Summer projects part 1: shawl&scarf

There are many projects I did not show you yet… so let start!

This is a nice shawl, simple to make and with a pretty effect. It was the birthday present for my mum, and I wanted a shawl-not-so-much-shawl-but-more-a-scarf, and this free pattern from the wonderful Emma Fassio is just what I wanted! Here the link to my raverly project for all details.

I knitted it on the looong flight to Australia… yes, this summer I went to Australia, which is just wonderful, but this will be another story

ps: a big thank you to my personal photographer for these nice pictures!

Event for Unite Contro il Cancro

Holidays and summer passed, PhD project needs a lot of time and effort, then you want to see friends, speak with family, do sport, collaborate in this  and that projects, so I was almost at point of closing the blog… because I thought, either you do it well or you don’t do it! what’s the point of some rare small posts??? but then, also pushed by the enthusiasm from the event I will tell you about in a minute, I decided that, even if only few people read the few posts I make, well, it’s still something, you don’t need to be the best in everything and every small contribution helps in constructing a big one!

After this very deep philosophy, I am really happy (and yes, also proud!) to tell you about this event I am organizing with Unite Contro il Cancro, and in particular Sonia and Tibisay.

We will present a project of knitting and crocheting patterns to contribute to the research against cancer:

This project was born in Italy in October 2010, with the aim of raising awareness for cancer research   programmes, to remind people that cancer is not something that only happens to others, and to encourage women to better love and know themselves.

The project was carried out by a group of untamed knitters: office workers, housewives, doctors and nurses, mothers and grandmothers, aunts and sisters, who all take up their needles and yarn whenever they have a spare moment, and start to create.

And therefore they decided to fulfill their passion and potential to raise funds for research: all of the money collected will be donated to research against cancer.

If you are in Brussels or around pass by

Blomqvists Espresso Bar

Rue Francart 14, Ixelles

on Thursday 25th October at 7pm!

There will be some surprises and before and after we can knit&chat together

and if you are still hesitating… at Blomqvists Espresso Bar, hosting the event, cakes are just fabulous…

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Project in collaboration with La Vita è Belga and Stitch ‘n Bitch group of Brussels.

Here the link to the facebook event and the flyer with all details.

UniteControCancro_25oct_ENGL

UniteControCancro_25oct_ITA

And what about sewing??

Just being afraid that I had not enough stuff to do, not enough projects to follow, not enough knitting to finish, for all my friends and family birthdays, for all projects I would like to contribute, for my self sometimes, just being afraid to get bored one day (I am still waiting it… and maybe it will not be sooo bad…), around one month ago I decided to get into some sewing…

Then, to do it properly, I waited for my mum to come to visit me here in Brussels, because I needed some “mummy” advice before buying a sewing machine, and just because mums are always wondeful, she came with me to a couple of shops, she took out all her French skills that were hidden somewhere from school (and she is pretty good!) and then… she bought me my sewing machine!!!!

Here a picture of me with my fantastic Elna, pretty simple but she does everything I need

My mum also gave me some basic lessons, and combining some crochet, I was able to made these (pretty simple, but I am really happy and proud of myself ):

Hopefully soon, new adventures with the sewing machine

ps: as always when pictures are so nice, a big thank you to a special photographer…

Baby projects

In this period I have a lot of pregnant friends I am not such a quick knitter, so I couldn’t manage to make something for everyone, but I made a baby blanket for a nice Italian couple living here in Brussels, and especially for their beautiful daughter!

The pattern is really simple, just knit & purl squares with a garter edge. The yarn is so soft and nice that the result was wonderful… Here before blocking:

And after blocking:

 

It’s also a while that I am following the “Cuore di Maglia” group in Italy. They make and collect hand-made (knitted and crocheted!!!) baby blankets, covers, hats, booties … for preemies, and distribute them to hospitals where they use them to warm up with a soft touch these small babies. It’s incredible how good they are in what they do. So I decided to contribute in this, making a cocoon, a couple of hats and of booties (that should be on their way now ):

(Actually all these things were ready a while ago, but the time for getting pictures from the camera to the pc, post them etc etc … well, it took a while…)

Crochet Bags

I have a small obsession for crochet bags, I really like the fabric that comes out from crocheting cotton, and I find them perfect for spring and summer! I made quite a few of them, but the problem is that often I give them as a present to friends, forgetting to take pictures…

Here one I made last year, of which I remembered to take a picture:

 

Urban Knitting for L’Aquila

**** A causa di mancanza di tempo, questo post sarà solo in inglese – volevo farlo uscire quanto prima, ma non sono riuscita a farlo bilingue, sorry! ****

Two weeks ago around midnight, my friend which is eight month pregnant, instead of resting as she would probably need, was surfing on internet, and she found an amazing event. Just because she doesn’t have time, in between work, all events she organizes, friends visiting, etc etc and not last her considerable belly, she wrote me, and starting the email with “please tell me that you don’t have time, that you are just about to leave for a month to China…” she told me about the project and how amazing would have been to organize it… then, as I am at least as crazy as her, and I don’t have time, and I should concentrate on my PhD, I found the idea really wonderful, so we decided to do it! And here the result

About the project and the event we organized:

“What does knitting have to do with urban? And with L’Aquila, a nice city in Italy whose historical centre was devasted by an earthquake three years ago?

Come next Wednesday 14/03 to the Blomqvists Espresso Bar (Rue Francart 14 – place Saint Boniface) from 18h to 21h30 and you will find out!

La Vita è Belga will meet with the Stitch ‘n Bitch group of Brussels for an alternative evening, to participate in the project: “Mettiamoci una pezza”. In practice, we will knit all together some coloured squares to send to L’Aquila, where squares received from all over the world will be sewn together and used to cover the entire city centre under a soft woolly layer, to make people aware of the fact that very little has been done to rebuild the city after the earthquake.

If you don’t know the group yet, you can discover theStitch ‘n Bitch concept: knitting and chatting in a nice friendly atmosphere!

If you don’t know how to knit and you would like to learn a bit, come and we will teach you! Some yarn balls and needles will be provided, but if you have some bring them.

And even if knitting is not really your thing, just come and have a drink with us, enjoy the nice bar of Vitalba (she’s a great cooker!) and discover more about this submerged but really active world: you will never look at a sweater with the same eyes…”

And the result:

We were a lot!!! This event put together a lot of people, really concentrated in making their squares, and chatting, having a nice hot chocolate (Vitalba is amazing for this!!!) or glass of wine, a cake coming directly from Sicily… Someone learned how to knit, and I am not allowed to make it public, but some rumors say that also a guy was taken in the loop…!!!

Pictures speak more than words….

Someone was really motivated and made some (many!!) squares at home. Last Sunday I collected all of them, and I was really impressed how many they are, made in only 4 days!!! Just have a look (to take the picture we had to move the table in the living room, we didn’t have enough free space on the floor!!!):

On Monday I sent them to L’Aquila, and now we just hope that newspapers and tv news will speak about this project, and even more important that something really concrete will be done soon to give to the historical center of L’Aquila a new life.

For the moment, a BIG BIG THANKS TO ALL PARTICIPANTS, organizers, bar tenders, knitters and supporters, YOU ARE WONDERFUL WOMEN!!!

Ps or small note on urban knitting:

Every time I saw pictures of urban knitting I thought: nice to see but what a waste of time and yarn, better to knit for people than for trees etc… first rain and everything is wet and has to be thrown away… if you want to do something nice, knit for some projects that help kids in hospital, homeless, etc… but this time the urban knitting had a final purpose, so I was really really happy to participate

Spring & Projects

Sembra che finalmente anche qui al nord la primavera inizi timidamente a fare capolino… Dopo essermi scaldata il weekend appena passato a Londra, perchè incredibilmente Londra è più calda di Bruxelles, oggi il sole belga ci ha regalato la sua presenza, anche se devo dire non è ancora troppo convinto che il suo momento sia arrivato… Coraggio, non aver paura, vieni fuori in tutto il tuo splendore!

It seems that the spring finally decided to come out also here in the north, even if shyly…. After some nice warm in London during last weekend, because yes, London is warmer than Brussels, today the Belgian sun showed himself, even if I think he is not completely convinced that it’s his time yet… Cheer up! Don’t be afraid and show yourself in all your brightness!

In ogni caso non emozionamoci ancora troppo, anche perchè questa era la vista dalla mia finestra dell’ufficio soltanto lunedì scorso!

Anyway, don’t be so excited, as only last Monday this was the view from my office!

Comunque la primavera, oltre alla sua buona dose di “fiacca” e di voglia di dormire e di non fare niente (leggi non lavorare davanti al pc ma fare a maglia tutto il giorno, magari in un parco e con una buona bibita fresca…), porta con se anche la voglia di abbandonare lane ed affini, per prendere in mano cotone, seta, lino e fare una bella stola aerata, un bel coprispalle in colori pastello o una maglia larga, comoda, rossa sfumata arancione… immaginando di poterli indossare in riva al mare, con nella borsa l’asciugamano, la crema solare, un libro e il lettore mp3, oppure guardando il tramonto in infradito fantasticando di luoghi lontani e avventurosi….

STOP STOP – terra chiama Alessia – terra chiama Alessia! Ecco, torniamo con i piedi perterra! Nulla mi vieta però di abbandonare temporaneamente una sciarpa ehmm iniziata a Novembre, morbida morbida, ma lunga lunga lunga (perchè le sciarpe sono così lunghe???) per un simpatico ragazzo (tanto fino a Novembre prossimo non potrebbe usarla vero??) e riprendere in mano il mio Oceano Rosso, ehmm, anche lui iniziato parecchio tempo fa e abbandonato quando mi ero accorta che non l’avrei mai finito in tempo per usarlo prima del freddo… avrò per caso la tendenza a lasciare i lavori a metà??? NOOOOO, solo un’impressione Lo schema è molto semplice, un grande rettangolo con degli inserti traforati, e poi le cuciture gli daranno la forma (speriamo!). Ecco l’inizio, bello il colore cosa ne dite??? E speriamo quest’anno di finirlo in tempo per sfoggiarlo! Ah si, per lavorare meglio con i ferri circolari, indispensabili in questo progetto data la grande quantità di punti per ferro, ho deciso di imparare a lavorare con la tecnica continentale… chissà cosa ne uscirà! Vi aggiornerò sui miei progressi…

However, the spring, with her good quantity of tiredness and feeling of nothing (read as not working in front of a pc but knitting all day long, lied down on the grass with a nice drink…) brings the willing of giving up all projects with wool and co and starting with cotton, silk, linen, for an airy shawl, or a pastel cardigan, or a large top, comfortable, in red with orange gradations… thinking of wearing them on the sea side, with a towel, sunscreen, book and mp3 in the bag, or looking at the sunset in flip-flop dreaming at faraway and adventurous countries…

STOP STOP – hearth calls Alessia – hearth calls Alessia! Come back here! But nothing forbids me to temporary give up on the soft scarf ehmmm started in November, but long long veeeery long for a nice guy (why are scarves sooo loooong??) – in any case he couldn’t use it until next November, is it true?? – to start again with my Red Ocean, ehmm, started also long time ago and abandoned when I realized that I would never have finished it in time before the cold season… Do I have a tendency of not finishing projects??? NOOOO, only an impression The pattern is really simple,a big rectangle with some  open-work, and then the sewings will give it the shape (I hope!). Here the beginning, the color is nice, isn’t it?? I hope this time to finish it in time to wear it! Oh yes, to knit more easily with  circular needles, essential in this project for the great number of stitches per row, I decided to learn the continental technique… We will see how it works! I will keep you updated…

A sunny day in Brussels!

Più o meno un mese fa si è creata la situazione ideale: una cara amica in visita il weekend, venuta da Lille per aiutarmi a traslocare, il trasloco a buon punto già il sabato, e una domenica mattina di sole e relativamente caldo, ed è tutto dire per gennaio a Bruxelles! Quindi quale migliore occasione per uscire e fare le modelle con le ultime creazioni a maglia??? Appunto, armate della macchina fotografica semi-professionale presa in prestito da un caro ragazzo, ci siamo dirette a Porte de Halle, l’ultima porta delle vecchie mura che circondavano Bruxelles ancora in piedi. Ed ecco il risultato!

About a month ago, the ideal situation sudddently appeared: a really good friend visiting for a weekend, coming from Lille to help me with my moving, the moving itself at a good point already on Saturday, and a sunny and not so chilly Sunday morning, which is absolutely not to miss in Brussels in January! Then, what could we ask more to be models for my recent knitting creation??? So, with a semi-professional camera nicely offered from a nice guy, we went to Porte de Halle, the last door of the old walls of Brussels that is still existing. And here the result!

                              

Il tutto si è concluso degnamente con un buonissimo pranzo a base di Bagels (delle specie di panini) con ingredienti freschi e biologici, in un simpaticissimo ristorantino molto molto accogliente … Au pays des merveilles! (e guarda caso la proprietaria si chiama Alice). Se passate per Bruxelles merita proprio!

Everything finished really well with a nice lunch with fresh and organic Bagels, in a cosy small restaurant … Au pays des merveilles! (and what a coincidence the owner is called Alice). If you are in Brussels it’s worth to go, only 2 minutes from Parvis de Saint-Gilles!

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Qualche dettaglio sugli schemi:

- I due colli sono molto semplici, ho inventato io lo schema, sono lavorati in tondo con un bordo sotto e sopra a coste, e la parte centrale a trecce. Rende molto bene il filato, pura lana merinos abbastanza grossa, con dei colori stupendi. Maggiori dettagli qui.

- La sciarpa azzurra è fatta a sale e pepe (grana di riso), trovo spiritoso il risultato in quanto è una sciarpa molto grossa e brillante. Avevo fatto anche il cappello, ma ehmmm … era venuto un po’ “storto” e mi sono ripromessa di disfarlo e rifarlo, ormai due anni fa… mah, prima o poi!

- Il cappello viola invece è uno schema di Unite contro il cancro (questo!) e lo trovo stupendo!!! Approfitto per pubblicizzare il progetto, una raccolta di schemi in un libro in vendita, il cui ricavato va interamente alla ricerca contro il cancro. Oltre al buon proposito del progetto, gli schemi sono davvero belli, non troppo difficili, tutti donati da knitter di tutta Italia e testati da altre volontarie! Dateci un’occhiata

Some details on the patterns:

- The two cowls are very simple, I invented the pattern. Both of them are worked in the round, with a rib edge above and below, and the central part with cables. The yarn is excellent, 100% merinos wool fairly wide, in wonderful colors. More details here.

- The blue scarf is worked in moss stitch. I found the result quite funny, as the scarf is very thick and shiny. I made also a hat, but well… the shape was a bit strange, so I decided to make it again, about two years ago …  maybe one day!

- The purple hat is made from a pattern from Unite contro il cancro (together against cancer) (this one!) and I think it’s wonderful!!! I take the chance to speak about this project: it’s a book of patterns, and all money made from the sale are for the research against cancer. As well as the good purpose of the project, the patterns are beautiful, not so difficult, given from knitters from all Italy and tested by other volonteers. Unfortunately for the moment the patterns are all in Italian. But still, in the blog there is also something in English, so have a look and maybe one day… either the pattern will also be in English or you can always learn Italian, it’s also good for holidays and good food

Hello world!

**** English version below****

Eccoci qui! Primo post

Beh, mi presento un po’… Triestina di nascita, dopo esser partita per l’Erasmus, non mi sono più riuscita a fermare, troppo bello incontrare nuova gente e confrontarsi con altre culture! Quindi, Erasmus in Svizzera, a Losanna, un anno a Trieste per finire gli esami, e appena un professore ha proposto una tesi di laurea a Bruxelles come dire di no?? E poi è proprio nello spirito dei triestini essere vagabondi (se ci fate attenzione ne incontrate ovunque). Ed eccomi qui, da quasi tre anni trasferita in questa strabiliante città, dove in una sola sera incontri persone dei 5 continenti e alla stessa tavola si parlano in contemporanea almeno 5 lingue diverse. E se ad esempio un ragazzo italiano ha la fidanzata francese, in che lingua si parleranno? In spagnolo, ovvio no! La tesi di laura è diventata poi un dottorato di ricerca in matematica/informatica, quindi sembra proprio che non riesca ad uscire dall’università. Devo dire che ogni tanto è dura spiegare cosa faccio, ricerca ok, ma cosa cerchi esattamente?? Soprattutto a mia nonna, quando mi chiede “ma devi studiare tanto?”. Quindi lasciamo perdere il dottorato, che alla fine non è così divertente raccontare cosa faccio! Piuttosto il blog sarà di maglia e un po’ di uncinetto, la mia passione che ruba quasi tutto il tempo libero (dopo la ricerca, la pallavolo, le birrette belghe con gli amici,cucinare,  viaggiare, leggere, insomma mai un momento libero – forse per questo la mia produzione è così lenta…) intriso ovviamente di quello che mi succede intorno e vedrete, di cose bizzarre ne accadono qui Per oggi basta, che cerco di scoprire come rendere carino il blog, a presto su questi schermi con qualcosa di più concreto!

ps: essendo una ingegnera gestionale matematica, scrivere non è il mio forte, spero di migliorare lo stile con il tempo, spero avrete pazienza

Here we are, first post!

Well, I introduce my self a bit… Originally from Trieste, Italy, after my Erasmus year I couldn’t stop going around, I like to much meeting people and relation with other cultures! So, Erasmus in Switzerland, Lausanne, a year in Trieste to finish exams, and when a professor proposed to carry out the master’s thesis in Brussels, how to say no?? And also, people from Trieste (Triestini!) are vagabond in the spirit (you can meet a lot of them everywhere!!). Then, here I am, almost three years in this wonderful city, where in one single evening you meet people from the 5 continents, and at the same table at least 5 languages are spoken at the same time. If for example an Italian guy has a French girlfriend, what do they speak to each other? Spanish, obvious! The master’s thesis became a PhD in mathematics/computer science, it seams I cannot leave university. But sometimes it is difficult to explain what I am doing, research ok, what are you researching?? Especially to my grand-mother, when she asks me “do you have to study a lot?”. So we just forget about what I am doing, finally it’s also a bit boring to explain! The blog will be about knitting and crocheting, my passion that takes almost all my free time (after research, volleyball, having a Belgian beer with friends, cooking, traveling, reading, well, I am always busy – maybe this is the reason my knitting production is so slow…), obviously mixed with what happens around, and you will see, there are strange things here Enough for today, I need to discover how to make the blog prettier, soon on these screens with something more concrete!

ps: I am an engineer and mathematicians, so writing is not my best skills (and my English not so perfect…), I hope time will help to improve my style