My Mandala Madness

So I decided to take part in the Mandala Madness CAL which is hosted by Helen Shrimpton over at Crystals and Crochet (Ravelry page here). I'm using Novita 7 Veljestä, because I have a lot of it left over from other things and a 5mm hook, so I think this will be a nice and big blanket.

The first part bathing in the sunlight.

And this is what it looks like now. The third part will come out this thursday. 

I also ordered some yarn! I know I'm supposed to be getting rid of my stash, but I have a project for all of these, so they are not just stash-fillers.

Birthday gift and Noro WIPs

Lang Yarns Jawoll Magic Dégradé and a 3,5mm hook. This pattern is from Simply Crochet issue 40, designed by Elisabeth Davis de Herraiz. I was really surprised by how quick this was to make.

  I think I could've done better with blocking it, but I'm still quite new to blocking bigger pieces like shawls. But still it looks pretty.

Now these next ones. They are both shawls made with Noro yarns. They have been blocked already but I'm thinking of adding a crochet edging to both of them, or maybe a fringe of some kind.

This one is made with Silk Garden Sock Yarn and I think I used 5mm needles. Right now it's quite small so it definitely needs something more, I just have to find the right yarn.

The other one is larger which makes me happy. This is made with two skeins of Kochoran and it's so wonderfully soft. I actually started this last November and finished it pretty quickly, but it took me some time to get to blocking. I want to add something to this, I'm thinking that a fringe with thin black yarn might look good.

I took this picture when I started the shawl. I was already super happy with it because the shape was just what I had imagined. And the colours are just pure Noro, amazing.

More socks coming soon, I've been making them non-stop.

What else

What else but socks again. I just love making them! And they are always useful so why not make a million pairs.

This pattern is from a little booklet that came with Simply Knitting issue 143. The cable pattern is very pretty and very quick to knit as well. I did find the pattern a bit weird, especially the sizing, so I just listened to my sock knitting "instincts" and went with that. 

This yarn is Novita Nalle with 3mm needles. I love the bright green colour. 

This pair is part of my "come up with the perfect toe-up sock pattern" -project. I'm slowly getting there.

This pair is made with Alize Superwash 100 and 2,5mm needles. I like this yarn a lot, it feels soft and the knitted surface is very firm. I need to make a pair for myself too.

Right after these two I immediately started yet another pair, again part of my toe-up project, but this time with an afterthought heel.

This yarn is super pretty. I've had this ball for a while now and I always knew I was going to make socks with it, I just never had the right moment and feeling to start them. Then a few days ago I thought "this yarn would look great with bright pink!" and it was decided. This is not the exact shade of pink I had in mind, but I refused to by a new ball of yarn, because I am trying to get rid of my ridiculously huge stash. I'm already really liking these and I'm actually making them for myself, so this is an extra happy project!

Pretty cables

I found a ball of sock yarn I had purchased a couple of years ago and made myself a pair of socks.

This is a pattern called Eight Socks which I think is very pretty. I found the cable pattern easy to knit but I still managed to make a stupid mistake in the second sock. When I noticed it I just could not be bothered to go back and fix it so it stays there, but these socks are for me so it doesn't matter that much.

The yarn is Väinämöinen by Louhittaren Luola/Knitlob's Lair and I used 2,75mm needles. The colour is more of a darker red in real life, not that orange like the pictures.