My (gasp!) UFO felted! IK's Floral Felted Bag

I did it! I did it!
After looking at my huge 22" square bag (pre-felted) for many months... sometimes wondering if I should just add sleeves and call it a sweater, I did the deed: I threw it in the washer. I decided that it was doing no good lying around, and that it was never going to be a sweater, so just do it.

I tried washing it in the kitchen sink, first a hot soak, then a cold soak, then back again. After about 5 times going back and forth my hands started to ache, and the bag didn't look any different, so off to the washer we went. My washer is a side loader, and locks during the wash cycle, so it is a complete act of faith to put an item in, while praying for the best... and so it was! I couldn't have been happier when I saw it come out of the washer. It was perfectly felted.

I couldn't squeeze the 1/2" dowel in, so got a 7/16" one and that worked. Brought home some wooden beads from Hobby Lobby and hubby drilled them open to fit on the dowels perfectly. It's so nice! It took over 3 days to dry because of all the knitting: A double bottom to hold in a sheet of stiffening fabric or plastic canvas; a divider that could have been made a little smaller than the width of the purse, so it would pull in better; and a side pocket to keep items handy. I am happy with this project. I made a mental note to face felting fears in more of a timely manner...


Floral Felted Bag after



Before felting

My Pink Flamingos

My flamingos



Flamingo on Patrol


Flamingos on Patrol II 
After slowly turning into albino flaminos over the sunny summers, I got some spray paint and went at it. It was so worth it, they look great! Here they have just received their protective UV coat which makes them shiney. Now they are patroling the side garden by the fence, lookin' good.

See I do a few other things than knit...

Future Summer Top Project

Yes, I know it was naughty, but (again) I could not help myself when I read Threadbear's (website http://www.threadbearfiberarts.com/) weekly email that they had bought up all of the existing stock of Marissa yarn which has now been discontinued. Manufactured in Peru; 70% Pima Cotton, 30% Silk, this is a WOW yarn, and I am delighted to have obtained 11 skeins (the necessary amount to make the Summer Cardigan top) at a mere $4.50/skein in my favorite shade, lavender.

The pattern is from Interweave Knits Summer 1997 issue, on page 22. I have had this is my "to-do" list, and now will be able to. Yeaaaa!


Lovely Marissa yarn by Adrienne Vittadini Yarns



IK's Summer Caridgan by Mary Spanos

Temptation Strikes Again!

Beautiful Beaded Bags by Dorothy Wood



The Crochet Shopper pg 74

Hobby Lobby had a 50% sale on all their beads, so I succumbed to buying the book, "Beautiful Beaded Bags" by Dorothy Wood. I had been drooling over the cover picture, Luxury Lattice Purse, but with its bead requirements of over 400 crystal faceted beads, I just couldn't do it. But with 50% off, well, that is a different story... I then was lured to the Crochet Shopper. Using Aunt Lydia's "Shimmer" Fashion yarn @ $4.94/ball in a blue shade, and turquoise plastic pony beads from Val-U Beads (300 for $2.00), I was able to start on it right away while waiting for the 400 crystal beads to come in on rain check order.

What a lovely delight, to crochet beaded squares. I am doing this on my lunch/break at work. It is going so fast. I am on my third ball, and so am almost halfway done. One ball makes 5 squares, and I need 29 for the bag.


Crochet square


So much fun, it should be illegal! Well, ok, it shouldn't ever be illegal, but I am totally having fun. I always say that I am a knitter who can crochet when I have to... I crochet lefty so sometimes patterns make me think backwards, but this one is just straightforward fun!

Color on Color Progress

Note all the I-Cords!


My Color on Color scarf progress.

I work on this scarf every night. I am now somewhere in section 14, just starting the stockinette part. Beautiful colors. Very enjoyable knitting. And how about all the I-cords? The author, Kathryn Alexander (website http://kathrynalexander.net/), must love them, because there are so many in this pattern. Oh well, I will discover love or loathing for them... as I continue. The I-cords that I have done used 2 yarns as opposed to the directions calling for using only one yarn... Yikes! I think this pattern is open to lots of personal interpretation... and I am thankful for that!

Color on Color - the scarf

The Fairisle section of the Color on Color scarf


The fairisle section closeup. There is a turning ridge in the middle; will be folded in half so that the wrong side does not show.



Closeup of the wrong side of the fairisle section. I think it looks pretty!


Color on Color scarf schematic.
Please don't be put off by this picture. It just shows the steps to be taken in a picturial view. As you can see, I have completed 1 thru 11. It feels completely challenging, yet quickly fulfilling as each section ends. I love watching the colors appear and take shape. The fabric of the yarn is soft and giving, really lovely considering this is a tapestry yarn (Paternayan).


Scarf Style edited by Pam Allen 

Is it April already?

Whew! Where does the time go!

After my Christmas knitting was done, I made the Tartlelette Poncho from Knit One Crochet Two for myself. I bought the kit from an Ebay seller. Such lovely color! The kit had 8 skeins, and I was going to run out before I finished, so I eliminated a row in the last pattern, and made it... you can't tell. That was close!


My Tartlelette Poncho

After that I knit after mindless scarves. There is so much yummy yarn at Hobby Lobby, I just couldn't help it!

Using Bernat's Denim in the Stonewash colorway, I made the Knitty's 3 Times Chic. In order to get gauge, I knitted using 2 strands held together. I am pretty sure that I don't like to knit chunky yarns. Also, I felt that the fabric was a bit stiff, but hopefully after it's washed a few times, it will soften up some. It's not stand up stiff, mostly just not soft lovely wool (the yarn is a cotton/acrylic blend).


3 Times Chic before blocked

The Knitty's 3 Times Chic done! 


Sally Mellville's Einstein, sans buttons (not sure I need them). Done using Homespun in the Corinthian colorway. 
This was another long time project that I wanted to do. I settled on Homespun because it was 1) cheap and 2) the colorway interested me. But I was dissapointed as it knitted up in a kind of wave pattern. No more Homespun for me thankyou! I also found "blobs" in the yarn as it was knit, very poorly spun areas in the skeins. Not a nice experience!


My Color On Color Scarf kit 
My next project! I have to "treat" myself to this kit. It is a KAL (knitalong) on the yahoo groups (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/coloroncolour) I am just starting to bag up the yarn and untwist it so that it is ready to be knit. This looks to be a real treat. Thanks to Kathryn Alexander from the book Scarf Style.