Knitting Dragonflies

Evidence that life is a like yarn, sometimes it gets knotty, but with patience you can work it out, or if all else fails, cut it and tie a knot. This knitting story begins with a knitting girlfriend, a birthday and a series of catastrophes . I started knitting the felted knotted up bag because a friend was having a birthday. She has been knitting for about a year and has been admiring my felted bag. Her partner wanted to buy her some yarn so she could make one, but she was a total non knitter. So enter me.Armed with a budget, and a pattern, I set out. I find the perfect yarn and it was on sale! Yay! A lovely kettle dyed yarn that was perfect. I couldn’t resist buying some yarn for myself, and decided I would knit the purse with her.   I love this photo, it came in an email, does anyone know who these two women are? I feel like I should recognize them.   A week before her birthday a series of disasters happen, the worst one is that her uninsured father in in an ex...

I saw this bag in Bags That Rock and fell in love with it. It is a nice across the body, slouchy bag, with an easy style. From the beginning I had trouble deciding if I needed to knit it one stranded, (this looked much too thin), or double stranded, (oops, not enough yarn). Like any bewildered knitter, I just put my head down and started over. All of the pieces done, I wasn’t happy with the thinness of the yarn knitted up, but I kept going. Single crochet around all of the pieces. Now we sc the pieces together. And add the bottom, oops, the bottom is much too small!! I sc several rows around to make it fit, and then sewed it in. All together and ready to felt!! Now the fun really begins… All fuzzy and drying. It did end up to be quit thick and ready to finish up. I plan to get some fabric to line it with and haven’t decided on how to finish the closure. (zip, snap?) Straps are long enough to be worn across the body, the straps are knotted at the top, so the length ...

I have been knitting, frogging, knitting, and frogging. Now I’m knitting again. Syd agrees, “not quite right?”. I saw the “Knotted up” Bag from Bags that Rock Book (this is a felted bag pattern) and picked out some lovely yarn. It is Araucania Nature Wool Solids   from manufacturer “this 100% pure wool is carefully kettle dyed with the subtle variations in colors only hand dyed yarns have it's individual beauty emerges as the artisan carefully blends the colors in a kettle to create it's several unique shades.” Yes it sounds lovely.   Perfect for the bag I had in mind. You know the feeling, yarn + pattern = greatness. Ha. I started knitting the first time on the bag, which is knitted in 5 sections, front and back, bottom, and sides/straps. After knitting the front, I looked at the amount of yarn left……I had only used a tiny amount. I had cast on with one strand, many felted purses use two strands of yarn held together. This pattern didn’t “say” use two strands. ...

This pattern is from Bags That Rock . Yarn is Malabrigo Yarn Merino Worsted. I picked two of the kettle dyed variegated skeins that complimented each other. (or so I hoped). This pattern is very easy, and suitable for a beginner knitter. It was a fast to knit, the “propeller” patterns on the purse are done in duplicate stitch. This was the first time I even did it, super easy. After felting I decided to use purchased handles, because I wanted this purse to keep its shape. I usually line my purses and put a strip of pockets across each side, for organization. I had an enormous amount of trouble finding a fabric that “made me happy”, of course the one I found was pricy but worth it. It is a batik fabric with trees on it, I also used a two way zipper, what the heck I’ve already spent more than I planned on. Giggles I was afraid this pattern might make a purse that was too flat and not hold enough, as you can tell, I like to be prepared for anything, guess it wa...

Spring quickly turns into summer.  We have had so much rain here, I feel like I am living in a rain forest, upside to that is lush growth of the garden and flowers. The air is heavy, even at 80 you perspire, and, as my friend pointed out, everything you stick in your pockets come out damp. This spring I began with my first felted purse, I am still carrying it and love it. This quickly turned into an obsession. Fast forward to now, and I have numerous skeins of yarn, patterns and friends that I have drug along in my felt mania. I’m going to try to arrange a “felting party”, some friends, (yes all of my friends have had knitting needles thrust at them), some wine, snacks and a Saturday on the deck. Knitting and felting a purse is a great project for a beginner knitter. No matter what style of purse you prefer there is a pattern out there, or you can tweak one. Pick your color, or colors and your off. Mistakes disappear, a way too big knitted sack appears and the fun really...

Add some spray paint and a new back ground, spaceship and a plant. Now you can see time flies, but don’t know how fast. I have been neglecting my blog reading. Things that have kept me busy: 1. Frogging my lace shawl, I have been looking at this and doing a lot of sighing. I finally decided that I would frog it and make something else with the yarn. I’m thinking toe up socks, I like this pattern from Wendy Knits . It is a simple pattern and I need to make a fast pair of socks. I switched to a hand spun yarn that a friend of mine spun, and I have had for a time, waiting to use it. Crap, now that I see the pics, I think the original looks pretty good. 2. Still slowly knitting on my purse to be felted from Bags that Rock book. 3. Had a soap cozy marathon one night while mindlessly watching TV. 4. Primarily I am in a yarn work mania, it has been three years since I have gotten into the beds and properly weeded, planted and mulched. My nails and...