The Susan Bag

Well, I decided to make my dearest friend Susan a bag for her birthday. I wanted it to be pretty special - so I decided I wanted a felted bag. So I bought some nice Paton's classic merino and started knitting. Now I admit when I started this in January I had no idea what I was doing. I had met my KB but he wasn't my knitting boyfriend yet... and I wasn't as savy at finding information on the web.

So I decided to make up my own thing, and I thought I would share the pattern so y'all could either make something like it - or improve on the design.

Here is the beginning. I used size 11 needles, and cast on 42 stitches.
I knitted (in stockingette) 20 red Rows, 8 green rows and 34 orange rows. No there is no scientific reasoning behind these numbers. They just looked good.


Then I continued by making 10 garter rows (continuing in orange) then switched back to stockingette and knitted the same as before but in reverse- 34 more orange, 8 green and 20 red. Then I bound it off.

The next part was tricky... I neede to pickup stitches and I had no idea how to do that... so I enlisted the help of knittinghelp.com which has a great video. I picked up 8 stiches from the garter stitch section and knitted (in stockingette) until it reached the top of the bag. I really should have counted the rows, but I didn't. Probably 62 rows would work out well. Then I did the same for the other side.



For the handle I took 8 stitches (so it would match the sides in width) and knitted for an hour until the strap was sufficient length (I personally hate short straps and like to cross my strap over my chest if possible).



And then the part i did badly... you need to sew the sides up so that everything is attached well (but not too well or it will felt wonky). Unfortunatly one side was not sewn as well as it should be and this is the bad part of the Susan's bag. I have learned my lesson and so hopefully the next bag she gets from me will not have any major flaws. (sorry Susan!). It was made with much love, though and so I hope it passes just for that. There is something really nice about making something for someone, you get to think about them the whole time.

Felting had to happen. So I tucked the strap into the bag and ran it through two hot water agitating sessions in the washer. I washed in in a pillowcase with the top of the case folded over and pinned so the fuzzies didn't escape. The felting came out nice. Here it is drying. I must say that I am amazed at how long it took to dry. I figured a day would do it - but it took three... and I had really squeezed it between two dry towels like they say... so that is why I was so amazed!



And so there it is! I am not sure if she likes it or if she is being polite, but it made it's way to Alabama (only a little late). Hip Hip Hooray for the Susan Bag!

Amazing Agi

The time has come to tell a tale of exciting adventures in store for me and my partner in the Amazing Lace. My partner's name is Agi, short for diagonals, which is the pattern she is based on. I entered this race on the encouragement of my knitting boyfriend, Sean. (Yes, my husband knows I have a knitting boyfriend.) Anyway, I came to discover Agi because I needed a simple yet sophisticated pattern for a scarf present. I am a beginner at lace and was unsuccessful in my attempts until I met kind, patient, Agi.





Here is a close up of her. And one of me. We don't really look a like at all. But we are enjoying our time here in Korea.


That is right, we are currently half way around the world from our family. My husband is currently stationed over here. He's in the Army.



I am going to show you what Agi and I have done together so far in Korea. Here is a picture of us in a park.


There are some Korean Kimchee pots on the left. Kimchee is a very spicy combination of cabbage, hot pepper, garlic, and ginger. It is left to ferment... Nowadays mostly in refrigerators, but it used to place in pots like these for the winter.







Agi is attempting to scare you into thinking she may be eaten, but back in the day these totem poles were used to show boundaries of towns. Usually, they were a way to alert people of a friendly town to stay at.













Anyway - so what do we do over here in Korea? Well this weekend we mostly sat in a bus stuck in traffic. We went to Seoul for a job fair, but most of the day was spent traveling. Seoul traffic is pretty awful on the weekend.


Other than getting out of Donduchoen to head to the big city (we're about 2 hours north of Seoul, right on the DMZ). We volunteer at the American Red Cross when we don't work at the ACAP office.


Here's Agi volunteering today.













And when we have time we like to kick back and read other knitting blogs and dream of creating new things....




But the best part of Amazing Lace is that we have a lot of travels coming up soon, because we are coming back to the States and hitting up a lot of places on the way. It's almost like the amazing race, except, well, we have to buy some plane tickets to make sure we get back in time for starting our jobs (which I hope we'll have by then).




See, my husband and I got married in a short amount of time so that we could be married before he left the States back in 2004. We had a small wedding with only our parents and his sister in attendance. We have never met each other's families. So this trip will be our chance to do so! I am excited to meet his side of the family, but I am afraid I haven't learned much Chinese to talk to his Grandmother.




So anyway, this is the story of me and my partner, Agi, in the Amazing Lace.

Enter Agi

Well, I just could not get the hang of branching out. The farthest I ever got was 1.5 repeats. I think I will need to start on some thicker yarn and try it that way. But for now I needed a lace project I could work on.

I looked everywhere for a simple scarf design that was something I thought someone would wear. I ended up kind of creating my own off a stitch pattern on about.com. So I am now creating a scarf with a simple diagional pattern.

I will be posting some pictures of what I have so far tonight when I come home from work. Since I am in the Amazing Lace project... I will finally create my first entry. So, stay tuned.

I was going to take some more outside pictures today - but it is totally pouring out. I am not even going to wear my new skirt! Curses!

A new couple

Okay - well finally I have a pair of socks.
You can all breathe a sigh of relief.

the start off

I got a little carried away with the macro lens today... Above is a picture of the first 5 rows of my new lace project. Yeah, I know... it isn't even lace yet - it is just plain garter stitch.


One thing I hate doing is making balls out of lace weight yarn. Someday I will have a ball winder. I swear that will be my next big knitting gadget purchase. Of course even the cheap ones are like 30 bucks... but I am sure it will be worth the money. Hanks are beautiful when all twisted up when you buy them. But not so beautiful when they get so tangled while you are balling your yarn, you haver to cut the yarn like I did today. (bah!)


So while Harland was on the computer, I decided to pick out which yarn to use for this project. I decided on Knitpick's Shadow in the color vineyard. I was thinking at the time of purchase that I would make something for Amy with it... but it isn't as purple as most of her purples. Then I decided a branching out scarf for my Mother-in-Law Wendy would be good. So that is what I am making - this scarf for her for Christmas.

So I suppose I am on my way. I haven't decided if I will try and do any lace work today or not. The official rules for the Amazing Lace say you can start anytime... so that is what I will do! I'll let you know what I do on monday.

The amazing Lace

So my KB has totally suckered me into doing a lace knitalong this summer. Well, okay, I agreed mainly because I have three skeins of lace yarn and I wanted to make some gifts for Christmas. So the first attempt will be Knitty's Branching Out scarf which you can see the recipe for if you click here. I have wanted to do this scarf for some people on my Christmas list but I had a really hard time with lace earlier in the year and became very disenchanted. But with this challenge I shall try yet again.

Here is the website to the if you want to join in the fun. Click here for Amazing Lace
I'll also make a link to it over there. I have been really bad at updating this site lately - but I guess with this new challenge maybe I will get back onto the knitting ball. My hand was hurting so for a while I put my knitting aside. Maybe I will finish that orange sock this weekend.

Cheers y'all.

karma restored.

Well lookey what I got in the mail today - my new knitting book!!!

And yesterday I sent away my dear Susan's birthday gift. Today I get my new sock knitting book I have been waiting for (what seems like eons).

Anyway - this can hardly be a coincidence. You see I knitted that present (more on said present later when she gets it- with pictures) a long time ago, like before Valentine's Day. And now I get the book. After I mail it.

So it wasn't sock Karma, it was just plain knitting gift karma.
(although in my d-fence... I did tell her I was waiting to send it to her birthday).

Rock on, I have to go read.