Summer Treats

I have finished the toddler sundress. Way back at the end of March, I started this little dress. Then it was put aside when I finished all the colorwork... because then it got boring. But I was determined to finish it this weekend, so I did. I can say, I did not like making the fringe, it was just so monotonous. I really think I suffer a little from adult ADD, I love to start new things and quickly lose interest in them. So I put them aside until they feel new again. The pattern is called Summer Treats and it is from the Knitting in the Round book. I knit it in Reynolds Saucy Cotton. Now to finish the other summer projects...







But instead of working on summer knits, I started a Lopi Sweater this weekend. It is 90 degrees outside and this is what I just have to have on the needles right now. I also started a throw from The Little Box of Knitted Throws. When I get a little more knit on that I will share a picture of it. It is a pretty quick knit too, but I had to borrow the needles from that to cast on for the sweater. I went to Cottage Knits today, so now I have more Addis and am good to go.... for today anyway. It is an affliction I have, this need to have a new project going everyday

That's Right.... More Bags!

I just finished 2 more felted bags. They are just so fast to knit, making them great when you need to have a sense of accomplishment. This first one was knit in Cascade 220 and Knit One Crochet Too Paint Box. And is yet another Bowling Bag Purse. This is such a fast knit and I kinda like the shape of it. I was going to knit a long strap on this one instead of the little short handles, but I ran out of purple yarn. Maybe the next one. This is the bag pre felted and without handles.




The other bag is another Madeline Bag from Black Sheep Bags. I knit this one in Cascade Bollicini Colibri. I was just curious to see how this would felt, it has 27% nylon content, the rest being Lana Wool and Kid Mohair. I really like knitting with this yarn and included it in a couple scarves last year. It is soooo soft and light weight but generates a lot of heat without heaviness. I should have taken a before and after shaving picture of this bag. It was so soft and fuzzy from the mohair after I felted it, but you couldn't see any of the other colors, so it was sheared. I was really surprised what a dense felted fabric I got

Well I am off. I need to fill up the van before the gas goes back up tp $3/ gal, if it hasn't already. It is a beautiful sunny day here in south central Indiana, I hope it is where you are too.

Yet Another Bag

I finished another bag today. This one is a Two Old Bags pattern called Pamela. I knit this bag in Mango Moon Recycled Silk. And although I love the way the bag turned out, I hate knitting with this yarn. I find it rough going through your hands while knitting, and it just kills my arthritic hands and wrists. The pattern is very easy though and would have been much more enjoyable to knit with a different fiber.

Not much else to show. I am working on a baby bunting for someone else, she needed a little help with the sleeves. As soon as I am done with that I will be back to my many UFO's .

Amazing Lace Intro, (meet the team)

We have joined the "Amazing Lace" it started officially this weekend, and we are here to introduce ourselves to you. Some of you may remember me from a previous post. I was the beautiful Alpaca lace wt, yarn she couldn't wait to start knitting with. You know, the Alpaca with a Twist Fino. She took pictures of me and showed me off to the blogging world and even left me sitting out for a few days before she did anything with me. And then she finally cast on for a very pretty lace sampler scarf. But she is such a fair weather team mate and as soon as she hit a few snags in that lovely, delicate fiber of mine, she became frustrated. The frustration continued to mount with every few yards of knitting, more tangles... she is not very patient in that manner. So, I was frogged and even broken apart and some of my fiberous being was even disposed of. And then, this teammate of mine, stuffed me in a gallon sized storage bag and left me there until this weekend. ( let me tell you, there is not much air in those ziplock bags) . But now I am being worked with again and I can breath, and I am admired for my softness... all is good...so far anyway. I hope it stays that way. I don't want to be put back in that bag for a long period of time ever again.

My "teammate" makes me sound harsh, but really I am not. I just care so much about her that I could not stand to lose my patience with her anymore. So, she was put in a "safe" place until I was ready to devote my undivided attention to her again. And that time has come. We are a team! and we will persevere. I will not give up on her, nor she on me. We will be strong until the very end!

I think I'm a bag lady !

Well I have finished 3 bags this weekend. This first one is a Noni pattern it is the Medium Carpet Bag. I knit it in Cascade 220. For some reason it took me forever to knit this bag. I am so glad it is done. I think it was just that it was so boring to knit. My oldest daughter loves it though and has laid claim to it.






The second bag is this Felted Bowling Bag Purse. I knit this in Madil Pierot. This is a very thick and dense fabric felted up. My daughter hates this one but it is a hit at the yarn shop. And it is a super quick knit.









And the third is the Lil' Red Bag from Family Circle magazine. I knit this bag in Rio de Plata Merino. I love this yarn. It is so soft. I hate the bottom of this bag though, and if I knit it again I will do the bottom totally different. I think it would look nice in a chunky cotton, so I will probably knit it again some time in that.

That is all I have to share today. I am trying to get a lot of the UFO's finished. There are so many of them, I have lost count. I hope everyone has a great week.

So You Say It's Your Birthday

Yesterday was my birthday, and I have to admit, I was a little bummed. But, today, Mother's Day, I am doing the happy dance. I have been wanting a new camera for quite a while now, and it seems that whenever I was close to having extra mad money put aside, something would come up and , no camera. Today I got a new Canon PowerShot, and I am so happy. I am no longer at the mercy of my family to borrow the use of their cameras. So be warned, this post is going to have A LOT of pictures. First of all, a few birthday presents. From my dearest sister Karen, I got this : a T shirt she embroidered for me, Sensational Knitted Socks, and some knitting notions and some dark chocolate.. yum! I love them all. She is such a good sister and is always there for me. Everyone needs someone like her, and I hope you all do have someone like her. And from my dear friend Cathi, I got these goodies : 4 balls of Cascade 220 superwash and the new Sally Melville book. I have discovered the joy of dying my own yarn, and she knows how much I love it, so the natural superwash yarn will become a different color. And I love working with colors so this book will be well used. Thank you Cathi and Karen.

Now, to my newest hobby, dying my own yarn. I am having such a ball doing this. My family isn't too thrilled with the smells in the house these days, but I am loving the process. So here come all the promised pictures.. This is the first of the sock yarn I dyed and I could hardly wait for it to dry so I could see how it would knit up. I am very new at this so I was very surprised to see it stripe this way. But, I have to say I really like it. I can't wait to knit the second sock but I want to post a picture of the yarn in the skein. I haven't knit any of the rest of it so there are just pictures of the skeins. I like them all .


















And I do actually have one finished project,. a pair of socks. Baby Cables from the Sensational Knitted Socks. I knit these in Austerman Step. The yarn is bit splitty so I chose not to carry the pattern down the foot. I was tired of fighting with the yarn. I love the color and the look of the sock though. Well, once again I am tired of fighting with blogger. I can't get the pictures to move where I would like them to be, so I am calling it a night. Time to watch the last bit of Survivor.

Goodies in the Mail

Krafty1 had a contest for her European Adventure, and I had the closest guess to the questions ... so I won, whoo hoo. Yesterday the mailman brought a box of goodies she sent from her trip. A notebook with a cut out sheep on the cover, a sheep key chain, and a box of yummy chocolates. Some of the chocolates are familiar, some are not, and I am sure they will all be delicious. Thanks so much Krafty1 !!

Cables and Ribs

I have been knitting a pair of socks from the Fall 2005 Interweave Knits, and they are finished. The Cables and Ribs, knit in Mountain Colors, Mountain Goat in the Pheasant colorway. I love this yarn and I love these socks. But it will probably not be cool enough to wear them again until next fall. This yarn is just absolutely yummy.




I have been working on a few other things. I have been feeling a bit under the weather so I have been hanging out on the couch and getting a lot of knitting done.... not a lot finished, but a lot started...I do love to start new projects. I did manage to finish this dish cloth knit for a dish cloth exchange. It was a fun and quick knit. I made it out of Sugar' n' Cream cotton. I mailed it off with a few other knitting goodies today. I think it would look nice as a doily too, but it is a little heavy for that.

And also new on the needles is the Six Sox KAL sock. I am knitting it in Opal Magic. This yarn has been marinating in the sock yarn stash for quite awhile. I thought it was time to do something with it. I forgot I had it until I went through the stash this weekend and rediscovered it. The true color is a bit more blue than the picture shows



And finally, one last new start, Denmark from Nancy Bush and the KOTR KAL. I love this sock. I have made it once before for my oldest daughter, this pair is for me though. I am knitting it in King Cole Merino Blend. It is probably a little too heavy for this sock, but I like the way it is turning out. It will be very warm for next fall and winter This is such a quick knit. The next pair, and there will be another pair of these in my future will be knit in Lorna's Sport.

My DH just came home with a salad from the Bajio for me, yum, so I am going to go eat my dinner. Have a great day all!!