Handles

As I was putting away the left over fabric from the Jen bag, I noticed this piece of wool I picked up at the local wool mill. It seemed like a good size to make into a bag, so I bought it for about $3 and put it in my stash to do some time. I didn't really have a plan of what to line it with or how it would end up, but when I was putting away this lining fabric, I realized that it matched really well and the scrap is about the same size as the wool piece! So, I think I will use it. But, I have no idea what to do for a strap/handles. I just can't picture it. Any one have any suggestions???? I need help!

Jen Bag complete!

Here is my first custom order purse sold!

The outside is corduroy, and the top is probably a cotton blend although I didn't look at the makeup of the fabric when I bought it. Is is a nice heavy weight to balance the corduroy, but almost has a sheen to it.

The inside is lined with silky nylon lining and has patch pockets on one side...

...and a zipper pocket on the other. It closes with a magnetic snap. The lining was a little difficult to work with, but I think it turned out nicely!

On Knitting

I have a love-hate relationship with knitting. I love the way it looks, but I just don't like it as much as crocheting. I think it is because I learned to crochet first. I started crocheting right after high school. Someone taught me the basics and I just started trying and learning from my mistakes. I bought a book and learned as I went. Then, about 5 years later, in graduate school, I was introduced to knitting. Again, I learned the basics and then went on my own. I made a few simple scarves and things like that, but just never got into it that much. I make a scarf or two each year, but never really get motivated to do more. I think it is because crocheting is so much easier for me. I don't have to work very hard to get a lot of reward. I am still a novice at knitting. I wait so far between times that it is like starting over with learning how each time. I feel uncoordinated and frustrated, and eventually just go back to crocheting.

I recently came to the realization that crocheting was probably like this for me at first too, but I didn't have any easier choice at the time. I wasn't scared to make mistakes like I am with knitting. I just tried things and that is how I really learned to understand how it works. That is what I need to do with knitting. I need to get past my feelings of having to make something specific, something that looks good, and just make. something.

So, I branched out. I bought circular needles, went without a pattern, and decided to figure out how to knit in the round. I decided that if I ended up with a hat - great, if not - fine.

I did it! I knitted a hat! Without a pattern! So, it is a little small and the top is a little pointy. But, I leaned how to knit in the round, and I have some ideas of how to address the pointy top. I might even try following a pattern some time. At least it is a start. But, I think I need a goal to motivate me, so I came up with a plan...

I am going to use this book to learn 26 knit stitches. I am going to make one cotton dish cloth for each using this giant skein of yarn. If they are ugly, who cares? No worries, no pressure. Hopefully, when I am done, I will be a knitter. So, be on the lookout for updates. Maybe I can average one per week? It might be one every 2 weeks. We'll see.

Jen Bag

This purse is a smaller purse version of the tote I made for my sister. It has a zipper pocket and two smaller pouch pockets on the inside. The pockets are a little shallow, but are better than no pockets! This one is going in my Etsy shop!

Pelmet box curtains

This weekend I finally got around to making a pelmet box for my living room window. I got the idea from this tutorial. Since my window is pretty wide (72 inches), I had to use 3 foam boards taped end to end. I was worried about stability so I connected it to 2 curtain rods (one towards the top and one towards the bottom to keep it from bowing. The whole project took a few hours and cost about $50 for the fabric, sheer curtains, curtain rods and supplies. I think it really makes the room look more finished.

My present

Now that we are well into January, I am finally ready to share what I got for Christmas from my Dad...

Yes, that IS a spinning wheel. And before you even ask, yes, like Rumpelstiltskin and yes, like Sleeping Beauty. That is the first thing I have heard from almost everyone I tell. It's either that or "did you ask for that?". The answer to that is...well, sort of. I think it all started with this post. For some reason, the idea of dyeing yarn with something you grew seemed cool to me. Then, I thought it would be even cooler if you spun the yarn yourself too. Although I thought this was an amazing thought, I didn't really ever imagine making the effort or the investment (time or money) to learn this craft. But, nonetheless, I called my dad and asked him if he would raise me a sheep so I could have wool to spin. Of course, he laughed at me and told me he would get me some discarded wool from a nearby farm and asked incredulously if I even knew how to spin. I told him that I didn't, but of course I would figure that all out when I got the sheep. So we laughed and joked about this for several months...until he stumbled across a spinning wheel at an antique shop. He went to a nearby sheep farm and got me two fleeces for the price of the shearing ($5 a piece). So, I am now deep into a new craft. I have been researching on the internet, at local yarn shops, listening to podcasts, and mostly just trying it out. Here's what I've done so far:

Washing: Turns out when they shear sheep they don't give them a bath first. At least not when the wool isn't the reason they are raising sheep. This picture doesn't really do justice to the amount of sheep poop (or the smell) that was on the fleece.

This is after one round of washing 1/2 of the first fleece:

And round 2. Most of the dirt is gone, but still grass, sticks etc. You have to comb or brush that out essentially.

Here is my first attempt at spinning yarn. It was very uneven.

I made a little coaster/pot holder (crochet):

Then, I plied two of my spun yarns together:

Finally, knitted something. It didn't start out to be an iPod case, but that is what it ended up to be. I find it ironic that I got a spinning wheel (very primitive machine) and an iPod touch (pretty high tech) for Christmas and I am equally impressed with each for completely different reasons. This picture just makes me smile because it puts the two together!

Mom's blanket

I know it is the new year now, but I'm not done sharing about Christmas! I finally finished my mom's crochet blanket and I gave it to her for a Christmas gift. Here it is on her king sized bed.