THE HANDBAG - PURSE aka One-Day-Project

The end product. I posted the un-felted and felted piece a few days ago, this is what I'm carrying (even though these are really winter or fall colors) as a purse this weekend. I may have found my knitting niche'.

A Doll and a Doll

This "Babydoll" holding a babydoll is our newest addition to the Grandkid collection. She came to us from Guatemala the first week of 2008. BEAUTIFUL!!

The dress I made for her (see left and below) is too big, and the dress I made for the doll (my design) is a little tight, but Aven is perfect!!

Best Made Plans

We all know plans can be interrupted, right? Well how about a semi-truck coming straight at you when you're just visiting Chicago? We are still in shock over the incident that SPARED our daughter-in-law, niece, and 3 friends Friday night. They are all treated and released from Chicago area hospitals, and now home, but have some healing and rest ahead of them.

I'm convinced God was protecting them in this incident, and we were so thrilled to hug our daughter-in-law last night when she was carried in to her home by our son.

A TRUE ONE-DAY PROJECT

I'll probably keep this one ... I say that about just about everything I make.

I found a great project - free pattern - on http://www.feltedhandbagsworkshop.com/ - grabbed some yarn I bought on clearance, Patons Merino Wool, and the left over yarn from Andrea's sweater, see blog post: She got it! at http://3knittingsisters.blogspot.com/2008/03/she-got-it.html

I used the wool yarn two strands throughout the pattern, and dropped one occasionally, to add the scraps of yarn from the sweater. I ended up with a pattern that worked for me...pictures to follow. Wonderfully simple on a circular needle, I used 13 because that's what I had, the item ended up being a little smaller than the PATTERN called for, but I felted it in the washer as recommended and it is so CLASSY (if I might say so myself, and I'm finding I MIGHT)!!

This is the knit project before felting.

A close up of the yarn "Mix"

Felted but the handles are not attached yet, it actually stands on it's own, a close up reveals the amazing blends of the two yarns.

Hmmm, this was too easy.

The BONUS - I didn't get the picture, oops!

I got a call - the dress was done, the babysitter cancelled, so I grabbed the dress, the gift bag and the bonus item and out the door we went, decorating the gift bags in the car. Never turn down an opportunity to babysit the 5 g-kids.

The BONUS that went with the dress was my first ever design. I downsized the Sassy Party Dress Size 2, for a 15" baby doll. IT WAS ADORABLE if I might say so myself, (and I do that often anymore. It's like knitting finally clicked for me, I've been knitting since I was sixteen so that's $%^@ years.)

Anyway, in my weakness, and the mad rush to show it to the baby girl, I didn't get pictures, oh well, it was a miniature of the pic below.

SORRY

I'm pathetic

This is the second time I've cried today. Anytime I think I'm getting this teary eyed stuff under control I get some info. that either breaks my heart or makes me so aware of my emotions and who made me the way I am.

The sweetest post on my daughter-in-law's blog about our 4th grandson, who is fighting his way out of the darkness he endured before adoption, and is pulling all of us into his world as he faces surgeries and procedures for cleft lip and pallatte ... the hardest part for all of us is that he doesn't communicate like a 5 year-old, and we all want to get into his head and help ... she had a tough day yesterday, and the mother instinct kicks in when that happens ... but I read further and she got encouragement ... well check it out:
http://cockrumfamily.blogspot.com/2008/04/got-some-perspective-today.html

Be sure to watch the video.

Then I got an email from her hubby (our son) about a project he's involved in ... from the heart. WOW. Makes a mom so proud.

THEN - I got an email from CaringBridge, about my brother-in-law - he's been fighting the battle of his life, for his life, with Pancreatic Cancer, and today 1st good news since December 11, 2007, he had a CLEAR, CLEAN scan. I'm so moved.

HOW does any of this have anything to do with knitting???

Well let me tell you that I've just shed tears over some major knit together human beings, I've made some of them gifts, some are in the works ... but each one of them mean so much to me that if one was removed for some reason, I might unravel, so knitting applies.

Party Dress Size 2 is FINISHED

It is an aqua color with flecks of pink, yellow and white throughout. It comes with a BONUS. It turned out so pretty, if I might brag a minute. OK, I learned so much with this dress. Finishing was a challenge (bouncing down the highway in a truck). I set goals on the BONUS (pictures to follow this weekend) and beat my personal best on knitting times. I have to start another project immediately because I'm already in withdrawals as soon as the BONUS was finished.

AVEN awaits. I hope the Sassy Party Dress size 2 isn't HUGE on her. I don't want to rush this growing up thing, but am anxious to see the finished project hanging from her sweet shoulders ... too cute!!

The Sassy Party Dress size 2

About to set in the sleeves.

SO-o-o-o cute.

Can't wait to finish this one.

Knitting while riding in a truck!

Dropping stitches is not my favorite incident, but picking them up again is becoming as common as U-turns when we travel on motorcycles.
I'm trying to make this Sassy Party Dress size 2 and the little lace pattern is complicated, so when the truck sways, or goes over those uneven lanes in road construction, sometimes I drop more than one stitch.
Kinda like life, dropped stitches. Gotta pick em up and go on, or undo several and re-do or give up. Can't give up, got another day on the horizon.

Knitting HELP!!

I had to do some serious research for some knitting help to get the BACK of the party dress size 2 back neck done correctly. The instructions said to start with a new ball of yarn, and BO right in the middle of a row. That was so tricky. Adding the new yarn I finally used a method where just knit with the new yarn, then wove it in with a crochet needle. But knitting the little shoulders back and forth on the needle looked pretty intimidating, until I tried a few rows. It's adorable...panic attack over.

I'll post pics, of the back it's on stitch holders right now while I complete the front of the Party Dress size 2.

me!!

THIS IS THE NEW PROJECT!!

A Party Dress SIZE 2

The pattern is a series of YO before and after a K1, then the next row you Knit the increases and Pearl the others, you increase for the odd rows and Knt - Purl for the even row, and start again. On the second to the last row of the pattern you have to Knit 4 together TBL - through the back of the loops - this was an interesting new stitch for me, then Knit 4 together traditionally, that's what makes the little hills I call volcano-looking pattern. I only have two rows of the pattern left working from the bottom before I start working on the bodice of the little dress. This one I plan on designing a Doll dress to match. It is a light aqua, yet looks great with several bright colors because of TLC's color flecks throughout.

Love it??

If anyone is interested in the pattern or seing the end results, COMMENT PLEASE!!

I TORE IT ALL OUT!!

I did, I'm starting over, but not today.

The shawl I was making was getting close to 1/3 when I noticed I dropped a stitch about 15 rows back, I couldn't deal with that, so I tore it all out and will start over some day.

I've done it again!

I've got more than one project going.