Knitting and Gunther

This is going to be a quick post since I'm suppose to all ready be out the door. LOL.

Today I decided that I'd make a little cosmetic bag and felt it with the left over yarn from the Big Booga bag. So it's now drying.

Then I finally was able to get my schedule to work out where I could get Gunther and his doggy daddy together for a picture. It was up in the 70's here so we met at Starbucks and sat outside. It was fantastic. Just what I needed. Click here to see Gunther and his dad.

OK, I'm out the door. More later.

What I did this weekend

Some of the ladies that read my blog are so funny. I actually got an email from one that thought I ate that whole box of pastries myself. ROTFL. So to set the record straight. There are 3 of us in the house. When we have a dozen of anything, it breaks down like this. Each person gets 1 whole, then the 4th item is cut into 3rds. It's been this way in our house since 1994. So please don't worry. I had one Petit Key Lime Pie and one Eclair Friday night, Saturday I had my Cannoli and throughout the day had my little 3rds. If you want to worry, worry about the caffeine I intake. LOL.

Now onto the knitting front. I finished knitting the oversized Booga Bag. Being the inpatient person I am I felted it at 10:30 Saturday night. LOL. It turned out really nice. The one thing that I am glad that I did because of how it felted was add some extra rows to the length. When this yarn felted it kept most of the width and shrunk in the length. It's had to tell the dimensions by the photos

The yarn I used was Lion Brand Landscape. Which is 50% wool and 50% acrylic. It was a lot of fun wondering what it was going to look like. I think that is one of the things that I like about felting. Especially lately with some of the things going on in my life. But, now I'm again in the land of I-cord. One of the reasons I went a head an felted it before doing the I-cord, was because I was thinking about getting leather straps or some other kind of handles. But, I finally decided on going a head with the I-cord. I doubt seriously if I attach it the way the pattern calls for. (you know I have troubles following directions) ;-)

I also had some time Sunday evening to work on a pattern design that's been in my head ever since I did the Saxon Scarf. This is an area that I've neglected and decided to get back where I belonged. One of my goals this year is to design and create 3 knitted patterns. So hear we go...

The Newsletter: The subscribers are slowly coming in. My goal is to send out the first newsletter by the end of April. So cross your fingers.

Sara came home from work with this

Last Friday Sara started working at her new job. She works in a German Bakery. Tonight she came home with this. Ok the little Key Lime Pies got devoured (inhaled) except for the little guy sitting their alone. What a great way to do a Friday night, pastries, coffee, knitting, oh my!

*Side note* I've had several knitters email me directly supporting the idea of a newsletter but no one has actually signed up yet. I have a couple of people in mind that I want to contact about starting articles, etc but can't until I get some people actually on the list. I don't mean to be begging, well, actually maybe I do, LOL. Have a great weekend, be good to yourself.

I was thinking

Isn't that a dangerous way to start today's post? LOL. Well, I was thinking. I was thinking about how many times in all the years I've been knitting that I started a project not knowing why, or who it was for, or what I was even going to do with it, and then before I finished it, I knew exactly who it would go to and why. Has that happened to you? Don't you just love the look on their face when you surprise them with it? You know, some of us knit for family, grand kids, spouses, etc., but what about starting a project and giving the final product to an acquaintance, or someone who has just said a kind word to you when you really needed to hear it? When we knit, we give so much more to that person than just our time and thoughts. I believe that we give them something that we will never know about, something that goes deeper than the thank you's and the happiness that we see on their faces. Something that is meant only for their Spirit.

On a different note, for some time now I've been batting around about starting an online knitting newsletter. It would be emailed monthly or every other month. I'd like to put in it some small articles from a few of my students reminding us what it was like to first hold those needles to finishing their first project. Then of course, have yarn reviews, book reviews, blog of the month, Online Yarn Shop, free patterns and other knitting goodies, but what I think would make it different is have those of you who read my blog contribute, to voice your knitting and spinning experience. At first it will be available to my students past and present, and then anyone who signs up by clicking on the link located in the sidebar. What do you think?

Can One Really Have Too Much . . .

YARN?

Of course my answer is a big NO! But I'm addicted to the stuff so my judgment is impaired. Friday, my friend who I have titled my "Xtreme Knitting Student" went to Garden Ridge to check out the yarn. I came out with another $50 worth. LOL. But it was on sale.

I don't know what I'm going to make with it yet, though I have a few ideas bouncing around, but I'm looking forward to finding the right pattern to go with each yarn. Here is a close up.

The Vase Update: ok, it's starting to grow on me a little. I've tried to put different stuff in it, and I may just use it for my knitting needles. (or it will be a wonderful gift for someone who doesn't read this blog.) LOL

Felted vase

This week, I've been working on and off on a few of projects, the extra large Booga Bag, this felted vase and the shrug I want to give away. Well, I'm still working on the 5" of ribbing for the shrug and this last night I felted the vase. I have to say that I don't like it. I don't like the "hairy-ness" of the yarn. When I pulled it out of the washer I thought "I need to go get a razor and shave it. " Since I didn't want a lot of design on it, I didn't do the sewing designs that it called for and I'm glad that I didn't because that would have made it even more hairy. So chalk it up to experimentation and go on to the next. Maybe I'll like it better when it's dry and I can do something with it.

Mindful Knitting Retreat

I wanna go!

This morning has been kind of dumpy. I won't bore you with the details but it's been crappy. So I checked my email to get away from things and found I had a Knitter's Review newsletter. I really like getting these. My favorite part is going to the web site and taking the Poll. (ok, it's the little kid in me I'm allowed to have a few childish moments) anyway, this one is a review about the Mindful Knitting Retreat, that I had just heard about from a friend of mine. I hand pretty much decided that I wanted to go next year, and then I read the review and I definitely want to go. What great timing. There are also a couple of links on the Review that give more information about the Retreat. It is conducted by Tara Jon Manning, who wrote, Mindful Knitting and Compassionate Knitting. Too bad I missed this one, I could use a few days of a spiritual knitting retreat. I'm feeling off center, like I'm one step out of sync. I'd blame it on PMS, but those days are over. LOL.

All Finished

For some reason I had a terrible time posting yesterday, so hopefully today will be better.

As you can see the bag is all done. (jumping up and down with joy) I had to made a few changes to the pattern but it all turned out. The first change was adding a single strand, 3 stitch, I-cord bind off to the opening edge. 2. the grommets didn't work out so I just ran the handles thru and sewn them. 3. Since it looked so plain without the grommets, I got the Embellish Knit out and made a long green cord and felted it, to wrap around the seams on each handle and sew them together. I wasn't sure how I was going to like it but I love it.

My next bag, which I've decided to call the "super huge" Booga bag is coming along. The pattern calls for a cast on of 34 stitches. That was going to end up too small for what I want it for, so I started with a cast on of 70. LOL. Before you ask if I had been drinking the answer is no, not at that time. LOL. I just love the shape of the Booga bag, but need it to be bigger. You know I can't remember the last time I followed a pattern exactly they way it was written. ;-)

Hope all is well and wishing you lovely weather and hours of joyful knitting
Blessed be

IT"S FELTED!

Ok, I don't have pictures yet, but it's felted it's drying and I'm a happy camper. LOL. One of the handles didn't turn out the way I wanted so I'm refelting that one. The bag is just about dry. Tomorrow I'll be adding the grommets and finishing it up and then getting tons of pictures. This morning I realized I didn't like how the top edge looked so I added an I-cord bind off that made all the difference in the world. I like it much better now.

So get ready for pictures, they are coming tomorrow. (what a way to start a Monday)

Next felting project

The is my new pile of yarn. A friend of mine gave me a coupon from JoAnn's and off I went. This is Lion Brands Landscape. I heard that it felted so we are going to see. Since I can't decide on the yarn for my Constant Companion bag, I'm going to make the Booga Bag with this. I'm looking forward to doing a bag on circulars. The back and forth on the other bag drove me nuts.

Speaking of the other bag. I finished the first strap and am about half way done with the second. I plan on sewing up the front and back tomorrow and finishing the strap, so then Saturday I can enter the land of felting. I'm really looking forward to it.

Tonight Gunther has his last Basic Obedience class. I hope he passes. In 2 weeks he is scheduled to start the Intermediate Obedience.

I-Cord

I'm lost in the land of I-cord. This is the first strap I still have 30" more to do for a total of 83". Then ASAP I'll start the second one. Then it's felting time. I can't wait. I'm really looking forward to felting this bag. After that grommets, assembly and then I can use it. You would not believe how bad I need this bag. LOL.

Yesterday I had a little time and I started looking at the yarn for my next bag. I'm wanting to do some Spring and Summer colors. So the search is on.... 

It's Done!

Finally it's all done. I love this scarf. I've decided that for awhile instead of having socks on the needles all the time, I'm going to have one of these Irish Hiking Scarves going. That way it's a little change and I will have several to give as gifts next Fall and Winter.

I started the straps for my bag today. Again I've changed a pattern. They call for cotton cord, and then it's wrapped with your knitted strap and sewn before felting. I don't think so, I'm going with a double strand 6 stitch I-cord. So cross your fingers, I-cords have never let me down. ;-)

Your Help Is Needed

Today I was at a dog show held outside. Here in Georgia it was in the 60's with a cool breeze blowing. The Bradford Pear trees have bloomed and are beginning to show signs of leaves, the Spring bulbs are up, and I could go on and on about the beautiful blooms on the trees. Anyway, at the dog show (Gunther was not participating this time) I met a lady and her daughter. Her daughter is 18 and confined to a wheelchair. She has the best attitude for being put in that chair by a young, inexperienced driver that made a bad choice. So, like I mentioned, the dog show was outside, one minute she was hot the other she was freezing. So I thought I'd make her a shrug. I'll be seeing her again in about 3 weeks at the next show. This is where I need your help. She wears a 2x. Are there any shrug patterns out there in a 2x that are simple enough to be made in a short period of time? If you know of any please email me the link or leave the link in the comment area.

Thank you!

I've been in a slump, but I'm excited again!

Sometimes, even though things are going well, there just isn't the spark in what you are doing. No, remember I'm divorced, so I'm not talking about marriage. LOL. The past week I have been that way with my knitting. My students are doing wonderful. I am so excited for them, but my knitting is a BIG BORE! So I placed an order to Patternworks and it arrived today. I ordered the Plymouth Yarn Design pattern for felting vases and then I ordered their Galway Yarn in Sage and Black to make the one that is in the back. Then I had to order the "gadget." The Electronic Row Counter Plus. Oh this is such a gadget persons toy. LOL. It maintains 3 separate counts, it adds and subtracts and it is just plan fun the mess with. ;-)

Another thing that I did that I'm really looking forward to doing this, is join PlumpKnits KAL. It's called Ohhh Bag Me. Right now, I'm a little bored with my felted bag. I'm just knitting back and forth and back and forth, YAWN. But this KAL came at a great time and I'm motivated to finish this bag so I can start the My Constant Companion Bag in the Knitter's Stash. Lets add there that I have one student who has finished this bag and it's so beautiful, (we all have went nuts over her bag) that it has inspired myself and another friend of mine to make one. (or two or three).

I'm still knitting a long on the Irish Hiking Scarf. With all intentions to finish it this week, I'm not going to hold my breath. It's the knitting that I do when I'm sitting in the car waiting for one of the kids. Who knows I may just finish it to get it off the needles. And I had kind of a crappy reaction to the baby blanket I'm knitting. The lady that I was originally making it for seen me working on it the other day, and I didn't tell her I was making it for her, which I'm glad I did, because she hates it. She hated the yarn and the pattern. LOL. She said that several ladies have knitted and crocheted her baby blankets and now she has too many. So that's cool. I know 2 other girls having babies in the next few months, that I'm sure one of them will like it.

So that's the update. Classes are going great, Gunther is great, the kids are great, my knitting is getting great. But, the best part of today is that it's FRIDAY! So I'm out of here, off to Starbucks with the kids and Gunther and to plan out our weekend. I hope everyone that reads my blog has a wonderful and safe time this weekend.

Blessed Be