everyday life

autumn - fall - höst

leaves, originally uploaded by catsfalk.

Finally, I'm connected again. Both at home and at work! Still lots to do at work at the moment, but I just wanted to say "Hi! I'm alive and everything is fine". My laptop is running smooth again - thank god, for that. I was in no mood to buy a new one right now..

As you can see on the photo in this post, the autumn has arrived. I took this picture last Saturday while out walking with my neighbour, Irene. A lot of leaves to play with. Amazing colours around my neighbourhood at the moment, and this is the best time of the year in my opinion. And the past days has been really beautiful here in Stockholm.

Next post will be about the annual autumn Fair at Skansen, the past weekend!

monkey socks

366.265 - monkey socks, originally uploaded by catsfalk.

I have problems with my laptop at home - so there will no posting here, the up coming days. I'm stealing some minutes from my hectic work schedule to write this... The laptop is on it's way to a "doctor" and hopefully it will be as new again in a couple of days!

But I have a FO to show you! My Monkey Socks!

Monkey Socks
Yarn: Opal Smoke Colours:
Needles: 300 mm
Pattern: Knitty, winter 2006
Design: Cookie A
Started: September 1, 2008 Finished: September 21, 2008
Yarnsource: http://www.garnkorgen.se/

hectic days

Since I got back from London it's has been really busy around here. Work has been insane. The office is plauge with a nasty cold and this cold has this week made 3 archivists sick. So due to the all illness of co-workers we who are still on our feet has been covering up. Hopefully everyone gets back next week, when we have even more to do...

But I have donesome knitting. Knitting are, as you know, a great way to unwind after a hectic day at the office. I'm currently knittting on the Monkey Socks, from Knitty, winter 2006. It's a great pattern by Cookie A.

The first sock is done, and I have turned the heel on the second. I love the simple lace pattern and the pattern is easy remember. I that's something I like!

Now I'm going to meet up a friend up town. See ya!

new in my stash

This are the loveliness I bought at the I Knit Day:

Sock yarn from Easy Knits BFL, colour: Swamp Thing

 

Another sock yarn from Easy Knits, Bamboo Mix. Colour: Planet Earth.

 

loveliness from Fyberspates. Colour Lime Forest 2

And this one from John Lewis:

Noro Kureyon Sock yarn. Colour S 164.

i knit day

Saturday September 6 and it was time for the I Knit day at Royal Horticultural Hall. Claire and I were very excited.. and when the Ravelry badges arrived in the mail the same morning we were about to explode of happiness...

my ravelry badge and my i knit with yarn harlot badge

They opened the gates at 11.00 am, and when we arrived 11.15 there where a long queue to get in. But we were inside 10 minute later. I hoped I would run in to some of my on-line pals, and all ready in the queue, a woman knocked me on my shoulder and asked me if I was Catrin from Sweden? And it was the lovely Isobel from Dublin and her mother. It was great to meet you, Isobel!

I also ran in to Marika and Barbara, who like me flew in from Sweden just to see the Yarn Harlot. And I also ran in to some of the ladies from the rav dinner the night before!

Claire, Gail & Cassandra

Well inside we walked around and looked at the goodies. Yarn everywhere and I realized I was going to be in trouble what to buy.  There were luscious yarn everywhere and I basically wanted it all.

yarn loveliness from fyberspates

more loveliness from Manos del Uruguay

 

Jon, who is easy knits

In the end, I bought 2 skeins from the Easy Knits stall and 1 skein from Fyberspates. I also bought the latest Interweave Knits Fall number for half the price I pay in Sweden. Photos in next post.

The main event this day was the Yarn Harlot - Stephanie Pearl McPhee. For those of you, who are non-knitters, the Yarn Harlot is a writer and has been writing a couple of knitting humor book. She is really funny to read, but to listen to her talk, is even more funnier.

 

she is a funny girl

She talked about how the rest of the world sees the knitter and how people reacts when they get to know she writes knitting humor book. She was hilarious. And we had a really fun 1 1/2 hour with the Harlot talk.

We came 11.15 am and left the building 6.40 am - it was a long day. But we had great fun. Claire and I met up with Ian near home, and we went to an Indian restaurant and I had some delicious Lamb curry. A perfect end to a perfect day.

ravellers in london

On Friday, September 5th, I met up with group of Ravellers, mostly from out of town for a dinner organised by Claire,  10 knitting ladies, from all over the world, all attending the I Knit Day, the day after.. 

here we have Kayla, Sarah and me (photo taken by Claire)

We had our dinner at Meza Mediterranean Tapas Lounge Bar at Wardour Street, near Piccadilly. Great tapas, great chat. Cassandra, Gail, Lisa, Hailey, Kayla, Sarah, Claire, Suzanne and Sandy where all great to meet.

lovely food

 

Claire & Cassandra

We had a great evening and we all ran in to each other the next day.

classic london

I basically don't know where to start... So why don't I start from the beginning.

Left work after lunch, heading home to pick up my suitcase and took the bus to the airport. Checked in, boarded the Stirling flight to London Gatwick.  Had one or two of these:

gin & tonic

 A very bumpy touched down at Gatwick, picked up the suitcase, found the Gatwick Express to London Victoria. Was met up by Claire at Victoria, headed to Hackney via Liverpool Street. Ian had tea and cake waiting for us when we got home. A delicious Ginger cake!! Catch-ed up with the latest in our lives and around 11.30 it was bed time.

I had Friday morning to myself since Claire had a meeting and Ian was at work. So, with Claire's direction, I hoped on a red double decker, no 48 to Liverpool Street and there I change to no 42, to go to Tower of London.

the Tower of London

I had plans to go in but they charged a staggering £ 16.50 to go inside, so I just walked around the castle (I have been inside once before, in 1985).

old and new london

Just around the corner from the Tower,  you have another classic sight. The Tower Bridge.

the Tower bridge

After walking around these classical sights I went to another: Carnaby street

And here I had a lunch at Starbucksand I tasted my first Starbucks coffee ever. We don't this popular coffee store in Sweden.

my first starbucks coffee

And after lunch I made it to the Oxford Street for some shopping! And now the rain poured down and basically every tourist in London was shopping on Oxford Street. I found a couple of basic tee's at Primark for just 2 £ each... Bought postcards to write later. And meet up with Claire at Selfridges. Had tea at BH's browsed a couple of more stores like HMV,  Debenham, Marks & Spencer and finally John Lewis. We "needed" to check out the yarn at John Lewis and off course a skein on Noro's Sock yarn followed me out.

Noro Kureyon sock yarn, colour S164 - greenish/brownish. Very autumnally.

  Next post will be about a certain Ravelry dinner!

i had a blast

tower bridge, originally uploaded by catsfalk.

I'm back. I'm dead tired. I write more tomorrow.

london calling

I'm ready!  I know, I will, hopefully, meet up with some of you in London! And for the best of you, have a nice weekend! I will be back next week, a year older, wiser and full of new stuff to show you!

London Calling - The Clash (1979)

sthlm knitters in amelia höst magazine

sthlm knitters, originally uploaded by catsfalk.

Earlier this spring, in May, a group of knitters were asked to meet up at our usual hangout Café Hurtigs on Drottninggatan in Stockholm for an interview and photo shoot for the women magazine Amelia. We were sworn to keep it a secret until the magazine was out. But now the secret is out as well as the mag so now we can talk about it.

Out of that 1,5 hours of interviews and photography came a tiny little photo on page 120 of Amelia Höst.