squared

Tonight I'm working on the first crochet projects for myself for a long time: This shawl, the pattern is from Sticka & Virka, one of my favourite yarn stores in Stockholm.

It's much bigger now. I really like the pattern. It was kind of a challenge getting the hang of it (it's complicated in the beginning and a bit tricky with all the triple and double triple crocheting), but it's fun working on, looking pretty and growing fast since there are more holes than stitches.

Just wanted to show you this beauty as well. Knitted by mormor (my maternal grandmother).

There's something special about turquoise and red...

det är inte lätt när det är svårt

Life is complicated at the moment :(

But even in November, there are always some flickers of light - just look carefully...

Pärlplatta at Hornstull metro station (sorry about the crappy photo - they're fantastic in real life)

Götgatan

Långholmsgatan

Fridhemsplan

Gamla Stan

disappearing

I bought a 4 mm crochet hook today. And some eggs. When I came home they were nowhere to be found.

I should think of less things at the same time. Or maybe I should not be studying law. Or maybe I should stop listening to CocoRosie. My mind wanders elsewhere. Which is good, cause a Wednesday in November generally sucks. Especially when you're growing old and can't stop worrying about it.

tunnelbaneaction på väg hem längs röda linjen

En ung kille talar med en äldre kvinna. Hon stickar en brunvit strumpa, har fleecetröja, vandringskängor, ryggsäck och glasögonen på näsan. Han ger henne sitt nummer och berättar att han heter Arne efter farfar.

En tjej i yngre tonåren sitter på sin stora bag precis mitt där alla står. Hon och hennes kompis äter ett helt paket jordgubbstuggummin på en gång. Alla verkar irriterade eftersom det är trångt. Ingen säger nåt.

En liten kille i brunorange overall visar sin mamma den färgglada sexkantiga pärlplattan som han har gjort på dagis. Han håller den mot glaset på dörren, för att bättre kunna beundra och visa upp den för omvärlden. När tunnelbanan öppnar dörrarna nästa station ramlar pärlplattan ut och ner i springan. Mamman försöker trösta med att han kan göra en ny imorgon.

SPC: What I wore

This is one of the days last week (Thursday?). I got that black top/dress/tunic in Copenhagen. I love the details (will try to post a photo of them), sort of gothic and Asian, yet very casual. The jeans are old, cheap and not so skinny anymore.

(See what other people wear)

nirvana

Ge mig blinkande ljus och musik så dansar jag hela natten.
Aldrig mått så bra och så dåligt.
Jag sprängs.

snälla lilla krumelur

Today Astrid Lindgren would have turned 100 years old. I cried all the way on the metro to the university. Because she's dead, and I'm grown up, growing old. Remember this?
"Snälla lilla krumelur, jag vill aldrig bliva stur."
(Pippi, Tommy and Annika taking "krumelurpiller" - pills that will prevent them from growing up - and you had to say "stur", not "stor" = big/old - otherwise you'd grow super big).

Jag blev stur :(

And I can't handle the "sturness". I can't handle my promemoria. I can't handle gebrauchsmuster. I can't handle November. It's so fucking cold.

Snälla lilla krumelur, jag vill inte vara stur!


Good news today:
- My camera is fixed, I got it back today, yay!
- Stereo Total is coming to Stockholm!
- I met a girl who has the same PM-assignment as I have (and she's not the book hiding type of law student - she offered to help!).
- And Astrid Lindgren's stories will always be there for me, even if I grow old. You should read them if you haven't already!

CocoRosie

Saw them again yesterday at Debaser. See them if you ever get the chance! They're like nothing else.

socks, snow and chocolate

I'm running out of socks.

This odd pair reminds me of being 14 years old (maybe they're about that old?), wearing pink, stripes and other crazy things. And of living in France where everybody seemed to wear their socks this way.
(SPC this month is what I wear)

Last night I crocheted this, while thinking of snow.

I found the pattern in one of mum's old books (it's great, lots of techniques for knitting and crochet). Afterwards I realised the pattern looks like a lovely scarf that I saw over at Moonstitches.

Yesterday I got these super sweet chocolate themed stamps. Yum...

I totally lack focus at the moment. I need to focus on the gebrauchmuster - and patenträtt and mönsterrätt. How am I supposed to find focus and organize my promemoria with three different subjects? And how am I even supposed to focus on the promemoria itself? One more exposition starts in a week (crochetcrochetcrochet...), and I only have 7½ hours left of my life in freedom and anonymity.

Focus on what?

Whiplash: crocheted pinwheel earrings tutorial

What to do when you have to write a promemoria (memorandum?) about gebrauchmuster? Working on that is definitely out of question, besides I don't even know German (stupid assignment!). Why is it that the inspiration is the strongest when you're not really allowed to create?

I couldn't resist the urge, so I whipped up these earrings last night for the Whiplash challenge (November theme is fiber & mixed media jewellery). And I decided I needed to practise my crochet pattern writing skills in English instead of my legal Swedish. So I took notes and photos while working to write this tutorial. Sorry about the crappy photos, there's no good light at 1.00 AM. Feel free to ask me if there's anything unclear. And feel free to change this to suit you own crochet style, technique and taste. Since I rarely follow other people's patterns to the letter myself this pattern is adapted to my own crochet style. Here we go...

You will need: some kind of crochet thread (I used one that my mother got when she was younger than me) in two colours, crochet hook in a good size, needle, scissors and two empty earring hooks.

Ch 5, close into circle with a sl st in first ch.

Row 1: Chain 1, 12 sc in the circle (remember to crochet in the end so you don't need to fasten it afterwards), finish with a sl st in the first st.

Row 2: Chain 3 (counts as 1 dc + 1 ch), *in next st: 1 dc, 1 ch*. Repeat from * to * 10 more times all the way around. Finish with a sl st in the second ch. Now you have 12 "pins" for the pinwheel.

Now I changed colour - you do as you please...

Row 3: *In next 1 chain space: 1 sc, 2 dc, 1 sc.* (remember to crochet in the ends). Repeat from * to * 11 times all the way around. Finish with a sl st in the first stitch.

Now you're done with the pinwheel. Make another one if you want a pair of them. Fasten off the thread, but leave the loop and a quite long end.

Now you need to attach your pinwheels to the earring hooks somehow. I think it might be a good idea using these small jewellery making rings, but there was no such thing to be found at my place in the middle of the night. So I used the loops to assemble my earrings.

I put the loop on the ring under the hook, pulled tight (but not to tight since I wanted a little slack for the pinwheel to hang nicely) and sewed in the end.

If you use my method, remember to draw your thread through your loop so that it doesn't come undone and your beautiful work is unraveled. Fasten the end. Then repeat this for your other earring.

Now you're done, you did a great job! Please show me the result if you try this tutorial, I'd love to see!

Crinoline

Copenhagen was nice. Three days is a bit short for discovering such a lovely city. But I don't regret using the last day for Louisiana. Go there, it's worth it no matter where you live. It's a stunning experience, the view, the building, the art.

Sadly, my camera is broken, and I forgot one part of Lilla Lila's charger, so my photos are scattered on mother's and sisters' cameras (of which one went straight to Norrland).

We found the cutes little store called Crinoline. It was a candy cotton paradise filled of pink, flimsy, lace, layers, romance, cuteness, twenties, dots, dresses, petticoats and other loveliness. Go there if you happen to visit Paris or Copenhagen. An extra plus is that they play Edith Piaf on their site (and Carla Bruni was on in the store). And one more plus for wrapping the goods in pink tissue paper. I think I could buy anything wrapped in tissue paper.

Most of the garments weren't really wearable for a girl like me (who prefers clean black). But I found this top with only a reasonable amount of lace, layers and wrinkles. Will look cute with a pair of skinny jeans on a night out.

There might be more Copenhagen photos (found some nice street art... as usual) as soon as I've collected them all. In the meantime you should go to Copenhagen and see for yourself!

courage

Last night, when I was walking home in the rain, from the African dance (tried to scramble all the paragraphs to the right place in my brain with some dancing... not sure it worked) I saw this.

Woman, remember your strength!!

I will try my best to be brave. And smart. And cool. No panic here, not at all (it went away a week ago, will probably be back in an hour or so). Courage is a much nicer word in French. I'm off to the university. Exam... and then beer in large quantities. And a nice train trip to Copenhagen. Courage...