This and that.

This little bag I have sent to Silfert http://stitchtunes.blogspot.com/ for her little man. She had mentioned she was looking for a pattern for one...ages ago. Sooo I thought I'd knit one.

Pattern:-Little Penny Pouches by Sara Foster from Interweave Felt Special Issue 2008. I modified the pattern heavily to knit this.

I started with a base, and continued to the top.

Yarn:-1 skein of Noro Kureyon colour#184. (leftover from my Tasha shawl.) I really, really love the Noro colours.

Needles:-Sz#8 DP's

What a quick easy knit. I used cord and a painted wooden ball to finish off the bag. It measures approximately 4 1/2" tall and the base is about 3 1/2" across.

I thought the felting took a long time, but then smaller things usually do and I did it by hand!

The necklaces I made for Sarah, one of the knitters I see most every week at the coffee shop.

Pattern:-Anjies knitted Bead Necklace. You can find this free pattern here

http://www.pompomemporium.com/content/anjies-knitted-bead-necklace-0

Yarn:-leftover sock.

Needles:-Sz#0

I decided to use small wooden beads instead of fiberfill.

These were a bit fiddly to work but the end result is so cute.

I still haven't finished Barbara's socks and the roses socks.

I would like to start something using my new handspun. I have a lot of plans but am only motivated to do this and that! Oh, well.

Happy knitting.

Mags.

P.S. If you look at the necklace pic you can see the dust on the road. A car had just driven past, ah, the joys of living on a dirt road!

Love at first sight..

Today I received the most gorgeous yarn in my mailbox....and it is my first handspun. It was a gift from a "Socknitter" friend. She decided to have a contest and of course a bunch of folks entered. I think all we had to do was name our favourite colour. It was all in good fun and I expected nothing. Silfert/Audrey, http://stitchtunes.blogspot.com/ however, very generously sent everyone who entered a hank of homespun. Let me just say I am thrilled and delighted! Check out the other skeins/colours on her blog. This woman is a dynamo..she has a toddler, husband and a job and still found time to wash, card, spin and dye, I think I count ten hanks (from the pic on her blog) and then mail each one with a personalised note....WOW!!!!! I'm not only impressed I'm out of breath!

My colour is "Kingsford" after the charcoal. My problem now is what to knit. I must find something that is going to do this yarn justice. Of course I won't be starting right away...I have to savour it....caress it, look and admire this yarn for a little while.

I do want to thank Silfert for her generous gift and for her friendship. I am so touched.

Thank you again....I feel as if I am wrapped in homespun happiness.

Happy knitting.

Mags.

Shaggy bag...

I know, I've been such a sloth lately...no blogging, no knitting, nothing. Well that's not entirely true, I could sit all day on the computer...and before I realise it, my day is shot!

I have made a little progress on Barb's socks, I just don't know why I can't seem to get on the ball and finish them....possibly because they are so big!!!!!!!

But...I do have this bag.

I knit this using "Recycled Sari Silk" This yarn is handspun from reprocessed woven silk saris. Let me tell you if I thought 'Noro Kureyon' was tough to work with well it's nothing compared to sari silk. This stuff is full of vegetable matter and God knows what..it does smell a little and it has knots, it is thick and thin in spots and sheds and unravels. That being said the colours are fantastic. It knits up into a drapey fabric and it softened after I washed it, 'tho it still smells a little funky. At least the colours didn't run or bleed.

I used Sz#8 needles.

Just knit a rectangle, picked up the stitches in the round and knit the body of the bag. I finished with about 8 garter rows. I made 3 I-cords and braided (in Ireland I would have said plaited instead of braided) them together for the handle. I knit little tabs and added metal rings to the handle.

I lined the bag with 'batik' fabric from Jo~Annes, added a pocket and a metal magnet closure.

It's unusual and I like it.

I am sorry I haven't been blogging. I guess you could say I flit from one thing to another and can't quite settle myself.

Hopefully I'll do better.

Happy knitting.

Mags.