knittin' gin

They Grow Up So Quickly

2008-08-31T18:48:00.004-05:00

I'm ashamed to say it's been about two months since I've posted any pictures of my little girl. My how time flies when you're defending your knitting from a kitten. I can hardly believe how grown up Macy looks now.

I found a batch of pictures I took in mid-July and found these. Here she's enjoying one of her favorite pasttimes: pissing off Murphy.She's really good at it.
As far as knitting goes, I've started a new project. It's Cloud, a cardigan from Rowan's Calmer Collection. I've been wanting to make this sweater for almost a year, since I stumbled accross superstarra's on her blog. I just love that lace panel on the bottom and the nice fit that the ribbing gives it. I really like Kim's designs and eventually I'd like to make Loll and maybe Air too.

Ah yes the ribbing. Miles and miles of 2x2 ribbing. This picture was taken about a week ago and I'm now about 3/4 through the back. After my Apricot Jacket and a couple of Noro Striped Scarves I wasn't really that bothered by the prospect of miles of ribbing. I wasn't, but Cloud is starting wear on me, just a little. I'm hoping that once I get the back done (the biggest piece) it'll all seem downhill from there.

And as you can see from the photo, I'm back to my old friend Cotton Fleece. Calmer's just not fitting into the yarn budget right now, and I was just curious to see if the Cotton Fleece would work. I didn't even swatch really, I just checked the stitch count in Apricot, which is made in the same yarn with the same 2x2 ribbing around the waist and realized it was going to work. Unless I've missed something!

And the Winner Is....

2008-08-19T17:41:00.005-05:00

My Eyelet Cardigan is finally done!

It's taken way too long. I started it back in the middle of June a few weeks after we got our kitten Macy, and I guess I underestimated the effect she would have on my knitting. I've had to work around her quite a bit, waiting until she's asleep or distracted to get a few rows in here and there. She's pretty much convinced that everything, and for that matter everyone in our house is here for her entertainment. My knitting in particular seems to fascinate her though: the yarn, the needles, the sweater that (to her) looks like a tangle of yarn just waiting to be attacked. It's been quite a battle, and she's a worthy adversary, but I have emerged triumphant.

Here are the specs on the sweater:

Yarn: 4 skeins Blue Skies Alpaca Dyed Cotton in periwinkle

100% cotton

150 yds/skein

Needles: size 7

Pattern: Eyelet Cardigan from Blue Skies Alpaca

This was a pretty fun knit, kitten wrangling aside. I'm really pleased with the fit. The only changes I made were to the ribbing. After reading the comments of others who've made it, I decided I liked the idea of the ribbing matching up with the eyelet/cable pattern. I adjusted the ribbing accordingly. (Thanks Ravelry!)

I think if I make this again, I'll skip doing the cuffs on the sleeves. They're just a little too heavy for this weight yarn, especially for a summery cotton sweater. The yarn feels nice and soft, but it's loosely plied, so I'm a little concerned about how it'll hold up. We'll see.

Oh and here's another little distraction I had acouple of weeks ago. I decided at the last minute to knit a little hat for a friend's baby shower. After looking at a few sample baby hats in my LYS and checking out some hats on Ravelry, I cast on and kind of made it up as I went. I used Tahki Cotton Classic in blueberry and bright teal, size 6 needles. It's a little puckered looking at the top where I did the decreases, but overall I think it turned out okay. It just took a couple of days. I had never used Cotton Classic before and I really like it. The color selection is amazing, and you've got to love a machine washable yarn.

Mourning Again

2008-07-13T22:53:00.000-05:00

We had another loss in our household last week. My kitty Mallory hadn't been her usual self for a few days - her appetite fell off pretty rapidly, she was dehydrated, and less active than normal. When the diagnosis finally came - cancer - our vet suggested a couple of treatment options but neither one sounded very promising for a cat of her age. Mallory was twenty, possibly twenty-one years old. I knew she'd been feeling pretty crappy already, and it just didn't seem right trying to keep her going just to maybe get a few more weeks with her.

Mallory came to us as an older kitty. A friend told me about this cat who had been left to fend for herself for a few months while her owner (a mutual acquaintance) went to Key West for the winter. I think he had asked his neighbors to put a bag of food out on the porch for her once in a while, but I think that was the extent of the care she was to have. My friend and I decided to go check on her one night, box of cat food in hand. It was a cold night in November and it just took a couple shakes of the food for her to come running to us. She was so skinny and had lost a lot of her fur. It was supposed to be in the teens that night so we decided we couldn't leave her there.

So my friend and I became "cat thieves" that night. After some time in quarantine at the vet Mallory came to live with us. (The fur loss was because of a flea allergy and it grew back nicely once they were dealt with.) Mallory easily made the transition from outdoor cat to indoor cat and eventually got used to living in a household with other cats and large dogs. Almost immediately she seemed to realize she'd found a good thing. She had the sweetest personality and from the very first night wanted to snuggle next to me under the covers with her head on my pillow. She actually seemed grateful to be with us. I think she really appreciated the warm beds, the regular meals, and yes, even the occasional trip to the vet.

Mallory was about thirteen when we took her in and I was grateful for every year we had with her. I had never really considered taking in an older cat before, but she really needed us. For anyone out there who's considering adopting a cat (or a dog) please don't rule out a mature one. You could be missing out on some real gems.

Progress

2008-06-26T20:35:00.010-05:00

Progress on the knitting front, with the Eyelet Cardigan. As usual the picture's a little out of date. I've done the armhole decreases and just have a few more inches on the back. And progress on the Kitten Integration Project. This is our dog McLeod. He's a good boy, but not exactly kitty friendly. He's always viewed cats as something to be chased or pushed around. With Macy I think he's met his match.

Oh he tried to act aloof.....

but she would not be ignored.
She was a little tentative the first time she met him, but now she's just determined to play with him. She's shown bravado beyond reason. He's used to having kitties run away from him. He's not used to them running back and jumping on his head.

He has no idea what he's in for.

Blue Skies Ahead

2008-06-22T11:04:00.012-05:00

I've started another sweater, another cardigan (big surprise I'm sure!) It' the Eyelet Cardigan, a Blue Sky Alpaca pattern, and I'm actually using the yarn it calls for, Blue Sky Alpaca Dyed Cotton. The shade I picked is periwinkle, one of my favorite colors.

I've adjusted the ribbing so it will transition more neatly into the pattern stitch, an idea I got from alltangledup's version I found on Ravelry. Ooops, I just realised that I've photographed the ribbing from the wrong side. Oh well, I've gotten a lot done since this photo and I'm going to try to get more pics taken later today so I'll post those soon.

Macy (or the "little monster" as we've started calling her) is growing like a weed. She had another check up at the vet last week and gained a full pound in the first three weeks we had her - up from her original pound and a quarter. Ironically the only other pet in our household who I can trust to just hang out with her without having to supervise every second is my big dog Max. I had predicted that he would be the easy one. Max is a big sweetie and he loves cats. He's always seemed to enjoy hanging out with the kitties in our family. When he was younger and a little more mischievous he liked to put his mouth around their heads or their necks ever so gently, just to hear that irritated meow when they complained.

Fortunately Max has the patience of a saint, and doesn't mind having his foot gnawed on.

The other two cats we have, Mallory (the black kitty) and Murphy (the tortie) barely get along with each other. I took this picture of the two of them because of how unusual it is to see them together like this. Neither one of them has the slightest interest in getting to know the kitten.

McLeod, our younger German Shepherd is coming along. His first instinct with cats and other small critters is to chase. He's a bit of a bully with the other kitties, but he's never hurt them. I've been working with him a lot, first to teach him that Macy is part of our "pack" and not some little creature that happened to wander into the house. Second, I'm trying to get him used to having his tail, foot, or whatever being used as a cat toy, 'cause that's already a given. Third, I need to teach him that even if she attacks me or his daddy (DH) that's still not enough reason to do any damage to her. He's been amazingly good so far. She's been pretty merciless playing with his tail, but he could care less as long as the dog treats keep on coming!

Lace Hem Cardigan

2008-06-14T15:25:00.000-05:00

I finally finished my sweater! I actually finished it two weeks ago, but blogging and knitting time have been in short supply lately. It's very difficult to concentrate on typing when you've got a kitten attacking you or just climbing up you legs. More about her later.

First up, sweater pictures! This is the 106-3 Jacket with 3/4 Sleeves and Textured Hem in Muskat by Drops Design, but I'm just going to call it my Lace Hem Cardigan.

Yarn: 4 skeins TLC Cotton Plus Solid in Spruce

51% cotton, 49% acrylic

machine wash and dry

178 yds/skein

Needles: Size 7

Pattern: 106-3 Jacket with 3/4 Sleeves and Textured Hem

by Drops Design

available for free

Mods: Left off the bobbles, shortened the overall length a bit

This sweater is knit in one piece from the bottom up until the armholes. The lace was easy and kept things interesting. There's a bit of waist shaping for a flattering fit. Pattern was well written and I liked the results well enough to knit it again.

You may have noticed a lack of buttons in the pictures. I struck out at the first place I checked and haven't had a chance to look further. I had in mind some shell buttons with a hint of green in them, but we'll see.

And now for the reason it's taken me so long to post again. I can't believe it's been almost three weeks since this little furry bundle of distraction entered our lives. She looks so innocent, doesn't she? Heh, heh, heh.

I'd forgotten how much work a kitten can be. When we get home from work she wants to play, and eat, and play some more. And she can be pretty ferocious about it. I have so many scratches on my arms and legs I'm starting to feel like a pin cushion.

Just look at those stripes! I'm in love with those stripes! They were barely noticeable when she first arrived, but over time they've become more pronounced. Can you tell I've never had a tabby before?

What Have We Done?

2008-05-29T20:21:00.004-05:00

This was most unexpected. We had a rough year last year, losing our oldest dog and the cat we'd had the longest. My DH and I decided that since we still had two dogs and two cats that our household was plenty full enough and that our remaining pets deserved all the love and attention we could give them. We figured we'd wait until down the road when our youngest dog and cat might need new companions, since they're not exactly buddies.

Then along came this little gray fur ball.

Two days ago one of DH's co-workers found her on the way to work. She was in the highway, and by that I mean huddled on the yellow line. DH's c-w being the animal lover she is couldn't just leave her there, so she stopped and picked her up and continued on to work with her. She was looked after throughout the day, but the end of the working day approached and no one was interested in taking her home (alas, DH's c-w is more of a dog person.) DH began to realize that if he didn't step up and consult his DW (moi) that possibly the cutest kitten ever was going to wind up in the pound.

To make a long story short, she's here napping in my lap as I'm writing this. Admittedly I've had several "what the heck are we thinking?" moments. In the past I've tried to time a new pets arrival with a few days off from work to help integrate them into the pack. I'd forgotten how much care and time it takes to introduce a tiny kitten into a household that includes two large German Shepherd Dogs. We just need to make sure they understand that she's a cat (not a squirrel or bunny that's invaded the house) and that she is part of our pack. And then hope she doesn't get stepped on.

We had her checked out at the vet, and other than having fleas, she's in remarkably good shape. She weighs 20 oz. and our vet estimates her to be about five weeks old. We named her Macy. (Yeah I know, another "m" name.)

Big Furry Slug

2008-04-27T13:31:00.001-05:00

that's how my DH likes to refer to our cat Murphy...

and usually I object to this description.... but sometimes I've gotta admit....

It's not that she's fat, exactly - she's... um....sturdy. She's a Manx so she's got that compact build, with long powerful hind legs. What she lacks in grace she makes up for in strength. She's an efficient jumper and hunter. She's extremely affectionate, when she's in the mood for it, but hates being picked up.

I think Murphy and I have gotten closer over the last few months since I lost my cat Madison. Murphy used to sleep on the bed with us occasionally when it was cold out. Lately though it's been every night, and she seems to make a point of sleeping right up against me. I like to think she knows that I need her a little more now. Maybe she needs me more now too. Murph grew up around Madison and she was her closest companion.

I've been continuing to make progress on the lace edge cardi. Here's a somewhat updated photo, though I have actually done a lot more since this was taken.

I'm still hoping to finish this soon as other patterns and projects have been calling to me.

A Little Spring Knitting

2008-04-09T06:33:00.005-05:00

I'm not blogging a lot lately but I have been knitting. Since my last post I've gotten a bit done on my latest entrelac bag...and I've started a new cardigan that I'm hoping to be able to wear this spring. I figured that even if I don't finish it until the weather's too warm outside, I'll still get some use out of it at work where the AC can be a little much.
It's the "Drops jacket with 3/4 sleeves and textured hem," a free pattern available at the Drops site. The yarn I'm using is the humble (translation: cheap!) TLC Cotton Plus in Spruce. I've been meaning to give this yarn a try and so far I'm liking it. I'm actually a lot further along than this so I'll try to post some more current pictures soon.

March Madness

2008-03-16T19:42:00.007-05:00

This year "March Madness" has extra meaning for me. Usually it just means it's tournament time for college basketball. (And my UNC Tarheels just won the ACC Tournament yesterday to clinch the #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, thank you very much!!) But what you might care about is the March Madness Sale at The Yarn and Fiber Company, where they have a different line of yarn on sale every day this month! And they have free shipping! They switch their sale items every day at noon so check it out! I've been pretty good so far, but if they get to the Brown Sheep Company, all bets are off.

All of my fussing over my entrelac bag pattern last week kind of got me into the mood to do another bag. It's been months since I made a bag or felted anything, and well, I've been looking for an excuse to order some new Noro Kureyon. I'd thought about designing something new, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to test my pattern again, just to make sure it didn't have some stupid mistake in it that's going to make some poor knitter out there hate me for wasting hours of her (or his) time! Paranoid Much?That's Noro Kureyon in color #40 and Lamb's Pride in Clematis so far. I'll just figure out the other colors as I go.

While this is going to be a fun knit, I'm really itching to start on a Springier project. I've got a couple of cardigans in mind, just need to get a hold of some cotton or cotton blend yarn.

My First Pattern!

2008-03-09T15:17:00.005-05:00

I finally finished writing (and tweaking) my first pattern for one of my bags! It's knit in the round with Lamb's Pride and Noro Kureyon. These yarns do not felt at quite the same rate, but I've found that as long as you alternate the rows of Lamb's Pride with the rows of Kureyon, the smaller Lamb's Pride squares fit neatly within the larger Kureyon ones.

I tried to write this clearly enough for anyone, whether experienced with entrelac or not, but just in case there is a good tutorial here which should be helpful. The first couple of times I read an entrelac pattern I couldn't figure out how to do it. I found that I just needed to pick up the needles and do what the pattern said and it all started to make sense. I welcome any questions or comments!

Peacock Entrelac Bag

Finished Size: 12" high, 9" diameter, 28" circumference

Materials:

Noro Kureyon (NK): 3 skeins in color #147
Lamb’s Pride Worsted: 1 skein each
Blue Heirloom - A
Kiwi – B
Jaded Dreams – C
Blue Flannel – D
(You should use whatever colors please you! The second time I made this bag I used Noro Kureyon in color #102 and only three shades of Lamb’s Pride with it.)

Size 11 circular needles
Size 10 circular needles
Size 10 double point needles
Large Tapestry Needle
Approximately ½ yard fabric for lining, if desired.

ssk – slip both st knit-wise, knit these 2 together
sssk – slip all st knit-wise, knit these 3 together

Cast on 96 st with A on size 11 needles. Place marker, join, and switch to size 10 circ needles
Row 1-2: purl
Row 3-8: *k2 with A, p2 with NK, repeat from *.
Row 9-10: k with A
Row 11-13: *k4, yo, k2t, k2, repeat from * all the way around. Yo’s are where the holes
for the handles will be later.
Row 14: knit

Begin base triangles (still working w/A), working one triangle at a time as follows:
*Row 1: k2, turn work
Row 2 and all wrong side rows: purl back to end of triangle being worked (number of purl stitches should equal number of knit stitches in each previous row.)
Row 3: k3
Row 5: k4
Row 7: k5
Row 9: k6
Row 11: k7
Row 13: k8
Do not turn. First triangle is complete so repeat from* until 12 triangles are formed. Each triangle should have 8 st at its base so everything should come out nice and even.

Now for the fun part!
First Row of Squares** is worked with NK. Turn work to wrong side.
*Pick up purl-wise 8 st down along first triangle, spacing st as evenly as possible. (This will feel very awkward, especially the first st, but go with it. The first square on each tier is always the hardest.)
Slip last picked up st to left needle, p2t, turn. Work square as follows:

Row 1 and all odd (right side) rows: k8, turn
Row 2: p7, p2t
Row 4: p7, p3t
Row 6: p7, p2t
Row 8: p7, p3t
Row10: p7, p2t

(Note: Each time you p2t or p3t you are purling one stitch of the current color you are knitting with one or two stitches of the last row of base triangles worked, effectively joining them on one side.)
Do not turn. First square is complete so repeat from* until 12 squares are formed. First row of squares complete.

Second Row of Squares is worked with B. Turn work to right side.
*Pick up knit-wise 8 st along first square, spacing st as evenly as possible. (Again, this will feel awkward on the first square.)
Slip last picked up st to left needle, ssk, turn. Work square as follows:

Row 1 and all odd (wrong side) rows: p8, turn
Rows 2 and 4: k7, ssk
Row 6: k7, sssk
Rows 8, 10, and 12: k7, ssk

(Note: Each time you ssk or sssk you are joining one stitch of the current color you are knitting with one or two stitches of the last row of squares worked, effectively joining them on one side.)
Do not turn. First square is complete so repeat from* until 12 squares are formed. Second row of squares complete.

Third Row of Squares is worked with NK. Turn work to wrong side.
*Pick up purlwise 8 st along first square, spacing st evenly.
Slip last picked up st to left needle, p2t, turn. Work square as follows:

Row 1 and all odd (right side) rows: k8, turn
Rows 2 and 4: p7, p2t
Row 6: p7, p3t
Rows 8, 10, and 12: p7, p2t
Do not turn. First square is complete so repeat from* until 12 squares are formed. Third row of squares complete.

Fourth Row of Squares worked same as second row of squares, but with C.

Fifth Row of Squares worked same as third.

Sixth Row of Squares worked same as second, but with D.

Seventh Row of Squares worked same as third.

Eighth Row of Squares worked same as second, but with A.

Begin Decreasing Rows. Continue alternating yarns. Color order isn’t crucial, but NK must be worked every other row of squares. Switch to double point needles when necessary.

Ninth Row of Squares worked like the third, except as follows:
Only pick up 7 st and instead of working 12 rows only work 10. In order to decrease the number of rows you just need to work in an extra p3t, so instead of one on row 6, do one on row 4 and another on row 8.

Tenth Row of Squares worked like the second, except as follows:
Pick up 6 st and only work 8 rows. To decrease the number of rows you just need to work in an extra sssk, so do one on row 2 and on row 6.

Eleventh Row of Squares worked like the third, except as follows:
Pick up 5 st and only work 6 rows. Work in extra p3t: one on row 2 and another on row
6.

Twelfth Row of Squares worked like the second, except as follows:
Pick up 4 st and only work 4 rows. Work in extra sssk: one on row 2 and another on row
4.

Thirteenth Row of Squares worked like the third, except as follows:
Pick up 3 st and slip the last picked up st to left needle, p3t, turn.
Row 1: k3, turn
Row 2: p2, p3t
Cut yarn leaving a tail of about 2 feet. Thread yarn on large needle and pick up all remaining st on needles. Pull together tightly and loop through a few times to secure. Stand back and admire the pretty star design you’ve just made!

Handles. Knit two lengths of I-cord at least 3ft long each.

Felting. Thread a cotton cord through the holes for the handles to keep them from closing up during felting. Wash bag and i-cord in a zippered pillow case in warm water. It will probably take 2-3 times through the wash, but check periodically. The Noro Kureyon will take longer to felt and its squares will stay larger, but because the yarns were alternated, they still “fit” together nicely.

Finishing. Block bag on a canister covered with a towel or on some other similar shaped item. I usually do a little tugging here and there to make sure the squares are really square. If you plan on lining (which I recommend) this is a good time to cut out your fabric for it. Cut out a circle and a rectangle to form a cylinder to fit your bag (don’t forget to cut enough for seam allowances.) When bag is dry, thread i-cord through the holes for the handle. If holes are too snug, carefully snip them open with sharp scissors. Sew in lining under the holes.

**They are really rectangles at this point but will transform into squares after felting.

Just in Time For Spring

2008-03-07T07:50:00.006-05:00

I finished my mittens a couple of days ago, but it's been too warm to wear them. The day I finished them it was in the seventies here! That's ok. I'm resigned to the idea that I may not get much if any use out of them the rest of this winter. It was nice just to have a project that I could finish in a matter of days (instead of months!)

Yarn: Manos del Uruguay in Autumn - 1 skein (with a lot to spare!)

Needles: Size 7 bamboo DPs

Pattern: Tweedy Mittens by Melissa Hills

Not Pink

2008-03-02T20:28:00.005-05:00

After spending so long on the Apricot Jacket I wanted a project I could finish quickly. Still in the mood for something wintry though... ah yes, mittens!

I've been wanting to do something with this Manos del Uruguay for the longest time. This "Autumn" colorway is not in my usual teal/blue/purple groove but I was really attracted to it when I saw it in my LYS. Nice warm colors - perfect for mittens!

I haven't made a pair of mittens since I was a kid (12 maybe?) which was a looong time ago. I had actually forgotten I even made them until my mom reminded me about them a few months ago. A horrible pink acrylic, if I remember correctly. (I'd love to see them again just to see what kind of work I did on them.) Anyway I figured it was about time to make another pair, if for no other reason than to see if I can improve on those pink ones!

Apricot Jacket Complete!

2008-02-25T19:57:00.004-05:00

The 26th! Where has my February gone? I feel like I lost a couple weeks in there somewhere because the beginning of the month brought a visit from the flu fairy, first to my husband, and then a few days later to me. We were over the worst of it after a week or so, but we both still have some residual coughing going on at night. I'm just thrilled to be feeling normal again, at least for most of my day.

While I haven't been blogging much I have been knitting. The big news is I finally finished the Apricot Jacket I've been working on (for entirely too long.) I've been having a difficult time photographing it though. It seems like every time I've had the opportunity to take pictures lately it's been overcast. I try to get some better pics soon.

The color is pretty off in the first two pics. It's really much closer to the color in the the photo of the pieces being blocked.

I'm really pleased with how this sweater turned out. It was a lot of work and the pattern was pretty much a nightmare as many knitters out there had forewarned but it was worth it. In fact I have to mention that I'm very grateful for all the tips and advice that was available on the Internet. Blogs that were especially helpful: The Lint Knitter with lots of info and I love how she rates and reviews her projects and D-Made Knitting Gallery for her chart correction that I'm sure saved me hours of frustration. I knit the larger size because of gauge issues with the Cotton Fleece, an idea I got from Night Owl Knits.

Pattern: Apricot Jacket from Rebecca #27
Yarn: Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in New Age Teal - 5 skeins*
Needles: Size 6
Modifications: Shortened sleeves and overall length

*If I'd been a little more careful and hadn't minded weaving in more ends, I could have done this sweater with 4 skeins.

This was my first time working with Cotton Fleece and I have to give it a big thumbs up. It was a little splitty, but really that would be my only complaint. At 215 yds and around $8.00 a skein it's a good buy and it comes in dozens of colors. It drapes nicely and I think the wool content (20%) will keep it from getting baggy. I can't wait to see how it wears over time!

Home Stretch

2008-01-30T22:11:00.001-05:00

Thanks to all who left such nice comments about my Peacock Bag! I've been enjoying it all the more with the lining in it. It's nice to be able to throw a knitting project in it and not have the knitting needles poking out of it!

FYI jennyslash, the fabric isn't a Liberty print (although thanks for the compliment - you must think my fabric stash is of a higher caliber than it is!) It is a Westminster/Rowan Fabric designed by Carla Miller, called (not suprisingly) Peacock Feathers. I found it at Thimble Pleasures in Carrboro.

Just a quick update on the Apricot sweater. After putting it on hold for a several weeks for Christmas knitting, it was a little hard to get back into it. I was in the middle of the first sleeve and it seemed to take me forever to finish it. Between the stupid mistakes I was making and trying to figure out just how long I wanted it to be, I was really having trouble staying motivated. When I was almost through with it I just got a bunch of safety pins and pinned the edges together so I could try it on. I really helped to see how much of the length was going to be drawn up when it was stretched around my arm. It also just looked good! Just seeing that little piece of the sweater on me really made me want to finish it. It just took a couple of days for me to get the second sleeve about half way done. Here's what it looks like.
I'm hoping I can start blocking at least some of the pieces this weekend. Can't wait for this baby to be done!

Proud as a ....

2008-01-23T23:30:00.001-05:00

I've been getting quite a bit of use out of my green/blue/teal entrelac tote bag. It's been my go-to bag for carrying my knitting projects around. I've been meaning to line it for the longest time though, and I finally got around to shopping for some fabric for it last week. What do you think? The colors are perfect and I really liked the whimsy of the peacock feathers. As I was working on it I realized I finally had a new name for this bag, something a little catchier that "Entrelac Bag #2." It's now the Peacock Entrelac Bag. It's hard to photograph the lining well, but I'm very happy with the results.
My cat Murphy is pretty happy with it too. This isn't the first time she's noticed how much it smells like her kitty pi bed.

I decided not to put a plastic canvas circle in the bottom of this bag as I did in my Sorbet Entrelac Bag. I found that I kind of liked the slouchy, unstructured nature of this bag when I was using it unlined, so maybe it's just as well that I waited to "finish" it.

New Year Update

2008-01-09T09:23:00.000-05:00

Thanks for all the birthday wishes folks! I had a very nice, low key kind of day. I spent the last couple of days of 2007 reflecting on the past year, remembering the happy times we had with the two pets we lost, and appreciating all the more the four that we still have. I am so fortunate to have my husband, my family and friends and that we all are in good health. Thanks for the well wishes for my Dad too, by the way. Turns out he had an intestinal blockage that required surgery. He spent ten days in the hospital, but he's home now and on the mend.

I've also been thinking a lot about all the people I've come across on my travels over the Internet. You all inspire me, amaze me, and just crack me up! I think of many of you as my friends now, so get used to having me around.

On to knitting news! I finally finished my husband's Christmas present (the Noro Striped Scarf) a few days ago, just in time for a bout of warm weather. It's been in the 70's the last couple of days but of course there's plenty of cold weather left in the season.

This one was made with two skeins each of Silk Garden #86 and #206. I'm even happier with the colors in this one than the first one I did. The colors in this one are a little brighter and more varied. I think what I was happiest about though is the fact that there was only one knot between the four skeins I used so I had many fewer ends to weave in.

My Apricot Sweater project was officially shelved for the little bit of Christmas knitting I did, but I'm back to working on it now. I can't help thinking I should be working on something more suitable for really cold weather though. I did a little birthday yarn shopping and found some Berroco Ultra Alpaca on sale and bought enough in a periwinkle blue for a sweater and a few various single skeins which would easily be enough for a scarf or mittens. I don't have any specific patterns in mind, so for now Apricot it is.

Birthday Wish

2007-12-30T20:07:00.000-05:00

It's my birthday today. It's been a very pleasant day, beginning with sleeping in, a leisurely breakfast of coffee and a muffin, lots of time wandering through blogland and Ravelry, a yarn purchase, and a nice dinner out with my DH. We're back home and I'm now looking forward to coffee, birthday cake, and....the Carolina game. Perhaps I haven't mentioned it before, but I'm a huge fan of the North Carolina Tarheels (the men's basketball team) and I think it was mighty nice of them to schedule a game for my birthday.

Anyway, if I could have one wish come true today, it wouldn't be a wish for world peace, or my team to win, or even for more yarn. I would make a wish for my Dad. He's been under the weather lately and more than anything I'd like for him to get well. Well I'm off. I've got some candles to blow out.

I'm Back!

2007-12-26T13:56:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it's been so long since my last post, though I should hardly be surprised. I'm enjoying my first day off in two weeks. Did I mention before that I'm in retail? Most of the year I work behind the scenes as an office manager, doing the scheduling, payroll, receiving, some buying and generally putting out fires as needed. But as Thanksgiving approaches I'm needed more and more on the sales floor as extra help. Of course I still have all my regular work to do too, so 60-70 hour work weeks are pretty much the norm for me in December. I'm not complaining (though my feet still are!) I just wanted folks to know my lack of blogging lately hasn't been due to a lack of interest, just a lack of time.

I did manage to finish the Silk Garden project I was working on, the Noro Striped Scarf which I gave to my father yesterday. It's made of two skeins each of colors #221 and #226.

This was my first project with Silk Garden and I love it except for all the knots. The knots are really aggravating. Six knots in four skeins and three of the knots joined very different colors. I made the mistake of not rewinding the the skeins into balls first, otherwise I would have been able to foresee some of these problems. I tried to avoid having very abrupt color changes and after weaving in far too many loose ends for such a simple knit, I was pleased enough with the end result to immediately start another one for my husband. I'm even happier with the colors I picked for his scarf, #206 on the left and #86 on the right.
Unfortunately this is about as far as I got on this scarf which was meant to be a Christmas present. Fortunately my hubby was quite understanding, especially when I explained I waited for him to fall asleep first every night so that I could work on it in secret. I was having trouble staying awake long enough to work on it after my long days at work. So here I am, stuck having to knit on a fun project with beautiful yarn on my first completely free day off in weeks. I think I'll go get to it right now.

Stealth Knitting

2007-11-15T19:02:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I bought four skeins of Noro Silk Garden, two of #221 (the browns and turquoise) and two of #226 (the blues, purples, and grays.) Can you guess what they're for? I would go into detail but they're for a Christmas present. Let's just say a nice man in Brooklyn inspired this project. I'm about one third of the way through and though not a great challenge it's been a very fun knit. I love watching the colors as they change and intermingle. I find that I'm eager to just get "just a few more rows" done before I put it down, and it's all the more frustrating that I have to sneak it in when I'm the only one home, or awake.

I've got pictures on Ravelry so if you're interested check them out. I'm listed as knittingin there.

Let the Holiday Knitting Begin!

2007-11-04T14:06:00.000-05:00

I've been making a bit of progress on the Apricot sweater, and this time I have a picture to prove it. That's the back, almost done and the two completed front pieces. I'm not as far along as I'd like to be. I was hoping I'd be done by now, partly so I could where it, and partly because I need to move on to Christmas knitting if I'm going to get any done in time! I've been tempted to put Apricot on hiatus. I'm feeling kind of guilty working on something for myself when I'd normally be working on gifts by now, but I'm so afraid that I won't ever get back to it if I stop. I've had a little problem with this in the past, this not finishing a sweater thing. I've got one or two (okay maybe three) bags with abandoned sweater projects, carefully tucked away in a closet where I don't have to see them unless I actively look for them. I'm absolutely determined not to let that happen again.

Still I've decided to get the ball rolling on some Christmas knitting. I joined the Holiday KAL-CAL in hopes that it would help spur me along to get more done. I started small with one of my little felted wristlets. I used the same colors of Lamb's Pride Worsted as I did in my Sorbet Entrelac Tote so this is my Sorbet Felted Wristlet. Here it is pre-felted...

and felted.

It's just big enough for a cell phone, a couple credit cards, some money, and lip balm. What else does a girl really need? When the large loop is threaded through the small one, it does a pretty nice job of holding a cell phone securely. I plan on making a few more of these for friends and co-workers.
They're a quick knit so I should be able to get a few more done.

Snakes and Snails and Puppy Dog Tales

2007-10-24T23:08:00.000-05:00

Whew! I didn't mean to be away for so long. I've had a few distractions lately, but I have been knitting. I don't have any more recent photos to show my progress on Apricot, but I've finished both front pieces and have gotten several inches of the back done.

Also really, really distracted with Ravelry. What can I say? It's fun, informative, and I'm totally inspired every time I go rambling around in there. What's not to love?

And my biggest distraction over the last few days? My dog Max (who I love more than knitting) was bitten by a snake last Friday night. And yes it was poisonous, it was a Copperhead. Fortunately my husband was watching the dogs as they had their last outing for the night. He spotted the snake, but not before Max did. Both of the dogs were in the snake's range before he could get them back in the house. At first we couldn't find any evidence that either dog had been bitten, but about half an hour later we saw that the right side of Max's face was starting to swell. We rushed him to the nearest emergency vet clinic (a thirty-five minute drive.) Max is a very stoic dog - I can count the times I've ever heard him whine on one hand, but he was obviously in a lot of pain. Copperhead snake bites don't tend to be lethal, but Max is ten and I was concerned his age would put him at a greater risk.

After what seemed like forever, the nice folks at the clinic treated him with antibiotics, something for the swelling and pain, and fluids. We didn't get home until 2 am! This is what he looked like Saturday afternoon.

You can see the puffiness on his right side and the dark spot on his right cheek is where the actual bite is. He's still not a happy camper in this photo, but he's doing much better now. The swelling's almost completely gone and he hasn't shown any signs that he's in pain anymore. As I've mentioned before Max is my dog and he is very precious to me. I'm so grateful to have a happy ending to this puppy dog tale.

Hanging Out

2007-10-10T14:54:00.000-05:00

I've only managed to knit a few inches on the other front side of Apricot over the last few days, hardly worth taking a photo. I thought instead I'd share a photo of my cat, Murphy. She's been hanging out with me most of the day.
She's got a nice view out the window from the back of this loveseat, if she works up enough energy to turn her head. Maybe later....

A Shaky Start

2007-10-06T17:47:00.000-05:00

So after almost finishing the ribbing on the back of Apricot, I decided that instead of knitting on size 7 needles, I should really be using size 6. I've almost finished one of the front panels (in the larger size) and I really liked the look and feel of it much more knit on size 6 needles. Here's what I've got so far.I've only had to frog back a few inches on this piece so far (I missed the increases since they were only described in the directions for the back.) Yeah I know I should have been paying more attention. It's not like I haven't been warned about this pattern. Well I'm off to frog the back ribbing. I've been putting it off until I was absolutely sure this time about the guage, and now I am.

A Prize for Me!

2007-09-30T14:51:00.000-05:00

So, I was just over at Knitterella's blog, checking it out as I often do 'cause of all of her wonderful, fun creations, and I just discovered that I won a sample pack of some of her stationary! I love all her work! She's a graphic designer and a knitter so her stationary isn't just beautiful, it has a knitting theme to it. She sells her stationary at her Etsy store. And just check out the crocheted flowers she whipped up to adorn her gift tags and barrettes.

As far as my knitting goes, the battle with Apricot is well underway. I'm having some guage issues. I'm concerned that my work is too loose for the yarn I'm using (Cotton Fleece.) I'm using size 7 needles which gives me the right number of stitches/inch but after a few inches of ribbing it just seems a little too loose. I decided to start on one of front panels on size 6 needles and follow the directions for the larger size. I'm also going to check out Ravelry to see if I can gain any wisdom from those who've already done this sweater. Yay for Ravelry!

Apricot Underway

2007-09-26T11:36:00.002-05:00

Just a quick post to show my start on the Apricot Jacket. This ribbing is endless, although I do plan on shortening it from what the directions call for. I'm only about 5'2" and I can see this thing being way too long if I don't make some adjustments.

Not Just a Bag Lady

2007-09-24T06:28:00.001-05:00

That's how one of my internet friends refers to me on her blogroll, as "The Bag Lady." I know I've been all about the bags so far on this blog (except for a scarf or two and one glove) but I'm here to tell you that's about to change.

I just started an actual sweater last night! I've been lusting after the Apricot Jackets I've seen all over blogland and I finally managed to gather the pattern, the yarn, and the time into one room last night and got started! I'm using Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in New Age Teal.

I have made a few sweaters before, back in the olden days before I took my long hiatus from knitting. I never seemed to have much luck with them though. Oh I made some beautiful sweaters: stranded sweaters, cabled sweaters, all kinds, but there always seemed to be something wrong with them. They were either the wrong size, or they weren't flattering, or they were too warm, or too itchy. I realize now I was picking sweaters that I wanted to knit, but not necessarily ones I wanted to wear.

I'm determined to make this one work though. Thanks to the internet, I've seen it worn on several body types and it managed to be flattering on just about all of them. Wish me luck. From what I hear (and have already noticed so far) the pattern directions are vague at best and in some cases just wrong. I'm taking it as a good sign that I'm still excited about making it!

Shiny New Toy

2007-09-19T22:08:00.001-05:00

I finally got an invite to Ravelry yesterday and that's how it feels, like I've just gotten a shiny new toy. I logged in just to poke around a bit. Woooowwww. The possibilities seem endless. I've been pretty eager to sign up for Ravelry, but in a way I'm kind of glad that it's taken this long. It's been fun just anticipating it and now that I've had to wait there's so much there already to see. I just wish I'd been taking more photos of my projects and stash while I waited. I have the day off tomorrow, so I intend to try to make up for lost time.

I finished my wristlet a few days ago, but have just gotten around to photos, editing, etc. Here it is before felting with some wristlets in the background that I made last fall. They're in various stages of completion. Only the one on the far right has been felted so far. These are just some little bags I whipped up that I figured would be great for last minute gifts. In fact I had more but some were given away for Christmas last year.

Here it is felted (along with one of the other bags.) After felting it's just about the right size for a cell phone and maybe a credit card. The large loop slips through the small one, effectively keeping a phone from falling out. I've never seen a need to line these, though of course you could.

And here it is with the purse that inspired this particular wristlet.I'll probably make some more of these this fall too, just in case.

Projectlet

2007-09-09T19:29:00.000-05:00

Sometimes you just need a little something to work on when you've just finished one Big Project and you haven't decided yet what the next one will be. Just for fun I decided to knit a little wristlet to match the stranded bag I did a few weeks ago. Instead of combining Noro Kureyon with the Lamb's Pride I just used all LP. It would have been too difficult to duplicate the color changes of the Noro, especially since scale of the wristlet is so much smaller. The colors aren't as subtle, but I think felting it will calm them down just a bit.

"Sorbet" Entrelac Tote

2007-09-06T09:20:00.001-05:00

Sorbet - that was the comment a few people made describing the colors in this bag as I worked on it. It helped to think of it that way when the temperature outside was 100+ and I had a large pile of wool in my lap. I finished this latest entrelac bag just in time for the end of the Summer KAL-CAL Purse Round-up. I posted a few pics there, but I haven't had a chance to write about the details until now.

I decided that I wanted to stabilize the bottom of the bag with plastic canvas. Fortunately Darice makes their plastic canvas in round shapes that are easily cut down to smaller circles, although the 9 1/2" size I bought was already just about the perfect size. (Actually it was labeled 9 1/2" but it was really 9 1/4.") I tacked it down inside the bottom of the bag, being careful not to let the thread show through to the outside.

I found a really fun, bright Kaffe Fassett fabric for lining the bag at a local quilting store. It was an easy job to
line this bag, but difficult to photograph the lining in the bag since it's not very structured.
I really needed to have items in the bag to have it stand up and photograph at all well.
Materials used:

Lamb's Pride Worsted in Orange You Glad - 1 skein
Lamb's Pride Worsted in Lotus Pink - skein
Lamb's Pride Worsted in Supreme Purple - skein
Noro Kureyon in Color #102 - 3 skeins

Needles:

Size 11 Denise Needles
Size 10 Denise Needles
Size 10 Bamboo DPs

Pattern:

My design

Pre-felting Measurements:

Circumference: 35"
Height: 19"

After Felting:

Circumference: 29"
Height: 17" (This is the measurement taken from the center of the bottom of the bag to the top. The bag actually stands about 12" high.)

Goodbye Madison

2007-09-03T17:49:00.000-05:00

My heart is broken. My cat Madison, who I just talked about here a couple of weeks ago, is gone. She had health problems (diabetes, kidney disease, hyperthyroidism) but we had been managing them well with proper diet and medications. I noticed a couple of weeks ago that her appetite had begun to decrease and she seemed to have no energy.

We took her to the vet a few times that week and we assumed that an infection was interfering with her insulin. We hoped that a course of antibiotics would straighten everything out, but her health continued to decline. It happened slowly at first and then more rapidly as the week went on. I won't go into a lot of detail because it's already everything I can do to keep from bawling again now. Suffice it to say I was with her at the end and I think she was comforted to have me there.

I've had a few days now to get used to her being gone but I'm still reeling at how quickly her health deteriorated. I didn't really have a chance to adjust to the idea that she wasn't going to get better. I still catch myself looking for her in her favorite spots, but then I remember.

I suppose it's so difficult for me because she was such a strong presence in our household. From the time we got her as a tiny kitten, she was hell on wheels. She was fearless and quickly decided that our dog (though many times her size) was her plaything. A few years later, when we brought home our first German Shepherd puppy, she seemed appalled that he didn't have a proper respect for cats. She set about correcting that immediately. She made it her job to "break in" Morgan and a couple of years after that, Max. She made sure they knew what cat claws felt like from the get go and they learned to avoid pissing her off.
As I've said before, she was not exactly the sweetest of cats. You were rewarded with her company when she was in the mood for it. One of her favorite things to do was to curl up in my lap, allow me to pet her, and then after one stroke too many (a number known only to her) she would reach over and bite my hand. I'm pretty sure she did this solely to see the surprised look on my face or to hear me yelp. This among other things earned her the nickname "Attitude Kitty."

I think maybe I loved her all the more because of her prickly personality. She was very independent, never liked to be picked up or held, so when she came to me for attention it meant that much more (and she didn't always bite.) In the last couple of years she started spending more time with my husband and me, actually preferring our laps to most of her old haunts. She seemed to know that she needed us more. I miss her so much. I can still hardly believe I'll never see her again.

Entrelac Tote Progress

2007-08-25T18:16:00.001-05:00

There's only about a week left to submit bags for the Summer KAL-CAL Purse Round-up and it'll be all I can do to get this bag finished in time. I've gotten a lot done in the last couple of days because I've been off work. It's been a fun project, but I'd forgotten how long an entrelac bag can take. Just a couple more tiers of squares and I can start decreasing for the bottom of the bag and things will move along quickly then.

Cooling Off

2007-08-18T18:30:00.001-05:00

It was only in the eighties here today, and just as the weather has cooled off so have the colors in my bag. At first I wasn't sure about the lavender, but it's grown on me and it seems to tie in with the blue shades pretty well. Actually I just checked the label and it's LP's "Supreme Purple" but it's a very light purple. Now for another tier of the Noro Kureyon, always the more fun yarn to work with. And now for the gratuitous cat picture....

My photography skills have improved enough that I've been able to take a picture of one of my black cats without it looking like a featureless black blob. This is my cat, Madison whose baby picture I've posted before. She was a Christmas present from my (soon to be) husband back in 1991, so we've had her longer than anyone else in our menagerie. She is quite precious to me. In the last couple of years she's had some health issues: kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, and diabetes. We're managing all with diet and medication. And yes, my husband and I have been giving her insulin shots twice a day for the last several months. I used to be squeamish about such things, but in addition to the shots, I've learned to give subcutaneous fluids, and changed enough bandages on my pets that I could probably be a vet tech by now.

Anyway, she's in pretty good shape considering all she's gone through. She's never been what I would call a sweet cat, but I think lately she's grown to appreciate and even love me. I've always adored her, you just have to admire a cat that can intimidate a 95 lb German Shepherd or two.

Summer Heat

2007-08-09T17:13:00.001-05:00

I've made some progress on my entrelac bag. I love these colors, but I'm beginning to question my choice of such warm colors - the temperatures here topped 100 for the third day in a row. Fortunately the weatherman's predicting a cold snap (90 degrees) for the weekend, so I'm sure I'll feel better about it soon.I'm making (or rather re-making) the first entrelac bag I designed. It's not exactly a quick knit, but it sure is a lot of fun. I'm knitting it in Lamb's Pride Worsted and Noro Kureyon. Any excuse to break out the Noro Kureyon....

When in Doubt, Entrelac

2007-08-02T12:00:00.001-05:00

I love coming home from a long, hard day at work to find a new package of yarn waiting for me. Thanks to all the hard working UPS workers who made it possible for me to have this yarn in time for my day off. Yummy. I just love Noro Kureyon.
I ordered it from Yarn Market because they also had Rebecca #27, the pattern book that includes the pattern for the marvelous Apricot Jacket that I've been admiring on so many other blogs. I'm not sure when I'll have time to make it, but I was worried that the pattern may not be available forever and I didn't want to risk losing out.

The Noro will be used in another entrelac bag. I had been kicking around ideas for a new bag design but it's not quite coming together yet. Then I had a request for directions for making my Entrelac Experiment bag (catchy name, huh?) and while I thought I had taken pretty good notes, they're a far cry from being a real pattern. I realized that I'd probably have to make it again to do a good job of writing it up, so I figure I'll just use it as my next bag for the Summer KAL-CAL Purse Round-up. I pulled a few skeins of Lamb's Pride Worsted from my stash to see how they looked with the Noro.

I may not use all of them, I'll probably just decide as I go. Gotta go - I can't wait to get started!

Lickety-split

2007-07-30T18:56:00.000-05:00

I have a huge stash of beads (my last obsession before I found knitting again) and I thought it would be nice to try to use some of them in a knitting project, just to give it a try. I wanted to do a small bag and had some Louet Gems Merino (left over from another project) which seemed like a good choice.

I looked around on the internet for free patterns for beaded bags and I ran across a cute crocheted bag that seemed like a nice little starter project. Now I hadn't crocheted anything in many more years than I'd care to admit, but I've been itching to try it again after seeing so many great crocheted bags on other knitter's blogs.

I meant to take some pics of this little bag in progress, but it was done almost before I knew it. I even had to frog a few rows after going too far before doing the holes for the drawstring. This bag is t-i-n-y. I thought it would be a cute bag for carrying a cell phone and maybe a credit card, but it is really too small for either. I wish I'd put something in the picture for scale, but it's about 3" tall with a 2" diameter.

Materials used:

Louet Gems Merino in Caribbean Blue (a very small portion of a skein)

180 Size 8 triangle beads (I made the bag a little taller than the instructions so I needed the 20 extra beads)

Size C Susan Bates crochet hook

1 yd matching rat tail cord

Fini

2007-07-22T11:48:00.000-05:00

Ahh, where has the last week gone? I finally had a chance to finish the small stranded bag I've been working on for the Purse Round-up KAL. I finally decided that I just wanted a long simple strap, but I had to come to terms with what was rapidly becoming my nemesis: I-cord. I don't know about you, but it drives me nuts when what seems like nice strong handles stretch out so much over time. I've even made handles that were really a little too short for a bag, knowing that eventually they'd stretch out and be about right in time. And I knew that the longer the handle style the worse the problem would be.

Well I think I've come up with a good solution for my I-cord woes. I started thinking - if plastic canvas can be used to reinforce the body of the bag - why not the handles? I had already knit a couple of feet of I-cord and I thought it might be difficult to get a strip of plastic canvas through it, but to my surprise it was actually pretty easy. I didn't try to get too wide a piece of canvas through the cord, partly because I figured it would be too difficult and partly because I wanted to allow for the yarn to shrink around it. I had to sew together three lengths of the canvas strips to make it long enough and still have a few inches left to stick out on each end. I made sure the cord was loose on it (no stitches stretched out too much) and went about felting it. After one wash one of the ends had actually worked its way up into the I-cord. I was surprised - I had assumed the cord would shrink away from the ends. It was easy enough to retrieve and I readjusted the cord on the canvas and washed it again.

Then I started on the plastic canvas and lining. I like to take a few measurements and fit the individual pieces in the bag before I start assembling. Usually I start with pieces that are a little too large and I gradually cut them down to size until they work. You can see how I angled the corners of the bottom piece (the piece sticking out on the right) to conform to the bottom of the bag.

Here's a view inside the bag with my plastic canvas "box" in place. You might notice that the sides of the box don't extend all the way down the bag. I had been planning on not doing side reinforcements at all at first. Then when I decided to attach the handles on the sides, well I had to have some extra reinforcement for them. I think the pieces I used will provide plenty of strength for the handles and I saved myself the touble of having to fit (and sew) the side pieces all the way down to the bottom.

Then I cut my lining pieces to more or less fit the canvas box. I assembled the lining by machine, but sewed it into the bag by hand. Each stitch goes through the lining, the top row of the plastic canvas, and then the bag itself. The canvas actually helps keep my stitches nice and even, since I'm making one stitch through every top hole. With the lining I made a couple of tabs for rectangular shaped rings for attaching the handles. I think it gives it a nice finished look.

I got some sewing thread to match the handles and made sure I stitched through the I-cord and the plastic canvas securely. And now for the first time ever, I have knit handles that do not stretch!!

Materials used:

Lamb's Pride Worsted - Amethyst, Aztec Turquoise, Red Baron, Blue Boy, and Autumn Harvest (1 skein each - in very small amounts of each!)
Noro Kureyon - #182 (most of 1 skein)

Needles

Size 10 Denise Needles
Size 10 Bamboo DP's

Pattern: My design

Finished measurements:

Height - 8"

Width - 10"

Depth - 2"

Handle - 37"

Living Dangerously

2007-07-11T10:36:00.000-05:00

I'm almost done with the little stranded bag I'm knitting for the Purse Round-up KAL I joined. I knit the bag in Noro Kureyon and various shades of Lamb's Pride that seemed to work with it. (I'll list color details when I'm completely done.) And yes, I knew I was taking a bit of a risk mixing these two yarns in a bag I was going to felt. I know that there rate of felting is different after making my entrelac bag mixing the two, but I still liked the results I got with them. I think the main reason it worked with that bag is because I was alternating the yarns on every row of squares, so the small rows of LP were tucked between the larger rows of Kureyon. I wasn't sure what to expect when I stranded the two yarns together though. And here's where a more logical person might think "swatch" but of course I instead just jumped right in and started knitting a bag. I just had a hunch it would work. Here's the bag before felting (and now I'm kicking myself because I forgot to measure it.)

See how the top band is kind of
curling out? I took some sewing thread
and basted the bands shut at the top
so it would keep its shape during the
felting process.

I checked the bag after one washing
and was surprised to see that it was
pretty much done! I've done quite a
lot of felting and I think everything
else I've done has taken at least two
full trips through the washing machine.
Oh I probably could have run it through again but I like the way the yarns look together at this point and I didn't want to push my luck.

Here it is blocking on an appropriate size box I found in my pantry.

I'm pretty pleased with how the yarns worked together. The stitches are a little more apparent with the Kureyon but not much. I think the LP kind of pulled the Kureyon stitches into place and tightened them up.

By the way, it's a good thing I did stop after one wash because when I snipped and pulled out the sewing thread I found that the top had begun to fuse together already. One more wash and I'd have had a real problem opening the bag at all.

I probably won't have a chance to shop for a lining until Saturday. In the meantime I'll mull over what I want to do about handles. It's funny how the little finishing details can really bog things down...I'm so ready to start another bag!

Purse Roundup

2007-07-02T18:41:00.000-05:00

I was wandering around on the web a few days ago and stumbled accross a KAL that looked too fun to pass up. It's the Summer KAL - CAL Purse Roundup, perfect for me 'cause bags are kind of my "thing" lately. The rules are fairly relaxed and participants are encouraged to knit or crochet up to four bags (to enter for prizes!) and to have fun and be as creative. I've been checking out the bags already entered and I have to say that there are some truly fun and fabulous bags there! And these women (and guys) are prolific. There's something new to see just about every day.

So I started on another bag right away. I feel like I've been in a blue/green rut lately, so I decided to make something really colorful. I also wanted to play around with a Lamb's Pride/ Noro Kureyon mix again, but this time I decided to do some stranding instead of entrelac. I sketched out some pattern possibilities on some graph paper and started knitting. This is what I've done so far.

I'm kind of wishing I'd made it a little bigger or at least wider, so the Kureyon would change colors a little more quickly, but I think it'll still be a fun little bag. When I'm through knitting I'll felt it and line it. Haven't got a clue what I'll do for handles yet - maybe some purchased ones for a change.

Scribblety Scribble

2007-06-27T20:25:00.000-05:00

I'm kind of between projects - I'm just itching to start something new, but I'm not sure what. I thought in the mean time I'd post a picture of something I made last fall. I had seen a scarf on display in my LYS and fell in love with it. I loved the simplicity of it, all in stockinette, but the combination of feather light Kidsilk Haze and chunky Colinette Point 5 really intrigued me. The weight of the Point 5 gave it such a nice drape.

Let me say right here and now - this picture does not begin to do these yarns justice. The first time I laid eyes on Point 5 I knew that someday I'd have to have some, in spite of the price. It was a little too rich for my blood the first time I saw it, but a timely gift certificate helped me get over the $22.00 price tag. So how great was it to find a project that only used one skein!

Materials used:

Colinette Point 5 in Gaugin - 1 skein

Rowan Kidsilk Haze in Trance - 1 skein (held double, pulling from each end after rewinding)

Size 17 circular needles. (You have to be able to knit off either side of the needle since you're switching yarns on alternating sides.)

It takes a little getting used to knitting on such disparate yarns. I found I really had to pay attention to what I was doing to not drop a stitch. In my wanderings on the internet I have since come to know this as a scribble scarf. I wore this scarf all winter long. It's not the softest scarf I've ever worn, but I love it and I got so many compliments on it.

I liked it so much I made another one earlier this spring. It's similar to my first one, so I decided to put it away for a possible gift for next Christmas. (You can't start too early, right?)

Materials:

Colinette Point 5 in the Jay colorway

Colinette Parisienne also in Jay. (and also held double)

Size 17 circular needles

The Parisienne is very similar to the Kidsilk and of course the colors in it are a perfect match, but it was almost too perfect. I think in the first scarf the colors in the Point 5 pop a little more against the more subdued Kidsilk. If When I make another one of these I'll make sure the Kidsilk or whatever laceweight yarn I use takes a back seat to the Point 5.

Liner Notes

2007-06-18T17:53:00.000-05:00

I finally got around to lining my entrelac tote bag. I knew I there was no chance I would use it without one. I soon realized that I wanted more than just the nice finished look a lining would give - I wanted it to have structure, to stand up on its own without the help of a box of cereal inside it! It got me to thinking though. I knew I wanted to have something stiff on the bottom, but what if I could find some material to do that and to use to make some sides as well, to make my own box?

I decided to check out the nearest Jo-Ann Fabrics since they include supplies for sewing and crafts (although I noted that their yarn selection bites.) While there I found the perfect solution - sheets of plastic canvas made by Darice. I bought a few large sheets and a couple of smaller, stiffer ones, all in the same guage (7 holes/inch) so they could easily be sewn together. I used two layers of the stiff mesh for the bottom, making it very sturdy. I cut the narrow side pieces a little wider than the bottom, so the corners flair out a bit, giving it more stability. I found it really easy to work with - I just kept trying it in the bag and making adjustments as necessary.

Once my "box" was ready I cut out the pieces for a lining, making sure it fit the box. When sewing it all together, I just made each stitch through the lining and the top of the mesh underneath it working my way around. By the way, JennySlash, I was going to go with the batik, but by the time I got back to the quilt shop it was gone. So I went with my second choice and I like how it turned out. I think the little squares are a nice whimsical touch with the entrelac.
And boy does it stand up! Empty, full - it doen't matter. I think the only thing I'd change is the way I did the handles. I think I should have found a way to fasten them directly to the mesh so they wouldn't pull on the bag as much but it would have been difficult to get the placement just right. In any case I think I'll limit how much I try to carry in it. I think I'll limit it to yarn. Yarn's not too heavy. And needles. And maybe a pattern. Stitch holders - they're really light, and a measuring tape......

This Guy Rocks

2007-06-16T07:49:00.000-05:00

I happened to catch this on Good Morning America yesterday and all I can say is, Wow! This guy blew me away. His name is Paul Potts and he appeared recently on a show called Britain's Got Talent (a British talent show, kind of like American Idol.) Stay with me now. He's singing an aria from Puccini's Turandot - you'll recognize it when you hear it. Do yourself a favor and watch this short video.

Walk This Way

2007-06-11T18:48:00.000-05:00

No knitting this last weekend. Instead my husband and I spent most of our free time the last few days on some long overdue landscaping. We decided it was high time we replaced the dirt path from the driveway to the front door with something a little nicer. We had a lot of pavers and sand left over from an earlier patio project, so once we had some decent weather and a block of time we got started. We started playing around with a layout for the pavers.

We wanted an informal look - something that would look like weathered stones. We tried to not have any kind of pattern to the layout, but the main consideration was to minimize any cutting. The "stones" are actually cement pavers, but I think they have a nice rustic look to them. They are really heavy and seemed to get even heavier by the hour. My DH was in charge of planning and prepping the area for the path and I was in charge of placing the pavers. When he was through with prep work, he kept me supplied with pavers.

It took a couple of evenings to lay them all out, and four or five hours yesterday to work pea gravel in between them to stabilize them and then a layer of coarse sand on top of that to help fill in around the gravel. (No pictures of that yet - we had a thunderstorm here this afternoon.) We're planning on adding a layer of fine sand next to finish it off.

We're pretty pleased with it so far. You know how it is though - now that this is almost done, everything else is starting to look even shabbier than it did before.

It's a Square Thing

2007-06-06T13:24:00.000-05:00

It's finally done! Well, the knitting part anyway. I thought I'd list the specs, in case anyone's interested.

Materials:

Lamb's Pride Worsted in Aztec Turquoise - 2 skeins

Lamb's Pride Worsted in Brite Blue - 1 skein

Manos del Uruguay in Caribe - 2 skeins

Needles:

Size 10 Denise Needles

Size 10 Bamboo DP's

Pattern: My design

Pre-felting dimensions:

Circumference: 46"

Height from base: 16"

Base rectangle: 4" x 14"

After felting (2x through the wash):

Circumference: 40"

Height from base: 13"

Base rectangle: 3" x 13"

As I mentioned before, this thing's really going to need a lining to give it more structure. The only reason it's standing up as well as it is in these photos is because of the box of Corn Flakes I have inside it!

I started looking around yesterday for fabrics for the lining and came home with a couple of swatches. (Of course I didn't have the bag with me when I went looking.) I thought the square motif on the one on the left was a nice play on the entrelac squares, but the colors in the batik swatch on the right were actually a little bit better. What do you think?

The Home Stretch

2007-05-31T06:29:00.000-05:00

I really appreciate the nice comments I've gotten in the last week concerning our dog Morgan. My husband and I really miss him, but we're slowly adapting to life without him. We do still have our two other dogs and three cats to keep us happily distracted.

I haven't gotten a lot of knitting done in the last week, but I did manage to felt my entrelac bag. I'm pretty happy with the way the colors work together. In case you were wondering, Lamb's Pride Worsted and Manos del Uruguay felt very nicely together. I'd say their rate of felting was pretty even. It took two trips through the washing machine to get the results I wanted.

I usually try to get the handles knit in time to felt along with the bag, but I wanted to get the bag to its final size so I could figure out the handle placement and therefore the length needed. I think I'm really going to need to line this bag. I also want to figure out something stiff to put in the bottom to help give the bag some structure. Any suggestions?

A Tribute to Morgan

2007-05-23T18:45:00.000-05:00

Our oldest dog died yesterday. Morgan was 12 years old, and although he'd been fighting kidney disease successfully for 2 1/2 years, his health declined rapidly over the last few weeks. My husband and I had to make the painful decision to have him put to sleep. It broke our hearts but it was time.

We got Morgan in March of 1995 following not one, but two break-ins of our home at the time. He was just a puppy, about eight weeks old when we brought him home. He was just about the cutest puppy I'd ever seen. I couldn't believe how quickly he grew. Within a couple of months he sounded like an adult dog - anyone coming to our front door would swear it was a full grown dog barking at them. Even as a puppy he took his "job" seriously.

Morgan grew to be a big dog. He was a couple of inches taller than the standard for German Shepherds, and weighed in at nearly 100 lbs. when he reached adulthood. He could be pretty intimidating to those who didn't know him, but then that had been the idea. He needed no training to watch over us and our house. Anyone who knows German Shepherds knows that they tend to be naturally protective and Morgan was no exception.

Almost from the begining it was clear that Morgan thought of himself as my husband's dog. Oh sure, I did my share of feeding, cleaning up after, etc. but as you might know these things are usually decided by the dog (or cat) itself. Somehow though, I ended up being the one taking him to puppy and obedience classes. I didn't mind. I guess I figured it was my way of bonding with him. Morgan was the first dog I'd ever trained and he was a handfull. He was very intelligent, strong-willed, and actually kind of a jerk as an adolescent, always testing me to see what he could get away with. The main problem I had with him was his increasing need to try to "protect" me from the other dogs in our classes. I really had to learn to assert myself with him. I learned a few things about myself working with him and yes, there was a special bond between us because of the time I spent with him.

When he was diagnosed with kidney disease we switched him to a prescription, low protein dog food that would be easier for his kidneys to handle. The lower protein levels really took a toll on his muscles. It was difficult watching him lose weight and muscle tone until it seemed he was only skin and bones. We were suprised to discover at his last yearly exam a couple of weeks ago that was down to 71 lbs.

When I think of Morgan now I will remember him as he was when he was younger; a big, tough lug of a dog who made me feel safe in my home when I didn't think that would ever be possible again. He could be intimidating to be sure, but he was quite gentle with the two puppies, the kitten, and the cat we eventully brought into our home after him. He only needed to know that they were part of our "pack." He had a long, full, and I think a happy life with us. I didn't realize until we knew we were going to lose him just how much I loved him. Now I'm crying my eyes out for him, again. We will miss him terribly. Morgan, with his nephew Max, Spring 1997

Chasing snowballs, Jan. 28, 2000.

Entrelac on Track

2007-05-18T08:36:00.000-05:00

I'm on my last row of squares on my entrelac bag. Actually they aren't really squares, they're triangles because I want to finish the bag with a straight edge. I figured out how to do the top triangles myself because I've haven't found any instructions for that sort of thing on line and I'm too cheap/lazy to look for a book that might have the information. Most entrelac bags seem to be knit top down with decreases at the bottom, making a nifty star design in the process, but I really wanted to start at the bottom to be able to try to establish the right size. We'll just have to see if that is going to work out later.

I've been playing around with entrelac anyway. I'm really intrigued by examples of "triangular" entrelac I've spotted on the web and have been determined to figure out how it's done. Again - couldn't find directions. I think I remember seeing a class offered on the west coast, but that would be inconvenient to say the least. I've been doing enough entrelac now to have a pretty good understanding of how it works, so I picked up some yarn and needles and started playing around. I'm still working out my method, but this practice piece really helped me with my bag.

I hope to finish knitting the bag this weekend. I can't wait to get it into the washing machine!

My First Glove

2007-05-09T14:14:00.000-05:00

I just finished my first knitted glove and I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. Well actually I'm not completely through with it. I still have a few loose end to weave in and I need to block it. I'm not thrilled with the way the stitches on the palm are pulled when I extend my thumb, but I suspect that that's the nature of the peasant style thumb. I'm hoping Nanette and the other members at the Glove Knitting KAL can advise me before I start on the other glove.

Meanwhile, I'm back to working on my entrelac bag. After working on the glove I feel like I'm flying on it! I don't have too far to go.

Slow Going

2007-04-30T06:19:00.000-05:00

I've had way too many distractions lately keeping me from my knitting but I've made a little progress on my glove. I have to admit my interest is waning a bit. I'm really trying to get this first glove finished by tomorrow - just in time for the first day of May (and a possible record high temp. of 90 degrees!) It's a little difficult to keep my interest up when I know I won't be getting much use out of them until November.

I did finally get the extra yarn I needed to finish my latest entrelac bag and that's what I'm really itching to work on. Maybe after I finish the first glove, I'll take a little break from them to finish the bag. After all, I started it first!

Guage Shock

2007-04-23T17:45:00.000-05:00

That's what I've been experiencing, trying to adjust to knitting on size 1 needles after using size 10's for the last several weeks. In fact I seriously doubt I've ever knit anything before with less than size five needles. I think I actually winced a little when I first picked up the needles in my LYS. (It's not like I already had this size.)

I dutifully knit up a swatch to check my guage which also served to give me a little practice with the tiny needles and yarn. Come to think of it, I can't even remember the last time I did that - knitting up a swatch. When I took up knitting again a couple of years ago, I decided to start with quick, easy projects like scarves. After a few of those I jumped right into felting. Hardly the sort of knitting that requires a guage check. But gloves - obviously I need to try to get it right.

Anyway I'm happy to be working on something that requires nice even tension. I was afraid that the projects I was working on before were allowing me to be a "sloppy" knitter. Maybe all that knitting I did, not having to worry about being so precise, really just allowed me to get the feel for knitting again after taking a break for so many years. In any case I think it's good to push myself to try new things and conquer my knitting fears. This time it's the tiny guage. Next time, who knows? Maybe a really big, involved project like a sweater. We'll see.

Yarn Shortage

2007-04-18T18:43:00.000-05:00

Now I see why most people have multiple knitting projects going. Because they don't like to sit around twiddling their thumbs when they could be knitting. And I thought I was being so "good" and showing such restraint by making myself finish a project before starting another. (We won't get into the number of unfinished items I have tucked away from my old knitting days.) But I ran out of the turquoise yarn I need for the next row of squares in my entrelac bag. I waited until I had the opportunity to get to my LYS (which has very limited hours of operation) and got another skein. In the past I've had very good luck with different dye lots of Lamb's Pride looking virtually the same, but this time my luck ran out. The Aztec Turquoise I bought was much darker, so much so that even though it would be a few inches away from the last row, I decided that it would be just too noticeable. Aargh! I quickly went on line to see about getting some more and I ended up buying some on ebay. I'm crossing my fingers.

I also decided to line up another project so I'd have something to work on right after the bag, but as it turns out I have everything I need for it, so I'll start on it tonight. "It" is a pair of gloves, and I'm pretty psyched because I've never knit gloves before and I've always wanted to. I've also joined my first KAL, the Glove Knitting KAL which seems like a very friendly, low key kind of site. There's no time limit which is great - I sure won't be needing them anytime soon!

I chose to do the gloves in Louet Gems Merino fingering weight yarn. I really like the fact that it's machine washable, and it's even supposed to be machine dryable. The color choices were great too. I'm a sucker for teals, aquas, purples, and blues.

I have to admit I find the guage somewhat daunting. I've been knitting with size 10 needles or larger for most of my felting lately and on these gloves I'll be using size 1. That's one, single digit, no numbers after it!! I hope I know what I'm doing!

Happy Easter!

2007-04-08T14:27:00.000-05:00

I love it when the bag you're working on gets big enough to hold a skein or two of the yarn you're working with.

This has been a fun project to work on, but I'm eager to finish it and move on. It's been cold here the last few days, so a large pile of wool sitting in my lap has been rather welcome. I'm in North Carolina though, so days with 80-90 degree temps will be here soon. Time to plan for a smaller project.

I just realized from a distance my bag looks kind of like a giant checkered Easter egg. Unintentional, I swear! Anyway, I hope this Easter finds you all happy, healthy, and with lots of time to knit!

My Little Max

2007-03-28T12:46:00.000-05:00

Back to the turquoise yarn again. The large paws belong to my dog, Max. He had to come see what I was up to and stayed to supervise.

Isn't he a sweetie? He wasn't too sure about having his picture taken. We used to call him Little Max when he was a young puppy, but it quickly became kind of a joke as he grew so rapidly. He is a good three or four inches taller at the shoulder than the breed standard, so "Max" turned out to be a very appropriate name for him.

We actually have three German Shepherds, but Max is the closest to being my dog. When I get home from work, he makes me feel like I'm the most important person in the world. That there will never be anyone as special as me. The other two dogs we have love me but they adore my husband. They have the (mistaken) impression that he is "alpha" in our little pack because of his larger size, deeper voice, etc. Little do they know about the subtle intricacies of human relationships. Max though, he's a very smart boy.

Making It Up As I Go

2007-03-28T11:18:00.000-05:00

I've made a bit of progress on the bag over the last few days. I decided to go with Lamb's Pride in Brite Blue for the next row of solid squares.
It's not exactly a color that's in the Manos, but I think it works well over all. I'm happy with the spring-like tone of it. I was a little concerned at first that the size might be a little too small, but now that I'm a few tiers up it seems quite generous. Of course I'll lose a lot when it's felted...but that's part of the fun (for me anyway), trying to figure out the "before" size and shape in order to get the "after" that I'm looking for. I still have to decide how tall to make it. I figured that when I got close to being done, I'd just know it. Sounds good on paper.

Just Call Me a Bag Lady

2007-03-23T20:17:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I'm deeply into my entrelac phase now. My entrelac/felting/bag phase to be more precise. I had no sooner finished the last bag when I started to realize what I really wanted was a bag I could use for toting papers to and from work but also something that would work for carrying around knitting projects. I decided to start with a rectangular base, pick up the stitches around it and work up the bag on circular needles. I figured out the number and size of the entrelac squares I would use, made a few calculations and cast on. I'm using Lamb's Pride Worsted in Aztec Turquoise for the base the bag and for the base triangles for the entrelac.

Here's where it got really fun! I've been wanting to use this Manos since I got it - I just love these colors! (The colorway is Caribe.)

So I started working on my first round of squares with it and I'm really liking it so far.
I think I'll switch to a new solid color after the Manos - I haven't quite worked that out yet...

My Knittin' History, Why I'm Bloggin', and The Obligatory Cat Picture

2007-03-18T13:14:00.000-05:00

I love to knit. I’m actually in what I like to think of as my third knitting phase in my life. The first one started when I was a kid (age 12??) and my mom first taught me to knit. I wasn’t very serious about it, although I was recently reminded of some pink mittens I had made myself. Mittens? Wow. I had completely forgotten about them. I haven’t even made another pair since! Not that I’ve finished anyway. Eventually I lost interest though, or was distracted by other interests, and I stopped.

The second phase started in my twenties when I took a job in a shop that sold fabrics and yarn. (Yeah, I know, spinsterhood here I come! – but I did eventually get married.) I was an avid seamstress, so I was very comfortable with that part of the job, but I knew I needed to relearn the knitting skills if I was going to be able to help customers. The lady who owned the shop was a wonderful knitter and a great teacher and I really value the time she spent teaching me. Before long I worked my way from scarves to sweaters. I loved it!

I probably never would have stopped if it weren’t for another really big distraction. Actually she was quite small. She was a kitten that my husband gave me for Christmas. Let’s just say that she and yarn were a really bad mix. I just adore kittens and cats for that matter, so I put my knitting away, “just for a few months” I told myself. Somehow “months” turned into years. Madison, the little hobby-killing monster I mentioned has mellowed over the years and I love her dearly. She looks so innocent here, doesn't she?

Anyway a couple of years ago I was wandering through the still fairly new AC Moore that opened in our area. (Yeah, I know, evil Wal-Mart of knitting/craft stores.) I was there to check out the bead selection (what I was into at the time) but I had to check out the whole place, ‘cause I love crafts in general and well, I was there. I got to the aisles with the yarns and knitting supplies; saw the many sample scarves, hats, etc. and felt myself getting hooked! Again!

The yarn shop where I worked had long since gone out of business, but about a year and a half ago while visiting AC Moore with a good friend we heard tell of a new local yarn shop, one that was much closer to where I live. How could it have escaped my notice?! I checked it out as soon as I had a chance and found it to be a very nice little shop with many yummy yarns. And they stock Lamb’s Pride! a yarn that I’ve been partial to since my second knitting phase.

I’ve become very interested in felting, or more accurately “fulling” since I started knitting again. Okay, maybe a little obsessed. There’s just something really fascinating to me about that transformation a piece goes through when you toss it in the washer and pull out a very different looking item after a wash or two. The Lamb’s Pride, which I already had a lot of, was perfect for this, and their color selection is hard to beat. I’ve decided to start documenting the befores and afters of the projects I’m doing, partly for fun and partly because it is useful to know how much something is going to shrink. Then I realized I have all the ingredients for a knitting blog:

knitting skills
growing yarn stash
digital camera
some semblance of computer skills
a need to show off my handiwork (to someone who will care more than my husband does)

And the great thing is my only friend who really knits lives in the next state, so this will be a good way to let her follow my projects too.

Entrelac Experiment

2007-03-09T11:53:00.000-05:00

Finally, my Noro/Lamb's Pride "experiment" is done. In the first pic it's still on the form (a cannister with a towel wrapped around it) that I used to block it. As you can see the Noro squares are definitely larger and you can still make out the individual stitches. After three times through my washing machine though I figured that the Noro's felting might never catch up with the LP, so I'm going to live with it this way.

I've actually decided that because the sizes of the squares alternate every row, it kind of works, at least for me. After taking it off the form and adding the drawstrings this is what it looks like.

And from the other side...Overall I'm fairly pleased with how it turned out. I really like the way the colors work together. I had been pretty doubtful about all the brown squares, but I think they ended up making the other colors pop that much more. I think I'd mix these yarns again in another another group of colors.

Entrelac Bag #2

2007-03-04T10:51:00.000-05:00

I enjoyed working on the Market Squares Bag so much that I wanted to try another entrelac project. I wanted to change things up a little though - a different bag design and I thought it would be fun to try a variegated yarn. As luck (or my yarn buying habit) would have it, I already had three skeins of Noro Kureyon in colorway 147 in my stash. After looking at endless pictures of other knitter's beautiful bags in Kureyon I'd been itching to try it myself. But three skeins? I had something a little larger than that in mind. I started thinking about adding a solid color, maybe in alternate tiers of squares to make the Kureyon go farther. I figured Lamb's Pride Worsted was probably close enough in gauge so I checked out my supply and found a few colors that might work. Once I got all the colors together I decided not to limit myself to just one color but to use all of them, still using the Kureyon in every other tier. I was pretty psyched to start knitting so I cast on with some Lamb's Pride in Blue Heirloom (having picked this as the dominant color in the bag) and knit away. Now you may have noticed that I haven't mentioned anything about a pattern. Well, I had some basic ideas about the size and shape I wanted, and I was pretty confident after having completed one entrelac bag, so I just decided to wing it! This is what I came up with...

I'm pretty pleased with how the colors work together - I think the Lamb's Pride helped brighten things up a bit. I love the star design you get on the bottom when you do the decreases.

Of course it was only when I was about 90% done knitting that I read on someones site about how difficult it was to get Noro to felt. Hmmmm. LP felts like a dream. Noro, not so much. (Maybe that's why I haven't noticed other felting projects using these two yarns together.) Well I was too close to the end to not finish it, but I was starting to worry a little. I guess I assumed that since I had seen soooo many felted projects made with Kureyon that it felted readily. My bad. Anyway, I'll let you know how it turns out. Probably.

The Power of the Blog

2007-02-28T18:42:00.000-05:00

So my Market Squares Bag had languished for weeks without handles being sewn on. After I posted pictures of it last week I felt a little silly for not having gotten around to it. Within a day or two I sewed them on. It's still not 100% done (no lining) but at least it's functional now. I have to credit this blog with getting my lazy ass to get it this far!

Hello!

2007-02-20T15:56:00.000-05:00

Hello out there. I've been thinking of starting a blog devoted to knitting for some time now, so here it goes!

I was re-bitten by the knitting bug a couple of years ago. I think that my interest this time around has been fueled by my wanderings on the internet. There are so many talented, creative people out there! I have been so inspired by other peoples websites and blogs, and I thought maybe, just maybe, some of my projects might be of interest to others. (I'm going to show them off anyway!)

Soon after I started knitting again my interest turned to felting. I had already been a huge fan of Lamb's Pride and already had a few skeins of it. I was pleased with how well it felted and quickly increased my stash of it. One project I've really enjoyed and am almost through with is the Market Squares bag from Bags - A Knitter's Dozen.

This was my first attempt at entrelac and it was a blast! I scaled it down a little though, reducing the number of stitches in each square. I'm kind of short and I figured the full size bag would be a little overwhelming. After a couple of trips to the washing machine it looks like this...

The handles are made up in the purple and just need to be sewn on. I was hoping to find a fun fabric for a lining but haven't seen anything that's struck me yet. If you haven't done entrelac yet give it a try - it's easier than it looks!