Of course there was lots of knitting, always with the knitting. For some reason I got a wild hair and decided to knit a Noni bag. Actually, I guess not for some reason, but because Stephanie was working one and it made me realize it was a good use of the heathered pink Cascade 220 that I bought last year in Atlanta that I was going to use for a sweater. After knitting Cascade on the sleeves of my variegated sweater from last year, the sleeves knit in Cascade pill terribly. I decided that I wouldn't make a sweater out of it if the yarn would pill that badly, but Cascade is great for felting.
The project calls for 8 skeins of Cascade 220 in a solid color of it, or if striping 4 skeins of 2 colors. Since I had 7 skeins left, I opted to use 6 of the heathered pink and purchase 2 greys,as the pattern calls for you to use a double strand of one color at a time. It made for some quick knitting and I'm not done with the knitting, just need to felt it. Hopefully it will happen tonight. As you can see, the one I chose to make was the Rather Huge Felted Bag. It is really quite huge. I'm thinking now that it's really too huge to use as a carry bag. I probably should have made the medium. Hmm, we'll see how it all turns out. Below is a pic of the unfelted bag with a ball of sock yarn for scale.
And I started using some of the yarn I bought at Estes already. I decided to get started on the Clapotis using more of my Plain & Fancy Sheep and Wool. I'm using what I call the Roses colorway, pinks and green for my AKA cousin. Oh, I love this yarn. It's so soft and cushy and wonderful to use. I've collected some of this yarn from the very first time I went to Estes about 4 years ago and then bought more last year. This summer has been my first time using any of it. Now that I have, I just love it all the more. Next year I'll be making my first stop Plain & Fancy for sure. Here's a closeup of the dropped stitches. This is the most fun of the project for me.
I'm almost done with the first set of dropped stitches during the increase rows and then on the set of decrease rows. I'm going to my family reunion next weekend and I hope to be finished before then or at least close. I figure I can always wash it at my sister's house and lay it out to dry before we head to Louisiana if necessary, just in time for the reunion to give it to her. I'm pretty pleased with how it's turning out and I think she will be surprised and thrilled, esp. since she asked for something knitted from me in '02! That's really bad, isn't it? I know, but at the time, I think I had no intention of really making anything. After her sickness, I rethought that. A lot of times, living far away from my family, I'm not always able to have the gift of time to spend with them as often as I'd like, but creating something beautiful that will have them remember me with fond memories seems like the best gift that I can give to loved ones. I'm appreciative that knitting is a gift I can share with others that is unique and handcrafted.
and a pic of Clapotis lounging on the ironing board.
Also, I finished the Ribby Shell and it is at the shop being finished for me. I wouldn't be so lazy normally (who am I kidding?), but I followed the pattern blindly, which is my fault and didn't notice until late that the pattern has you bind off the front straps and the back and I would have preferred to keep them on holders. I would have much rather preferred the 3-needle bind-off. I hate to backstitch, I absolutely suck at it and it looks like it, plus the yarn that I used has some huge slubs in it (cotton/viscose/rayon blend) that I really didn't want to weave the ends into.
And the Bliss cardi is at the shop too getting its zipper put in. Maybe by the time I come back from my trip, I will have some FO pics to show.
Next up will be some new yarn purchases. Summer's not fully over and I've got my eye on a couple of tanks that I plan on starting soon!
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