A Bag of Thanks

We've finished another year of preschool. This time Irene and Henry were the students. Again we had the fantastic Mrs. Wagner for a teacher. Over the past two years she has become such a blessing and friend. I wanted to give her an end of the year gift that was handmade. I used the pattern Little Black Clutch by Janelle Wood from Ravelry and two balls of Patons Classic Wool in aran. I cast on 80 stitches but instead of making the clutch version I continued until I was almost out of yarn then made the pocket.

I felted the bag and after it dried I added the sparkle apple button. Overall, I think it is a cute knit. Of course, I see problems will the construction of the bag...the pocket is not straight. It was made with love and I am hoping it is taken that way.

I also decided to be an "Angel" for another swap on Ravelry. This swap took place long before I had joined the group but when I read that the woman had been waiting over six months for her packaged I knew I had to help. I didn't really follow the rules for that swap. I decided that since she had waited so long she could have what she wanted. She lives in the UK and likes Caron Simply Soft yarn which is not as easy to get as it is here. I bought six skeins of it in two colors that she wanted. I also included a Hello Kitty coin purse since she collects Hello Kitty stuff. Then I added in a bar of handmade soap that was made in my town and postcards showing my town. I also put in two packets of coffee. One was Mackinac Island Fudge flavored and the other was an "up north" flavor but I can't remember what it was. Of course, I keep forgetting to take pictures of the swap packages. I need to do that with the next one!

I did include a knitted item. This is the Rollercoaster Triangle pattern from Ravelry. The pictures are not very good but it is knit in six rows of stockinette stitch and six rows of reverse stockinette stitch. There are some increases and decreases in there as well. I did not block this when I finished. I decided it was pretty cool looking as it was. The yarn used was Zitron Trekking (XXL) which is 75% wool and 25% nylon. It was a little rough and I'm sure it would have softened up after a bath.

I am currently working on an adorable sundress for my friend's daughter's first birthday. I need to finish it up quick because the summer swap has started in the A Swap in Time group. Plus I have a lace scarf to make for another swap. I need to get knitting!

A long time...

It has been a long time since I've written. Unfortunately, my computer got a nasty virus from one of the knitting blogs that I read. It ate my computer. A new hard drive was needed. Not good and I have been afraid to read any blogs since then. I can't afford to replace my computer and I can't stand to be without it!
I have done some knitting. A week before Easter I decided Gavin had to have his cardigan made so that all three kids could wear them on Easter. It was a mad week of knitting squished into the everyday craziness, but I got it done! The pattern is the Seed Stitch Cardigan from Lion Brand Yarn and is knit with Lion Brand Cotton-Ease.

Easter Sunday morning. Gavin had not been feeling well for the few days before Easter so we stayed in town. It is hard to get the three of them to sit still.

My cool kids wearing their matching sunglasses inside. It was an interesting breakfast. Irene managed to dump her entire plate of food on the floor.

Finally Gavin has a cardigan! He looks good in it too ;-)

I recently got some yarn from Webs. Lots of very soft and nice cotton. I am making some lacy scarves as thank you gifts. At first, I wasn't happy with Webs. This order took a week to get here. Then I managed to tangle the sage colored yarn into such a mess that I finally had to give it up. I ordered the same sage yarn but added two balls of Rowan wool cotton to the order. That order was here in two days.

I just got some more yarn from them for two dresses I plan to make. One will be for Irene and the other for my friend's little girl. I don't have the correct needle sizes to start them and the store in town didn't have them either. I am going a little nuts without knitting!

Recently I participated in a dishcloth swap. I sent these two dishcloths to Germany. The bright blue one is a lighthouse and the yellow is a sun. I thought it was appropriate since I live in a town with a beautiful lighthouse.

These dishcloths were the ones I received from a woman in Arkansas. I love them!

I also tried knitting Yvaine by Liz...shoot. I can't remember her last name. I can feel it just out of my reach, bumping around in my head. If you are on Ravelry, she is the one that designed Traveling Woman and Saroyan. For this pattern I used sock yarn I had sitting around. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough and it is no where near the size it is suppose to be. I'm thinking of frogging it.

I decided to help out in a swap that I hadn't participated in and made an "angel" package for a woman that never received her swap package from her partner. It had been over six months and no one had been willing to do it. I knitted a pattern from her favorites and added some U.S. yarn that she likes. Plus, I added some extras from my town. I just shipped it out so no pictures to add until she gets it. The package is making its way to the UK.

I've got some yarn store stories to share as well. I will save those for the next post as well as the fabulous Michigan made yarn that I was lucky to get.

Until then, Happy Knitting!