I found this site. The yarns are lovely, and the prices...well they would appeal to our Scotch side. Have you ever seen them before? I have found them in funky gift shops, though not as inexpensive. Of course, one does have to pay for shipping.



This bag is made with the yarn. It's funky, hippyish, so may not go with the New Canaan crowd. I think it's totally cool. The pattern is on Kitty.


The camera is supposed to arrive on the 9th. I bet we find the old one on the same day.

You'll be treated to a ton of pictures once I figure out how to use it. I have been working my fingers to the bone.

Great Yarn Resource

Found this while surfing...huge list of yarn manufacturers. Sometimes they have good free patterns on their sites.
http://www.fceasyknitting.com/related/related.html

I ordered color cards from Knit Picks for the wool and alpaca silk...figured it's worth the $5 to get the right colors.

This is what I was talking about

This is the yarn I think might be nice for the wrap with twist listed below:














Andean Silk & Andean Silk Twist Content: 55% Super Fine Alpaca, 23% Silk, 22% Merino Wool Amount: 96 yards/50 grams ball Gauge: 4.5-5 sts=1" on #7-8 needles As the knitted fabric grows, you will notice the colorful sheen produced by the silk in the exquisitely soft alpaca/Merino blend. The mouline yarns are designed to coordinate with the solids; used on their own, they create a fun speckled look. *Note: The Andean Silk Twist mouline yarns have a tendency to mimic hand-dyes. To prevent pooling, alternate yarn from different balls every 2 or 3 rows.Worsted weight - hand wash

I'm wondering if the twist color might be too much and detract from the pretty subtle ribbing.
If a solid, what color do you think would look good?

http://www.knitpicks.com/yarns/yarn_display.aspx?itemid=5420126

The weight seems right...it needs to be 4 stitches to the inch in ribbing pattern...might be worth getting the Lush yarn from Classic Elite.

Bag # 2 Completed

Here is the bag I finished for a friend...it is for her sister who lives down south somewhere and she wanted a light color...there is a bit of silver in the eyelash. This felted very differently with more grain.

I'm making another one in the sage green Brown Sheep you got me and I'm putting in a striped effect with another variegated yarn...I'm curious to see how it looks when I felt it...didn't feel like making a swatch.

So, have you broken down and bought a camera yet????? HURRY!!!!

I just ordered this pattern

This bag looks like it would be nice to make and I've been eyeing it for a while. I'm felting a bag right now...will take pictures.
http://www.blacksheepbags.com./elizabeth_bag.html

Have you seen this bag?

I think this is totally cool.

http://www.yarnmagazine.com.au/v1%20sample/patterns/mitredstripes.html

Another bowl idea...we have to try this cheap yarn

Saw this on Knit picks...would be cute even without handles.
http://www.knitpicks.com/Projects/Projects_Display_Yarn.aspx?itemid=50404220&yarnid=5420103

I've thrown in my hat.

I've joined the UFOlympics. It truly will be the only way I'll get my sweater finished.

I'm making To Dye For, which is in the Stitch 'n Bitch Handbook.

It's being made in mohair that's a gray color, and I'm skipping the hand dying, which is, of course, the whole point of the project. Once again, I'm using some ancient yarn, but I think it's lovely. I've finished the back, and am half way through the front. I may run out of yarn, so have to start the sleeves from the top down. I've bought some brown mohair, which I could use at the end of the sleeves if need be. Joy, working two sleeves at once. I'll be knitting every minute of the Olympics. I'm glad to be doing something that isn't going to be felted for a change.

Still can't find the camera. Today I might break down and get a new one. With any luck, once I do, the old one will turn up. David & I fight over the camera all the time, so I wouldn't mind having two.

Maybe this should be your next bowl

I think this looks pretty cool...check it out
http://www.dailyknitter.com/april.html

Finished Bag #1

Okay, as usual photos don't do it justice...I think it turned out nicely. I like the two toned straps.

Now I Think This is Cute.

It's not a purse, but what a cool bag.

You'll have to scroll down to see it, but go to:
http://www.danimiller.com/ksc.htm

She said she'll post the pattern after she makes it again.

I've never joined any knit-along, but am seriously thinking of doing the UFOlympics.
I've got a sweater on needles, that I doubt I'll ever finish, unless there's a gun to my head.

Pierson's art class was cancelled for today, so I have all sorts of time on my hands. I think, however, that I need to begin to get our tax stuff organized.

My bowl #2 should be finished today. I'll send pre felting photos. The beautiful thing about Reno is that it's so arid here that things generally dry within 24 hours.

Mental note: Reason #1 on the Reno is better than Charlottesville list: I can admire my felted projects faster.

Pattern I have my eye on to make

So, I got this book out of the library called "Wrap Style" and saw this pattern...am thinking of making it. It looks elegant, warm and will be a bit of a challenge to put together. They used Classic Elite Angora/wool. It's a good book and has some nice patterns.

Will photo my felted bag before and after shots tomorrow...tried tonight but it is too dark and it really needs to be shot in daylight

Now this is a bit much

Saw this and had to show you...click on this http://www.cult45.fsbusiness.co.uk/featuresjackie.html

I'm in Yarn Love

I've bean reading about this yarn for ages, but have been to cheap to buy it. Can you imagine, me too cheap? My brain is in a time warp, and expects yarn prices to be what they were 20 years ago. I broke down and bought a skein.
Photo is thanks to the Jimmy Beans site. I would never have been able to capture it as well.
Anyhow, yesterday I got an urge, ran over to the store, and picked up one skein. I do have plans for it. With any luck, bowl #2 will turn out. It's made out of awful recycled yarn. If this double the sides idea pans out, then I'm making bowl #3 out of the Noro.

In the meantime, it sits on my bedside table. I pick it up, nuzzle it, smell it, talk to it...love it! I do this, all while finishing my book. I did knit a little bit this morning, while waiting in the carpool line at August's school.

An answer to your cry for help.

I'm howling.

My big sister. My sister who is the bestest knitter I know. The one whose stitches are perfect. (See the pattern)

You made such a newbie knitter mistake. I'm howling.

Can you imagine a little baby, who has just learned to sit up, or perhaps toddle? His mother will run and fetch his shawl. His boy shawl. This is killing me.

Now dearest, I don't know what you can do with this, save give it as a shawl gift. Perhaps to Grammy? No, wait. You can't do that. Firstly, she lives in Florida, & doesn't need it, and secondly, it's made out of that soft novelty baby yarn. (Call me a fiber snob. I really don't care)

Perhaps Nina's American Girl Doll can use a shawl.

Ok, all isn't lost. Would you consider knitting cross wise a mate that matches, and sewing the sides together. It would still be a very long blanket. More like a skinny small child's blanket. Well, that won't really work. It would a pain in the ass, and would use up too much yarn.
Perhaps take it to a nursing home, and give it to a chilly old lady?
I made a baby blanket & hated it so much that I just tossed the entire thing.

You should consider making the blanket I sent to you. Did you lose the link? It's fast & easy, but looks better than a plain old blanket.

That's all the suggestions I have. Maybe somebody will stumble across our little blog, and will offer a clever fix.

Til then, I'm loving the bag you're making. The colors are probably gorgeous. How come a camera can't capture colors sometimes?It's very aggravating.

I MAY NOT knit today. I've got to finish my book for book club, which is on Wednesday, and I'm the leader.

HELP! What should I do

Okay, this started out as a baby blanket for a teacher I know. I knit it across the long expanse and when it came off the needles it was entirely too long. I hate to rip it out...I bound it off. I didn't realize how wide it was until it came off the needles. I don't know what to do...it really looks like a shawl.

My current work on needles

This is the bag I'm knitting right now. Instead of eyelash on the top I'm using "Boa" which is a little fuzzier and not as long. Saw a felted bag at the LYS with it and it looked cool. I just emailed this to the person I'm making it for and asked if she wanted one of the strap cords in the mix with boa or both just in the fuschia. Colors are not doing it justice in these photos.

My first commissioned job

This was my first commissioned piece...made it for a friend for her mom for X-mas. She paid for materials and I charged $50 to do it...I've been told I could charge more. 4 skeins of Brown Sheep Lambs pride and one skein of eyelash for the fringe on top (when I take you out in the surrey with the fringe on top). Her mom loved it.

Pre-felting. The bowl as a beret.















I made it out of wool that I have had since the late 80's. It is very coarse, and totally yucky to knit. I've got about 8 skeins of it. Ugh. I would sell it on e-bay, but I think the buyer would return it to me. On the bright side, the color is really pretty.



Post-felting. This sucker took a long time to felt. Like an hour. The sides are not as firm as I would like them to be. It's a little frustrating. I'm making another, and I think I'll make the sides double thickness.
Pattern: My own creation, which was inspired by this pattern. Yes, I bought a pattern. I have yet to make it.

Yarn: Ballybrae Bulky. Is it even made anymore?

Needles: Size 9

Next project

Got this yarn on Ebay...$6 including shipping. Have to make a bag with it...put the fringe on top. Colors much better in person.













This is the yarn I'm using on the next Sophie bag...pretty true to color in this photo. Don't have a picture of the other one for you as it is on needles right now.

Latest project

This is the scarf I told you about with the different skeins I got on sale. Knit it across. I love the color...not my color though. I think I also have a closeup.

Okay, here I go first time

Okay, so here is my newly organized closet. The shoe one on the left has the yarn and the one on the right has my store of finished products. I'm going to get another shoe one for more stash.

Hoping you'll join me!

So, what do you think? I thought this would be a better way to share our knitting, and the cool sites we find. Although blogger can get bogged down, and uploading photos sometimes takes some time, it's much easier to comment on the projects this way.

I'm hoping you don't think I'm a huge loser dork. I dropped the old blog I had, as keeping up with the family one is all I can do. However, I still write you & show you what I'm doing, as you do for me.

On to a little knitting.

Recognize the pattern & the novelty yarn? I thought I might give this to Mom for her birthday. Before I do I'm going to experiment with a magnetic closure. Do you think a wool bag is too heavy for Florida?
Pattern: This pattern you sent to me.

Yarn: Cascade 220 and the novelty yarn you gave me...it's Italian, but the name escapes me & I'm too lazy to go find it in my stash.

Comments: I did a 4 stitch I cord instead of a flat handle that was used in the pattern. In my opinion, it's too thick. The pattern also only wanted 6 rows of accent yarn. I would have preferred 8. I felted this mother for a long time, as I prefer not to see the stitches. Overall I loved this project, and may repeat it, as I want to give the perfect bag to Mom.