tmcknit

Danielle’s Birthday Bag (ok, so I’m a little late posting about it)

***Patons Classic 100% Merino Wool
Colors: Denim Marl and That’s Pink***

This is the Booga Bag I made for Danielle. It’s my second felted project. My first was a crocheted clog – can you say “yuck”? It’s in a landfill somewhere. I’m working on the Fiber Trends Felted Clogs now and like them much better. But I digress……back to Danielle. I made this in March for her May birthday but never blogged about it. In looking back in my Picasa, there are several things I still need to blog about so I’ll be doing some catch-up blogging. This was a really easy project and the pattern is free: http://www.blacksheepbags.com/booga_bag.html. Danielle picked out the colors – I designed the stripe pattern just randomly – she said she wanted stripes.  The first picture is obviously the finished project.

The second picture is the bag before felting – pretty already.

I then made I-cord handles. She told me how long she wanted them. I made them her desired length but she could have easily adjusted them shorter just by cutting them off if she wanted. She liked it just the way it was.

The last picture is the bag after felting, during the “stuff it and mold it and shape it and play around with it until it’s perfect” phase of felting. I put a box in it, which I had covered with plastic grocery bags, and the box was the perfect size so I was lucky.  I used the big box of Bisquick from Sam’s Club.

I LOVE felting and need to do more of it when I am done with Christmas gifts and my other works in progress.  Mark picked out another felted purse he thinks would be perfect for Danielle so………..that’s the one she’ll get for her next birthday.

Brrrrrrrrrrr

**Knit Picks Swish worsted (Dublin) and Knit Picks Essential (Tuscany Multi) added in for the wrist and finger contrast)**

Baby it’s cold outside – but that’s to be expected in Indiana in October. This is my first pair of knitted fingerless gloves. They were very easy and more gloves (finger and fingerless) are in the works. This is a fun project with a warm result.

Secret of the Stole III

**Grignasco Merinosilk #327 – pale pink – size 6/0 crystal beads – silver lined – size 4 circs**

Words escape me on my feelings for this project. Well, that’s not entirely true – those who know me know I have no shortage of words. Here are a few:

Overwhelming - I have never done lace before or knitted with beads. I started this project at least twenty times – then frogged – then started – over and over – thinking about it, it was probably closer to forty or fifty false-starts. I always finish a project once I start it, so I knew there was no backing out. I was sick for two weeks in the midst of it and that really put me behind. Mom had surgery – more slowing down. Last week, life slowed down and I kicked it into gear and finished it today .

Luxurious – The feel of this fiber combined with the lace aspect, then throw in there the beautiful design and the beads and it’s just heaven to touch.

Accomplishment – I thought knitting socks was hard to learn – until I met lace. Lace tried to kick my butt. I’m glad I completed it and will be even more thrilled once I block it. This has by far been my hardest knitting challenge, but………….in hindsight, I made it harder than it needed to be. I overthink things and that really made it harder on this one.

THANKS!! - There are lots of thanks to go around here. First and foremost, clearly this wouldn’t have come to fruition without the beautiful pattern. To DK (and Mr. K), I thank you for that. Look what you’ve created – another lace knitter in the world. I thank Maria for dragging me into this (oops – I mean encouraging me). I thank my family who has watched me color-coding my patterns with colored pencils at a birthday party so I could try to catch up to the deadline, who have realized that I won’t always answer the phone because I cannot be distracted while knitting lace, and who have oo’d and ah’d – even the three most important men in my life, who really probably don’t care about my lace

To DK – I’ll be back for your next creation – thanks!

More socks…………(Pair #23)

**Essential Tuscany Multi 24036 – Knit Picks**

These socks started out as just stockinette but were calling out for a pattern. I started over and did the cuff in an the hourglass eyelet pattern from one of Charlene Schurch’s books. What a difference! The foot was then done in plain stockinette. The first picture shows one leg done in stockinette and the other in the hourglass eyelet to show what a difference stitch patterns can make in the yarn.

SFS (Pairs #19-22)

**4 pair Regia 52 blue (sent off to be dyed olive drab)**
*Total 13 for SFS*

These four pair were team knit, with my friend Maria knitting the legs on her CSM, and the feet being knitted by me.

Socks for me (Pair #17)

**Regia 4 ply Canyon Colors – 2804**

Socks for Julie (Pair #16)

**Regia Multi Effekt Braun 5376**

Happy 50th birthday to my great friend Julie. The colors in this sock perfectly coordinate with Carrie’s fur. Julie asked if the beautiful model comes with the socks. I think not!

Socks for me (Pair #15)

SFS (Pairs #11-14)

These four pair were team knit, with my friend Maria knitting the legs on her CSM, and the feet being done by me.

Socks for Mark (Pair #10)

These are Mark’s “lucky magic socks” – that’s what he calls them. He wanted a pair of black socks that he could wear to every magic show and said he would call them his lucky magic socks. They fit him perfectly and he loves them. Life is good.