Thursday, April 26, 2007

This 'n That

















Yesterday I finished knitting the felted Fair Isle bag - all except for the little loops where the handles will attach. I need to decide if I'm going to go with i-cord handles or purchased leather handles. The leather ones are kind of pricey but I think I'll like them better than the i-cord. That's String Bean striking a pose during the photo shoot. (The Curmudgeon calls him "Nads" most of the time - you'd know why if you could see a South-end view of cat going North.)

I've also knit about an additional foot or more of my Everyday Shawl. It's now long enough to throw one end over my shoulders while I knit on the other end - very comforting on these still chilly mornings. Speaking of weather - we're supposed to get up into the 80s this weekend! I feel so bad for the folks who are dealing with snow, floods, tornadoes, etc. Back to the shawl - I have less than three skeins of yarn to knit up and then it will be finished. (Anthrax insisted on getting in on the photo shoot action.)

I also started a pair of Rainy Day Socks - done my way. I'm doing them with the Sock It To Me! yarn that I won last summer from this wonderful blogger, I'm making them bigger than the pattern calls for, knitting them toe-up (because I don't know for sure how long to make the leg, what with the change in yarn and gauge involved), and I'm using my "regular" short row heel and toe a la Priscilla Gibson-Roberts . I began this first sock with the part of the yarn that I had knit up last summer (and ended up ripping out) and the stitches look very uneven and bumpy. I'm hoping that after being washed and worn a few times the stitches will even out and look OK.

This is the third pair (of socks) in a row that I've begun with a provisional cast-on and from the toe-up. All of my previous socks were knitted cuff-down. I almost feel comfortable with a provisional cast-on now ... doing it this many times in a row has helped me retain the process.

As I was working on the toe, I was thinking about the Miracle of knitting. When it was first invented, surely it must have seemed like magic! Some string and some sticks...and out comes this stretchy, complicated fabric. I've been knitting for many years and I still think it's magical. How could someone have thought it up? And then, all the fancy stuff...can you imagine how the first person to work cables felt? Or the first one to do a yarn over and invent lacy stitches? It boggles my mind.

1 comment:

Hege said...

That's a great bag!