Sunday, September 4, 2011

Making a matching greeting card and the next shawl

I was thinking about how to make a nice greeting card that would go together with the Harebell Fichu.

The first thing I knew was that the card HAD to have some knitting. Until now I had made cards using cross stitch and bobbin lace but never with a knitted piece.

Pichikemenküe y külpe ñimin
I made the cross stitch motif based on a traditional Mapuche (native culture from the south of Chile) pattern called Pichikemenküe and külpe ñimin.


Little sample: Done
I have talked about this one before but I never mentioned it was meat to be a wedding greeting card :)


The color choice was really easy, I used the leftovers of the einband I had from the Fichu. So, the only thing left to think about was the pattern.

I went for a very simple Lilly of the Valley pattern. I really like the simplicity and beauty of the Lilly of the Valley. The amount of yarn and time I used to make this was minimum. In a blink of an eye I had a cute greeting card that matched perfectly the Fichu.

Knitting - Card
So, first is first: knit the piece. Then cut the paper and use some glue.


Knitting - Card
The card is very simple. 


Knitting - Card
The final result is far from being perfect but I guess that is part of the charm of handmade things. 

Now that the Aeolian is done it is time make a new shawl.  I must admit that after knitting the Aeolian (which turned out to be much more beautiful than what I was expecting) and making Eva's lopapeysa I was a little bit uninspired... It took me a while to find what to do next. I started to look at my books and Ravelry and nothing seemed to catch my attention!

Until I found the problem. I needed to have someone to knit for! Things are so much easy when you have someone to knit for... then it is possible to think about patterns and colors that the person you're knitting for might like.

So, I began thinking about what could be the best for her.

First I thought that blue would have been a good color option for her so I got some Einband in a very nice light blue. The color looked great on the ball but once I knitted a swatch my opinion changed completely!! I really didn't like it for a shawl. I thought it would look great for ababy blanket or so.

Knitting swatch - Total fail.
The pattern didn't convinced me either. I even made some mistakes on the swatch... shame on me!

I needed to find a better color. I went to the wool store again and this time I found the perfect color! It is a very, very nice light green. It looks very organic and natural.

This color is much better!


The pattern I am making is taken from The Haapsalu Shawl book. It is leaves and nupps. What I like abput this pattern is the asymmetric position of the leaves and the movement it has bewteen each pattern repeat.  I also think that the color looks great in this pattern.

New shawl: Leaves and nupps
Leaves and nupps

I am planning to make an edge at the end that will be sewn to the body.

Now I am also starting to think about the next lopapeysa. On Ravelry there is a group called the Spanish Swap and we've been talking about making a Lopi KAL in September. I have already chosen the colors and today I was working on designing a pattern for the yoke using some ideas from the book Íslensk sjónabók.

More details about the lopapeysa soon!

I already have developed the films from my trip to the east. I will be sharing with you some of my favorite shots :)

Mjóifjörður
This was one of my favourite spot. This is Mjóifjörður (The narrow fjord). The road was terrible but the place is a paradise.


Austfirðir
One of MANY waterfalls everywhere.


Mjóifjörður
In Mjóifjörður there used to be a whale station. At the beginning of the 20th century there were up to 200 people living there. Today there is not whale station and only 30 people live there.


Mjóifjörður
Mjóifjörður. It was so quite. No wind and fog. 


A very decorated front yard in Eskifjörður
A very decorated front yard in a cute little house in Eskifjörður.


Héraðssandur
On the way to Vopnafjörður there is a gravel road that is the highest road in Iceland. This is the view from that road of Héraðssandur. 


Borgarfjörður eystri
The cutest house in Borgarfjörður eystri. 

Well, that is all for now!

17 comments:

  1. Hola!!!!
    Que bellos paisajes!!!
    y ....los tejidos fabulosos.
    Gracias por poner el traductor,me deleito con tus escritos.
    Un abrazo Susana

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  2. Hi Rodrigo,

    The card and the shawl look wonderful! I have plenty of while einband that I'm going to plant dye this autumn and even though I'm not the biggest fan of lace knits I think I'm gonna try to knit a shawl of some kind. Btw, the brown poncho I was knitting during the Snaefellsnes trip is just about to be ready, I just need to buy one more skein of Bulky lopi to finish it :)

    Thanks again for the trip & hope to see you soon again, maybe for a little knitting party? ;)

    Mira

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  3. Y luego la gente me pregunta que por qué quiero vivir en Islandia con el frío que hace... voy a tener que recomendarles que miren las fotos de tu blog!

    Muy original lo de la postal, me apunto la idea para el próximo swap!

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  4. hi Rod, I just typed a whole lot and suddenly it was gone.. ok, here we go again,
    I wanted to tell you that it is a sheer pleasure to visit your blog an see all those great pictures and knitting projects of yours.
    I also have to confess that I saved the card of your trip and its on my ToDoList now...
    Have a wonderful day, greetings from Switzerland and Happy Knitting..Christa
    p.s. those cards look more than good ....

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  5. You did a very nice single card but more beautiful effect
    vot it be your two beautiful shawl
    beautiful photos of Iceland

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  6. Preciosa la tarjeta Lilly del Valle, dice lejos de ser perfecta ??????
    Me encanta el tono verde de Einband y creo que el tacto debe de ser muy agradable.
    Voy a mirar el Grupo Intercambio Español y el Kal Lopi.
    Islandia por las fotos una maravilla.

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  7. Me gustan mucho las tarjetas, pero el chal verde me gusta mucho más.
    Saludos Mayte

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  8. :)) me encantaaaa ese chal verde,, jsuto en el grupo de Profugas de Blogger ( en FB) estabamos viendo los nupps jaja pero nadie se animó,, las fotos hermosassss!!,, me encantan,, jaja y las tarjetas un detallazo,, :) deja les muestro a las chicas tus trabajos :D .. Saluditossss.. Ale


    PD.. jeje.. la foto de los gnomos me recuerda mi jardincito de hadas :DDD

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  9. Susi: Qué bueno que puedes leer el blog ahora. Espero que la traducción de google sea buena :)

    Kerry: It is indeed. Thank you for visiting :þ

    Albis: El frío es lo de menos! Además lo mejor de todo es que puedes usar lana todo el ano! Mi lopapeysa lo uso desde enero a enero! :p

    Christa: Oh, sorry to hear that blogger deleted your comment :( It is weird because it has happened to Judi many times as well and there are some people that cannot even comment at all. I don't know what it can be :(
    Thank you so much for reading my blog. I am very glad to hear that you enjoy it :)

    Bea: Thank you! It is unbelievably easy to make a card like this :)

    iaia.imma: jeje, sí, la tarjetita tiene algunas imperfecciones, detalles. Pero bien :) La lana que estoy usando para el chal se llama einband y viene en un montón de colores preciosos!! Y lo mejor de todo es que no es para nada cara :D Creo que este color queda perfecto para el patrón de hojas :)

    Mayte: jejem gracias! Me gusta mucho como está quedando el chal también! jeje

    Ale: los famosos nupps. Debo admitir que soy un adicto a los nupps. Son un poco complicados al principio pero una vez que los entiendes... pfff... se hacen facilísimos! Es como todo, no?

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  10. :) jeje.. Hola de nuevoo!! Los gatos son misteriosos verdad?? ,, oops... debí de explicarme mejor.. buenoo... ya sabes,, con los blogs se crean lazos,, y nos vemos por aquíi,, por el ravelry etc.. pues comenzamos a vernos también por el Facebook,, y un día decidimos hacernos un grupo,, estábamos tres amigas chateando cuando surgío la idea y ahora somos más de 700 :DD es como un foro,, tejedoras de punto y de crochet,, tenemos propuestas,, compartimos patrones,, cuando nos atoramos con un punto ¡¡ pedimos auxilio!! y sobre todo.. ¡¡ nos reímos mucho.. se hace una cháchara tremenda,, jaja,, tenemos varios chicos inscritos pero creo que nos observan en silencio . :)si estás en Facebook,, date una vuelta :)) saluditosss... Ale

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/profugasdeblogger/

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  11. Hola acepta la invitacion de Ale , seria fantastico tenerte en el grupo.....soy chilena tambien y para mi es un agrado conocerte y ver las maravillas que haces , tus chales son estupendos y como si fuera poco, tus fotografias tan artisticas y bellisimas.Un abrazo!!!

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  12. Hello-finally! As usual, your creativity is amazing! To even think of making matching cards is unbelievable! Only you, I'm thinking. They truly are works of art. Loved the use of the black paper for framing. Makes the insert stand out and definitley could be framed and hung for constant enjoyment.
    I understand your need of someone to knit for. I think most of us are that way. There are some things I'd like to make, but then I think "What will I do with it when done?!" so I move on to something else with a purpose in mind. See, you're not so unusual after all. :-) That blue is a pretty color, but a bit bright. Probably would take someone with either real dark hair or real blonde hair to wear it well - or a baby boy.:-)Obviously your heart wasn't in it since you "made some mistakes on the swatch."
    The green is very pretty, as is that pattern. I noticed it's a "Lopi." :-) It's neat how you can see the leaves and nupps. I like a name of a pattern that goes along with the pattern! You have said before that you like making nupps. I don't think I've tried. Are you knitting several times in the same stitch? I'm anxious to see what the ends are like. You are so willing to try so many different things.I'm sure the finishing touches will turn it into another beautiful work of art. Hmmm...just thought. Did the other two Aeolian shawls get completed yet?
    FYI: Did you know there is a Bobbin Lace Ravelry group?
    I'm now off to write an email :-)

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  13. Hola, Rod, yo tambien te invito a ser parte de nuestro grupo PROFUGAS DEL BLOGGER EN FACEBOOK, te va a encantar, por mi parte me gustó mucho tu blog, los paisajes,los chales,ah! soy de Argentina ,país donde nacío el dulce de leche: cuenta la historia que el general Rosas gustaba de tomar mate con leche azucarada, se lo cebaba una negrita, estamos hablando del tiempo de la colonia, resulta ser que este personaje pintoresco, se olvido al fuego la olla con la leche con azúcar, y cuando fue a buscarla...se habia convertido en una crema, había nacido el dulce de leche!!!! querido amigo tejedor y goloso, prometo buscarte recetas de distintas formas de hacer este dulce tan amado por los argentinos, con el que tambien podes elaborar postres y licores, te dejo un abrazo enorme!!!! AnaClara del blog Lanas por aqui...hilos por alla...el blog de AnaClara

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  14. como siempre todo precioso!!!! me encanta leerte :-).
    Las targetas son geniales, me apunto la idea (gracias por los buenos momentos delante del ordenador)

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  15. Ale: Voy a incribirme en el grupo de facebook... aunque en realidad facebook "no me llama mucho la atención" No soy muy activo allí : ) Gracias por la invitación! Y bueno.. allí nos veremos también entonces!

    Celia: Gracias por tu visita y tus generosas palabras :) Ya me inscribí en el grupo de facebook... solicitud enviada! Vi que tienes varios blogs... les daré una mirada dentro de un ratín :) Saludos!

    Dear Judi, I really enjoyed making this little tiny card. I have to try to work it a little better I thing... you know... little details to make it look better (I am not saying that this one looks bad... but as the first one let's say this would be somekind of a beta-version, hehe).
    Lopi is a wonderful wool. It comes in several forms. This one is the "lace form" and it is called einband (or loðband or eigirni... the truth is that I have no idea why they call it with so many different names!). Since there is so much lopi in Iceland it is rally cheap and the quality is amazing. They have SO MANY amazing colors!
    You're right about the nupps. It is a succesion of stitch-yo on the same stitch Depending on the kind of yarn you're using you can make it 3; 5; 7 or even 9 stitches in one. The tricky part, at least when you are just learning, is to purl all these stitches together when you're knitting (well, purling) the wrong side.
    The Aeolians! Yes! We already met and saw them all three together! I still have to post about that!! It was a little bit difficult to take good pictures because they are so big! And besides the light wasn't very good... we met late in the evening. But I will post them very soon! :) I already gave mine away... I gave it to the sister of my friend that moved to Sweden for her birthday : ) She was very happy with it... she almost wanted to cry when she opened the box...

    Ana Clara: Gracias por visitarme! Ya me he apuntado al grupo en Facebook... estoy esperando la aprobación :)
    Dulce de leche (manjar como lo llamamos en Chile)... una de las cosas que más extrano de Chile en cuanto a sabores y cosas ricas para comer! Me gusta el dulce de leche con todo y en todas sus formas, aunque nunca lo he probado en licor.
    No conocía la historia del origen del dulce de leche! Ahora tengo una nueva historia para contar a quienes no conocen el dulce de leche! jeje
    Un abrazo grande!

    Cristina: Muchas gracias por tu visita :) Me hace muy feliz que te guste leer mi blog :) Un beso!

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  16. "I needed to have someone to knit for! Things are so much easy when you have someone to knit for... then it is possible to think about patterns and colors that the person you're knitting for might like."

    YES! Same problem here!
    Some people ask me how could I put so much time and effort to knit something for somebody else often for no reason. Well because that´s what makes it fun! :-) It is boring to knit for myself...

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