Felt Like Knitting

With very little time to spare...

                                          

I just finished my March Project Spectrum felted bag.  Whew!  It didn't turn out exactly how I wanted, but I like it.  It was fun designing my own bag and I've learned a lot about combining colors, shaping bags, etc.  On to April!

Baby sweater and Project Spectrum scarf

Today I bought yarn for the baby sweater:     This yarn is sooo soft!  I can't wait to start this project, but unbelievably I need to buy needles for it.

Last night I knit a quick kerchief from Last Minute Knitted Gifts from a skein of novelty yarn I had never used.  It contains red, pink, and some indescribable color that's a cross between plum and green.  I started knitting it to 1) do a little more fun knitting for the night, 2) use some red and pink yarn for Project Spectrum, and 3) keep my neck warm while blogging.  I'm usually cold so this should do the trick.  I think if I stretched it out and blocked it, it would almost be large enough to use as a small shawl.  Since I'm usually pretty conservative, so it probably will never be worn outside of my house!

Project Spectrum update

I felted my March Project Spectrum bag this morning.  I don't want to post the whole thing until I finish it, but I thought I'd show you how the colors felted.  I'm pretty pleased with it, although I suppose it would have been easier to just use striped yarn!  What is really interesting is that where I knitted with two different colors together, some of the colors felted completely into one color.  If they were close, you can't tell them apart .  The colors that look "tweedy" were the ones with a lot of contrast between them.

April is quickly approaching and Project Spectrum participants will be moving on to orange/yellow.  I want to knit some wool socks for a friend's daughter who has poor circulation and cold feet.  Her favorite color is orange.  I'm looking at some Lorna's Laces on eBay.  Hmm...I need to go check that auction while I'm thinking about it.

In other knitting news, the reason I bought that Debbie Bliss book was to make a gift for some friends that are expecting a baby.  Well, they had their baby today.  (Welcome, August!)  I need to get started on his sweater and I'm looking forward to the project.  This will be my first sweater.  I just need to get out to buy some yarn.  My daughter's been sick for a couple days, so no yarn shopping for me.

My IK issue came today!  But, I've lost a little enthusiasm for the Wobbly Circles Tote because of how huge my last tote turned out.  I'm beginning to wish this was a Wobbly Circles Purse or a Wobbly Circles Change Purse or a Wobbly Circles Cell Phone Holder or a Wobbly Circles Key Ring...  :)  Learning intarsia will still be great, though!

You know, I just realized that I need a knitting calendar to schedule my projects April.  Too many projects and so little time... I'd better get over to eBay to check on that auction.  Happy knitting everyone!

New reading and old projects

Katie recommended for a baby gift I want to make.  I bought it today and I just love this book!  There is so much knitting info in it that it will be worth the price even if I don't use any of the patterns.  Now to decide on yarn...

Tonight I also won an eBay auction for .  There's an article in it on knitting intarsia in the round that I want to read.  Since I'm still waiting on the first issue of my new IK subscription to arrive, this back issue may get here first!

Zee is a fellow Wobbly Circles Tote KALer.  The other day she asked in her blog: 

"How many projects do you have on the go? Is it humanly possible to only have one project on the needles?"

My answer was six!  Yikes - that's more projects than I like to have going at one time.  I'm trying to complete a couple of those.  So I'll ask all of you:  How many knitting projects do you have going now? I'll feel better if it's more than six!  :)

To sew or not to sew - that is the question

Do any of you make curtains?  It's been a couple of years since I made some, but I still remember how much "fun" they are.  Well, my husband has been requesting curtains for the family room windows.  (We painted last fall, took down the blinds, and never put anything else up.)  So, I've been looking at fabric, books, etc. because we had decided to make them, but my heart wasn't in it.  Well, today we found these on sale at our local Pottery Barn.  They were half of the cost of making our own and the color is better than any fabric I had seen so far.  What a relief!!!  Now I have more time to knit.  :)

If your ice cream has 1/2 the fat, can you eat twice as much?

My computer froze and I had to reboot.  Enough time to get some ice cream while I wait!  It's Breyer's Light with 1/2 the fat.  Very tasty!

Today I agreed to teach another class for next year.  I teach at an independent studies school for homeschoolers.  This year I am teaching Botany (6th grade) and next year I will add General Science (7th grade).  The Botany class should be much easier to teach next year since I'll have a year under my belt.  I may try to rearrange the chapters, though.  They didn't really line up with what was going on outside.  For example, we're getting ready to study ferns.  It's hard to get fern spores to germinate when there aren't even any spores on the plants yet!

I had to run to the LYS for more Cascade 220 today.  I don't usually double my yarn when I felt and it's surprising how much yarn this bag is taking.  (Have I already mentioned this in another post?  I can't remember!)  I still need to buy more red, but it was out of stock.

Now that's orange!

                                         

Since Cascade 220 doesn't come in an infinite number of colors, I'm having to combine yarns.  I have no idea what this will look like in the finished project!  I did some late night knitting (and frogging) last night and was happy with the results.  This morning I'm not so sure about that orange.  I'd really like more of a pale tangerine color.  I may combine it with that really pale pink color that's available, but I'm wondering if that will make the orange stand out even more.

Does anyone have any experience with combining colors?  What's this going to look like after felting if I continue this way?  Time for a google search...

Obsession

Merriam-Webster OnLine says this about obsession:

1 : a persistent disturbing preoccupation with an often unreasonable idea or feeling; broadly : compelling motivation <an obsession with profits>

Now I wouldn't say that knitting is unreasonable, but my family and friends might say that I'm "disturbingly preoccupied" with it.  All I want to do is knit (or read knitting blogs).  I'm finding it hard to get other things done.  I've never been one to want to clean the house, but things are looking pretty dusty around here.

So yesterday I made a list for myself, which I used to do all the time.  I wasn't going to let myself knit until those things were done.  For the most part, I stuck to it.  I did knit a row or two while I was waiting for the laptop to boot up last night.  So while my knitting isn't showing progress, I do have a sense of accomplishment.  And my husband appreciated being able to walk up the stairs without having to bypass piles of stuff.  :)

What do these things have in common?

                                         

They are both the inspiration for my next project.  (Plus, they both belong to my daughter!)  I've been trying to figure out what to make for Project Spectrum before the end of the month.  I like the shape of the bag and the colors on the can, so I'm going to try to design my own bag.  Since the stripes on the can are wavy and complex, I'll have trouble duplicating them exactly.

Here are the colors I'm using.  I may need to get a very light pink or coral, too.

                                       

Giant tote

I've renamed the Mitred Stripes Tote to the Giant Tote!  I need to remember that "tote" does not mean "purse!"  I expected this to be a little smaller.  I did make the strap a bit longer than the pattern called for so I could make the stripes I wanted, so that was a mistake.  I do like it, though.  I crocheted the pieces together instead of backstitching and I am pleased with the results.  Next time I may try two strands of yarn for a bigger ridge around the bag.  But, I won't crochet on the top edge of the bag again because I think that's what made it wobbly.