A Tale of 2 Lightbulbs and 4 Warnings...

Once upon a time one of the girls in our craft group fell in love with my little fulled green purse that I made. She went home after I showed it at craft night and told her husband how much she liked it. I used to work with her husband, so he called me up and asked me to make her one for her birthday on the 23rd. How sweet is that ... maybe I am just unlucky but I have never had a boyfriend do something so thoughtful for me. So I said absolutely of course I would.



Warning #1: Beware of experimenting on something you are making that someone else is giving as a gift, mostly definately don't do it if you are freakishly picky about things you make for other people.

Personally, if I make something for myself I will take it flaws and all if it can't be fixed easily or is not too noticable. When it comes to making something for someone else though watchout. It drives me insane to give something that doesn't fit with my version of acceptable. Which according to Vicki and any number of other people is nuts and have been placed on ripp alerts because one minute I will be happily kntting along one of my friends will turn their back for a second and I will have ripped out rows and rows of something because it looked at me funny.

Lightbulb #1:In my infinate wisdom I decided that I could knit an inner divider into the purse and sew the strap down the insides of the purse. Hayoo! I wouldn't have to sew the divider in it would just be incorporated into the purse as it was knit, what could be better then that!


Warning #2: When performing an experiment, stop and think, do not just do.

The experiment went really well I thought, I had knit the inner divider by casting on an extra half minus 2 of the total number of the original stitches on to a circular needle, i.e. there were 58 stitches and I cast on an additional 27 stitches for the divider. I joined the sides and knit the first 29 stitches. The next 56 stitches were knit also but every second one went onto a straight needle. Once the first round was done I knit 35 rows on the straight needle to make the inner divider. Then it was back to knitting on the circular needles and the body of the purse. I knit the first 29 stiches picked up one off the side of the inner divider and knit it onto the circular needle, knit to the end of the round and picked up a stitch from the other side of the inner divider and knit it onto the circs.

Warning #3: If something seems is working out for you on the first experimental try, the old saying "If it seems too good to be true, it usually is" will most likely apply.

I knit up the main body of the purse lickysplit all 40 rows. About 5 rows from the top I notice it, one side of the inner divider is about an inch taller then the other side. NOOOO!!!! Hoping that I messed up only a little way down I begin ripping it back. I stop count the side stitches ... nope keep going, check again ... nope. Finally about 4 rows from the bottom the stitches match up. How am I going to make sure the same thing doesn't happen all over once I start kniting up the body again?

Lighbulb #2: Take all those safety pins you have and slip one into each stitch on the inner divider that you are going to stitch into the main body of the purse.

Success! The safety pin idea worked (although took a bit more time becasue of taking out the saftey pins). Now I turned the purse inside out and started sewing in the srtap.

Warning #4: Make sure when sewing a strap into your purse with a divider you do it in the right place and that the strap is thinner then you made it for the one with out the divider.

I didn't realize that the strap should have been sewn into the front divider where there was more room on the sides for it to fit. Oops! This, I believe was the fatal flaw (well at least one of them) that lead to its downfall. I never noticed the problem until after the fulling and drying of the purse were done. I try out all the bags I make by putting stuff in them to see how they look/react with stuff in them. The purse was too fat on the sides and the back of the purse where the strap was attached on the inside of the divider was making bulges that, although I could live with for using it myself, were absolutely unacceptable for me to give to someone else to give as a present!

The "experiment" is hanging in my hallway. I look at it when I come home, when I leave the aprtment, when I go to the kitchen, or even chasing the cat to get my stuff back that she steals. I wonder what to do with it. I will probaly use it myself at some point or I may decide to cut it up and use its parts for some other new experiment. The only problem is ... that it looks so pretty hanging there .... humm I have heard about people framing knitted stuff... Anyway in the end I made my friend a purse in the same lovely pinks as the experiment and the same as my little green purse minus the experimentation.

The End of the secret project tail: She loves it:)

See the pictures...

Twig Chairs...

Ok this is not knitting related but I had to show everyone the wonderful twig chairs my Mother makes. I am hoping for one for my birthday along with a white birch head board .... right Mum :)


Here is her twig trellis as well (this picture doesn't do it justice...its gorgeous)

SNOW in MAY? Crazy... but good for knitting :)

I took a couple of days off and went to Nova Scotia for a four day weekend to visit my family... a much needed break. It's May, who would think you would get snow in May (... even though it is Canada). Ok there wasn't a lot but enough to cover my car ... ok FINE "cover" the car is a bit of an exaggeration, however there is definitely snow! Have a look at the trips weather pictures!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over the weekend I taught my nephew to knit and he took to it like a duck to water! He made two wristbands one for him and one for a girl friend ;). He knit them (with only a tiny bit of help) and I fulled them and he embroidered on to them. One the blue one he put a snake (boys will be boys) and on the pink one he put a heart... how wonderful is that! He really is awesome! see them both...

 

 

On my way to NS I stopped at London-Wul, great little place, I bought a felting board, two Addi circulars, and a skein of her own wool. I was so excited about the wool that I completely for got that

1. Wasn't supposed to start anything new

2. To take a pre-fulling picture.

3. To never NEVER NEVER cut into your work when you are too tired to think.

 

 

On the upside I saved the purse in the long run (I think anyway) by sewing up the wrong cuts and turning those cuts into the stem of a flower. Still too soon to tell if it will turn out ok ... the surgery is still on going. I have put it to the side to work on my secret project that should hopefully be completed soon. I had to redo the secret project as the experiment I did to it didn't turn out perfect and since it is a gift I couldn't give it as it was. More on that though once the final project has been completed.

 

I got mail before i left on Friday too, 10 balls of a really nice burnt orange 100% alpaca. I am not sure what I am going to make with it yet. Although I have a few patterns in mind.

 

 

 

 

 

I completed the Grey purse over the weekend. The button was a bit of a problem to attach but I finally got it on so that it would show the button properly and still securely keep the purse closed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Snap! a new camera makes me shutter bug crazy...

Well I couldn't stand it any longer I maxed out my credit card that I have been trying to pay off :( and broke down and bought a digital camera. I actually did buy one a couple of weeks ago but it was defective and was taken back.

So I went shutter bug crazy last night taking pictures. I was even playing with it as I went through the parking lot.

Books on my books shelf:
Knitting on the Edge - I love this books ... it gives you so many options ... great for adding these to any project
Stitch'n Bitch and Stitch'n Bitch Nation - both great books, informative, and some interesting patterns too.
Special Knits by Debbie Bliss - so cute and precious ... I love everything in here, and since I am going to be an auntie again expect to see most of them on here over the next 7 months or so :D

I have some concerns about the French market bag at the moment.... it seems a little thin to me and maybe a bit on the small side, but I continue on with it. I have decided to put a wide band of my favorite green in the body of the bag and then continue on with the blue to finish it off. I may change the way the handles are made too. I am not sure about that part yet, but I have lots of time to think about that still.

 

My Lilac sweater is definitely going to be too small ... sooo what to do what to do.... hummm I don't know... should I make it into a beautiful bag? I had thought about frogging the whole thing and using the lilac wool for my Rogue that I am hoping to start soon... but I don't have enough of it to make that happen. A gorgeous bag with beading, maybe some tassels or eyelash worked into it could be just the thing... check back soon to see what happens to it.

 

 

New Bag #1 - simple fulled purse (picture is taken prefulling), Dark grey and grey, with a twisted handle. Birthday present for my sister-in-law. Hope she likes it ... the only problem I have with it is that I think it is going to be smaller then she would like once the fulling is done. Oh well I am going to Nova Scotia tomorrow (her birthday is tomorrow too) and will have the weekend to make her something bigger if she wants :)

New Bag #2 & New Bag #3 - still a pipe dream at the moment until I get some other items cleared away... I have too many things I am working on right now and either need more hands or control the urge to start something new.

I bought a dark chocolate brown sweater over a year ago for $10 that I never wear because at the time I never realized how revealing the lace down the center of it was until I put it on. Well I thought I could use another cardi and decided to snip it up the center of the lace and see if I couldn't make something out of it that I would wear ... the problem is that the yarn in it is so gorgeous and soft that I couldn't do. So I decided to reclaim the yarn and make something else out of it... maybe the shrug I saw the pattern for the other day.... hummm .... guess we will see :D

I had a helper while taking pictures last night ... my little cat Blackberry ... have a look.

Just when I thought there were not going to be any more babies in the family...

Exciting news!!!!!

I am going to be an Auntie yet again ... just when I thought that there were probaly not going to be any more babies in the family ... my brother called and told me last night that they are expecting!!! I am VERY excited about it. I can't wait to start knitting those little socks I found a pattern for and all the little baby things I can. I think I may have broke my brothers ear drum in expressing my excitment.oops :/

Project progress:
1. Secret Project - I have almost finished a secret project that will be reveled a the end of the month. Since the person receiving the project is probaly reading this :)
2. The French market bag - the bottom is done and I have started on the main part of the bag.
3. Lilac sweater - I think that this sweater is going to be a wee bit small on me but I don't think I am going to frog it just yet. I am still hoping I will lose weight but the scale seems to say otherwise these days.
4. New Bag #1 - fulled, as yet unnamed and no pattern worked out just yet although I have started on working it out. We'll see how it goes.
5. New Bag #2 - this is a tote bag with a center pocket section in the middle. It will be a fulled bag... I am going to use this one as my knitting bag and since I carry alot of stuff with me ... well lets just say its going to be BIG.
6. New Bag #3 - this is going to be a small (maybe fulled, maybe not) hand bag ... pink and green with and interesting flap.

Stay tuned for pictures... ( I rely on my friends at the moment to take pictures of my stuff until I can find the right digital camera to buy)

Work Ends, Knitting Addiction continues...

Ok finally the light at the end of the work 'til you drop tunnel! My work
project has let up and I am able to spend my time knitting again. WHOO HOO!!!

I completed felting the backpack on Saturday after 5x through the washer. It shrunk to about a 1/3 of its size but I soon realized (ok fine ... eventually realized after the 5th wash) this was not going to happen and if it did (after more washes), the backpack would be FAR too small to hold even a wallet. It did turn out really well though for an experiment. The thing I don't quite get is that the straps always felt up beautifully no visible stitching. The tension in the i-cord is quite loose, maybe my tension is too tight in the bag and that is the reason it didn't felt up as well as I would like? Any Suggestions? more photos...

I have also started two additional projects, a simple little shawl and the French market bag.

The shawl is a simple pattern as yet nameless but easy for a beginner to handle. I found a ribbion type yarn, a month or so ago, that was just too pretty to leave. It was orphaned, all four balls just left there; no name, no history of what they were made of, nothing. It was so sad that I immediately scooped them up and took them home with me, promising them I would make something special with them. I can already tell that the shawl is going to be a favorite of mine. One ball down (this was taken about half way through the ball) four more to go :) more photos...

I also started the French market bag. I am finding the bottom of it a bit challenging and have restarted it twice. I think that I have got it now though... (possibly :) ... I have a tendency to stray from the patterns and experiment so really how knows what will happen). more photos...