Felted Bowl

Here are the before and after

pictures of the bowl I felted . . . thanks so much for the inspiration Lynn . . . they are such cute little things! . . . I finally figured out how come my bowl came out so much smaller than friend Lynn's . . . different needle size, duh!!!!! . . . the size I was suppose to use are on another project so I used needles the next size down . . . size 13 . . . puzzle solved . . . now I'm off to start knitting a new little project . . .

Take Me Out To The Ballgame!

Oh My God . . . I just discovered that I am a "knitting addict!" . . . my employers gave me a couple of tickets to see our local team's baseball game Thursday night . . . and beside taking my hubby, our comfy padded cushions (those metal seats really hurt after 4 hours) and frozen bottles of water (it thaws out pretty fast in the heat wave we are having again around here) . . . I took my no brainer kniting with me!!!!! . . . for me "no brainer knitting" is working on an item where all you do is knit row after row after row for however many inches . . . when my hubbie and I got settled in I asked him if he would be embaressed if I knitted during the game . . . it was okay with him . . . so out of the bag comes in all its bright red glory the yarn (one of our home teams colors I'll have you know!) . . . I did get a couple of strange looks but no one said anything to me about it . . . I was even able to concentrate on the game . . . saw a couple of really fantistic plays . . . clapped, stomped my feet and yelled when I was suppose to . . . I even participated in the "chicken dance" and the Village People YMCA sing-a-long . . . and the biggest surprise to me was I didn't drop a stitch!!!!! . . . well needless to say I will be taking my knitting with me when I go to the baseball games from now on . . . I also learned the next afternoon when I went to my semi-LYS for needles (honest that was all I went in there for-double pointed needles and I still have not figured out how I also came out it 12 skiens of yarn and a handmade button) . . . anyway I was told that what I did Thursday night is called "Pitch and Knit" and women have been doing it for ages . . .

I am still working on project #2 ("roadkill" - hey he might be done by Christmas Heather) and project #1 (granddaughter baby sweater - I am in the middle of completing the second sleeve and then it will be done thanks again Lucy for the help) and have also added a couple of more little projects . . . my friend Lynn so inspired me with her felted bowls that I had to try knitting one for myself . . . I used some of the left over yellow yarn that my SP8 pal gave me to make the "rick rack" purse (thanks again SP8 pal - your gift just keeps on letting me make all kinds of additional fun things) . . . no before and after pictures - right now computer is not corporating I don't think it likes the heat either . . . soooooo . . . that's all for now . . . stay cool!!!!!!

PROJECT #3 IS DONE!!!!!!

Wellllllllll . . . I finally completed project number 3, the RICK RACK purse and I LOVE IT!!!!!!YAHOOOOO!!!! I learned so many useful techniques in making this purse that I now feel I can call myself an accomplished beginner knitter . . . 1. I learned how to knit a welt around the purse base (this helps the purse to sit flat after felting) . . . 2. I learned to "knit- in" eyelets (intentionally put holes in the purse for ribbon to be woven in and out of - can you believe intentionally making holes) . . . 3. I learned how to knit an I-cord bind off at the top edge . . . 4. I learned how to make I-cord split handles or "y" I-cord handles (these were knitted right into the purse - no hand sewing the handles on and when the purse is felted you cannot tell how they were knitted on) . . . 5. I learned how to knit a bobble (it became the center of the flower) . . . and finally I learned that its okay to make changes in a knitting pattern (I added the yellow stripe in the center of the purse-if it didn't work I could just rip it out which I am very good at!) . . . I know that some of these techniques will be used in future felted purses and other knitted projects even if the pattern instructions don't call for a particular technique.

This exciting project also led me to create my own "Knitting Journal" . . . its just a binder containing those clear sheet protectors where I slip in a sheet of paper that lists project name, pattern used, needle(s) used, who the project is for and from and a space to list the new techniques I learned . . . I also included yarn labels, samples of yarn used and a "worked up" sample of the knitted yarn . . . On the opposite side I place pictures of the project! . . . I have also learned that I need to take better closeup photos of the project before it is felted . . . so for your viewing pleasure I present to you below pictures of project #3 . . . the "RICK RACK" purse!

Before purse was felted . . . . . . . . . After purse was felted . . . . . . . .Closeup flower-ladybug button

THREE LITTLE PROJECTS ARE WE!

PROJECT NUMBER 1: About 1/3 of the way done. Granddaughter Kyra's sweater (this is the first sweater I have knitted since I first learned to knit). It still needs sleeves and I will have to go to the semi-LYS and have Lucy help me. I have been having such a wonderful learning experience with this sweater that I cannot wait to make the adult version for myself.

PROJECT NUMBER 2: About 1/3 of the way completed. Hedgehog toy or more affectionally named by the nieces down south as "roadkill." Have to knit the back of him now out of a combanition of wool and an eyelash type yarn. I got encouragement from Heather (the instructor for this project) last Tuesday letting me know that I was doing the back correctly . . . but alas I then got this inter ear thing and began making all kinds of non-correctable mistakes . . . had to ripe "roadkill's" back out and will start on him again as soon as I finish the purse (project number 3).



PROJECT NUMBER 3: Only have a couple of more things to do before this project is completed (hopefully I will be able to post the finished project on tomorrows blog). I have fallen in "love" with this project (I have learned so many new techniques) and can't wait to see how the purse felts up! THANK YOU secret pal for sending me this pattern and the yarn to complete it. I have made a couple of little changes (like adding a yellow strip around the middle) and I will be making a felted flower to go on it. BTW . . . in case you are curious about the white nylon cord in the middle of the yellow . . . its there to keep the knitted holes from closing up during the felting process (it was strange making holes on purpose). A ribbon will be woven in and out of the holes when the purse has finished drying.

So now you have seen the three projects that I am currently working on . . . and I have told myself that I WILL NOT start any new knitting projects until these are completed!!!!! Till Later . . .

I STILL BE HERE!!!!!

Just a quick little message today to let everyone know that YES, I'M STILL HERE and that the knitting juices are coming alive again--YAHOO!!!! I got help on two of the projects that I am working on (granddaughter sweater and roadkill toy) and have done more work on them along with just about finishing up the felted purse that my SP8 pal sent me to make . . . bbbbbbbut (there always seems to be one of those) . . . I got hit with an inter ear thing and have lost my sense of balance (thank God not my sense of humor) and am dizzy all the time . . . ya know walking into walls, spilling thing , taking BIG GIANT steps, having my hubby drive me around . . . all that fun stuff . . . doctor gave me meds for the "dizzies" and I quickly discovered that I should not knit while going thru the "dizzies" . . . so I have been catching up on reading (reading a light and fluffy book right now called "It's A Girl Thing" by Jan King), watching chick flicks (okay so what do y'all think . . . last night I watched the new version of "King Kong" on DVD with hubby who says this is not a "chick flick" but of course being who I am I beg to differ - it's a great love story and I always cry at the end so that makes it a "chick flick" right . . . even if the creppy crawly bug scene makes you want to throw up and check under the bed before you hop into it????), charging things on the internet (do ya think hubby will believe it when I say the meds made me do it? it's worth a try!), putting contact info on the new cell phone I bought (I did say that I was still able to shop, right?) and reading my friends and secret pal's blogs (boy, have y'all been busy) . . .

So I decided that I not only had to answer my friend Roni's blog . . . but I had to include a picture of the purse she knitted & felted and sold to me (I didn't even have the "dizzies" then) on my blog for everyone to see as she said she forgot to take a picture of it before she sold it . . . so here it is . . . had to take a picture of it with some birdhouses in the backyard because I call it the "Feather" purse and I get a lot of positive feedback on it from everyone who sees it . . . it is just too, too, cute!!!!! THANKS RONI -- YOU DO GREAT WORK GIRLFRIEND!!!!!

Okay . . . it is getting close to naptime now (I have also been sleeping a lot . . . ya know the "better living thru chemicals" thing) so I am signing off for now . . . hopefully next message will have pictures of my finished projects . . . TTFN!!!!!