Finished Objects!

I felted and gave the Kaleidoscope Tote away without taking a picture, but it's done!

I have finished pics of 2 projects:

Poncho (for me)-- Yarn (llama & mohair) from Blackberry Hills in St. Croix Wisconsin; free pattern from Lion Brand that I modified to be top down. This is my second or third time with this pattern: first time as written, with Sandra from Shaeffer Yarns; this time modified again to size 17 needles. (I think it was made with a forgotten yarn in the middle, but that may have been another pattern I converted to top-down) Either way that's getting my money's worth out of a free pattern!

Also in the free pattern mode, the Clapotis Shawl from knitty.com. I made mine from Ty-Dy Socks with a size 7, and plan to give it to my sister for her birthday. (not the one that got the kaleidoscope tote, but the other one). It still needs some blocking, but I have a couple of months before her b-day.

Kaleidoscope Tote

I really have a love of the felted bag. This is a kit from 3 Kittens. It is made with malabrigo -- a great, really soft wool that I can't wait to use again. However, I ran into a little trouble because I didn't check my gauge.


When I ran short of one of the pinks (Cactus Flower), I checked my gauge and found I was knitting a little loose. (3 Kittens graciously gave me some extra to complete the front & back.) Then when I worked the base (Christmas Green) I was short again, so I changed from 20 stitches to 18 and knit a little tighter. Now of course I have about 3 yds extra of that green.

The final picture shows how things looked when I finally started putting the parts together. One more change I made from the original pattern: when joining the pieces with the Three Needle Bind Off, I held the parts with right sides together to get a nice ridge that will mimic the I-cord finish for the top.

UFO Weekend 3?

These titles are NOT very creative.

The black sweater is together!!!!!!!! Now it needs a single crochet neck band, ends sewn in, and buttons attached. I need to practice my crochet a bit (I've done very little) and shop for some buttons.

The little sunlight we got today is gone and I really needed it for this sweater. It feels really nice when its on, so it may have been worth the heartache.

During the week I have been working on a pair of socks (about 1 row per night) with 2 socks on 2 circs. There is a little more fiddling than when I work with double points, but the joy in not finishing one and having to turn around and do a second is immense.

The first sweater I made, I was advised to work both sleeves at the same time, and I always try to work this way with pieces that are supposed to match. I will work a front (or two fronts in the case of a cardigan) and the back at the same time. This keeps them the same length and with any shaping I am more likely to keep things matching. Of course when you change your mind about a part of the pattern, it creates more work. (Case in point, the pink shell I am going to work on as soon as this post is done.)

Fantasy Naturale Bag -- picture I promised. -->

I will continue cheering and dancing for a time -- the black sweater is together.

UFO Weekend 2

The Fantasy Naturale Bag is finished.

I combined a Plymouth pattern I had knit before with a Lion pattern. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I didn't read the pattern well; I was short about 1 skein of yarn. Patternworks to the rescue! I called with the color number and dye lot -- they didn't have it that day, but they would keep an eye out for it. I set the bag aside (at the point pictured) and contemplated ripping a skein out and adding a stripe of solid for the center. Two or three weeks later a bag appeared in my mailbox with one skein in the right dye lot!

The bag was actually finished last weekend (I'll get a finished pic with the straps soon), and this weekend I am back at the black sweater. The sleeves are now attached to the body and I am starting the side seams and sleeve seams. The sleeve is a set in sleeve, something it turns out I have never done. It is also a stockinette sleeve attaching to garter on the body. Third & fourth part of the difficulty level: a black linen/cotton yarn. The side/sleeve seam is pretty standard and straightforward, I just have to keep plugging away!

UFO Attack

This weekend is to be an UnFinished Objects (UFOs) Weekend.

First up: Market Squares Bag, from Bags - a Knitter's Dozen. It was originally published in Knitters Magazine, Summer 2001.









I just finished the Market Squares Bag. The knitting and felting had been done since last summer. (I ordered the handles in late July from Homestead Heirlooms)

I put the handles on today. I was nervous about sewing them on, but it was simple. I eyeballed the placement and was happy!


One thing I am unhappy with: my squares are rather rectangular. The logical explanation is that I did too many rows in my entrelac, but I don't think that's the case. Carrying it for a few weeks, loaded with knitting, may pull it around a bit!
I have 4 more UFOs. One of them is a black sweater, so that will have to wait for tomorrow and the morning light, but I should be able to knock off at least one more tonight.

Green Living Tote

I ordered a few patterns and a very small amount of yarn from Patternworks last week.

The yarn was 3 sets of 2 skeins each of Plymouth's Fantasy Naturale. I wanted to make myself a second bag and I have 2 friends with upcoming birthdays that would like a bag.

I have made 2 bags from Fantasy Naturale, one for me and one for a friend, with 2 different patterns. I liked both bags, but neither one had the handles I wanted.

So this bag is a third pattern. However, I bought the yarn before I read the bulk of the pattern, so I am short a lot of yarn. I am single stranding the base instead of double-stranding. I will probably make the bag shorter than called for, but I think I really like the handle design. (Pic: Base is done and I am picking up around the edges.)

We'll see how it goes!

Start

I always try to tell people your website needs content.

So what have I done? I have started a blog without planned content!

I want to write about and track my knitting projects. I have tried for the last year to keep track of my projects as I start them, but I often catch myself diving in without filling out my Project Form.

I have joined ravelry to help me manage my projects; I have uploaded one picture of one project. But it doesn't let me share with people that aren't ravelry members.

So . . . . here I go!