Pictures at last

I did a quick little project over the weekend-- a cosmetics bag. It really knit up fast. The pattern is from Melanie Falick's Weekend Knitting book. I used Knit Picks Merino, using up some of the leftovers in my stash. It was my first attempt at felting, and I was a little nervous to put it in the washer! But it survived! I had a lot of fun doing this. I want to give it to my Mom-- her birthday is tomorrow. But I have to figure out a way to close it up... I'm not good with sewing, so I fear that a zipper installation will be a disaster. Guess I better come up with something quick!



Here are some pictures of the result:















Finished Bag






























Bag with bottom seam sewn























Felted







I don't have the pictures with me from the piece after blocking. But I'll post one soon.

A new challenging project

I stopped at my LYS yesterday on my way home to get some ideas for a birthday gift to make for my mom. I turned a corner in there and saw a finished sample of the China Girl Jacket by Minnowknits. I almost died. My daughter who is 3 is from China. This jacket would be JUST TOO CUTE on her. Here is a link: http://www.minnowknits.com/chinadoll.htm

I bought the Manos cotton yarn and the pattern. It will be the first garment that I attempt. I'm a little nervous, especially because I don't sew. But my LYS is wonderful, and they assured me that they would help me with the seaming and picking up stiches for the collar. I am really excited about this one! I hope it comes out half as cute when I make it. My daughter's will be the practice piece... then I am going to make a second one for my best friend's daughter... that one has to be GOOD! :-)

And I was worried about the CAT?

Well, we woke up to quite a surprise this morning! Our shih tzu, Barkli, apparently got bored in the middle of the night. He rectified that by going to town on my stash. I have a box that I keep all of my yarn in. Or should I say KEPT? Barkli dug out at least half of it, and had a hay day with it. We woke up to find yarn stretched from one end of the house to the other, both upstairs and downstairs. Including ON the stairs. There were literally 3 skeins of yarn spread up the stairs. I didn't have time to try to pick it all up before I left for work, so that will be my fun for the evening. I am hoping that the majority of the yarn is slavageable. It doesn't look like he did any real damage to it... just had a ball (no pun intended) unwinding it all and dragging it about. And I thought it would be the CAT who tried to play with the yarn. Shows you what I know!

Blankets blankets blankets!

I think I need help. Is there a support group for people who can't stop knitting blankets? I am now working on SIX of them. It is a real sickness. I'm not sure where this is coming from. I think in part it is that I really like having a nice soft blankie... and maybe part of it is that I feel competent knitting one. I can knit and purl, do different stitches, etc., and not have to worry about shaping, or sleeves, necklines, etc. But I really think I need to move past this little phase I am in and force myself to try some new, challenging piece. The blankets I am doing all serve a purpose-- one is for my godson (it's about 3/4 of the way done now), one is for my 8 yr old son, one for my 3 yr old daughter, one for my husband and I, one for another friend's child (I can't go into details on that one, lest she read this!) and the last one is the square-of-the-month kal I am doing w/ my LYS. Anyway, I am going to finish the godson blanket and then move on to a non-blanket item. Is it too late to make that a new y ear's resolution? :-)

So, if anyone has suggestions for a pattern or something NON-BLANKET for a newbie knitter, I would love to hear them.

Here are a couple of pictures of my godson's blanket, in progress: (it's hard to tell what it really looks like, huh?)

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March already???

I just looked down at my calendar. It is March 2. I am trying to figure out how we are already into the 3rd month of 2007. Unbelievable. I sure don't have the FO's to show for that time! I have almost finished the second square of my square of the month afghan. I hope to get that all done this weekend, as the yarn and pattern for square 3 will be ready for pick up in a week or so!

My godson Henry was born very prematurely. He has been in the hospital for a couple of months. I am STILL working on his blanket, but the good news is that he went home yesterday!!! To say I am ashamed that the blanket isn't done is an understatement. He and his family live in Canada. I'll be going to visit sometime in April or May for the baptism, and my plan is to take the blanket and give it to him in person then. The pressure is on! :-)

It is warming up here in Houston. I'm getting spring fever. Hopefully I will still get some knitting done, even though I want to be outside romping with the kids in the sunshine all day long!!!

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