A few things done

There is something particularly beautiful about sunshine when you have a day off. Today was such a day and I have done nothing but make some food, listen to audio books, sit in the sun at the water front and knit. It has been so peaceful and quiet and I have enjoyed it all day long - exactly what I needed.

So here are three of the Christmas presents that I have knit in the past few weeks. The green and brownish scarfs are Woodland Scarfs - the yellow one a simple garner stitch neck varmer.


Woodland Scarfs

• Pattern : Woodland Scarf - here in English, here in the translated Danish version.
• Yarn : Green - Merino Matchmaker, Brownish - som wool blend found in a shop in HK.
  
• For : Two good friends I have both met while studying here in Hong Kong.
  

I loved knitting both of these. The pattern is so easy to remember and knits up fast, yet it is pretty, light and looks like a dream.

The green scarf is so soft and wonderful around my neck that I almost don't want it to leave. The yarn feels wonderful - even more after soaking and blocking, and I'm sad it's discontinued. But I have been so lucky to find a shop here that sells it, and I have two balls in a petrol blue colour and a whole bag of gray for a cardigan for me. Uhmmmm.... The scarf is not on the biggish side, but the friend receiving it is here for another semester, so as a little thing around her neck it should be fine. When she flies back to Norway I'll make her something warmer - a whole blanket to be wrapped in perhaps!

The brown scarf is impossible to photograph so that the colours show. The smaller photo above shows it the best, but it is still not really the way it looks. It's more brown then orange, with little hints of all other colours - like a bit of petrol on a road changing colour with the sun. It's thicker and longer then the green scarf, and not nearly as light or soft, but still very comfortable to wear next to you skin. The friend receiving this one is working in Beijing the next half year, so I guess she will need something to keep her warm in the cold winter mornings.


The yellow scarf is just plain stocinette stitching in pure wool. The photos look awful, so none right now. Maybe I can get some when I get back to Denmark, because I actually really like the scarf. It is already send of as a gift for one of my very best friend back home - she just happens to love yellow even more than I do. It is closed with a big, red, button brooch found in the Argyle Mall in Mong Kok. I had to buy one for my selv too...

Actually there was a hat too - but I forgot to take photos before it was wrapped and send off. But my brother is begging for one for his birthday, so it will come back in January - perhaps even with a pattern...

A little bit of yarn

The Christmas scarf is almost done and is now drying on the floor. At the same time evening has arrived, so even though it is almost ready to try on, tonight will not be the big photo opportunity. It will be cozy and warm and very much the girl I've been knitting it to - very, very yellow and with a huge, bright red button to hold it all together.
Hopefully I'll find some time tomorrow before my last exam this year, to take a photo in the sun...

In the meantime here is a little thing to remind me of my stash at home...



It is a photo from a yarn shop in Yangshou, China, where I spend a weekend a month ago. Every other lady in the town knitted on streets or behind their counter or waiting for something - which certainly made it easy for me to bring my Beijing Curry Cardigan out all the time. And of course I had to buy some memories...



The lavender coloured is for a round shawl, the brown for a sweater of some kind with some colour work in lavender, light green and grey. The black and army green is for a scarf for either my dad or my brother, I have the pattern in my head just havent had the time yet, and the grey and light green fluffy cones will become a scarf for me me me... So soft I had to leave it next to me on the pillow while sleeping the first night...

I love bringing home yarn from places I go, but this time I have bought to much when considering that I have to go home with it all somehow. Maybe a photo of it all before I leave would be a good idea. That is if there is room enough for it on the floor anywhere...

Actually getting some knitting done...

I haven't really gotten started with all this blog business even though I have thought a great deal about it. This last year have been so far away from my normal life and now it is ending too fast - and still I can't wait for it to end sooner at the same time... I am currently living in Hong Kong, studying at the University of Hong Kong as an exchange student and at the moment spending massive amounts of time at the library getting ready for finals.

Hong Kong has been so big a difference for me. Not only is Asia far away from my home in Denmark, but living on my own, knowing absolutely noone to start out with and just turning life around is always an enormous challenge - and gives the greatest satisfactions in due time. I love it here. I don't want to leave. And at the same time I am looking forward to the comforts of home and friends and family. All in all, life is pretty good I'd say...

Now for a bit of crafting which is, I should say, the main aim of this blog. I love crafting and one of the things most missed while beeing here is my stuff, my babies as the content of too many boxes, baskets, cupboards, drawers and the the likes are called. I haven't been as active as I would have liked, but more than expected which must count for something. And at least my stash of yarn has been growing as always - a clear indication of me beeing happy about life...


This is a Christmas present - which might not really be able to reach home before the actually date, but she dosen't expect it coming, so I think she will be happy any way... It takes no time to knit with the funny sale yarn, and I hate it - more about that later, when there is also some sun so I can get a few shots of the finished product... That is, if it ever gets done... But the thing that makes it all worth while is the name and wrapping of the yarn - oh, so much to look forward to later...

Now, bed time! I have not only one but two final exams tomorrow, so no knitting before bed tonight. Only four more days and then I am officially on Christmas holiday - I almost can't wait.