Knitting Vacation

You know you're a knitter when ... you pack your knitting (at least 3 projects) and prepare a special bag just for your knitting, and it gets preferential treatment to the other bags packed for vacation.

I'm currently on vacation and I brought 3 projects. I am knitting another cardigan sweater in Willow green. It is just a very simple stockinette with ribbed bands around the edges. Also I brought some yarn to make a scarf and my brown & turquoise faux cable sweater.

So far, I knit all of the yarn I have with me for the willow cardigan. I am starting on the scarf, and then if I finish it, I will work on the other sweater.

Of course, we went yarn shopping, but the LYS was closed for the Holidays so we ended up at Michael's. We bought yarn for a bolero for my SIL. It is a crochet project, and I am very interested to see how it turns out. We just chose Simply Soft and I've used this for blankets, but not for garments. I think that the acrylics of today have great improved over the acrylics of yesterday. This project could prove me right or wrong.

BTW I have pictures to post when I get home. :-)

Cable Cardigan

My Cable Cardigan is finished at last!!! I started this last fall, but I ran into a few bumps. Anyway, I have learned so much with this sweater, and it is now finished. I did put it down for the Spring and Summer because the yarn is Ultra Alpaca, and it was just too warm to knit.

Felted Boxes

This year I decided to make my kids' teachers' gifts. I chose something quick & easy, and I must say they turned out lovely. They are the felted boxes from Mason Dixon Knitting.

For my son's 3 preschool teachers, I made the large boxes. The first picture above shows the finished boxes. I added some homemade Cinnamon Crunch Popcorn to fill the inside of the boxes.

For my daughter's 1 teacher, I made a set of 3 nested boxes. The middle picture shows the boxes before I felted them.

The last picture shows a felted box close up. For those of you who haven't tried felting, it is really easy. These boxes were knit with a double strand of yarn, using Size 15 needles. To felt them, I put them in my washer with a pair of the kid's old shoes on the lowest water level and the highest water temperature. I also add a little detergent or baby shampoo. Felting shrinks the yarn, and makes it a stiff fabric. If you are felting something with straps or a belt, then put it in a pillowcase or a lingerie bag. If you want complete felting instructions, drop a note.

Finally, I have a new camera

I finally have a new camera ... the other one is MIA. So pictures coming soon ...

Another Quote

"Learning how to knit was a snap.It was learning how to stop that nearly destroyed me." Erma Bombeck

Quote of the Day

"If you are getting the fabric you want from your knitting, then you are knitting the right way for you!" – Annie Modisett

Trafalgar Knitters

Have you ever seen more knitters in one place? I found this in a Flickr account called People Knitting. I just thought it was so cool to see people knitting together.