Evelin Kasikov, published with permission

I have just discovered the fascinating embroidery work of Evelin Kasikov.

Kasikov is a graphic designer specialising in print and editorial design.  She is born in Estonia, but lives and works in London. Evelin Kasikov is the author of CMYK embroidery, (Cyan 105˚, Magenta 75˚, Yellow 90˚ and Black 45).

She uses typography, grid systems and design techniques to challenge the preconceptions of embroidery.

Evelin Kasikov, published with permission.

You can read more about Kasikov here, her blog is here , enjoy her graphic and innovative work here and her shop is here.

So far no one has signed up. Not – a – single – person.

Perhaps I’m just not as interesting as I thought.

So if you are passing Selfoss on Wednesday og Thursday next week, there is still room on my mini embroidery course in the Selfoss municipal Library. Sign up via email: harpajons (at) simnet.is

Now doesn’t this look nice?

The rib is unblocked for sure, but the edge is nice and tidy, the buttons are ready and most of them are even sewn on. Everything is looking great.

But looks can be deceiving. I made a huge, and very stupid mistake you see. It’s so elementary that I’m a bit embarrassed to admit it.

I forgot to try on the bottom rib. Completely and utterly forgot, and although it did look a bit (OK a lot) on the snug side, I knew that this yarn relaxes considerably in wash, so I just winged it. Which I often do, but I always (or almost always as it turns out) try everything on continuously.

This time I even cast off, and hid all the ends (they were numerous) before it dawned on me that perhaps I should try the thing on. I tried the sleeves on several times, so I really don’t know what came over me. Temporary madness, perhaps.

Anyway. When I, at long last, did try it on, there was no denying that the rib was too tight. Not very, but still undeniably so.

I started ripping it, but hadn’t gone very far when I found that I really didn’t want to waist all the time and effort that had gone into knitting it. Because it had been an effort, although it was just a simple rib. My arm and shoulder were, and still are in bad shape, and knitting was, and is a luxury I have to do sparingly and carefully.

So I stopped ripping and thought about what I could do. And it came to me – a hat. I have a very big head, and that would now come in handy.

I carefully cut the rib from the body, and now I have a neat edge once again, ready to pick up stitches from. And a hat in progress, just missing some decreases and a cuff.

Here it was not too bad, but the airborne ash was bothersome.

The wind was really strong when I took this photo, the blowing sand stung my legs and it was hard to stand still. I did not go close to the sea, I didn’t want to be blown in to the water.

But at least we didn’t get snow, like many parts of the country did.

Photo: Sigurður Atlason

This photo is taken on the camping ground in Hólmavík.

These are very easy to make, here is how.

Crochet covered buttons

You need:

Some buttons (the ones I used were 0.7 in in diameter, but you can use any size you like. Very small buttons need fine yarn though. )

Yarn, preferably not too thick.

A crochet hook that suits your chosen yarn

A tapestry needle

Ch: Chain stitch

sc: Single crochet

Sl st: slip stitch

st (s) :stitch(es)

Make a magic ring to start
Round 1: Ch 1, 8 sc  into ring,  *join with a Sl st in top of first  sc.  *Every round is finished this way.

Pull the end taut to close up the magic ring.

Round 2: Ch 1, 2 sc into each st of the round.

Round 3: Ch 1, *sc in first st, 2 c in next st; repeat from * around.

Measure against the button. If you are getting close to the edge, continue to round 4. If not, continue to grow the circle as needed. ( sc in first two st, 2 sc in next st for one round ; sc in first three sts, 2 sc in next st for one round, etc.)

Round 4: Ch1, *sc to end.

Your button cover should now be a little bit bigger that the button.

Round 5:  Ch1, *sc in first two sts, skip one st*  rep from * around.

Make sure the right side is facing out. Hide ends if needed, and slip the button into the little “bowl”.

Break the yarn and thread the tail onto a tapestry needle. Draw the yarn through each stitch, tighten and secure the end.

Here are some more advanced buttons. A flower button, a star button and more.

My “Baby” in rehearsal today. She is an absolute beginner, she has not had a proper singing lesson in her life but I am helping her a little bit.

World Lupus Day

Today is World Lupus Day. On this day lupus organizations and their supporters around the globe, call for increases in public and private sector funding for medical research on lupus, targeted education programs for health professionals, patients and the public, and worldwide recognition of lupus as a significant public health issue.

This matter is close to my heart. I have lupus and my late father also had the disease. Lupus has affected my life greatly, I was very ill for many years, and although I’m much better now, it still is a debilitating factor in my life and something I have to deal with every day.

My father had the illness for decades before was finally diagnosed correctly. I was also ill for many years before diagnosis, but not nearly as long as he was.

This is unfortunately typical. Lupus is hard to diagnose correctly and there is still not nearly enough knowledge about the disease, even among health professionals.

You can read about lupus(the full name is systemic lupus erythematosus) here and here for example.

I like how the dark purple spiced the bottom rib up a bit and I think it looks god together with the sleeve rib.

The buttons are going to be striped too, in crochet I think.

Buttonhole Stitch

Buttonhole stitch is one of my favorite stitches, right after the knots and the  raised Brazilian ones. It’s useful for many things, hand-stitched buttonholes obviously, all kinds of free for embroidery (like the things I make) and for finishing edges.

This is a lacy t-shirt that had very weird short frilly sleeves. They  looked fine on the rack (and the 70% off was not bad either) but after the first wash they stood right up, no matter what I did. And the lace was to cutesy for me anyway.

So I hacked the sleeves off and now my daughter has a “new” sleeveless top for the summer (that we hope will be here very soon).

Saturday – near Kirkjubæjarklaustur.

Sunday – Skógarfoss

Most of the time, the sun is shining, but it’s pretty cold and for three day’s now we have had some snow. Not much and not for long at a time, but still snow. I wouldn’t mind being without it.