Honey, I shrank the bag!

This is a sweet little tin button, from Norway originally. It was on my very first second-hand buy, a hand knitted cardigan a la Setesdal. I was 16, on my own in the b-i-g city of Göteborg (not big at all...) and I had seen the film Annie Hall... I don't know why, but I believed a sweater like that one would complete the style. I loved the sweater but all that remain are the buttons.

I knitted a really big bag......put it in the washing machine and out came this tiny little purse. With a cute button, at least. But it's too small.

Two successful projects

Olle's definition of sudoku "you fill in the numbers real fast and it's super easy". He has heard members of the family swear over sudokus several times. If you didn't know, there are 81 squares in one sudoku. Not 82. Strange thing, he cracked the reading code (honestly, there was a popping sound) a couple of weeks ago. The day after he started counting. Everything. So now he counts the number of words he reads in one page.

Second project. My slippers. In the mossy olive green I love. Sooo easy to make, took me two days - and 45 minutes in the washing machine. They look as if they turned out in different shapes but that's just a mirage/trompe l'oeil/coincidence/not true. Seriously.

Pyssel - pottering

Pyssla [pi'sslah] is the word for doing all sorts of nice things without immediate usefulness. Often, if you're a working mum, it makes you feel strongly that you don't have time for a career. So much pyssel to do, so little time... Above my very pretty pair of circular needles - from Stockholm. I'm making a shawl.

A nice very Helylle kind of green...

... is my last project, slippers; first knit and then felt in the washing machine.

This is not to pyssla. I asked them, doing homework doesn't at all feel like you never wanna quit.

In case you're wondering; it's customary to bring twigs in during Lent.

Trial-and-error!

This is me in my favourite knitting position - standing in the living room. I'm mad because I've been trying to do the calender knit I mentioned in the last post. Quite simple as it seemed, it turned out to be nemesis to me. Everybody else seems to have managed so there is probably nothing wrong with the pattern. When I quit following the pattern and worked on logic I did better. I still think the idea of knitting an unknown object is amusing.

This a close-up of the brooch I'm wearing. I made it of a badge from a memory game and a pin. To me it's a Christmas tree ball but I guess there could be other interpretations. Anyway, you can see I'm a little less mad and more pleased with the outcome of my trial-and-error approach!

My kitchen window the other morning. I'm wishing for a new camera this Christmas. Not only from Santa but from pretty much anyone who asks.

The concept of western masculinity or If you knit you also love folk music...?

I've started on a knitting calender (why?? do I think the darkness of the evening hours will make them longer??) I found here. It looks weird but interesting. Sorry. I lied. I haven't really started but as soon as I finish here I will go and find some suitable yarn.


Yes, I'm having a day off. What do I do? Do I vacuum, polish floors, do the windows, bake a cake for my loved one? No.

I quote (one of) my (three) teenage daughter(s): I don't do domestic chores.

Not today, anyway.

Spinning 24-7! NB - includes an unbelieveable give-away!

See, it's spinning allright!


A few days ago, Jeanette from Handmade innocently asked me if I can spin, innocently because she just wanted to know and because she didn't know what she was starting. I answered - yes, I can spin. And started spinnning. And have been spinning ever since.

If your wool is a little dirty and not washed very well, it still contains lots of lanolin (the natural grease in wool). If you then spin in front of an open fire it gets warm and much easier to separate and spin. The wool I used was washed and dyed and actually more suited for felting, but it worked out allright, I think!

It's no coincidence that it is the spider that stings Snowwhite in the fairytale. Once bitten you either fall asleep or fall in to trance, hypnotized by the spinning spider. (Which in Swedish is called "slända" which in English means dragonfly, by the way.) Apart from the fun of having homespun yarn to knit or give away (I'll get back to that) it's a very peacegiving activity.

This is the spider with some yarn and a testknitting. You must like an uneven structure to enjoy this yarn. But if you go and buy it in a store you'll have to pay extra for that same effect...

...which is why I'm giving away a little skein of 28 grams handspun yarn in an exuberant emerald green, named by yours truly to Unstoppable Irish Green. It's not much but it's handmade by your own helylle blogger, it can be used for trimming a pair of mittens or something like that.

This is a test before the real 100th-post-give-away that's coming up extremely soon! All you do is comment and I'll draw a winner next Saturday!

Does it really work??

This is a test! If I succeded you will have a nostalgic trip back to when sweaters in no sense meant comfort and cosy - but elegance and effort...





Thanks to Eleanor and Ellie!

What's up?

A beautiful autumn day. Clear and crisp and the beginning of autumn break - if you're still inte schooling business, which I'm not anymore. At least for the time being.

I dread the coming week. All girls home from school all day, having tea with friends, making cupcakes and leaving thousands of crumbs for me to tread in when I get home from work. Grumpy? Not me. I've been here before. So I know that will also be a cupcake left for me when I get back to my senses!

This is what our humble garden looks like today.

Catching a little glimpse of the weak and soft sunlight.A little collection of our findings. We are a family of gatherers, hardly can walk the dog without bringing home sticks, leaves, chestnuts, feathers, rocks and, weel, anything that appeals to the eye no matter why. Which also explains why the porch is decorated in this manner.And this is what I try to do. Read and knit. For you non-Swedish people; see if you can find anything of Majgull Axelsson in translation, she is a talented writer with experiences from different parts of the world, but more than anything describes a typical Swedish melancholia, a bittersweet longing for something that we lost and didn't know we had. Makes sense?

Knitting is Noro blossom and will transform into a very simple shawl with time.

By the way, I've joined a choir, a church choir, and my return to choir stage will be performing Fauré's Requiem in the cathedral in Lund on nov 16th... That's no pick-nick, let me tell you.

I wasn't prepared for that kind of repertoire - was actually hoping we would start rehearsing all the Christmas hymns and songs I love - but they were all so happy I came so I can't back out now. And quite honestly, I can't resist the music!

Domedagen - eller vad tycker ni om färgen?? Judgement day - or what do you think of the colour??

I går skulle det ha varit en liten pic-knit utanför stadsbiblioteket. Jag träffade ingen annan så antingen satt vi på olika ställen eller så bedömde vi vädret olika. Jag satt ett god stund och fick ordning till sist på mitt Norogarn. Pic-knit = en liten ansprålslös picknick där man stickar mer än man fikar.
Yesterday there was supposed to have been a little pic-knit outside the city library. I didn't meet anyone else so either we sat in different places or we judged the weather differently. I sat for some time and finally got my Noro yarn sorted out. Pic-knit = a small humble pick-nick where you knit more than you eat. Japp, vänner, detta är det nya matrummet! Vårt kök är så litet att vi äter här när vi är fler än tre hemma, men dessutom spelar vi spel, gör läxor och umgås i största allmänhet här. I förgrunden skymtar datorbordet där jag sitter just nu.

Yes, friends, this is the new diningroom! Our kitchen is so small we eat here if there's more than three of us at home, besides that we play games, do homework and hang around here in general. In the front you see the computer table where i'm sitting right now.
Gula väggar, nya lampor (jag känner mig modern med dessa lampor!!). Samma barn och samma bilder. Yellow walls, new lamps (I fell modern with these lamps!!). Same kids and same pictures. Detta ska under eftermiddagen bli gardiner. Förhoppningsvis. This will be curtains during the afternoon. Hopefully.

Först var det får..

..sen blev det ull, spanns till garn och hamnade hos mig, blev liggande i härvor tills jag nystade det och la upp det på stickor och blev till något som inte fanns förut. Jag tycker det är lika fascinerande varje gång jag tänker på det. First there were sheep, they were cut and turned into wool, was spun to yarn, came to me in skeins till I cast it on and became something that wasn't before. I find it so fascinating everytime I think of it.

Tagliatelle-garnet från Köpenhamn blev en slags bolero. Inte helt nöjd med passformen men älskar färgerna.

The Tagliatelle yarn from Copenhagen became a shrug. Not so pleased with the fitting but love the colours.

Detta är en liten kofta, kort i modellen med krage i råsidengarn. This is a little cardigan, short and with raw silk in the collar. Jag håller på med ett brottarlinne i rosa mohair just nu. Jo, det är sant. Right now I'm working on a pink top in mohair, you know the model that wrestlers have on, the one that is narrow in the back? Yes, it's true, I'm thinking it'll be lovely to have on in the winter, warm but not sweaty, cool but still with a laughable twist.

WWKIP-dag

WWKIP, tog ett tag innan jag fattade vad det betyder; world wide knit in public! I lördags var vi ett gäng som samlades och hade trevligt i Malmö.

Took me a while to figure out what WWKIP means; world wide knit in public! LastSaturday we were a gang that got together for a good time in Malmö.

Olles EM-sockar är klara sedan ett par dagar, egentligen ska det broderas ett straffområde i vitt, som bollen ska föreställa gå in i, men Olle vill inte släppa strumporna ifrån sig... Helt OK för mig! These are Olle's socks for the European Championship in Football (a big thing right now, for those who don't know), there's supposed to be a penalty box embroidered in white above the ball, but Olle won't let go of the socks... Fine with me!

Ditten och datten - Bits and pieces

Detta är inte jag - det är Moa (12) i sin superfina sommarklänning som har tagit en klassisk bloggarbild. Den röda mattan har ni sett förut, tror jag, men nu får ni se ett annat hörn av vårt hem. Jag tror att ni är lika nyfikna som jag och gillar att titta in hos andra! This is not me - it's Moa (12) in her supernice summerdress, who has taken a classical blogger photo. The red carpet you have also seen before, I think, but here's a different corner of our home. I'm guessing you're as curious as I am and enjoy peeping on other people!

Nej, en vit soffa är så klart ingen hit när man har barn och hundar men ingen annan soffa är så skön att krypa upp i. No, a white sofa is no hit when you have kids and a dog but no other sofa is so cosy to cuddle up in.

Dags för en kvällskopp och en bit sockerkaka. Det är bara Moa och jag hemma. Kanske ser vi French Kiss med Meg Ryan som går på 5:an. Det verkar vara ett Meg Ryan-tema varje gång vi är ensamma hemma..? Time for a cup of tea and a piece of spongecake. It's just Moa and me at home. Maybe we'll watch French Kiss with Meg Ryan on channel 5. It seems there's a Meg Ryan-theme every time we have a girls night on our own...?

Jag håller på att samla mod att visa en morgonbild, helt ostajlad, av mig själv, för den händelse någon av er tror att jag går omkring i ett ständigt färgmatchat rus och ler mot mig själv varje gång jag går förbi en spegel. Som balans till alla de glamorösa bilder ni hittills sett kommer snart den osminkade sanningen!I'm summoning up the courage to show a morning picture of my own unstyled me, in case any of you believe I'm wandering about in colour matched bliss, smiling at myself every time I pass a mirror. To balance all the glamourous pictures you've seen of me so far, the naked truth will de here soon!

I morgon är det Sticka bland folk-dagen och jag kommer att sitta i Folkets Park och sticka på min kortkofta - inga raggsockar för tillfället! Ses vi där?

Tomorrow is knit-in-public-day and I'll be found in a park in Malmö, knitting a short cardigan - no socks for the time being! Just google knit-in-public and see if there's an event near you. Would love to see you there!

Working girl

Här ser ni den lediga Helyllekvinnan och den professionella Helyllekvinnan. Välj själv vilken ni tycker ser gladast ut och tro sen aldrig på att en bild säger mer än 1000 ord!

Here you have the Helylle woman on her day of leisure and on her working day. You pick the happiest looking one, and never again believe that a picture says more than a thousand words!

Jag glömde visa en bild på svärmors stickning - som jag fick avsluta. Vi köpte garn tillsammans förra sommaren men hon har bara låtit det underbara Norogarnet ligga... Nu är halsduken klar!




I forgot to show you a photo of my husband's mother's knitting - that I had to finish. We bought some yarn together last summer but she just left this wonderful Noro yarn. Now the scarf is ready! Please, you native English speakers; give me all the words for scarves you have and make distinctions when to use them and I shall be eternally grateful!

Jag har gjort ett halsband, ett riktigt somrigt. Jag slaktade två gamla halsband och lade till några nya pärlor! Kolla annars här, för fina halsband. Det är den skojiga, kreativa eurolush som visar några av sina egna alster.
I've made a necklace, a really summery one. I slaughtered two ols ones and added some new pearls! Also, check this out for marevellous necklaces. It's the fun, creative eurolush showing some of her own work.

Generositet 2

Foto: buddhistcenter.com

Jag är inte buddhist men jag tror stenhårt på generositet som världens räddning. Det funkar faktiskt, det finns fler givmilda typer än snåljåpar, det är min erfarenhet. Två av de generösa slaget heter Teresa och Eva. Båda har skickat mig den heta utmärkelsen Kreativ Bloggare. Jag tackar dem och sänder virtuella kramar till alla som vill ha!

I am not a buddhist but I believe firmly in generosity as mean to save the world. It actually works, in my experience there are more generous folks out there than there are misers. Two of the generous kind are Teresa and Eva. Both of whom have sent me the hot award Kreativ Bloggare. I send my thanks to them and virtual hugs to all who wants them!



copyright: Shetland museum
Båda är dessutom eminenta stickare som säkert började sticka i samma ålder som tösen här ovan.. Both are also eminent knitters who probably began knitting around the same age as the little lassie above...

Filmstärnor, utsläpp och ränder. Moviestars, discharge and stripes.

Foto: freerepublic.com

Här är han igen, Burt. I en av filmhistoriens mest berömda scener, kanske delvis för att medan de hade det så här trevligt flög japanerna in över Hawaii för att strax släppa sina bomber över Pearl Harbor. Om jag inte minns fel. Och om jag gör det så litar jag på att Jan, ni vet min förre chef - även favoritchef - kommer att rätta mig. Jan har redan haft vänligheten att mejla och berätta att flickan på bilden heter Deborah Kerr, en av de riktigt stora, hon med. Allt detta för att jag bytte till mig en trevlig knapp, se förra inlägget. Here he is again, Burt. In one of the great scenes of movie history, perhaps partly because while they where having such a good time the Japanese flew in over Hawaii to drop their bombs over Pearl Harbor in a short while. If I'm not mistaken. And if I am, I trust Jan, my previous boss, you know - also favourite boss - to correct me. He already had the courtesy to mail to tell me the name of girl in the picture, Deborah Kerr, one of the really great too. All this because I swapped a nice badge, see previous post.

Här är jag, strängt upptagen med att försöka fatta varför det tar ett hundra år att ladda ner mina egna bilder och en nanoskund att ladda ner exempelvis en bild från Google på Burt och Deborah. Vad heter det egentligen, ladda ner eller upp?

Ni ser här att dagens foträta helylle stylingtips är ljusblått nagellack från Diva. Som av en händelse matchar det broderiet på Ylvas tunika som jag lånat. Många tror att man inte får ha smink och nagellack om man anammat den helylle-foträta stilen. Inget kunde vara mer fel. Fast man måste göra så där som de som flyger, vad det nu heter, kompensera för sitt miljöbrott, det gäller i synnerhet nagellack som inte går att göra på ett miljövänligt sätt, hur man än fösöker (fast det är det nog ingen som gör, misstänker jag). Alltså köper man ekologisk mjölk, planterar ett träd, låter bilen stå så mycket man kan och låter bli att konsumera i onödan. Fast det visste ni ju. Och har fortfrande lite, lite dåligt samvete för man vet ju att det avgjort största miljöfarliga utsläppet från hushållen i Sverige idag kommer från tussar med nagellacksborttagning... Japp, jag försöker rättfärdiga mig själv på ett ganska ironiskt sätt.

Here I am, sternly occupied trying to understand why it takes one hundred years to download my own photos and a nanosecond to download for instance a photo from Google of Burt and Deborah.

You'll notice that today's helylle-foträta stylingtip is light blue nailpolish from Diva (a cheap Swedish brand). Coincidentally it matches the embroidery on Ylva's tunic which I borrowed. Many people believe they cannot use nailpolish and make-up if they embrace the helylle-foträta style. Nothing could be more wrong. But you have to do like people who fly, what's-it-called, compensate your environmental crime. This is especially true for nail polish which can't be produced in an environmental friendly or organic way, no matter how you try (not that anybody is trying, I suspect). So you buy organic milk, plant a tree, leave the car as much as you can and try not to over-consume. But you knew this. And still have a little, little bad conscience because you know that the conclusively greatest discharge from homes in Sweden today comes from little pads with nail polish-removal... Yep, I'm trying to justify myself in quite an ironic manor.

Någonstans ifrån kommer det tisdagsteman, jag vet faktiskt inte varifrån eller från vem, men jag har sett att flera av er gör något av det. Jag vill ju inte vara sämre! Dagens tema är randigt. Mina strumpor som jag håller på att sticka i Regia Cirkus. Jag håller på att bli en smula manisk med sockor, jag vet. From somewhere Tuesday themes are coming, I really don't know from where or from whom, but I've seen several of you make something out of it. I dont want to any poorer! Today's theme is stripes. These are socks I'm knitting in Regia Cirkus. I'm getting a bit manic with socks, I know.

Mitt skåp! My cupboard!

Dags igen för en utstyrselsbild. Jag har frusit hela dagen. Våren har fått ett kraftigt bakslag. Men varm om fötterna i alla fall, sockarna i Kaffe Fassettdesign är färdiga!
Time again for an outfit photo. I've been freezing all day. There's been a major set back in springtime. But my feet's been warm, the Kaffe Fassett socks are ready! I dag hann jag in på Stadsmissionen på lunchen och fyndade ett par gamla hängslen, en sidenscarf och en liten broderad ficka som jag kan sätta upp på väggen i badrummet och stoppa ner Helyllemannens alla tidningar i. En tvätt och en strykning så blir det fint som snus.

Today I made it to a local church thriftstore during my lunch hour and actually did thrift a pair of old suspenders, a silkscarf and a pocketlike thing that I'm going to put on the wall in the bath room to keep all Mr Helylle's magazines in. A wash and some ironing and it'll be as good as new. The embroidery says "magazines" in Swedish.

Den här byrån har ni ju sett på bild några gånger. Den fick vi överta när vi köpte huset för ett år sedan. Jag var inte så entusiastisk i början och tyckte inte att den passade in och att den var alldeles för stor. Flickorna övertygade mig om att behålla den och nu älskar jag den! Jag har öppnat skåpen så ni ser alla lådor. Och vad är det i lådorna då?? This cupboard you've seen a couple of times. It was passed on to house when we bought this house a year ago. I wasn't at all enthusiastic in the beginning, thinking it didn't fit in and was way too big. The girls persuaded me to keep it and now I love it. I've opened the doors so you can see all the drawers. So what's in the drawers??


Titta, olika hårfjuppar och diverse. Förlåt, detta kan omöjligt intressera er. Ingen fara, jag kan inte tänka mig att jag kan bli mer intim än så här i min blogg. Look, various hair paraphernalia (love that word). I'm sorry, this can't possibly interest you. Don't worry, I can't imagine myself being more intimate than this in my blog.


Fast jag slår vad om att ni har undrat över innehållet i kakburken på byrån, som ofta skymtat på bild. Min samling av broscher för fest, vardag och jul. Här ser ni en del av det.
But I bet you've been wondering about the content of the cookie jar on the cupboard, that you occasionally have caught a glimpse of in my photos. It's my collection of brooches for everyday use, for parties and Christmas. Here you see some of it.

Till vänster på skåpet ligger garn som jag har repat från en H&M-tröja. Kanske räcker det till en bolero. Den är en före detta polotröja i stl 164. To the left on the cupboard some yarn ravelled from an H&M sweater. It may be enough for a bolero. It used to be a turtleneck sweater in size 164cl.

Och till höger hänger (nästan) alla mina halsband på krokar. Bland annat detta med Andrew Sisters som jag har gjort själv. And to the right are (almost) all my necklaces. Among them my necklace with the Andrews Sisters that I made myself.