------------------------------- ------------------------------------ On and Off The Needles

Monday, January 09, 2006

A (finally!) Productive Weekend and a Felting Fiasco

I really feel like I had a productive weekend. I got the second sleeve done and attached to the body and first sleeve of Hourglass, and now all I have to do is the yoke.


I need to get it completed this week as I need to start two kids sweaters. Probably both out of my Cotton Ease stash. One for a boy, one for a girl. I think for the boy I will do a basic hoodie in Red (his favorite color) with maybe contrasting cuffs. For the girl, I think a simple sweater with a heart insert. I have to see what colors I have in the big bin of Cotton Ease! At least I have picked patterns and am ready to swatch. Both kids need something machine washable/dryable, and I'm trying to use up my stash, so I figured Cotton Ease is perfect!

I also finished 1 1/2 of the handwarmers.



I really like the pattern - kind of a spiral rib - and they fit both me and my co-worker sepreately. The yarn is a great purple (a bit deeper than the picture) and the variation in the yarn make some interesting bumps - it goes from light worsted all the way to super bulky at some points! But, it is super soft, and I think my co-worker will like them. I plan on doing a pair of Mosaic Mitts from the Summer '04 IK for myself - first colorwork! I fell in love with them, and I think all my leftover Patons Classic scraps may work well.

I also have to pick a pair of socks to start. I love having a portable project. I think I'll do my sisters anklets...they should be quick. Then, I'm out of sock yarn - darn!!

As far as the felting fiasco - I felted the fuzzy feet.


Need I say more. The yarn was HORRIBLE. It shed more than anything I have ever seen, and it is still so incredibly hairy, they look like troll slippers! (my cute dad insisted he liked them hairy, so no trim for them!) They felted very slowly, and the Patons (grey part) felted a lot quicker, so the foot was too narrow, but still too long. I made the foot wider to accomidate (my swatch did the same thing) but to no avail. I think I will cut off the toe where it is about 3" too long, and sew it back together, then tack together the tops somehow - they are huge! I will not be using this yarn to felt again!

I totally forgot to take a picture of these pencil toppers my mother in law gave me -


As you can see, they work well as point protectors! And they make me smile when I look at them. May they transmit knitting wisdom and peace.....

I also got (from my mom) a great, perfect gift this weekend at our belated Hannukah celebration -

Mmmmmmm. All I need to say.