My second gift to myself has also been a long-time coming. For years I have been circling Garthenor Yarns and their organic, sheepy goods. Their yarns are produced from sheep kept on organic lands and the yarn is spun with minimal processing and no dyeing. I finally cracked earlier this week and now my Shetland single ply laceweight in ‘light oatmeal’ has arrived.

Oh, but it is beautiful. It reminds me of the Faroese laceweights I have been using: the same self-assured simplicity and honesty that says ‘this has worked for centuries, so why change anything?’. This yarn is as far away from novelty yarns or instant gratification yarns as you can get – and for my money it is all the better for it. Although I’d love to see Karise knitted up in this sort of rustic yarn, I think I’ll end up writing an entirely new pattern for it.

Okay, I have also bought fabric but it is less an indulgence than a response to ‘oh dear, I have just thrown out half my wardrobe’. I did try to find tops I liked on the high street, but eventually I just went to Mandors and bought several yards of pretty polycotton in their January sale.

I intend to make several Art Teacher tunics – I’ll be tweaking the pattern, though. The original Art Teacher tunic had a zip which I confess never using as the tunic easily slips over my head. I’ll also lengthen it a tiny bit, make it slightly more A-line and I’ll try very hard not to have ironing mishaps during construction. Scout’s honour (I was never a Girl Scout).

Finally, I’m going to read James Joyce’s The Dead tonight. Why? The story takes place on January 6.

Joyce is one of those authors with whom I have not really made peace (having said that, I think that is everyone‘s relationship with Joyce). I have read Dubliners from which The Dead is taken. I have made headway into Ulysses and Portrait but never attempted Finnegans Wake. I could happily drown in a sea of Joyce’s words – Listen, a fourworded wavespeech: seesoo, hrss, rsseeiss, ooos – but I never connected with him the way I connected with TS Eliot.

Having said that, if you have not read any James Joyce and you recoil at the very idea, sit down and read The Dead. It is a fairly quick read, you won’t need a spreadsheet to help you understand it and – best of all – it is wonderful.

I should probably not use the word ‘wardrobe’ as that word implies system, thoughtfulness, and coherence. Most of my clothes stem from the frantic days of arriving in the UK with a suitcase of clothes and needing workplace-suitable attire. As a consequence, most of my wardrobe consists of cheap clothes bought in a state of panic.

Nowadays I lead the charmed life of a freelancer working within a creative industry with ties to fashion. Interestingly this means two things: 1) I have a great collection of pyjamas because I spend a lot of time working in my jammies, and 2) I have discovered that while I do not care much for fashion I do care a lot about style.

So I went through my wardrobe and threw out everything that did not fit, that needed a degree of mending that was at great odds with the intrinsic value of the item itself, or which had been too fashionable when I bought it and thus no longer stylish (I think of style as something which cannot pinned down to a particular time nor place – rather it transcends time and place).

Verdict: I need tops and trousers somewhat badly. I need basic cardigans. And I am not allowed to knit myself any scarves or shawls because I have a lot (note the phrasing: ..knit myself.. which means I can knit for others or for design purposes). I can sew some of the things myself, but what I really need is a focused shopping spree.

I hate clothes shopping.

My neighbourhood made national news yesterday after the recent hurricane felled a few trees, made several chimney pots collapse, and ripped roof tiles off. The police have closed off one street due to unstable masonry. I was safely ensconced at work but was troubled by the amounts of roof tiles I encountered on the way from work. One of the big trees in our back garden has fallen too. It is still blustery out there, but the worst has passed. In case you are curious, I live very close to where the fourth photo in this series was taken.

Knitting-wise: I’m swatching for a few designs. Reading-wise: I have finished two books so far this year, although the less said about the second book the better (it was not my idea).

No pattern, but this is what I did:  I bought two large-ish bangles from a well-known high street shop. I used some bulky pure wool which I knitted to a very, very tight tension on 3.5mm needles (this is rather hard on the hands, I should add, but the result is great).

I experimented with how many stitches to cast on but settled on 14 stitches before knitting away rather happily. Throughout I measured the length of my knitted strip against the bangle – I wanted a snug fit, so I kept pulling at it. I cast off using my usual lace cast-off method which allows for elasticity.

Then I sewed it all together: cast-in/off edges first and then the long edges with the bangle inside. The sewing-up was hard on the hands, but I found using a safety pin helped me enormously by keeping the edges pinned together as I worked around the bangle.

There are some rather amazing jewellery patterns on Ravelry, actually. I spent a lot of time this month looking for inspiration and quick-yet-substantial knits. Some of my favourites include Bevy of Bangles (felted and embellished), Knitter’s Brooch (which I have seen retail for up to £10 at craft fairs!), Blooming Rose (utilising the natural curl of stocking stitch), and Braided Cable necklace.

I have one more handmade Christmas present up my sleeve – except I forgot to take a photo of it before I dispatched it to .. er .. somewhere else. Meanwhile there are five pressies in my living room all wrapped in “woolly wishes!” wrapping paper. I think that means they are for me! Ooh, the excitement!

Today is Winter Solstice and while you can take a girl out of Scandinavia, a Scandinavian girl will always love her pre-Christian pagan holiday traditions. So, I’m off to light some candles and pet my straw yule goat (julebuk). The days are getting longer, finally!

I have divided the guide into three sections: Gifts for New Knitters, Gifts for Experienced Knitters and Whimsical Things.

Gifts for New Knitters

• A nice pair of needles with some nice yarn is always welcome. I recommend buying a set 4mm (US6) bamboo needles such as these or these. These needles go with double-knitting yarn, a common yarn type in the UK. For a funky scarf, two balls of James C. Brett Marble DK would be plenty, a blingy version would take two balls of King Cole Galaxy DK and a really luxurious version would take three balls of Rowan Baby Alpaca DK.
• Why not give your New Knitter a class in a local craft shop to help her skill up and meet fellow knitters? Here in Glasgow, The Life Craft offers great introductory courses on how to knit among other things. You would have to check the directory for your area, but most UK cities have similar places.
• Books! You will want to find a book that has cool patterns which are not too daunting. Sarah Hatton’s “Ten Simple, Cosy Projects” is a great little book filled with totally achievable patterns. You could combine the book with yarn for one of the projects and suitable needles.
• Most knitters love gadgets no matter their skill level. A New Knitter will love finding anything from a knitting gauge or a sheepy measuring tape to fun little project bags or stitch markers (available in all shapes and sizes from fun ones to very stylish ones).

Gifts for Experienced Knitters:

• Speaking of gadgets, a ball winder is top of most Experienced Knitters’ lists. Gift it together with an umbrella swift and you would be the best gift buyer ever. Other Experienced Knitters’ gadgets include sock blockers (available as a cute keyring too!) and blocking wires. You might also consider fun little project bags or stitch markers (available in all shapes and sizes from fun ones to very stylish ones).
• Experienced Knitters will already own a lot of knitting needles, but they can never have too many – especially if they like to work on many different projects at any one time. KnitPro is currently the brand to be seen using and luckily KnitPro caters to all budgets. On a tight budget? KnitPro cable needles. Able to spend a bit more? The KnitPro Starter Set would be ideal. In the mood to spend? The KnitPro Deluxe set is your answer.
• Yarn! If you want to give your Experienced Knitter a real treat, consider buying her some handdyed yarn in her favourite colour. I love Old Maiden Aunt Yarns, but you should also take a look at Juno Fiber Arts, Nimu Yarns and EasyKnits. One hank of yarn is enough for a project, but consider buying two if your budget allows.
• A subscription to a popular knitting magazine is really a gift that keeps giving. One of the most popular UK knitting magazines is The Knitter whilst Interweave Knits is a very popular US magazine. UK yarn company Rowan also offers a subscription which includes two magazines, membership newsletters, and discount on UK workshops.
• And speaking of which, workshop vouchers are a great gift. Many yarn shops offer advanced classes on finishing techniques, sock knitting and a dozen other topics. Booking a class directly may involve some sleuthing, so go for a voucher if you are unsure.

Whimsical Things:

• How about jewellery made from knitting needles?
• Shawl pins will be welcomed by most knitters who have tried to wrap themselves up in a pashmina or shawl only to re-wrap themselves five minutes later.
• Fact: knitters love buttons. Textile Garden and Bedecked specialise in luxury buttons. Why not make a little bag with a selection of stunning buttons?
• You can get a lot of jewellery aimed at knitters such as earrings, brooches and necklaces.
• Tote bags. A godsend for a serious knitter on her way to knit night. Yarn Play Cafe has a huge selection of fun tote bags aimed at your own personal bag lady knitter.
• Finally, you could always succumb to getting a t-shirt made. There are many design out there so you are sure to find something suitable.

I hope you found this guide useful. And I also hope you will make a knitter very happy this Christmas.

All links work as of December 5, 2011. Please note any postal deadlines relevant to your location.

But it is lovely to see Denmark + fashion + knitting. It makes me feel proud (and very homesick) to see this video:

KAFFESLABBERAS // MADS AND ERNA (SUBTITLED) from Kaffeslabberas on Vimeo.

‘Kaffeslabberas’ is a knitting club in the Copenhagen neighbourhood of Amager. Its members are female pensioners, whose rich history and zest for life overshadows their advanced age. This project partners up these ladies with Danish artists and designers, with the intent of creating a connection across generations, through the strengths of craftmanship, diversity and experience.

I wish the subtitles were grammatically correct and the spelling was better, but we can’t have everything.

Thank you to Angela for pointing out the article and video.

My Karise shawl has been chosen as a pattern for the next Old Maiden Aunt knitalong on Ravelry. To celebrate this, I am offering a whopping 20% discount on the pattern until November 30, 2011! Just cite OMAKAL as your discount code. More information in the Old Maiden Aunt Ravelry group.

I have been re-jigging my social media commitments, so I now have an open-to-all Twitter account that you can follow. If you used to follow me on Twitter, you may want to follow the new account instead. Knitterly stuff guaranteed, but I’ll basically be tweeting about anything that takes my fancy. A condensed version of this blog, if you like.

(Speaking of which, I have managed to delete my entire folder of knitting blogs from Google Reader. I have tried to reconstruct my reading list of 300+ blogs but if I usually comment on your blog and you think I haven’t been around lately, do let me know.)

This Saturday I will be teaching a lace shawl class at Wool 4 Ewe in Aberdeen. I think the class has filled up pretty well already, but any Aberdeenshire dwellers can check with Kathy whether she has had any cancellations. Hopefully I will see you there – and if not, feel free to drop in after the class to say hello!

So, yes. Busy times!

I have actually finished quite a few things, but I’ve not even made any Ravelry project pages for them, let alone managed any pictorial evidence.

This is a brand-new project. I’m using one ball of Rowan Kidsilk Stripe for a very straightforward triangular shawl.

Kidsilk Stripe is a new Rowan yarn: essentially 2 balls of Kidsilk Haze in one ball and combining shades of KSH to create lovely stripes. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how much life the stripes have. Purple isn’t just solid purple but has all sorts of subtle variegations. I hope my photo hints at that. I’m using the Twillight colourway for this shawl  (greens and purples) but I also really like the Cool colourway (teals and deep pinks).

And I have new specs! I was lucky enough to win a free pair of spectacles from Edinburgh-based Spectacles Direct via a Facebook(!) competition. I never win anything and I was in dire need of new spectacles, so I was very, very thrilled.

How do you like my “awkward MySpace photo pose? Ahhh, what you don’t do to appease your mother when Official Photographer is at the other end of the city.

Finally, I finished reading Alan Hollinghurst’s The Stranger’s Child last night. It is exceptionally well-written (as you’d expect from Hollinghurst who is probably the finest stylist of his generation) but it is also exceptionally dull. I was going to write a full review but I would struggle to find enough interesting things to say.. ironically enough,  the exact same problem the book has.

“Of course there are many more gay male designers,” [designer Tom Ford] said. “I think we are more objective. We don’t come with the baggage of hating certain parts of our bodies.”

“Designers are normally men. I don’t know of an eminent motorcar or motorbike designer who was a woman. Or many female architects.” It’s not because of any lack of ability but because women aren’t as “pushy” – designer Jeff Banks

Men like Lagerfeld, McQueen and Galliano were defined by the need to be spectacular, unlike the “self-effacing” [Sarah] Burton, who has won great acclaim since replacing McQueen (..)  “Men put on great shows. Women design clothes that people want to wear” – fashion editor Lisa Armstrong

Mmm, makes you wonder why they want to make us clothes in the first place, doesn’t it? Or maybe that explains the clothes we get? Don’t you just love the implied sneer at the idea of ‘wearable clothes’?

I believe the handmade movement can offer a useful counterpoint to the fashion world’s often misogynistic view of women. Handmade clothes can be stunningly beautiful, full of showmanship, flattering to the female form, and within reach.

Female entrepreneurs like Sarai of Colette Patterns and Ysolda Teague are not just examples of young women setting up their own businesses, but also of women giving other women the chance to reject token notions of female beauty and the confinements of the high street/runway by making our own clothes. Locally I see the Glasgow Craft Mafia leading with a strong, clear voice that makes my heart sing: independent small shops abound where you can buy handmade clothes designed and stitched by female designers.  Craft Mafias exist throughout the globe and I recommend you seeking them out if you want to get involved or are simply interested in learning more.

I find that the more interested I become in fashion, the more I find it imperative to question it. Making parts of my own wardrobe (and hoping to create larger and larger chunks of it as I improve as a sewer) continues to be an important part of this questioning.

Following Carol’s pattern (from an old Rowan magazine), I made a necklace from some mercerised cotton and a leather string. It was super-easy and very quick. I think it took me about an hour from the initial idea to the finished object. The leather string’s a bit too skinny, but I’m still quite pleased with the result.

My partner snapped a photo of me wearing the necklace that very evening. I do apologise for lack of make-up/styling and the crap indoors lightning, but you can clearly see how smug I am about my lovely new accessory.

In other crafting news, I have purchased some black corduroy and I am very excited about making another skirt. I have a very, very specific idea for this skirt. I’ll need to try my idea first, though, as it could be a complete disaster. I tried googling my idea but everything I find is twee crap. I am many things, but I am not twee.

This week I have been grabbling with Apple as someone in Canada has set up an account using my email address as her AppleID. Personally I would have thought that Apple have checked that her email was her own, but apparently not. I am currently on my fourth (rather terse) email to Customer Support. I am not impressed. Definitely not impressed.

This week Something Very Good happened. Denmark finally decided that they had had enough of xenophobic party Danish People’s Party being the kingmaker in Danish politics. Cue Denmark’s first female prime minister.  The DPP played a part in me deciding to leave Denmark and when I heard they were not longer the power behind the throne, I shed a small tear. I cannot begin to express my relief – although I think it will take a lot of time to undo their damage (Denmark has some of the strictest immigration laws in Europe and you encounter casual racism everywhere).

The Danish essayist Carsten Jensen wrote an excellent column (google translate + tweaked quickly by me). I do not agree with everything he wrote, but this passage really struck a nerve.

Something went terribly wrong in Denmark during the past decade. We did not just damage the foreigners who found themselves among us, whether they were refugees or immigrants and their descendants. We did not just damage the countries whose domestic problems became ours thanks to reckless wars.We also did moral damage to ourselves, and the marginal, ambiguous election victory of the Left shows a lack of willingness to confront ourselves – something which we must inevitably must do, if we are to forge ahead and not only think about growth, but also morality and humanity. We have toyed with callousness too long, and this has left an unhealthy cynicism within us.

Here is to better times.

This green corduroy skirt is ridiculously Just What I Like & Cannot Find in Stores, that I cannot believe I did not do this dress-making lark years ago.

One pattern from a Danish sewing magazine
One and a half yards of green corduroy
One yard of green poly lining
One invisible zip
One spool of green poly thread
Selection of Liberty fabric scraps & vintage buttons

One happy seamstress & wearer.

I altered the pattern (of course I did). The appliqué was done different to the pattern suggestion, I added lining and did away with the slightly clumsy bias binding around the waist.

Klimt? Why not. In fact, look at Gustav Klimt’s “The Kiss” and tell me that you cannot see it. Just me? Okay then..

And I’m wearing my own handmade St. James sweater with this skirt. Oh, wardrobe love.

In other crafty news, I spent the morning trying to decipher a crochet pattern written in Afrikaans using a Dutch crochet glossary, Google Translate and reverse engineering from photo. Adventurous! After an hour and six rounds, friends kindly pointed me to an online English translation of the pattern.. and I felt a bit silly.

Finally, a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to one of the loveliest people I have ever met, Paula. This little video is for you..

I really need a black cardigan in my wardrobe, for instance. Every winter I wear a £10 cardigan from H&M I bought eleven(!) years ago. It is black with a high ribbed neck, trinity-stitch fronts and big buttons. It should have been retired several years ago, but I’m still holding on to it because I have been unable to find a suitable replacement in the shops. I should just buckle down and knit its replacement.

Right now I am putting the final touches to my green corduroy skirt. I just need to insert the zip, put in the lining and hem it. A couple hours, max? I do not know why I am dragging my feet so. Maybe it is because my next project will be a pair of utilitarian grey trousers for work. Do you sense a recurrent theme?

I think my state of mind is all about trying to delay the inevitable and trying to dodge doing the sensible thing. I’d much rather do the fun, creative, colourful projects than the things that’ll see me through another chilly autumn day. I’m sure I am not the only one.

A few links:
+ Modern personal styles – more thoughts on building a wardrobe and defining what works for you.
+ A short’n'sweet tutorial for 15th century braiding
+ Bowie’s Space Oddity is turned into a children’s book.
+ Goodreads is really having an impact on my reading habits.