I wish I was making a cable knit hat.

Looks can be decieving.
This purple cable knit cap that I made from the 2nd Stitch and Bitch book is not as cute and snug fitting as this image shows. Its actually too short and too wide around my head. so i pinned it in the back and cropped the photo. It would be quite adorable if it fit me as desired... or if I had followed the pattern as directed.

I learned a new, proper way to cast on yesterday!

My euro-knitting friend, Kristin (right), was visiting and we sat upon my couch teaching each other new things. I never realized how much i knew (and didn't know!) until i shared my knitting time with someone else. I also got a chance to dive into some old projects (like this hat) and finsih them up. Unfortunely I probably will not wear this hat, but I plan to make another and this time i'll know what i need to do right!

bags bags bags

I didn't make this....

...my friend rachel did and I think its adorable!

Plus its for sale!

$45 american dollars and it shall be yours....
hurry and buy one before she sells out and raises her prices or sells exclusively through some boutique in new york city you cannot even afford to look in. yea, they're that cute.

I, on the other hand, have had little in the lines of production lately. I have become the queen of starting projects and letting them pile up beside my couch, unfinished. Currently in the works:
- a drop stitch scarf made from some gorrrrgeous teal wool I bought off island.
- a hotttt pink bag with I am going to felt and donate to the Garden Gate schoo's silent auction.
- sewing the wooden handles on the bag you see below...
- i don't even know what else. sleep, perhaps?

Sewing the scraps

current project, phase 2:


I don't know if many of you know this, but I am not a good sewer. I have been sewing for a long time, so one would think I am good at it, but I have little ability to control my craft and little idea of what the hell I am doing. Today I put together the puzzle pieces I cut from my scrap fabric, trying to make sense of the pattern I cut up the other night. This would have been easier and faster if I did not have to spend so much time with my seem ripper in hand, removing stitches or rethreading the bobbin that I didn't notice was empty till after so many hopeless stitches. oh well.


Time past and the morning flew by. While I worked I got the chance to sit and drink iced coffee and listen to Camera Obscura, Neko Case and of course, Jens. So it was all well spent and fun to be back at my little machine. And the approaching end result (needs a few more finishing touches) I must say, is exactly all I hoped for.

fun with scrap fabric

current project, phase 1:
measuring, cutting and preparing to sew!







(I know you put the handles on AFTER, but i just wanted to see how they'd look.)
cute!!!

How they came out...

I know, I know. I have read a million different instructions for felting that tell you what to and NOT to do and using front loading washing machines was definitely on the DON'T list! As always I was defiant and used the only resources that I had. Well, I did it anyways and it as bad as I thought they were going to be. I tried to remain positive during the experience, but was extremely nervous when the washer door was locked and I couldn't check in on my piece. When I eventually rescued it from the sudsy tumbling, I found that it had not just felted, but was completely stuck together inside -- my bag felted shut!! I was able to carefully pull it apart and reshape it a bit, but the over all experience was more than I could take! ahhhh.

I reshaped it with shopping bags and let it dry on a towel....


Even though the piece looks somewhat normal now and after it dried, I can see that the felting is very uneven and inconsistent. Some areas are tightly tightly felted and hard while other patches still have holes were the stitches can be perfectly made out! Not cool!

this weekend I am house sitting and will bring my knitting along to experiment with (hopefully) a better washing machine. Anyone know what I can do to save this piece? I may try hand felting it in the areas that look worst. At this point how much damage could I do?

loaded.

Today will be my first day felting in the front loading washing machine at my new apartment. I have put it off because I am nervous about the fact that it locks and I can't check on my stuff while its felting. I am envisioning this tiny shrunken stiff woolley mass (ew!) to come out instead of the bright yellow bag I recently completed. But my choices here are slim. I've got to take a chance!

results to be posted soon.... stand by.