Success in the Face of Disaster

I have had a project waiting to be finished for what seems like aeons. It was intended to be a felted notions bag, and unfortunately the felting was a bit rubbish. The bag didn't shrink enough to be a notions bag, so it sat in a sad sorry heap, glaring balefully at me. I put the project to the back of my mind as a disaster project and moved along to other things.

Then, I decided to tinker with the blog. You may have noticed a couple of subtle changes to my layout. The main change is in the left hand sidebar. I have linked up my Ravelry projects to my blog, so you can see how I am progressing with my ongoing projects. It works in a very clever manner using complex computer code I do not understand. I muddled my way through the installation of this gadget by following step by step instructions made by people far more educated than I. I am very pleased with the gadget, BUT, it shows all my outstanding projects. There at the side of my blog is a stark reminder of all the projects I don't have finished. At the top of my list at 95% complete was my felted notions bag. I decided to sew it up and then I could clear down the project and it would no longer be chiding me from the sidebar every day. Here is the finished project.



I am happy to say, this bag is the perfect size for a shoulder bag. It snugly fits the bag swapper I bought for my Frankenstein Bag, which means I can use the bag as my "just popping to the shops" bag. I used a couple of the buttons I got from my Let's Knit Subscription booty haul, and they fit the buttonholes perfectly. The strap stretches to just the right length for a shoulder bag and because it is crocheted, it should be strong enough to take all my crap. So I feel I can say, I have, indeed, achieved success in the face of disaster.



So now I have finished a couple of projects, I feel I am justified in starting a new one. Admittedly my new project is an emergency knit. I have a friend who's birthday is next week and he has always admired my knitting and he was dropping large hints last week about how he didn't have anything knitted. I feel that I must at least try to knit him something for his birthday. I bought the yarn yesterday at my Knitting Group and I have cast on. I will post more details after he receives his gift.

Also at my Knitting Group, I was excited to see that most of the yarn for my KAL Blanket had come in.



I love these colours and I am even more excited about this project now. I have also bought a soft yellow yarn for the centres of the flowers in the design.



This is Sirdar Calico, which is cotton and acrylic, but doesn't feel too different to the Elle Elite. It is only to be used in small amounts, so I thought I would save myself a little money and get the cheaper yarn.

I have also finally finished designing the lay out for the blanket. Clare my LYS owner demanded to see what I was ordering all the yarn for. I took the design in with me yesterday and I had general approval from all attending. I hope to gain more enthusiasm when they see the actual squares rather than just some unidentifiable scribbles. I will try and neaten up my design so I can post it on here for you to see, but don't hold me to it!

Trying to make a full wash..

I know that I said I wanted to get more projects finished, but I had a revelation. In order to finish off some of my existing projects, I need to run a washing machine, and I am NOT doing that unless I have more than 1 item to felt. So in order to finish off other projects, I must do more... can you follow my twisted logic? (or do I mean excuses?)

I decided that I needed a notions bag. I got one in my Kitty Swap last month, but it is not quite large enough for all my junk. I decided to make a larger bag using the nice variegated aran weight yarn I bought at the Harrogate Show. I double crocheted the main body of the bag in the blue/purple colour of which I had three balls. I then crocheted two side panels in the dark blue/purple colour and crocheted them on to the bag. This gave the bag a little depth.



A flap folds over the bag, like a clutch purse. Along the edge of the flap I used the same colour as the side panels to do one row of dc, but with four button holes.



I tied plastic strips through the button holes to ensure that they do not close whilst felting. I may also put something inside the bag to prevent that felting together as well. Once it is felted I will add some buttons and then it will be done. The notions bag that I got from the Kitty Swap will fit inside this bag and will hold some of the smaller items, whilst the bigger ones will fit in the large bag outside. I think it will be big enough for all my bits, but you can never tell with felting.

I have also started to crochet some slippers for felting. I got the pattern from this month's Let's Knit, and is called Mulan by Susie Johns. The pattern specifies Knitting4fun Pure Felting Wool but as I already have some Twilley's Spirit, I have decided to try this yarn instead. I had to buy a 6mm crochet hook to carry out the pattern, but that wasn't exactly expensive, so these could be quite cheap slippers when I'm done. The first of my slippers is finished and it is enormous. I am hoping that the size isn't wrong because of the yarn exchange. The pattern does specify that they will be "ridiculously large" so I am sure it will be ok. I have needed new slippers for ages, so I was really pleased to see this pattern in the magazine, especially as they are crocheted, which is much faster than knitting. When I have finished both slippers I will show you how ridiculously large they really are!

After I had justified to myself the amount of additional projects I could get away with, I did some more logic twisting to justify starting my Noro Striped Scarf. I couldn't wait any longer, so I started my twisting thusly. I went round to our friends' house last night for a curry. I decided I would take some knitting but all the projects, I was currently involved with, were at a fiddly stage or required some measure of concentration. I also didn't want to take the baby blanket for fear of making it smell of curry. Do you like my logic?? So I decided to take the nice simple Noro Scarf with me, and oh!... it is wonderful. I cast on 48 stitches on 4.5mm needles and knit 1x1 rib in stripes two rows wide in each colour, alternating. I am loving working this project just as much as I hoped. The way the colours unwind from the balls and knit onto the needles is seemingly miraculous. Each row knit is a surprise and delight as the colours blend and change. The softness and sheen of this yarn is sumptious and tactile, and gets progressively more so, the more it is handled. This yarn is worth every penny, and I am going to be hard pushed not to buy tonnes of this stuff every time I see it. I really am a sucker for expensive yarns.



Speaking of which, I was weak at Mary Clare again. I only intended to buy a crochet hook, the 6mm one I needed for the slippers. But Clare was knitting some amazing angora mittens in this pretty soft grey yarn and she told me that a ball was only £3.25 and I weakened. I do need some gloves and this stuff is divine. Its a Louisa Harding yarn again. I really do love her fabulous colours and textures.



I shall use this to make myself some of the softest gloves imaginable. Someone from my knitting class had made some last week, in angora, and I was practically salivating at how soft and gorgeous they were. To have this temptation compounded by Clare's mittens was too much for me. I bought a couple of balls. I know I am weak.

In addition after my success with knitting Pumpkin Puss, I bought some silky long fibred yarn to make my next kitty. This one I am going to keep because it will be gorgeous.



Can you imagine it?