Lucy Bag Times Two

As my sister’s birthday is just around the corner I need to craft a quick gift for her so I have cast on a 2nd Lucy bag. I know I should really finish something first but her birthday is in a fortnights time (it really should not come as a shock but every year I leave gift making to the last minute) so I need to start something now.
For my sister’s Lucy bag I have decided to be a little more subtle with my colour choices and have gone for a ball of Paton’s Smoothie DK in a variegated colour way of cream / off white and pale green which I am going to team with four shades of Paton’s DK cotton. The surprising thing is that I am actually going to be using some stash yarn for this project as the pale green and raffia coloured cotton were purchased for my first Lucy bag, but I decided not to use them. Let’s hope I can manage to finish it by the 15th August (2010 that is!!!!). If not I guess I will either have to give it to her late or for Christmas.

Felting

Over the weekend I attended a felting class at my local arts centre and learnt how to make a seamless book for a sketch book or journal. It was made using un-dyed merino wool which I then had great fun dying although my fingers tips are now also a delightful shade of purple. During the lunch break I popped down to the ceramics studio to collect the pots I made during a 6 week beginners throwing course I attended in June & July.

Lucy Bag Progress

After a few false starts; due mainly to me creating my starting chain far too tightly and then too loosely, I am now making great progress on my Lucy bag and have got most of the bottom of the bag completed. I do however have to report that I decided that more colour was required and have purchased a few more ball of yarn to add to this project. I am also currently trying very hard to resist the urge to go and buy tonnes of DK cotton & acrylic in bright ‘Lucy’ colours. The urge to buy lots of bright coloured yarn and to cast-on (if that is the correct term) a whole bunch of crochet projects is strong, but I must resist as I already have far too many WIPs already not to mention that I really do not want to have to move into a bigger house just so accommodate my stash.

Oh Dear!!!!

I seem to have developed another obsession – crocheting. I am going to blame my friends over on Ravelry who have been producing gorgeous crocheted items. Through them I became away of Lucy, her gorgeous crocheted creations and her wonderful blog (Attic24). The way she puts together is unlike anything I would normally choose for myself but I am really drawn to the colours Lucy puts together. So after several days of looking I gave in and went on a quick shopping spree at lunchtime and came away with these:

Which I am hoping to be able to turn into a bag.

Oh Bother

I have done it again – started a couple of new projects (one knitting and one cross-stitching) rather than work on one of my many WIPs. The first project I started; completed about 2 dozen stitches on and then put away; was Summer Banner which is one of the projects that I have on my list to work on in July so starting it was not too bad but I should really have progressed one of my WIPs from the July project list first.

Then this morning while getting ready for the commute to work I realised that I did not have a project in my handbag for the train journey to work. So I grabbed a ball of sock yarn & some 2.5mm needles and have cast-on for a pair of basic ribbed socks. Oh well these will now be the project that I carry around in my handbag and I will try to not work on them at home.

Pattern: Basic Ribbed Socks by WiseHilda
Yarn: Regia Sock Monster
Started: 15th July 2010

This is a pattern that I have knitted up before and should be a relatively quick knit. Maybe I should put away all my WIPs and only work on 2 or 3 for the rest of the month.

June Report and July's Plan

In June I said I would work on each of the following WIPs for at least 2 hours.

1. Deirdre Shawl (knitting) - yes
2. Ishbel Shawl (knitting) - finished
3. Lime Vanilla Socks (knitting) - yes
4. Tapestry Ribbon Bag (knitting) - yes
5. Monthly Musings (cross-stitching) - yes (almost finished)
6. The Big Zipper (cross-stitching) -no
7. Their Song (cross-stitching) - yes
8. Needlecase (stitching) - yes
9. Stitch Marker Holder (stitching) - yes
10. Jelly Roll Bag (sewing) - no

Well the plan sort of worked; I managed to work on all of the WIPs with the exception of The Big Zipper and the Jelly Roll Bag. Ishbel has been completed and Monthly Musings just needs to be washed; ironed and have the buttons added.

July's Project List

1. Deirdre Shawl (knitting)
2. Rainbow Cable Socks (knitting)
3. Lime Vanilla Socks (knitting)
4. Tapestry Ribbon Bag (knitting)
5. Charity Knitting (knitting)
6. Monthly Musings (cross-stitching)
7. The Big Zipper (cross-stitching)
8. Summer Banner (cross-stitching)
9. Their Song (cross-stitching)
10. Needlecase (stitching)
11. Stitch Marker Holder (stitching)
12. Jelly Roll Bag (sewing)

The plan is to spend a minimum of 2 hours on each of the above projects; if a miracle occurs and I actually manage to finish a project I might allow myself to add in a replacement project. The only other thing that I plan to do is to wash Monthly Musings and the tiny sampler which I finished the stitching on in June & add the buttons.

Ishbel Completed

The past weekend was spent in the company of 13 stitching friends in the Derbyshire countryside. While away in between all the gossiping; giggling and eating I did manage to get some knitting and stitching done. I finished my Ishbel shawl; finished the stitching on Monthly Musings (it is now being washed then once dry & ironed I will put the buttons on and it will be completed); made progress on my Ribbon bag (one of the 4 balls of yarn has now been used up) and started & finished a small stitching project; which is also being washed.

Pattern: Ishbel by Ysolda Teague

Yarn: Wendy Happy in Virgo

Started: 25th April 2010

Finished: 12th June 2010

I think I will definately be knitting another of these as once I had got the hang of the pattern it was a really enjoyable knit. I think the next one I do will be the larger size and maybe in a lace weight yarn.

New Addiction

Last night was the first night of a 3d felting class that I am taking at the local arts centre and I already think I might be addicted. I have never done any felting before, although I have cast-on for a knitted felt bag, but even after a single 2 hour class I think I might be addicted. When I got home last night instead of doing the sensible thing and going to bed I spent several hours looking at supplies; project ideas etc. and then went to bed to dream of felting. I am going to try and not buy too much in way of felting stash until I have finished at least a few projects. But have allowed myself a trip to the bookstore during my lunch hour where I purchased a felting book; I nearly purchased several but managed to limit myself to just one. For the time being I am going to try and limit my wet felting experiments to the class as I really need to make progress on some knitting, stitching and sewing projects (and I am not even thinking about my beading supplies & WIPs).

Best Laid Plans

As always seems to happen to me as soon as I decide on a new plan to tackle my of WIPs and my stash mountain something comes along to put paid to them. This time the need for change came a lot sooner than expected and from an unusual source. Last night my mother called (not in itself an unusual occurrence) asking if I would mind doing some knitting for her. My mother very very rarely asks me for anything and usually is the first one to encourage me to reduce the amount of knitting stuff that I have lying around the house. A charity that her church supports which provides aid to street children in South America have been offered some space in a shipping crate so need lots of hats; scarves & mittens for children up to the age of 5 years. They also want to send out cot blankets. So I am going to be adding Charity Knitting as an 11th project in my rotation.

WIP Overload

Following my knitting stash organising I decided to make a start on organising the pile of knitting WIPs and the stitching & sewing WIPs & stash. Well quite quickly I decided to stop as I became rather overwhelmed with the amount of projects I have part down and also with the amount of stuff I have lying around untouched. Instead I have decided to pack everything away in boxes and to start a rotation of sorts. I am throwing out my monthly goals and the new plan is to select a maximum of 10 WIPs to work on each month (everything else will stay packed away). I then have to spend a minimum of 2 hours on each project. If I manage to get 2 hours done on each WIP I will then reward myself by starting a new small / quick project. If I manage to finish a project I will add in another WIP, if I manage to finish more than one project I will reward myself by starting a new project.

This months WIPs are going to be:

1. Deirdre Shawl (knitting)
2. Ishbel Shawl (knitting)
3. Lime Vanilla Socks (knitting)
4. Tapestry Ribbon Bag (knitting)
5. Monthly Musings (cross-stitching)
6. The Big Zipper (cross-stitching)
7. Their Song (cross-stitching)
8. Needlecase (stitching)
9. Stitch Marker Holder (stitching)
10. Jelly Roll Bag (sewing)

Tonight I think I am going to work on either the Lime Vanilla Socks or the Deirdre Shawl.