Direction-less

Well, I did it again. Read the the direction wrong on the 4 times a charm cardigan. The buttonholes are on the wrong side. Started on the right side (rs) not the wrong side (ws). Knitting talk. Ohhhhhhhhh!

I'm more than half way done and I'm not ripping out. And yes, I only notice it now, when I was admiring my progress. 

I guess there's a reason things I like things hand-made. They have character from the little [and not so little] mistakes. It's destiny that this cardigan will finally end up with buttonholes on the wrong side. It took 4 tries and many years of sitting into my in-progress project basket to become this close to a finish product. 

Hope to take this on my vacation and get close to finish. Got a train ride to get some knitting done. Hope wear it in the fall, so all can come and admire the my buttonholes. 

Maybe I start a new trend of buttonholes on the left. 

And I'm not only recipe testing . . .

I've been knitting away. In fact my goal is to knit away as much of my yarn stash this year as I can. I thought I'd try and sell the pieces I don't give away. My yarn stash is mostly made up with yarn I bought on sale with thoughts of make so kind of fun project. Too busy, no time. I decided to get knit short easier projects that I may be able to sell. 

Pouches
I been making some kind of version of these for a while. I started this while back probably a year ago. Never finished but remember that I had only a little bit more to finish and I needed a secret santa gift and I thought this would be perfect for the person. She travels a bunch for work and this would help her organize all electronic stuff and it's handmade.

Found a chevron pattern I liked . . .

Chevron Pattern: Adapted Opus Spicatum by Kate Gagnon Osborn
Yarn: Stitch Nation Full o' Sheep

added my flat bottom technique then add a lining, zipper and tassel pull. Hope she liked it.

I still have leftover green and teal yarn so I'm making up a hat. I have something started on needles but just saw an idea on pinterest and I may from what I've done so far to make up my idea. Stay tune.


Varigated Yarn
I got this yarn from a secret santa gift. My hints were cooking, knitting and no pink. This is the gift I got: varigated blue, brown and beige 100% wool. I love wool and this wool was nice, but just not my color. I tried it out as a hat for WG but frogged that. didn't like how the color were coming out. I made this cowl out of the same type of wool for my niece last year. The pattern was really easy for me  and it turned our really nice. So with my fingers cross I started this pattern with the hope that the pattern worked with the varigation. 

I think it looks good. Still need to block. And this maybe the first think I sell. 

Pattern: Maryse Cowl by Amy Christoffers
Yarn: Patons Classic Wool

Baby Gifts
I know three people that are having babies in the next couple of months and this is a good way to use up my cotton yarn. I'm been making these burping cloth and bibs. This is the first one I gave as a gift. I really like the combination. Easy, easy pattern and make you feel really good when it's done. 


Pattern: Baby Genius Burp Cloths and Baby Bib O' Love from Mason*Dixon Knitting
Yarn: Red: Lion Cotton; Ecru: Peaches and Creme

I want to knit up some leg warmer with some wool I have. Wish I started it earlier I'm thinking of sending it to my niece. She move to Almost Canada to Wisconsin after graduation. And she's experiencing the a really cold winter. I saw a picture of her in rainbow leg warmers and thought she could use another pair in a more subtle coloration. That's my next project after the burping cloth/ bib 3  and green/teal hat. Wish I could knit faster or stay up later. 

Knitting away

this fall into winter, just been in the mood. I guess I picked patterns that have kept my interest and can withstand my constant stopping and starting due to my crazy schedule. I wanted to show off what I've gotten done. Still need finishing and block [blah!] but I'm still pretty happy of my accomplishments.

Romney Wool Hat
Got this wool from the NJ sheep and fiber festival this fall. It was from a local farm-Black Walnut Farms, that hand spun and naturally dyed yarn and it passed the itchy test. I figure it would make a great winter hat to keep WG head warm. This is the Big Rib Thank You hat from purlbee. 

A Craftalong for Hurricane Sandy Relief.

Wanted to pass along this craftalong to all my crafty friends. It's to help the victims from Hurricane Sandy. For me, it's a good way to use up some of my stash that is sitting in my closet and give something handmade to someone in need. 

I'm making the bandana cowl from Purl bee with some Homespun that I have. I hopefully I can make up a stripe-y hat after that. No pictures yet, just started last night.

http://www.brettbara.com/knitting/make-it-better-craftalong-for-sandy-relief/

So I tried a new look

And I just didn't like it and I have gone back to the simple template minus all the orange. I guess I have to come up with my own design.  I've thinking about for a while. And since I've trying to get better at html and css, I guess this is my chance. Stay tune for more rounds of changes [ha ha, just like work].

Since I have your attention I wanted share what I've up to. Nothing earth-shattering, just my normal stuff I've been fitting in between work and the restaurant. The hardest part is to remember to take the pictures [and figuring out the new camera. not liking how the images look].

Knitting

I've trying to make a few things for me [haven't finished anything yet this summer]. Love colors of Koigu PPPM and bought some this earlier this summer in green/orange/pink combination, kind of neon. Making a shawlette, in a kind of simple lace pattern. Thought it was complicated enough to keep my interest and easier enough that I would be lost if [always] put down for a while. I already ripped the whole thing apart once. Second try, I'm using stitch marker to keep track better [yes, I'm using paper clips as markers--at least they're the color ones]. I hope it works.

Cooking

Jam! Been making it all summer for the restaurant, family, friends and a little bit for me. I've been using it in my breakfast yogurt. Luckily I still enjoy doing it. Although this last batch of peach jam, was a bit labor intensive [no more non-freestone peaches for me]. Got 5 half pints and 3 minis. It was really good. I think the combination of the slight tartness of the non-freestone peaches from my friend's tree and the super sweetness of the yellow peaches from the farmers market is what made it so delicious. Just finished a batch of strawberry--customers favorite. And will make another batch of plum this weekend. The last batch of plum I made was so sweet and good. The plums were at the perfect moment to make the jam. I just got some italian plums, I hope this batch turns our just a good or better.



This is a picture of the special dessert we been serving at the restaurant. Strawberry sorbet and Orange "Guri Guri" with fresh fruit. One of the many things that I've been using my ice cream maker for this summer: Ice cream, sorbets and "Guri Guri"  [hawaiian-style sherbet]. I think this hot and humid summer had a lot of influence for that. Most of it has been for the restaurant, but I made raspberry ice cream for home with some farmers market raspberries. Been trying to find the time again to make some ice cream for home. Yummmm!

Not to much baking since my family left in the beginning of the summer. Just the staples for the restaurant. I been dying to try out some recipes. Since the weather is getting cooler, it probably a good time to try it. On my list, a chocolate chip cookie that's been calling me, a cinnamon cake with gooey chocolate frosting [which I made this weekend and is sooo delicious] and blueberry cake that I hope taste as good as it looks [I know off season but just found the recipe and it looks so good]. 

Watching
With all this food making there is a lot of time spent waiting for thing to be done and I've been using that time knitting and catching up on movies and TV that I've missed out on [late joiners to netflix--streaming]. Currently watching Breaking Bad. Once I catch up with that, I'm going to start Downton Abbey. 

Monday is a early night, no dinner [yah!] and that's movie night for us. Don't remember what was the last thing we saw in a theater [I think it was Avatar]. So far we've seen: Drive, Mao's Last Ballet Dancer, Captain America, and Super 8. I know they're so old movies but remember what I last movie we saw.

Reading
Like my knitting, I have many books and magazine articles going at the same time. This is the reason why it takes me so long to finish reading a book. But this is what been keeping my interest these days. Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, to inspire me to get moving. Just started Mrs. Robinson's Disgrace by Kate Summerscale, thought it would be fun summer reading but been slow out the gate. Hope I it gets going soon. And sitting on my night table next to the bed is Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern [End of night reading in bed is bad for me. Always fall asleep and need to re-read the same paragraph over and over]. 

What I've been really reading is my collection of NYT magazines. Brought a bunch with me on vacation and I'm almost caught up--just 2 more left in the house. Then all them get sent off to my Mom who really enjoys them. The Sunday NYT goes to the restaurant and there must be a fan of the magazine there because for the past several weeks there is no magazine to be found. :(

Well that's it for now. Not bad for a post I started about the design of my blog. One day, I'll tackle that but for now, why fix something that's not broke--sort of.

Today I made . . .

4 1/2 pints of apricot jam




My 2nd attempt @ an pan. This time with homemade an.




Raspberry ice cream-raspberry from the farmers market.




And working to finish up a burping blanket before baby Gingersnap arrives.

The things you can accomplish when you have some free time. Only if all my weekends were like this.

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Flower One Dot coin purse

I found a pattern for these crocheted flower that are joined into a larger piece to make a bag, Mollie's Flowers. I thought it was beautiful and I could make up the flower in my spare time between project. My idea was to make a bag in a neutral color, charcoal or beige so the flowers becomes a texture and just highlight one flower center on the bag as an accent.

First the flowers. I needed to try out the flower pattern with scrap yarn. To see if it was possible to make tons of them in to the bag I wanted. These turn into into pins for x-mas gift for the office. I got a little crazy with the centers and add contrasting yarn and some beading.

After finishing the pins, I kind of realized that I think I needed to downsize my idea. The bag I envisioned would take 100s of flowers and I don't think I have the stick-with-it-ness to make all of the same flowers over and over. So I decided on a round coin purse. Fast forward a couple of years. 

Tah dah! Flower One Dot coin purse. An early birthday present for my niece [I'm alway late with gifts--like 6 months late] since she came for a visit a couple of days before her birthday.  

The inside is lined with some Japanese crepe fabric and the back is a plain crocheted circle in rusty red with red zipper. Hope she can use it.

Upcycling

Upcycling: taking something that would be thrown out and making something out of it just as good or even better. 

I've been always fascinated with upcycling. I think it comes from three things: 

1. my parent's no throwing out policy [ ". . . it still good, you can use it." as they weed through my trash] 
2. love of old stuff 
3. fear of being a hoarder. 

So I'm giving upcycling a try as I attempt reduce my many piles of stuff.  Using up my yarn is first on my list and I've been making stuff with what I have and not to buy any new yarn (I've already failed in that task). 

Project 1: Not a upcycle project but my attempt to make piles of yarn smaller, I started with WG's yellow socks, I'm on sock 2 and it's looking good. I guess toe-up sock has just enough challenge to keep me interested and but not make too much mistakes. Self-striping yarn rules!


Project 2: My bag (pocketbook, handbag whatever you call it) is always a mess, especially with the cords and the chargers all tangled up in a ball. So I decided to make a cord bag for myself. I frogged (took apart for you non-knitter) a red wool shrug I made years ago that I never wore (too hot for me these days). Decided to use a seed stitch pattern knitted with 2 strands, I love the beautiful simple texture the seed stitch pattern creates in bulky yarn. I knitted in the round for less seaming (yeah! for me, two less seam to finish) I also gave it a flat bottom in stockinette stitch and tucked in corners. On the inside, I lined it with a rice bag, gave it a lime green zipper with red trim. This turns out to be a double upcycle project (shrug and rice bags). I'm thinking I may be making up more to sell on Esty, stay tune.


Front view

Inside view

Offshoot from my cord bag project: Another thing I collect is vintage trim and I got an idea while I as constructing my cord bag, zipped pouches bags using my vintage trim, rice bags, and contrasting zippers.

Flat view

close up of zipper and trim

I want to try out a tote idea I have with the rice bags and some upholstery webbing (I told you have have a lot of stuff). More to come.

Project 3: have not started yet but will be constructing my secret collaborative blanket for a special Star Wars character. Got the pieces, got the idea how to combine applique, patchwork, crochet and knitting together. The upcycle part: still need couple more square and I may just repurpose some old shirt to make a couple of crazy patchwork squares. Stay tune for sneak peeks of it coming together. 

Other ideas in the the upcycle que: turn old mens dress shirt to sleeping shorts, old hole-y sweaters patchwork blanket,  vinyl banner (our grand opening banner) tote. I hope I can get to at least one of these ideas by the end of the year.

my making stuff queue

My ever growing making-stuff queue is hopefully getting smaller (if I can only stop buying yarn for new project). I've finished a few things and getting very close to another. And of course, I've started several more. I just wanted to share my queue. (btw: love the word "queue" ever since working with my british art director many years ago. I'm happy I got to use it in my blog.)


Finish project: Tiger team scarf 
It's made of linen/merino wool blend. Got the yarn in Boston on a business trip. Need a project for the long train ride home. It's actually more like a wrap so I think I can wear to the wedding in October. 



Work in Progress: Crazy Yarn Ball Scarf 
I started this on Saturday. I was looking for something mindless and this fit the bill. The yarn was a gift and all I had to do is knit. It even comes with the tassels for the ends. I started off bigger but I think this will be fun longer. So I ripped out everything I did and made it 6 stitches shorter. Hopefully that was enough to make it as long as I would like it. Feels very warm but not sure what I'm going to do with it. I've notice I've making a lot of scarves lately. It's not as if I needed them. 

My yarn stash: Suri Alpaca

This is from my local farmer's market. Making a lace crocheted shawl for a gif with the 1st skein (yes, I bought 2, thinking I was going to make another scarf but changed my mind in the process). I tried to take a picture today of what I was making. Didn't work. Photo to come.

My yarn stash: Sea Cell (seaweed) and Silk Blend

My birthday gift from my sister. I know I'll make a lacy wrap/scarf for myself. I know I just said I have too many scarves but I don't have a seaweed/silk blend one. Plus it has the shiny silk-iness that make it so beautiful and rich. The hard part will be what pattern to make. The other 2 thing in the picture is a retrackable tape measure and stitch markers to help keep track of the pattern--these are really nice. I'm usually cheap and have used paper clip instead.

That's all the stuff for now. Will post more late. 

An Elephant in the House

I mean an Elephant chair. A Thai Elephant Chair to be exact and guess who brought it home.


So the story starts out as I mention to WG that I wanted to move the chair in my office up to the bedroom so I can sit and knit and crochet more comfortably. He said "Why don't you buy a new one?" You can't imagine my excitement. We usually fight about what to get. That's why my furniture in my house looks like we just got out of college--hand-me-downs and garbage picked and a whole lot of mis-matched items. I'm like, Okay! (my mind is racing to figure out where can I look for a great comfortable chair that looks great, too. 


So about a month has gone by. I haven't had the chance to look for a chair. 


Then WG said "I need the truck to pick your elephant chair" 
"My what?" I replied very confused. 
"Your Thai Elephant Chair." WG said with confidence
"What does it look like? Where are you getting it from" I worriedly replied.
"It's Teak. Don't worry you will like it. Someone had put a sign up at Pad Thai." He replied back with no clue that about the images and thoughts that are running in my head. Does this chair look like elephant? Do I have to straddle it to sit on it? And what does it matter that it is teak? 


So I end the conversation with "What if I don't like it?"
Annoyed, he answered, "Then you have to buy your own chair and we can put this somewhere else.


Which is what I thought I was suppose to do. 


Well, the chair is here. And it is not really a chair more like a love seat or day bed. And it was heavier than WG and I can carry. But of course, like everything else that is heavy in our house, I had to help him carry it from the truck. There was a lot of yelling about not to drop the extremely heavy piece of furniture. But finally we got it in the house.


With both of us sweating from wrestling the chair in the front door, I asked "are moving it upstairs now?" 
He looks at me like I have 2 heads and said "No, it's too heavy."


So that's why I have an elephant chair in the middle of my living room (please remember, it was only suppose to be small club chair for the bedroom). We still need to figure out where we should put it with all the other mismatch items there. 


I have to say, it is a pretty nice chair/love seat/day bed. And comfortable, too. Here's a pic of the elephant. The bottom section is where it sit on the elephant's back. By the way, when WG was telling how it is suppose to sit on the elephant's back, he said this chair was too heavy to sit on the elephant. Probably the really elephant chairs were made out of rattan. 

my unfinished projects

I'm having a lot of trouble finishing project lately. Maybe too many going on at one time?(These are on top of Baby Ribby's Blanket and another secret baby blanket project.) Keep making mistakes then having to rip the out. But I wanted to share what I've been working on beside cleaning out the crap from my house. 

Projects:

1. A's new shoes. One is bigger than the other. I have to rip apart one side and try and make it match. This is why I hate making pairs of things. They never match. 
2. Tiger team scarf. Needed a project for my long train ride home from Boston and wanted to treat myself for having to attend week-long meeting stuck in a conf. room when the weather was so beautiful. So I fell in love with the yarn first, it is so beautiful. Kind of gun-metal gray with a little bit blue. 
3. Purple ivy. Bought this yarn last winter when this color was so hot. I hope by the time I'm finished it will still be in fashion to wear it. It's a great looking pattern but not good to work on when tired (which I'm always tired lately), too many mistakes. 
4. A colorful cap. Another baby gift. This is taking a really long time; skinny yarn, small needle. But it is really fun and playful. 

Last square

This is the last square for Baby Ribby blanket. I'm on the road to a finish blanket. I laid out all of the 4-squares, made a map, and took pictures of each for reference. Will post the finish product hopefully soon. Have another baby blanket waiting for me to work on.

Last square

The map

The layout

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Construction begins

Baby Ribby's blanket has taken much longer than it should. It is much harder than I thought to stay motivated. But I'm back with 1 more square to go.

I've decided to start the construction as I block the squares. Here's the first big square. 11 more to go.




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Schaefer Bean

was gift to a skater friend of mine that did my PHF drawing. It's a recycled yarn project--it was formally a hat (one of my favorites) that got beat up. Always loved the colors.

He's felted and needed a bit of patching up, that's the frankenstein scarring on him--kind of goes with the skating lifestyle and living in Hoboken, NJ.

Mr. Handmade

is my biggest fan of the things I make. Felicity hat (It was suppose to be my slouchy hat), Morningside neckwarmer and mittens. He is also wearing some hand knitted socks from my sister.

things I’ve been making

I’ve been making a lot things lately, but too lazy to post. Here’s the second installment of things I’ve been making.

Holiday Scrubbies

Pattern: Stitchy Scrubbies by Maya Mackowiak Elson
From: Crochet Today March/April 2009
Yarn: Peaches and Creme and Sugar and Creme

These were holiday gifts. It just made me smile when I finished the first one. I think, I made 9 of these and thought I was done. I think I’m making 2 more as a hostess gift for party tonight.

Cool Felicity

Pattern: Felicity by Wanett Clyde

From: Knitology

Yarn: Misti Alpaca Lace solids

I saw this hat and thought it was a cool looking hat that I could add to my wardrobe. Thought it would look nice in this yarn (frogged from 3x shrug). This is pre-washed and dried. The washing totally made the hat better. WG has now aquired the hat. This is sign that it looks cool.

TB’s gift

Pattern: Divine Hat by Rheatheylia

From: http://www.rheatheylia.com/

Yarn: Berocco Nuance

I got the yarn on sale @ Web. I love the gradient color. I thought a hat would look great in it. Then I found the pattern. Wow. This combination worked so well together. And the pattern, loved the way it started to grow into a hat. Once it was done, it just looked like TB. And that's how it became her gift.

My Alpaca Cowl

Pattern: Luxe Neck Warmer by Tracey Ullman and Mel Clark

From: Knit 2 Together

Yarn: Windy Farm Alpaca hand spun

Had some visitors from Thailand in on Thanksgiving weekend. Took them to the Lambertville Flea Market (this end up as 12 hour shopping day, those thai girls can shop). Windy Farm had a table and bought a skein of hand spun. Had just enough for the pattern. The picture doesn't do the piece justice. It looks great (especially after a wash) and feels good. Glad I bought the yarn. It will keep me warm during my long walk to my car. (I park far away to get some exercise during the day.)

“Noodle-eating” neck warmer

Pattern: Morningside Neckwarmer by Jared Flood

From: Classic Elite Yarn Web-letter

Yarn: Berocco Nuance

I really like this yarn because it so soft and warm. Perfect for a neckwarmer. Been wanting to make this pattern so “noodle-eating” gets a beautiful neckwarmer for his morning adventures into the wild woods. Need to wash and block but he should have in a couple of days. Maybe I can get a picture of him in it.

In-progress

February Lady

Pattern: February Lady Sweater by Pamela Wynne

From: www.flintknits.com

Yarn: Cotton-Ease

I was hoping to get this done for a holiday gift for Joanne. She helps my parents out so much that I wanted to make her something. But I made a big counting mistake (see all the large paper clip to help me count), that I had to start all over and then I lost steam and other projects got pushed ahead. Now I’m hoping to get it done in April to delivery it in person. Wish me luck in counting because so far that the hardest thing to this pattern.

Noro fingerless

Pattern: Maine Morning Mitts by Clara Parkes

From: The Knitter’s Book of Yarn

Yarn: Noro Silk Garden

I have one side done. It’s looking good. Not sure if this is going to be a gift or for me. Project on hold to finish Baby Ribby blanket (see previous post: making stuff)

There's many things in the que: mittens for WG and Sam, Hemlock Ring blanket, Ivy scarf, Star Crossed Slouchy Beret, Athenian Scarf and the list goes on. I hope to get to all of these and more. But for now, that’s all folks.

making stuffs

It's been a month since my last post, partly because of laziness to post, another part due to guests at the house and the last part of me making stuff. I surprise myself of how many things I've finished in the past couple months. Here's the what I've been up to.

M's bag turn into scarf


Started off life as a wedding bag, but I made too many mistakes to finish in time. So instead I turn it into a drop stitch scarf http://christine.typepad.com/knitting/easy-drop-stitch-scarf-pa.html. It's made out of mulberry silk, it has the perfect amount of sheen to make it an elegant scarf.

Pink Scaruffle


Someone gave me a lot of this pink mohair stuff (too fuzzy and pink for me). I finally decide to make make something out of it. The first thing I made was a gathered scarf that I gave a to friend who sister loves pink (picture to come). But I still had 1 more skein left and that when the scaruffle from The Knitter's Book of Yarn by Clara Parkes was born. Not sure who will get it--I have a few pinkys that may love it.

Flower power



I found several flower patterns that I wanted to try. I making pins out them for gift this holiday season. Flower patterns from: Top Left: Tahiti-Style Photo Frames, Knit 2 Together by Tracey Ullman and Mel Clark; Top Left: Top Left: Stitch 'N Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker by Debbie Stoller; bottom: http://littlegreen.typepad.com/romansock/2009/04/mollie-flowers-the-tutorial.html

Baby Ribby's blanket



Sorry for the bad picture. This will be my vacation project. Momma Ribby asked me to make her baby blanket in her colors. I love the look of the mitered square blanket in Mason-Dixon Knitting by Kay Gardiner and Ann Shayne and always wanted to make it. I got to okay on the pattern, found some yarn with the colors and off I go. I goal is to finish up the square by the end of my vacation and start stitch up the blanket in Jan. Wish me luck.

I think I'll stop here. I have more stuff to show.

Flea Market Pattern book

I got this knitting pattern book at the beginning of the summer ($1) and just got around to scanning the pages. Then they sat around in my transfer folder for a couple of weeks as I forgot I that I did it.

Anyway, wanted to show off my find and it has all these great cardigans to make. Don't know when I'll end up making them but I hope I can get at least on made for spring. They are so great.


Here's the book:



a cute 2-tone sweater



a dolman sleeve--this is the one I'm thinking of making



this ribbed shrug looks so great but will it make me look fat?

Baby hats x 2

I went crazy with the baby hats for a shower this past Thursday. I wanted to make something not typical pastel-ly baby, with a fun icord knot on the top. So I decided to go to the yarn store (instead of the craft store) and get some yarn in great colors.

The person I was making it for looks so good in color that thought of course her baby would too. Here's the 2 hats in some fabulous colors.


Bunny hat
Knitted in Berroco Comfort, pattern from Peargirl Knits




stripey hat
Knitted in Berroco Comfort, I kind of made up the pattern

Trying to catch up

It's a snow day for me today! YOO HOO! I love these days, didn't get them in Hawaii, when I was a kid. I totally understand how kids feel about them.

I decide to be productive and try to get caught up with posting all the things I've been wanting to post since this summer, mainly my vacation pictures. I've been so slow with that. I still haven't gotten to edit those pictures, let alone and posting them. Maybe if we get another snow day this month, I get to the vacation pictures!

But I have a lot of knitting stuff for you. To my surprise I've been knitting and crocheting a great deal these past few months. So I wanted to share with you what I've been doing.

My stripe vest
I've been working on this for sometime. I'm not really happy with it. Size is off and I'm hoping when I block the piece I can make it fit better. Just the ribbing on the armholes to go. But it may go by the lily pad.













Boucle bath rug
This was suppose to be Mom and Dad's x-mas gift. As you can tell, I didn't make it. Too many dish cloths killed me this year. So they'll probably get it at niecey-poo's graduation. It's coming out great. I hope they like it.










.99 cents bag
Really it was .99 cents per skein and I bought 6 skeins. How could I past that up. The pattern is from Berroco.com called the knitting tote. Right now, it looks like a big rust color rectangle. I hope it will transform into a great-looking bag. Need to buy a handle and grommets for the draw strings on the side. And did into my fabric stash for some funky retro lining to finish it up. Will post the finish piece when done.










WG's mittens
I think he's been wanting something for a while. I've knitted for everyone else but him. I wanted to make some thing quick, that looked great to me and he would want to wear. Ta dah! Mittens in Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed with a simple stripe that runs through it. One more side to go, I hope to finish it today.













That's it for me. I'm off to knit by the fireplace. Then get our tax papers together. Visitors are coming this weekend for an overnight. I guess I'll be clean this week. Need more snow days for this Hawaiian girl.