I think I broke it

My blogger is broken.  Not because I haven't posted in a while.  But because it wont let me leave comments on anyone else's Blogger blog.  After four or five login screens it just tells me I don't have access to view the page.  Hmmm, it has to be something with this laptop, because when I do it on the desktop I don't have that problem.  Trouble is the desktop freezes up after about two minutes, so that wont work either!  So just to let you all know that I have not been ignoring you, Blogger just thinks we're not friends anymore :(.  And if you know how to fix it drop me a line :).

Oh, and about the posting?  Well, I finished the little clutches for my mother's wedding. Then my camera died (I really don't think I broke that) so I took pictures of them with my mother's camera.  Which then went to Hawaii, and is now in the midst of a move from Columbus to Chicago!

But they are so adorably cute (if I do say so myself) that I am thinking about submitting them.  So no pictures, for now, might be a good thing.

Her ears must have been ringing

When I last posted about how my new bag ideas usually come out in the summer I had an idea brewing around in my head, ready to come out when I had some time and a little wisp of inspiration.  Well, my mother's ears must have been ringing because right after I wrote that she called me and asked for a little purse. 

Two actually.  She's getting married in August and she asked if I would make her a little something just big enough for a hairbrush and a compact. And one for my aunt, who will be her Matron of Honor.  I asked her if she wanted anything in particular or if I could come up with something.  She said "You're the purse designer, of course come up with something!" 

Flattery will get her everywhere.  This is one project for someone else I know will be appreciated (ok, two)!

All you purse knitting lovers stay tuned...a new pattern really is in the works!  And it's not the one I had brewing either :).  Stay tuned for a picture...Blogger is not cooperating this morning.

Faux i-cord

My newest pattern has been hibernating since June. I'm not sure why. It was fast, fun, and easy to knit. The pattern probably can fit onto one page. Which reminds me, where are my notes anyway? Darn it, see what happens when things just sit around for ever?

But one part of this new pattern has me pretty excited. For the straps I made an i-cord. But not the traditional kind that takes forever doing three or four stitches, one row at a time, or the kind that hurts your hands from trying to pull that yarn tight in the back.

Ladies, hold onto your needles. Gentlemen too, but I don't think there are any of you out there since I haven't heard from you yet! (Hint, hint.) I am about to present you with a groundbreaking knitting technique. (I checked.)

This is a faux i-cord. I'm sorry to say that it only works if it is felted, but it works like a dream and is so much easier to do!

For this particular one, I cast on about 250 stitches (you don't really need to count) and joined in the round. Keeping the stitches straight for the join is the hardest part, I promise! Then just knit away for 4 rounds or until your work naturally curls back onto itself (I was using worsted weight for this project, you may have to adjust rows depending on your yarn). Bind off.

Yes, that's it. Do not weave in yarn tails! Do not sew tube closed! Throw it in your washing machine and give it a nice strong tug when it comes out. When it's dry and you are ready to use it, cut it to the length(s) needed!

I'm starting a search party for the missing notes so I can finally get the pattern out. Soon!

Edit:
I have been asked a few times about making this on straight needles.  Yes, you can! 
There are two reasons why I didn't.  First, I wanted to get as many stitches as possible on the needles and the best way (for me) to accomplish this was to use a circular needle.  And the second reason is that if you work in the round, there is no purling!  Yay!

New Pattern preview!

I'd like to be able to say that the reason I have been quiet is because I have been squirreled away busy working on my new bag pattern. Unfortunately that's not entirely the truth.

Summertime activities have taken over. Kidster #2 is already out of school for the summer, our pool is open, and the days have been so nice that I find it hard to stay inside.

The good news is that playing outside means more knitting time than usual. And there is a new bag pattern coming!

Hopefully this will get you excited :)

Ok, so the Ninja Turtle didn't get you going. I understand. It's a very specific target audience and I realize you are not a five year old boy. And if you are a five year old boy reading this blog, then you aren't interested in it either.

Maybe this will work. I've been doing this:

and now have this:

Are you excited? Can you show me some love?

WIP's

OK, well I didn't manage to get pictures but I did manage about 10 minutes at the computer. So here's a little knit update...

I'm working on two more cable handle bags. This time in alternate sizes. One of my Ladies Night Girlfriends asked for one, but a little smaller. "The larger your purse, the more crap you carry around with you." Words of wisdom I say.

And Brenda called to say that her niece keeps stealing her beige bag so I needed to make one for her pronto! Being as her niece is only 13, I think it will be a mini version. The plus side of all this (besides making a little $$) is that I can write the pattern to include the other sizes! The down side? Well, I have to write that pattern now, don't I?

Update on the Twins...

The twins are drying after felting last night. For some reason the handles on the blue one are shorter than the tan one. And not just by a little. Maybe the yarn was off by a few yards? It's very commercial yarn so that's probably not it. I'm guessing that it has to be the needle I used, since I had them going at the same time. The tan one was on my favorite green metal circs, the beige one on some Susan Bates circs. Nice needles but definitely more slick than the green ones. Come to think of it, I like them better than the green ones, I just always went with my favorite color. Oh well. Handmade=no two alike, right? The good news is that now I can work on writing up the pattern!

Yay, I actually did it!

Yes, I managed to knit in my backyard. And it was stash yarn so I also managed to knit in my backyarn, too! While the kidsters were doing this...

I did this...

Got my toes done too! While I was at it I thought I'd show you my way of dealing with four working yarn balls at the same time.

It was so great! And over in 15 minutes. But I will look forward to the next miraculous moment!

Why I Love Knitting Purses

Handy dandy yarn storage.
She is now complete...except for the felting.
And here is what I ended up with for scraps. Got to love that!
Now for ripping back the blue one and getting that one done. I have a week before my father arrives. I wonder if I'll be able to get it done by then. Hmm, ambitious I know. I wont hold my breath!

Progress

I'm reworking the cable handle bag pattern I wrote for the sage purse a little so that it will only use up two skeins of yarn (Patons, Galway or Cascade all run around 220 yds). Since I only have two skeins of this blue color, it's a pretty important point. That and I want to release the pattern soon, and I think others will be more apt to make it if they know they can do it with only two skeins. I know that if I need to break into a third skein for only a little bit I get cranky.

I've managed some progress on the blue bag!Only a little bit on the tan one. Well, It's been rainy. No knitting when we're all inside since I'm too busy being referee. I did manage to get to the first cable row. But that means keeping track of my rows...so now I am wondering what I will do outside for those five minute instances when the kidsters are actually playing together nicely (snicker). Hmm, dare I start a third project? Oh boy, I'm not sure we're all ready for that.

It's finished!

Finally I can report an FO! Oh, I am so excited!
With about 20 feet of yarn remaining, I finished the sage cable handled tote bag this weekend. I did remember to take a picture prior to felting, which is unlike me since I usually get too excited and run to the washing machine as soon as the yarn needle finishes it's weaving job.
Before:
After:
In the words of Hubster, "Wow, that came out really nice. It was just a big blob before." Thanks honey, that was the plan.


I took lots of notes, so yes, there will be a pattern coming soon! And I'm on a kick to get more of my stuff "faved" over in Ravelry. So if you like it, let me know!

Hell week(s) again

I am sorry there haven't been any pictures of the sage cabled purse lately, but I'm trying to get it finished and don't really want to spoil the surprise! I've made it to the second side and am knitting the last two straps at the same time. Soon it will be a few Kitchener stitches and felting time!!!

It's school vacation week once again, and in case you didn't know, this actually means less knitting time. (Sigh.) And next week my in-laws are leaving me, um... I mean leaving on a two-plus week vacation. (Double sigh.) I will have to take a lesson from my childhood friend Tom, of Tom and Jerry, and prop my eyelids open with toothpicks in order to get anything done after the kidsters are in bed.

Becoming British

Last weekend I had cast off the top of the sage cabled purse, put the handles on holders, and proceeded to work the two front handles at the same time. I was even enjoying a rare episode of knitting while the children played in the same room! All was going along so well (which should have been a sign, sigh) when I discovered that I had made a cable error at some point before the cast off.

I suddenly became British. It's probably because The Masters was on and there was a lot of listening to Nick Faldo and David Feherety (he's Irish, I know), but "Blimey!" and "Bloody he--" (stopping because kidsters are in the room) was all I could come up with. I wanted something a little stronger to represent the emotion I was feeling, but we have always made it a point (ok, tried very hard) not to swear in front of the kidsters. Maybe a few have slipped out during extreme duress and this would have qualified for sure, in my book anyway.

Feeling completely aggravated I put it aside for a few days. That and I didn't have any time to sit and un-knit. I'm happy to report that the unknitting went as well as could be expected, and I am back to where I was a week ago. Well, not happy that a week went by without progress but happy that I don't have to do any more unknitting!

I made it into KPC!

So I'm having a great day even though is it the second day of flat-out rain. I don't even care that the kidsters are climbing the walls and each other (and occasionally me). My Around About made it into the Knitting Pattern Central free patterns list for bags & purses! I feel like I have "arrived"! Oh, and have I mentioned that it's on Ravelry and I'm considered a designer now? Oh yeah, you say, about ten times already. Sorry.

But I shall not be a one hit wonder! I am feverishly working on the next item and pattern, the sage cabled purse. Well, as feverishly as possible for me anyway. I think I only did two rounds last night, which is two more than I would have expected on "Survivor" night. Usually the knitting just sits in my lap and keeps me warm. But the challenges were long and I wasn't on a cable crossing row, so I squeaked it out. Tonight there will be zero knitting. And I'm ok with that, since it's Ladies Night! Woo Hoo!

Everyone is safe

I am happy to report that there were no knitting under the influence incidents last night and that all people, pets, and fibers are safe. I have "turned the corner" (so to speak) and joined my sides so now I can just knit, knit, (purl a little), knit and make happy cables!

Arrrrgggravated

No, I haven't turned into a pirate (although kidsters would probably get a real kick out of that). I thought knitting was supposed to be relaxing? What happened to my relaxing knitting?

I'm working on my sage cabled purse, that's what. I have knit and frogged the base out at least four times already. I think that I would be almost done with the body by now if I could just keep knitting in a continuous line instead of knit, rip, recalc, cast, knit, rip, recalc. Arrrgggh! I'm not liking this new mantra.

I'm determined to get past it and onto the body of the bag with the designs before Friday night. That gives me about 2 hours to get straightened out. Friday is beer night and beer and knitting go just fine together but add in aggravation and it could be a real problem.

Done swatching!

Yes, I am still here. I haven't had much to type about since all I have been doing is swatching. I managed to get the second one just about where I wanted it, but wanted more definition in the cable. So then came the third swatch, my "hybrid". I made a cable panel and two test patterns for the handles, since I didn't want to be going back to swatching again once I get started. I can finally say that I am done swatching. Yes, it was helpful. Yes, I couldn't have continued without it. But if I ever decide to do it again, please PLEASE try to talk me out of it.

I also took a little time off this week to be with a friend who's father suddenly passed away. Her mother has been ill and it is striking everyone very hard. I just want to remind everyone to give an extra hug and kiss to those around you that are special to you. Call your mom or dad or whomever means the world to you and let them know. I know that I get very wrapped up in my day to day stuff taking care of the two kids, husband, school, groceries, errands, etc. and sometimes forget to stop to take a minute to do just that. I'm off to call my Dad right now.

The s word

I never do it. Why would I? I make felted purses, why in the world would I want to or even need to? But I have never felted cables before. I've seen tons of patterns with felted cables so I didn't think I had to do it. I almost didn't do it. I don't know what came over me, but I decided I should give it a try.

I did it. I really did. Yes, I (gulp) swatched. Please don't wash my mouth out with soap! And don't tell the folks over in Ravelry's Anti-Swatching League or I might get kicked out.

Here is the result of my swatch. Not too good I know. "Where's the cable?", you say. And to think I only ran it through one cycle. When I'm doing a bag I almost always run it through twice. In case you're wondering, yes it is the same kind of yarn just a different color. It's a good thing too, since I don't know how many more of these I will have to do to get it right. Maybe it's because the yarn I'm using practically felts when you breathe on it. Hmm, back to the drawing (aaack, swatching) board for me. There goes another night without productive knitting.

Back to girly knitting

February was the pitts. I realize that I was not too happy last month. Who could blame me, with the endless cold and snow? Combine that with not too much knitting and any fiber friend would understand. But I believe that I have left that behind in February. Now that it is March it's time for me to stop thinking about making hats, mittens, and scarves for anyone and everyone. March is a month full of hopefulness. Spring is just around the corner (well, maybe), the days get longer and hopefully warmer, and lest we forget St. Patrick's day. A wonderful day to wear my favorite color and drink my favorite beverage, red hoppy beer! March is going to be my time to start focusing on what really matters.

Knitting for myself! (Oh, and a beer or two every now and then isn't so bad, is it? Yes mom, the kids are in bed.)

Or at least knitting something that I want to knit. And here it is! Ok, it doesn't look like so much yet but it has great potential. My next Amybelbag. The sage green cable tote. Green in honor of March. Plus, I thought it was a nice springy color to lift my spirits and the spirits of my good readers (all three of you!). My plan is to have cables on the front and back panel that lead up to the edge and continue into the straps. My brain has it all laid out.

The question is whether or not my fingers can make it happen.

And I am going to keep track of what I do and write up the pattern.

I'm sure I can manage both of those feats as long as I take it easy on the red hoppy stuff!