The Never-Ending Bag

I'm wondering if I will ever get this bag done. It is to be felted and, according to the pattern, will need 224 rows in order for it to end up being about 12" tall. I'm only on row 72 and in about 20 rows, I will begin increases every 12 rows. Will it ever end? Here is the pattern: http://www.knitting-and.com/knitting/patterns/bags/s-on-t-tote.html

For awhile, I've been thinking that I would try really hard to finish this before I start (or continue) another knitting project. Well, there is an all-day, outdoor knitting event being planned for June 9 and I'm thinking I need to go ahead and get started on the sleeveless sweater that I bought yarn for on my vacation. I'm trying to hold off knitting that swatch, but I don't know how long I can control myself.

Strawberry Hat

Well, I did it. I finished the strawberry hat - late last night. I shouldn't have stayed up, but I was driven! :) It's not the best picture; maybe I'll have someone snap me in it one of these days.

Guess I'll work on the bag to be felted for awhile. I really need to start the pair of beaded earrings that I was asked to make awhile back. I need to have those done by the end of May.

I finished my pair of black socks a few days ago. Alas, one of them had a couple of mistakes that needed fixing. I'm grateful to the ladies at Saturday morning knitting at Panera for their assistance and encouragement. I made the repairs yesterday afternoon and am wearing them today. I was worried that I wouldn't like the fit: the leg part didn't turn out as tall as I thought it would and the foot part is looser than I expected. It turns out that they are comfortable and feel very good to wear. I'm relieved!

Part of the conversation at Panera was about how to avoid jogs when knitting stripes in the round. I'm working on a bag to be felted, so I thought I would look through some books to see if I could find the technique. I found it in the Knit Socks! book. I also found some other things I was tickled about.

On page 9 is a technique for doing a swatch for knitting in the round. I had heard of a couple of other ways of doing that, but this is the first one that appealed to me. I'm already trying it for my next pair of socks.

On page 13 is a fairly easy way to determine how long of a tail to have for long tail cast on.

The jogless striping is on page 127 and on page 133 is how to wrap and turn to avoid small holes when turning in the middle of a round. This was on of the problems on my black sock.

On page 96 is my next sock pattern: Checkered Textures.

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I enjoy Saturday morning knitting at Panera so much that sometimes I go back on Sunday morning, but usually by myself. So, that's what I did today. I was knitting along on my bag to be felted when suddenly the needle broke. Oh my goodness I couldn't believe it. This was a Denise needle, too! Apparently, I was using too short of a cord which meant I had too many stitches bunched up, so when I pulled them to slide them around, the pressure was just too much. I'm hoping that I'll be able to order a replacement cord, but I haven't checked into that yet.

I've decided that I have too many projects going again and I need to finish something. I choose the strawberry hat to finish next. We'll see if I can remember that long enough to make it happen.

Finished Socks

I finished my first pair of socks last night. I used Patons Kroy Socks yarn, size 2 dpn, and the Garter Rib pattern from the Sensational Knitted Socks book. They felt good when I put them on for the picture, although they might be a little loose in a few places.

There are a couple of problematic spots that I'm going to have to get some help with from a more experienced knitter. Then I can wash them and wear them!

A heads up: I pulled out the Halloween cardigan from the pile in the corner, and dug around for the pattern, so will be working on that soon. I'm still on the first sleeve, but I don't think I've posted a picture of it yet. Maybe I'll do that today or tomorrow.

Cindy Sleeves

Here is my pitiful little start for the sleeves for Cindy. I'll be taking Cindy, the tote, strawberry hat, and black socks projects on my trip. I'll have hours and hours to work on whichever project I feel like at the time.

Felted Tote

I guess I thought I didn't have enough projects going, so I started a tote that will be felted. http://www.knitting-and.com/knitting/patterns/bags/s-on-t-tote.html I will be using the teal Cascade yarn I bought in KC and some pink for the stripes.

Strawberry Hat

Next month at work, we're going to have Spirit Week leading up to our annual awards dinner. Thursday will be Crazy Hat Day. I selected the Strawberry Hat from http://thegoldenfleece.com/free_patterns/strawberry_hat.htm to knit for my hat for that day. The pattern says to use green for the seeds. I just can't do that. When I made a pair of beaded strawberry earrings a couple of years ago, I did some research and discovered that strawberry seeds are neither black nor green, but various shades of light brown. Silly people.

First Pair of Real Socks

Here is my first pair of real socks, in progress. I'm using the Garter Rib pattern from SKS.

The process is going well. Some people have said a beginner should not use black yarn. I can understand they they say that, but it hasn't been too bad for me. I'm just excited about the prospect of wearing a pair of socks I knit myself.

From The Studio

This is the yarn I purchase at The Studio in Kansas City last weekend. It's Cascade 220. They were nice enough to roll it for me at no extra charge. I was worried about not having the labels until I set them up for the picture and discovered that they had tucked the label inside each skein.

My plan for this yarn is to make a felted bag. This isn't enough for the size bag I want, so I may add a pinkish shade of wool as stripes.

An Olathe Purchase

Here's a picture of a spontaneous purchase I made while on my Olathe trip. Strawberry flip-flops. Those who know me well know that I can't stand flip-flops. I like me feet to be completely covered and protected, as a general rule. But they had strawberries on them! How could I resist?

I certainly won't be wearing them to work. I'll probably just wear them around the house, to take the garbage out, and maybe a quick run to the store.

'Class' Sock

According to SKS, I am now a sock knitter. Woohoo! I have measured my feet, chosen my needles and yarn, and cast on for my first 'real' sock.

I had a good time in Olathe. Lots of laughing happened. My sister took me to The Studio in Kansas City. They are very friendly there. I bought some blue-green Cascade 220 wool there that I will make something to be felted with. We went to another yarn shop (can't remember the name) that I wasn't very impressed with. By the time we got to the one in Olathe, it was closed. I'll just have to get up there again. Now, my sister is not a knitter, but she was very impressed with what she saw in the stores. Both of my nieces know how to knit. I helped the younger one a little bit.

Cindy & Dishcloth

Here is my first dishcloth. I think it turned out better than the two washcloths I've made.

Here is a link for what the Cindy pattern looks like. http://www.berroco.com/239.246/240/240_cindy_pv.html

I might get started on those sleeves this evening. I'm already packed for my weekend trip to Olathe. I'm going to hate missing Saturday morning knitting at Panera.

Cindy Front

The front of Cindy is done. I'm more hopeful about this sweater than any of the others I've made. The challenge of the sleeves is next. I won't get started on them today. I woke up tired this morning - some kind of crazy dream with a lot of walking in it. Maybe it's trying to tell me something. I did, however, exercise this evening. But now I need to get to bed. Hopefully, restful dreams for me tonight.

Sock Books

I went out for breakfast this morning. When I got home, I just didn't know what I wanted to do. It's not like I don't have enough things to do--there's always housework! and knitting and beading--I just couldn't decide which I wanted to do at the moment. So, I checked my budget and decided I could go looking for the Sensational Knitted socks book. I had a coupon for Jo-Ann and a coupon for Border's. I went to Jo-Ann first since it's closer. They didn't have the Sensational book, but I found Knit Socks! It looked good and I wanted to use my coupon.

Then, I went to Border's. They did have the Sensational book. I needed a cup of coffee, plus I had a coupon for a free dessert, so I got a cinnamon roll and coffee and started reading. Oh, did I mention that I also picked up my favorite knitting magazine? Simply Knitting from the U.K. And this month it comes with a free magnetic needle case. I'm not sure why this is my favorite mag; I've never made anything out of it. Maybe it's just all those pretty pictures.

So, I'm all set for sock knitting, except I might need to buy some more dpn's. I read somewhere the suggestion for knitting two socks at the same time on dpn's, section by section. That might work for me.

I think my next step might be to make the Class (mini) sock from the Sensational Knitted Socks book in all of the methods. Then I can pick my favorite method and plan carefully my first actual pair of socks. That means I might just rip out the two I've already started. Yikes!

Lunchtime Shopping

I decided to go to Hobby Lobby at lunch today. I wanted to get some more double-pointed needles. I've been looking at different sock patterns. Some call for a set of 4 needles and some call for a set of 5. Some call for size 2 and some call for size 3. I already had a set of four size 2 dp's, so I decided I wanted to buy another one plus two sets of size 3's, four each, so that I would have plenty of needles. They only had one size 3 set left, so I got it and the size 2 I needed.

Fortunately, I planned ahead and had printed my Hobby Lobby 40% off coupon. I wanted to get some sort of sock knitting book, but I didn't see any. So, I got this Modular Knits book instead. I got to pay 10.77 (plus tax) rather than 17.95.

This is crazy, but I remember that there was some pattern in the book that caused me to want it, but I can't remember what it was right now. I left the book in my car, so I wouldn't be tempted to read it instead of working this afternoon.

One Step Forward . . .

And then guess what! Yup - frogging.

I had the upper left of the front all done and it was just fine. Not so with the right front. From the time I started it, I had problems. Here you see that I have ripped out clear back down to the beginning of the armholes. I was so hoping to be able to get the front finished this evening, so I would be ready to start the first sleeve. :(

Fingerless Gloves

Here are the fingerless gloves. One is done and the second one just needs to be seamed. I wanted to take a picture of it before seaming. I plan to finish that as soon as I get off the computer.

Then, on to Cindy.

Cindy

I started getting close to finishing the second wristlet, so I decided to get Cindy out. I finished the left front, so now I just need to finish the right front and the sleeves. Then I get to seam it together! :) As always, I hope it fits.

I wish you could see the cable detail better. Maybe I will have to take some close-ups.

Now that I've digressed from the wristlets, I can let myself finish them.

Black Hat Felted

The black hat, felted. I had the receptionist at work take this picture this morning. I was getting tired of the same old home backgrounds.

I"m glad to have it done and now Jackie can have the first one.

I finished the first wristlet yesterday. When I get the second one done, I'll post a picture.

Black Hat

Here I am modeling my second felted black hat attempt, before the felting process. It's in the washer now.

The brown and cream throw on the right is one that I made on my knitting machine back in the 80's. I don't have the knitting machine anymore, but wish I did.

Gotta go check the washer.