a simple yarn

So, without internet readily available, what should I do with all my ‘extra’ time?

Hoping that we are now fairly settled in our new environs, I look forward to doing something a bit more creative than unpacking cardboard boxes. Hmmm…what shall I do first? Somehow all those projects scrambling for first place in my head have gone on holiday leaving a big empty space. Wishing I had signed up for Ravelry now. (OK, not really, but certainly wish I had a list somewhere…) Thankfully, Christmas knitting comes to the rescue, but after that? I begin looking around with a hint of desperation. Ahh….I finally spot a recurring eye-sore…

Exhibit A: Plain wooden table. Right, begin to plan. Think I’ll make some woven rag placemats. After a fabric swap with Holly…

…lotsa cutting…

…lotsa scraps…

…and after lotsa ironing, I’m ready to sew them end to end to create really long strips of rag for the weft. Whew! That’s lotsa work. Gotta get back to Christmas knitting for now. But now that I’m rolling, I’m anxious to get the weaving underway!

See this?

See that big moss covered rock, there?

It’s my bloggin’ stone. Not to be confused with the Blarney Stone, mind you. And no need to go upside down or kissin’ it either.

You see, we’ve shot into the 21st century with electricity, but have yet to make it with internet access. So, to retrieve email, I wander out the gate and go to the bloggin’ stone where I can nick the neighbour’s wifi. Winter rains and cold mean that unfortunately, no lengthy internet surfing or blog reading/commenting. And I do miss that. But we’re working on it.

But yet, there’s much to be thankful for…and Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

Well, we didn’t make it into the Knitty.com calendar this year…

…but pleased as punch that we made it into the honorable mentions list on Amy’s Flickr site.

Son-Alex models the skull embellished Knucks in fine Dublin-Inner-City-Youth-Style. Have to say I’m chuffed. Here’s a reprint of the photo.

Have you ever begun a project with great enthusiasm, only to have it repose on the shelf in a state of hopeless unfinished-ness?

Okay, so I’m a few months tardy, but I’ve finally finished the Autumn Vertical Stripe Messenger Bag intended for the Dublin Knit Collective October Show n Tell. Well, sort of… While the pattern is not complete, I’m calling this one done and moving on. I had great hopes of creating a pattern for this felted messenger bag to prove that the first one I had made was not a fluke. But feeling like a sprinter in a field of long-distance runners, I’ve run out of steam and so I post this almost-complete-pattern with absolutely no step-by-step pictures…

Autumn Vertical Stripe Messenger Bag

Yarn:
Lamb’s Pride worsted weight, used double strand
2 skeins – Spice
1 skein – Oregano
1 skein – Rust
1 skein – Gold
1 skein – Purple
1 skein – Turquoise

Needles: US 11/8mm straight needles
Gauge: 12 sts x 17 rows – 4 inch square

CO 96 sts
Knit in stockinette stitch until work measures approximately 18 inches, changing colours at random intervals for striping.
Bind off (BO) all sts.

With right side facing, turn the work sideways and along a short side of the work, pick up 68 sts.
Knit stockinette for approximately 6 inches. With right side of work facing:
K12, Bind Off (BO)10, K24, BO10, K12
P12, Cast On (CO)10, P24, CO10, P12
Knit garter stitch for 6 rows.
Bind off (BO) all sts.

FLAP and TABS
With right side facing, pick up 68 sts on other short side.
Knit 6 rows in a garter stitch.
BO12, K10, BO24, K10, BO12

For each tab—
Knit garter stitch for 12 rows.
Next row SSK, K6, K2tog
Knit 1 row plain
Next row SSK, K4, K2tog
Knit 1 row plain
Next row SSK, K2, K2tog
Knit 1 row plain
Next row SSK, K2tog
K2tog

GUSSET & STRAP
CO 7 sts
Knit stockinette, for first side of gusset, with random striping or in a solid colour if you choose, until piece extends about 1 inch past the side of the bag—approximately 16 inches.
End with a wrong side row.

To knit strap, slip work to dpns of the same size as working needles.
With right side facing, K4, yarn forward, slip next 3 sts purlwise to right hand needle
Turn work
K4, yarn forward, slip next 3 sts purlwise to right hand needle
Turn work
Repeat until strap measures approximately…..

Warning: Great Unfinished Diversion Ahead
Right, so I didn’t measure how long the strap should be. Arg. Anyway, in pre-felted form, it was long, REALLY long—60 inches perhaps? But the Lamb’s Pride shrinks quite efficiently and ended up the right length. So, here is where you use your best judgment and you have my apologies for being air-headed…

So, after making your strap as long as you like, then knit the 7 sts in stockinette for the second gusset, working until it is like the first side of the gusset, approximately 16 inches long. Make sure that the right side of your work is oriented to the same side as the other side of the gusset.

CONSTRUCTING THE BAG
Before washing, using the same yarn in whatever colour choice, stitch the gusset into the sides of the bag. For extra definition, using a contrasting colour, I did a single crochet around the side edges of the bag.

Single Crochet Instructions
Work from right to left with the right side of the knitting facing you. Insert hook into knitting stitch, yarn over hook, pull loop of yarn through the knitting to the front, yarn over hook, and pull it through the first loop. *Insert hook into next stitch of knitting yarn over hook, pull loop of yarn through stitch, yarn over hook, and pull through both loops on hook. Repeat from * to end.

FELTING
I tossed the whole lot into the front loading washer, threw in some old tennis shoes for good agitation, added a small amount of wool wash, put it on 60° C and let it go. When it comes out in all its shrunken glory, let air dry. Add snaps to the tabs for closures and it’s done.

And here’s hoping that someone is able to finish one!

And ESB said, ‘Let there be light.’

The Electricity Supply Board made a visit this week. That and the obligatory brown envelope in the hands of the monopoly’s employee brought power to our house. Oops, feeling a rant coming on about the strangle-hold monopolies have over poor consumers…ack…must…not…go…there…feel…blood…boiling…

Anyway, back to more pleasant thoughts. See this?

This, then, is the inaugural use of the oven, now that we are holders of proper electricity. The Kiddies and I celebrated with a long overdue home-baked-pizza-and-family-movie-night.

And no, the oven will not stay that immaculate for long…

‘Craft on Thursday’ still means furniture restoration these days.

The fibre finger is still itching, but days are filled with other types of crafts. Today’s work involves four old wooden chairs found in the shed, a bit of wood wash, a touch of sandpaper and new covers for the seats.

Fabric came from an old upholstery sample book picked up from Friend-Erica-Who-Used-To-Be-In-The-Sofa-Design-And-Manufacture-Business. I like the variety rather than uniformity, so each chair has a personality and place of its own!

Never underestimate the ability of a child.

Last week I passed a milestone of age…not a big milestone, mind you, just a little one. I confess I’ve had better birthdays, as this particular one happened to include—
1) A favorite dish broken
2) A minor-yet-enough-to-do-a-good-amount-of-damage bashing of the car
3) A husband still in the US

Ah…but then, the kids did their ‘Happy Birthday Mama’ magic.

A picture by He-Who-Hates-To-Draw, which shows me at my favourite pastime. ‘You came out a little fat,’ said he, ‘but that’s because you’re wearing a woolly jumper you knit.’

A necklace chosen and paid for by Now-Eleven-Year-Old-Daughter-Kate, which was promptly put round my neck with fierce gratitude.

Not only that, the dishwasher was unloaded and lunches were made by Birthday-Gift-Giving-Hands. Nope, never underestimate the ability of a child to give a gift that fits just right.

I’m needin’ some gratification of the ‘instant’ kind.

Picked up hammer, tacks and fabric in order to recover some chair seats today.
Tacks are too long.
Arg.
Maybe no one will notice.
Hmmm….can anyone ignore tiny little prickles in their bum?
Best not attempt it for the sake of preserving friendships.
Arg (again).
No other projects can be started or finished right now.
Arg (for the third time).

Right, out comes a small project, which is guaranteed to be finished within the hour.
Bought a moccasin slipper kit in the US.
Not really a moccasin-wearing-type-of-girl, but I have neither the time nor the inclination to do another pair of felted slippers and floors are chilly in the mornings.

So the pre-cut-pre-holed-pre-shaped-idiot-mocs are just the thing.
After a series of ‘put-Lace-A-into-Hole-B’ moves, I now have something to wear on my feet.
Okay, the sizing is not that great and the sole is a bit thin, but the leather is soft and a simple pair of cushy insoles will do the job!

I’m gratified…..in an instant.