Really quick...

I finished the bag!!! The one made with recycled sari yarn. I now have to take it home, wash it and put the lining in it. I've got some cotton canvas that the send millworms to us with and I'm going to use it to line the bag...yes I have washed it!!!!

Anyway, we are in Much Wenlock at the moment. The weather is BEAUTIFUL! I've just spent money on BOOKS! Alas, not on knitting books....well I actually did just order some from Amazon...but that doesn't count. My favorite bookstore is here in town and I always spend a bit....well more then a bit...today though I did a modest some.

This is short because I'm writing this at the local library and my time is about up!

Last stages of Tobin's blanket!

I toyed with the idea of using crochet to stitch the three sections together...but found it looked better if I sew it up. Then I was going to use crochet around the border, but with the stockingette stitch it just curled...so I'm dong the edging in garter stitch as it suggests.

Good news! Hubby has bought a camera! We should get it this weekend and so I will be able to download pictures for this blog finally! It will be good to show what I'm doing...even if it is mostly to make myself feel better!

I was almost done with the recycled Sari yarn bag from Knitty, but decided since I did find that I was SMART and bought a third skein I could make it a bit bigger! And still have enough to have a great long handle like I like. I might even use this has a bag to bring stuff back and forth to work. If I do I will have to figure out how to make some pockets for the lining. I don't think they lined the one in the original, but I don't like leaving bags unlined. It might be ok if it is felted, but even then I think a lining helps protect all the hard work you put in to the knitting!

Got the yarn for Wesley's blanket which I will have to get on to soon. Though I want to finish one nephews before I start another's! And the sweater...and I want SOCKS! Oh well....must continue on!

WOW!

What a great Easter weekend. I got to spend time with my hubby and his oldest sister and brother-in-law. We had a great time. Lots of walking, baby lambs and sight seeing!!! It was great. I also got lots and lots of knitting done. I'm almost finished with my nephew Tobin's blanket and I worked on the bag I'm going to make out of used sari yarn. It is coming out really well. I'm impressed really.

I had to stop by Collinette on the way home. My in-laws live really close to the workshop so Rich and I stopped and did a great buying spree. I bought some yarn for the free form knit and crochet I'm starting. A pillow kit and a sweater kit. The best thing I got though was a pair of Luna Moon knitting needles. They are so beautiful! I couldn't resist!

Short post because I'm still trying to get things put away from the weekend!

Purchases!

We are going to buy a digital camera soon so I can add some pics to this! Since I've joined Secret Pal 8 my secret pal will be able to see some pics of what I'm making!

Here is a quick pic just to test it out....my cutie niece!

I've went a bit crazy lately! I've purchased several pattern books etc and YARN! That is what happens when you imerse yourself in knitting podcasts and blogs!!! I've waited along time to buy Lucinda Day's "Designs for kids". It is Wonderful! I found the baby blanket to make my new nephew-to-be and ordered the yarn last night. Of course they don't have the main colour I need, so I have to wait...I hope I can get it done by August! (Well, I'm still working Tobin's, another new nephew, who was just born last month. Will get that one done soon!)

I also purchased Stephanie Pearl-McPhee book "At Knit's End". It is hits the right note for what I need! I can't wait to get her "Yarn Rules" book.

I recieved by patterns from Threadteds also! Berta Hesen-Minten from the Netherlands has made these wonderful patterns for tiny crochet bears. Now I have a weekness for cute bears. I wouldn't let my self have them when I was younger...but when I turned 30 I decided I deserved a few bears!!! I'm going to make these as presents I think. They are adorable and I can't wait to get started on them! The website is www.threadteds.com.

I'm still ripping out Toby's blanket. I decided that if it is good enough for Brenda of Cast-On to rip out and redo..then I should. One of the squares was about 10 rows short...so I really had to or I wouldn't get it sewn together right. It was kind of a stupid decision for me anyway, I could have done all 3 rows together, but I decided to do them seperate because it is easier on my hands to not have so much weight on them. But now I have all the seaming to do...plus it won't look as nice on the back. I don't want to make it too heavy either. I thought about crocheting them together...and I might try it and see what I think. It just adds some decoration to it and I thought I would crochet around the outside border also. I test it out and see what I think.

Going to Wales for the weekend. I'm soooo looking forward to seeing lots of lovely baby lambs!

Creative weekend...

I spent the weekend trying to get organized...ha! Anyway, I decided that since hubby has hogged my craft room with his computers...I'm going to have to move some of my knitting books downstairs! I bought in December that I can't find ANYWHERE and it is driving me CRAZY !!! And since I've started doing freeform I really need the other books to give me some ideas.

I spent Sunday doing little patches for freeform. It was fun! Now I just have to keep messing with stuff to make it better. If I could get in to my craft room!!!! I could use some of the yarn I have in there....but NO!!! You can't move in there (though I have to admit part of the problem is that we rearranged our bedroom and bought furniture and now we can't fit one of your laundry baskets in the room...and it won't fit in the spare bedroom yet....because it is A MESS!) We are getting there....but you have to buy stuff to store stuff in...ya know!!!

So I also got to drool over Knitty!!!! I've got two things I HAVE to make!

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring06/PATTreid.html
For my niece....

and

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring06/PATTttwist.html

For me!

It was the first time that I had to wait for Brenda to produce Cast-on...and it was a long wait...a whole day....bless her. We all wait with baited breath to hear her!

Still thinking of making a website for podcasts. Since I don't have an ipod, but do have an mp3 player...and tend to listen to stuff at work on the computer...I can't be the only one that listens that way. Instead of bookmarking on my work computer, I keep going back to a past podcast and check out the casts they have on their website. I think it would be easier if I made a weblog for it. Don't know if I want to use blogger...though I'm finally getting a bit of a hang of it....we will see anyway.

Better get back to my studies!

THEY WORK

Thanks to Ruth Mahler!!!!

http://www.craftypeople.net/ruth-marler.html

http://www.rumour.craftypeople.net

My hyperlinks now work! Sometimes you just need a push to do things! I have to publicly (well not that anyone is reading this at the moment) for the fact that she said we would figure it out together! That made me feel so good!

You are a Goddess, Ruth!!!!!

Oh well...

I'm not doing very well with this blogging thing....I've been told that my hyperlinks in the sidebar aren't working...hopefully Ruth will get me sorted out.

I have had someone offer to work with me on sorting out the weblog about Podcasts also, so that is going on...

I've started casting on for my life sculpture. I'm really looking forward to working my way through it!

Been listening to www.knittynewscast.blogspot.com and www.pointysticks.org Knitty newscast is hosted by Rhonda. She covers different reviews of yarn and books and gives basic information for new knitters. Pointy sticks is hosted by Christine Selleck from Houston (where my aunt lives!) She has a really good voice and has a lot of positive things to say about knitting and other things. She is playing very contemporary music. I'm enjoying both. I feel like I have a luxury at starting out with them...or almost because I can easily catch up with them. I can't tell you how addictive this all is though!

Better get back to studying...and knitting...and studying...and knitting....
At least I'm not playing that stupid computer game anymore!!!

Wow...

has the last few weeks been crazy for me creatively. I just have to get down to doing it now!!!

These podcasts are awesome! I'm trying to find someone that will collaborate with me on setting up a blog for reviews of crafting podcasts. I think it would be great to go to one place and see what is new and what is doing well. But I can't really take the time to learn how to do these blogs so well! This is fun, but I think if you are going to be very public...you need it to work better then I can make it!

Also, I've found through some research on art knitting "free form knit and crochet". Man is this cool!!! I found the web site for Prudence Mapstone at www.knotjustknitting.com. This is awesome! She is coming to the UK this month and in May to this one yarn shop that isn't too far away. I'm going to definitely go to the workshop in may. I've purchased her books and though they are a bit thin on content they have lovely pictures and descriptions of what to do. I can't wait! All that waste in my stash...will be added to by lots more!

Anyway...back to work!

Scuplture idea

I've had this idea for a scuplturey knitted project. I want to knit a tubular shape, probably one foot in diameter and around 6 ft high. I'm in therapy and this is a way for me to reflect what my life has been like and how much better it is now! So I want to start off with gray let it be probably a bit narrower and then I want to use white and black with lots of large holes and dropped stitches etc. I know a lot of this will be playing by ear and seeing if it works. When I get to my divorce I will cut the strings and tie them to yarn with pastel colors that will eventually become very tidy and turn into lovely bright colors toward the top. Inside, I want to do a braid or i-cord with purple and red, purple for my faith and red for the love of my family. Even though I was going through hard times, I still had these inside me. Then when it comes to the top they will mix in with the outside threads also.

The things I'm not sure about are what I'm going to do about holding or hanging the piece up. Do I use supports inside? Or do I not, because support is something I've always lacked. Oh...just thought...I could use a pole in the middle and wrap the red and purple around the pole and this could be used to hold it up!

We will see. So far I'm not sure either if I want to use synthetic yarn for the first part, because I was so unhappy and unnatural. Or should I use wool for the whole project....not sure.....