FishyKissKnits

FishyKissKnits - Really!

I finished and delivered the three (fishy kiss knits) fish for Tasha's new baby. One is somewhat overstuffed, so we call him the blowfish. The pattern is the "Felted Fish Pattern" by Linda Taylor in Knitter's Stash. I liked them better without eyes. They will go really well in J's fish-themed room!

I also recently blocked the two halves to my "A Good Bias" shrug from Interweave Knits Spring 2005, p. 26. I seem to remember Yarn Harlot  expressing her amazement at how well lace blocks and that she wanted to show the whole neighbourhood. I felt the same way! I have never blocked lace before, and WOW, it really does work! I love my new ez blockers. Wool is so accepting and adaptable! Anyway, I'll need to put it together soon - it was meant to be a spring project when I was still carrying my pregnancy weight - I didn't want to wear a sweater that would hang on me later. Now, I am back to my regular weight, and it's winter, but I still want to wear it soon!

I've started listening to some knitting podcasts. I find the ones with interviews (Craft Sanity, KnitCast) really fascinating. I'm enjoying learning more about writers and designers (Debbie Stoller, Debbie Bliss, etc). I'm also listening to Creative Mom, Lime & Violet and insubordiknit. Since we live 20 minutes from school, I take babe for a walk everyday so he gets a nap, and I can listen to my podcasts!  I find it really inspiring to listen about other people doing creative things. I really don't feel like I have the time or energy to fit as much in as my brain would like to at the moment. I figure my creative energy is going into producing milk and growing my baby (even though he's outside my body now!). At least, that's my excuse.

Bagged and Flowered

After about 6 months, I finally have time to post.  Yeah!

This purse is a gift I made for my friend Eileen for her birthday.  She'll be receiving it tonight when we get together for dinner.  It only took about a day to make - really easy.  However, as Belinda knows, I am never satisfied with just finishing something.....I have to really finish it.  So, the flowers, and then the felting, the crocheting, the beading, the sewing.  Oh my God - the whole thing actually took about 3 weeks. 

The pattern was adapted from Iris Schreier's book Modular Knits, (page 86) which presents a totally new approach to modular knitting.  I love it.  Instead of joining the two sides of the bag, I made a gusset (also modular knitting) which became the strap.  In the felting, the strap became too long, so I cut it, and created 2 straps - one a short handle, the other a shoulder strap.  The beads were purchased locally - the only thing I looked for was a large enough hole to thread the fishing line through.  I also used some rats tail cord in several colours.  I used Noro (what else?) Kureyon in 2 colours (153 - 2 balls, and 124, 1 ball).

The flower pattern is from Nicky Epstein's book "Knitted Flowers", pg. 96.  They are called trumpet flowers, and are very easy and quick to make.  I worked on them in my travels to Toronto, and several women on the train commented to me that they thought they were Christmas bells.  They do look very ornamental.

The whole bag is about 16 inches across, so it isn't the size that is represented in Iris' book - as I said I did adapt the pattern somewhat to get the size I wanted.

I have lots more to post, but that will have to wait until another day.