Slow but steady progress

I finished the first felted bag. The i-cord was a snap to do and really quite fun. The felting process was pretty painless, too. I'm really happy with the way it came out. (Yes, I know - post a picture. I haven't quite read up on posting pics but I will). After I felted it, I read on the knitlist and the sockknitters list how Lopi doesn't felt very well. I thought it felted just fine. The bag shrank 3 inches in height and 2 inches in width. Since the bag was only 12" x 12" to begin with, I think it's just right. I don't think I'll finish the mittens I was making in Lopi to felt, though. They might not shrink enough.

I started the second bag in 2 strands of heather Cascade 220 and 2 strands of lt. taupe Patons Classic Wool. It's working up to be 11" x 11". I'll have to watch it closely when I felt it since I think it'll felt faster than the Lopi. I'm more than half done with it.

I was going to do 4 of these bags but decided to do 3 bags and a pair of socks. The youngest of the girls that I'm making these for has a zillion pocketbooks. Really! She's been collecting them since she was 2 and now she's 12. So I'm making her a pair of socks in Cascade Fixation. Her mother (my friend Sue) laughed when I said I'd make Rachelann socks. This 12 year old girl wears size 11 shoes! This child is tall! She takes after her father (he's 6'3"). I'm 5'8" and I think she's just about as tall as I am. I hope I get the socks done in time for Christmas. If not, she's a sweetheart and will wait until I get them done. The last bag is for her 18 year old sister. Sue told me that she put a purse on her list and she wants it in black. The pattern I'm using is striped which I think is very pretty but I'll make a black one for Allie. I might do the top border and handles in gray, though. Just to make it interesting. Or maybe red. I have both those colors in Patons Classic Wool. I know Allie likes red.

The trip to the new LYS on Saturday was a success. Sue and I went there. That's where I bought the Cascade Fixation to make Rachelann's socks. I can't find it anywhere else around here. This yarn shop had some beautiful yarns. She carried Berrocco, Ironstone, Dale of Norway, Manos (I can't remember the rest of the name), Gatsby, and lots of really nice yarns. The Dale of Norway yarns seem to be her basic wools. I really hoped she'd have Brown Sheep. I did buy a hank of Ironstone Yarns "Starlights" in colorway 1. This stuff is sooo nice. It's 50% mohair, 8% wool, 36% rayon, and 6% nylon. The colors are beautiful. If I remember, I'll take it to the shop tomorrow and scan it. Then maybe I can post it here. This is going to be for me!

Last night was our monthly Craft Night. For the past year or so, it's been Sue, myself, Carolyn G., and Carol L. Last night we had it at Donna F's house. She's just gotten back into knitting and crocheting and is going great guns. She also invited Diann F. Carol didn't make it but it was nice having so many of us. Donna and I decided we're going up Indigo Yarns again on Saturday. She's been crocheting earflap hats out of the Dale of Norway yarn and was happy to hear that they had it. I had my eye on the Manos and might pick up a skein to make myself a pair of mittens. I might pick up another ball of the Fixation, too, since I have no idea how much it will take to make socks for Rachelann.

Well, it's time to start dinner. If I get some things scanned, I might even post again tomorrow. I don't think I'll have time after that until Sunday or so. Friday I'm going to Syracuse shopping with 3 of my 4 sisters and Saturday I'm hitting yarn shops in New Hartford. Busy, busy, busy...