28th of May). But since I was there for our photoshoot I needed to wear something a bit more practical and opted for a pair of summer trouser with my Maith shrug on top in addition to two more jackets (making sure I would not freeze – fat chance!).

At the top you see Hair and Make up Stylist Nina Hjertaas Bull is covering for the sun on Aksa’s hair and you can spot her standing high up in the diving tower. You can barely spot model Aksa Mortensen standing at the bottom of the stairs. Photographer Eivind Røhne is adjusting the reflector, while Michael had to hold it in place as soon as we started. Above you see us trying out different spots at the diving tower. Michael has taken a number of these photos, but not all of them, as I was able to capture a few too.

This is the second time we are photographing at Hvalstrand Bad, as we were there back in 2014 with the then editor Mary Ann Astrup of the magazine Made by Me in charge. This time I wanted us to photograph the diving tower – as it was pouring down the last time. It was not a lot easier this time with a blue sky without any clouds for a bit of shadow. Hence we only photographed one garment outside and went inside instead. Above you can see Aksa wearing another of the four new designs for Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk.

Just as last time we wanted to use the Art Deco wall painting inside. Photographer Eivind Røhne remembered it well. Above you see us preparing to photograph the last three garments after a lovely lunch. Aksa is wearing one of my new designs, an a-line pullover called Varun. I had also booked modell Olivia Lindtein, but unfortunately she had to go into a waiting quarantine (a friend of hers had been exposed to an infected person, hence she had to wait for the result – it was negative).

We had a total of nine garments to photograph this time; 7 new ones and 2 old ones. Above is the old Mistale worn by Aksa and I am holding onto the cowl plus a silk scarf for hear to wear on her head.

Above you see both Nina and me in action. Aksa is wearing another of my old designs, this time the Syrin Shrug from my book. As always we had a lot of fun and also had to help the ice cream delivery man to find the delivery entrance downstairs. Eivind did tell him that we would be happy to eat some of it, if he wanted just to deliver it to us. He chose to deliver it downstairs instead. We also spotted a wedding outside on the beach in addition to several school classes coming to relax.

It was a treat in these Corona days to have lunch together at the restaurant – we had it all to ourselves – as we had rented the space for the day.  Just before lunch we had two visitors: designer Tove Fevang and photographer Geir Arnesen, who recommended Aksa to me. Michael and I were lucky to stay with them after the photoshoot so we did not have to drive the long way back to Ørje. It was a great way to end the perfect photoshoot day!

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