Knitting Update

I have several knitting projects on the go, right now. I thought I would post a few.

First off, I am going to start teaching a small group to knit. The group is made up of three 10 year olds and their Moms. I was trying to figure out a project that would appeal to everyone and not take too long to finish. I think a scarf is a poor starter project because it doesn't have a clearly defined end.
I decided that we would make a felted clutch bag. Yesterday, I felted my first sample.

It doesn't look like much yet. I still need to stitch it together and add a button loop and a button. I also need to finish an second one, so they can see what it will look like before it is felted. Class starts next week, so i need to get moving.

Meanwhile, I finished a baby set, of socks and hat.

I took a picture with a spool to give a sense of scale.

I am knitting them for a friend of one of my dear ones. Just my luck, the couple is having twins, so I need to make another set the same. Of course, it won't be quite the same, since that striping yarn never works up exactly the same. I hope they are fraternal twins, since the socks are.

I am also working on a lace scarf. I seem to be ripping it back a lot. I have to remember to avoid knitting lace in front of the TV unless the show doesn't need me to pay a lot of attention. Watching "Elementary" the other night necessitated a lot of ripping after.

The pattern starts in the middle. You go to one tail, then go back and knit the other tail from the provisional cast on.
The yarn is a lace weight baby alpaca, and is like knitting with spider silk.

Meanwhile, we actually had a couple of days of summer, this week.

Don't tell anyone but Finnegan, the foster cat, got out to play in the yard. (the fosters are suppose to stay as indoor cats, but they forgot to tell Finnegan). I think he is suggesting that we need to mow the back lawn!
It is raining today, again, so Dolly is having a lazy day.

Perhaps my lace and I should join her.

And Now for Something Completely Different...

I was a fan of Monty Python when I was in university (can you tell).

Sometimes, an opportunity presents itself, you something pushes you to grab it. This happened to me a couple of weeks ago.

I needed a new bra. I went to the store and came home with something that sort of fit (but not really). A couple of days later, I get a newsletter, from my favourite fabric store, announcing that Johanne Brousseau would be teaching a 2 day workshop on making a bra. She promised that when you were done, you would have a bra that fit and a pattern and supplies to make a second (speedy sewers might even get their second bra well on the way). The workshop was expensive, but I would get 2 bras that fit...I talked it over with my partner in all things. He asked how much bras cost, guessing they cost about $20. I had the pleasure of informing him that he wasn't even close. He thought that maybe it would be worth it.

So I worked for 7 hours on Friday, and about 6 hours on Saturday, and this was the result.

Okay, that is a shot of the pretty neckline elastic.

Here is the whole thing.

It doesn't look that special, but it fits, the straps stay where they are suppose to, and nothing pinches.
This is my "training bra", because I got to make my alterations on it. Who knew that my straps were falling down, because they needed to be moved 1/2 " closer to the centre? Who knew that one side of my body was a completely different size that the other side?  The sewing is far from perfect, and the design leans toward function instead of beauty, but who is going to see it, any way? I am just thrilled with the fit.

I have my second one cut out, but it is going to be sewn more slowly, probably just one hour at a time. However, I expect it will go much faster, because the learning curve is not quite so steep.  I need to get started, because I am not sure I ever want to put on the commercial bra again.

Tinners, Again

Yesterday was Tinners Tuesday. 

My box this month contained Purple Fabrics!!!!!

The owner had requested flower blocks.

The block is called Flower of Friendship and I found it on Quilter's Cache.
 I think it turned out rather well.

Circle Quilts

Over at the Quilting Gallery blog, I entered my Maritime Beauty Quilt Top into this week's Quilter's Show and Tell of Circle Quilts.

If you haven't seen it before, it looks like this:

The pattern is from Karen Neary and the fabric is from Mrs. Pugsley's Emporium.

If you get a chance to drop by the Quilting Gallery blog, perhaps you could vote for my quilt. You have until 6PM (EDT) Monday, June 10. Right now I am third from the bottom in the ratings, and I was hoping I could do a little better than that!

My Summer Project

Yesterday, I started what I plan to be my summer fun project. Inspired my visit to the Hilary Rice show, a few weeks ago, I am starting my own art quilt project. I am using one of Hilary's kits, that I purchased at a quilt show, a couple of years ago.

So, here is my start , tracing the pattern on to stabilizer.

As you can see, my light box is a patio door.
Next step: Making the backgound.

Meanwhile, a friend is planning to downsize her home and she was told by her staging consultant that she needed a table runner. I happen to be an expert at quick table runners, so I made this one.

It still needs a backing and some quilting. Perhaps later today, I can get to that.

As you can see, spring has finally come to our yard. Behind that chair is the garlic crop! Garlic scapes will be ready soon.

Isn't the spirea lovely this year?

Linking up with the Needle and Thread Network.

Captcha

I do not like Captcha. You know that swell thing that makes you type random letters or numbers in order to prove you are human. I have been having some minor "age related" vision problems lately, and my ability to see the magic words has gotten worse. Some days it takes me multiple tries to get it right.
So, I was humoured today to see this item on the BBC web site:
Blind Federation Criticises Captcha Security Test

So, I will not be subjecting you lovely readers to a Turing test, and I will live with any spammers that come along.

 

Bright Lights

While the True Love socks have been returned to an unknit state, I have been more successful with some other knitting.

Here are my socks, knit with a yarn from Indigodragonfly. The yarn is a silk/merino blend and lovely to knit with. The colourway is "Bright Lights, Big City, Busy Highway, Slow Unicorn".

The colour is a lovely grey and purple hand dye. It was too pretty to use for anything other than a very plain sock, so its lovely sheen shows. I think they are just perfect for my favourite paramedic, and I think I found them a ride to the east coast, in a couple of weeks.

They were suppose to be birthday socks, but he will understand (right, Mr. B).