3.26.2006

header pieces

I thought I'd start with the creations I've got up in the header right now.


This is a little felted bag I made in November 2005 as a Christmas gift for one of my many nieces. Knit in the round, with attached i-cord handles, I made it up as I went along. I used Peace Fleece Worsted Weight in Glastnost Gold, Moldova Burgundy, and Lena's Meadow, on 24" Ebony 8mm circular needles. I got the needles from Kalaidoscope Yarns and I love the current one I have, but the first one they sent me had a split in one of the needle points. KYarns was great, though, and sent me a new one as soon as they received the defective one back. The Peace Fleece felts well, but the mohair content (30%) leaves it really, really fuzzy. So I always have to spend a long time grooming the items once they're fully felted.


I recently knit this soaker for a friend who needed a heavy, overnight diaper cover for her toddler. It's the undersoaker from the Little Turtle Knits Flirty Skirty pattern. It turned out a bit big, probably because the yarn I used, a 100% merino wool (color: Lugano), is on the thicker side of worsted, rather than the light worsted the pattern calls for. This is the first time I used elastic for the waistband, instead of a drawstring. I liked the way it turned out, but I'll probaby just stick with drawstings in the future, because of the extra effort involved. I'm lazy like that.


Speaking of being lazy, this felted bag took way too much effort. I knew I wanted a lopsided purple star on it, since it was to be a gift for a friend who loves lopsided purple stars. Little did I know how much of a pain knitting a star would be because of all the color changes necessary. I've since learned that it would probably be a better idea to just knit the bag in the background color, and then embroider the star on it, but I've never embroidered before, so I could be wrong. The structure of the bag I based on this pattern, and I used Lamb's Pride Worsted leftover from knitting a My Little Companion felted bag. The Lamb's Pride also has mohair (15%) in it, so this bag neede a haircut after felting as well.

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