Yoo-hoo- Silja where have your pictures all gone??? Jo's Marly Bags

Seriously, is it just my computer or are have all of Silja's pictures become empty frames with a little box with a little red X on everybodies computer. WHERE ARE MY BAG CHILDREN???? (mother panic ensues)

Did anyone ever get to see the beauty of Jo's Marly Bags? She was the first person to ever buy from my Sheknits for Knitters Shop and she bought the Marly Bag kit in the original colors. Then she bravely made two more picking her own fabulous colors. Have a lovely lingering look at my first bag children (trying to calm myself down about my missing ones with looking at my first ones)

Caroline Bag pattern is FINALLY here

This took forever, but I couldn't be more proud...toot toot! I am calling this an intermediate pattern, but only from the standpoint of the 3 flowers. If you have done intarsia work before....maybe a Robin Bag Wristlet...and feel comfortable with intarsia and want a knock out stand out bag here it is. I will call this a fast knit for all parts except the intarsia...it is a fun challenge and then the embroidery over the flowers and leaves takes some time but is a very gratifying pay=off at the end as the bag is a knock out....toot toot beep beep.





Caroline Bag

A bouquet of Robin Bag Sunflowers

A customer ordered a Sunflower bag, I realized after finishing the bag for the customer that I had made it in a deeper red then what she had assumed she was getting...she probably never would of know the difference HOWEVER I WOULD HAVE! I already had an orange one done that I hadn't felted, finished up the dark red one and knit the red one she ordered...hence a beautiful bouquet...it even smells good! The Sunflower is such a HAPPY flower, I love it!

Love em' unfelted to but never the less they are to floppy that way

One down... one to go

I finished my 'Melly Bag' and love it!

I felted it a little bit too much - one cycle would have been good, but I wanted the fabric a little more felted and then promptly got distracted so it went thru an entire second cycle. So the cable isn't as pronounced as it was after the first wash... And the pocket got slightly 'wonky' during felting... I was able to stretch it pretty well, but it's not exactly straight anymore.

And for a keen observer (hard to see in the photo), I attached the straps slightly wider than in the pattern.

It's a great bag, Sharon!! and I can see more of them in my future!!

My Ali bag is almost done... just have to sew the Xs on and attached the straps.

Happy (and happily) knitting!
- JavaNut

She-Knits Kal Questions

Since two different people asked some questions , I thought I would answer it out here as I am sure we can all benefit. Please always feel free to ask me purse knitting and felting questions...that was some of the thought originally behind the intention of having the She-Knits KAL...well that an my on-going hunger and THRILL of seeing my bagchildren all in one place ;) Remember, there are NO dumb questions...really and truly.

Can two different projects be felted at the same time?

The short answer is yes HOWEVER, always put them in separate pillow cases and be mindful of colors if you are doing lights and darks or light and reds there could be some bleeding. You can also throw in one of those Tide (?) color catchers or take your chances. I have never ruined anything from excessive bleeding but it can happen.

My favorite way to felt again is:

1. Put your item in a zippered pillow case (really it is a pillow protector)
2. Add rubber flip flops for agitation
3. Until you get to know your yarn and your washing machine, check frequently so you don't ruin your item by over-felting.
4. If you have something hard like Tupperware or waste basket that is the right size for drying use it to stretch your bag over -OR- use many many many plastic grocery bags until you have really filled your purse- then and punch and pull it until it is shaped the way you want.

2.What color should the inside pocket be on The Melly Bag (this was from someone who was working from the kit). I suggest using whatever yarn you have the most of left over if you are using the kit. The most important thing to keep in mind is, the Burley Spun Yarn is double thickness of the Lambs Pride bulky. SO if you use the Burley Spun then it is single strand and if you use the bulky weight yarn then do it doubled. Also be sure to put your interior pocket on the same side (inside) of the side you are putting the exterior pocket so you don't have ridges shoring on the outside from that interior pocket. I have ruined entire bags from that interior pocket showing through.

Lastly one person brought to my attention that she did not have enough yarn in a kit she purchased to finish 2 specific parts. Please let me know in detail if this has happened to you if this has happened to you. I will send you the additional yarn you need...I stand by my kits. I have increased the price to cover the additional yarn needed on one particular kit. It is my intention that I can keep the prices as low as possible on my kits.

Toooo quiet...and new pattern up in shop

Hellooooo...*said with sound echoing into a big empty cave* is anybody out there making a purse??? Have you all moved on to other projects? I would especially love to see any new bag-children and hey what happened to all the lovely Norwegians that bought the Melly Bag (formerly know as Cables on Pickets)pattern....I think I have only seen postings from Marit and Silja. Are you all burnt out on bag making? If so then I hope to see you again sometime...I am a bid advocate of only knitting what something that is fun and makes you happy!! Apparently I am never burnt out on bag making!!!!! So maybe it will perk you up or inspire you to see a new pattern that is up for sale in my She Knits for Knitters shop (or maybe not)?

Introducing-
Roses at Midnight

This wristlet starts as two pieces then becomes one so you are able to knit it on a circular needle...NO SEAMING!!!!! The leaves are embroidered on before felting, and the flowers, done in cotton yarn, are added after felting.

My very own *gulum voice* PRECIOUS

Hey all! I have been wanting to post all about my Marly bag on here for a while but have been super busy and now I am finally getting a chance to do that!

I was lucky enough to get my very own Marly Bag Kit from Sharon as an early birthday gift (NOV. 10..and I have beautiful brown eyes...LOL...inside joke). SERIOUSLY, I wanted to cast on for it as soon as I got it but didn't have the right size needles. So, had to wait for the stores to open the next day.

I did get the cheapo Susan Bates needles at Hobby Lobby because they were 50% off and seeing that my wallet was a little thin (if you know what I mean) I couldn't afford the nice stuff. Anyway, that was Friday. I think I did the Cast On and maybe the first five rows Friday Night.

Saturday morning...I sat in my arm chair and did NOTHING...barely even got up to PEE...but knit this bag! It was so totally addicting! The slip stitching color work is like magic! Sharon told me it was but to actually see it with my own two eyes...AMAZING!!

Anyway, by 7:30 Saturday Night I had it in the washer!!! I called Sharon to let her know...you know, so she could share in the excitement :-)

I pulled it out and stuffed it full of a Sam's Club (economy size) bag of diapers. Seemed to be the perfect fit! It dried over night and I have been using it as a purse ever since!!

Here are some pictures of the Great Event :-)

Now I can't wait to make the Pipes and Braids bag...or the Ally Purse :-)

Marly

Pre-felted...inside out...

Can you tell I haven't showered all day?
I always get a little worried when I put something in the washer...
And for some reason I always take a picture of myself...why?
After the washer and stretched to fit the diapers :-)

Sharon always takes pictures of her bags with either her daughters
or herself holding it. SO, I thought I would
get my daughter to hold my bag.
The dress doesn't really hide her does it, LOL!!

I LOVE MY BAG!!!

Thank You!

I also got a package from Sharon :-) Thank you!!! It totally made my day!

I was expecting either the book OR yarn, so to get a book, yarn, stich markers AND a knitters ring (in my favorite color- purple!) was quite a suprise! I haven't successfully knit a pair of socks yet, but this yarn is so pretty.... If it doesn't become socks it will be a lacy scarf or a pair of gloves :-D Yeah!

As for KAL progress, I gave my Mom the bag I made & she'll be using it at Rhinebeck on Saturday. I'm finishing up her Christmas gift, then I'll start on my Marly bag.

Happy Knitting!

Small Ali Bag with knit (and not felted) braid

I like...you like??? I suggest, for those of you doing the Ali Bag (formerly Pipes and Braid) that you consider making the bag and the X's , assembling and felting but do the braid afterwards (or while you are felting or drying your bag as we all need to multi-task) and leaving it unfelted. The look is really good. Having the texture of the knitted against the felted is awesome. How do you figure out the length the braid should be? To do this you have to be slightly relaxed and adventurous. Knit some i-cords, maybe make them 3 ft long., secure them loosely at their ends so you can easily undo them. Braid tightly and string it though the X's to see if it measures out ok. If you need to make shorter, just undo the ends and do it. I also secured the slightly messy braid ends under one of the X's by tacking it down with some yarn.

surprize!

Look what I found in my mailbox today! My prize from the contest! I won this Beutiful skein of sockyarn by Zen String Lotus Toes. The colorway is called Draconian.

Sharon also sendt me these supercute stitchmarkers!

And to my Big surprice I also got a knitters ring *jumping up and down* I have been eyeballing these for quite a while now!

Thank you so much Sharon! I really really love what you sendt me!

A small Ali Bag for a customer

Customer picked color and size. The full size Ali is a 40 st cast on this one I cast on 26. So the bag is done and now I am making the braid which will have the same colors as the pipe. All those little pieces are the X's. It was fun to make a smaller one, and I love the pipe of red. I wanted to make one of the shoulder straps in red but she didn't like that idea. I thought one charcoal and one red would of been beautiful.....but she didn't think the recipient would like that. What do you think?

I decided that I am going to sew on the X's and felt the bag. Then I will knit the braid, and ready for this leave the braid unfelted....I know don't drop your needles. I think the texture will be cool.

Finally cast on...

hi all -

My first post for this KAL, but I've loved the 'formerly-known-as-cable-on-pocket-XLBowling-Bag' since Sharon published it. (and Sharon, I think the renaming of your bags was a great idea!)

Despite numerous projects on my needles, I needed to cast-on something that didn't require focused attention (how did I end up working on 3 lace shawls at the same time????)!

I knew "Melly" would be a fun and relatively easy knit, but who knew it would be so addictive? All that's left is the panel for an inner pocket, a little seaming and some hot water! Sadly it will probably be the weekend before I'll be knitting again. I hate it when the day job creeps into the evenings

Happy Knitting!
- JavaNut

My Intarsia

Hi,

I thought I'd show you pictures of my intarsia. I'm getting used to it and it is going OK. :)

Oops!

I meant yarn color not yarn size...seems this is happening more often since I hit the big 5-0!

5 Petals Wristlet Pattern

I am Julie from California,. I don't have a blog yet...I'm still thinking about it. I bought the 5 Petals Wristlet pattern. I was actually hoping to start it tonight but I realized I didn't have the correct needles....how is this possible??? I must have 25 pairs of needles! Anyway, my thumb ring size....hmmmm...I would say size 9. I have big hands I think. My favorite yarn size changes depending on the seasons...fall is fall colors and the rest of the year is purple and blues. Favorite stitch marker size.....never really thought about that one...I guess any size would be great if it's a prize.
Annierose your bag is looking great! It looks like you are doing fine.

My Progress...

Hi KAL Friends,

I have some progress to share, the back of my bag went amazingly fast.

Now that I am into the intarsia, however, it is going soooooo slow! I wish I was sure that I am doing this right. I Keep telling myself that no one will see the errors when it is felted anyway.
These are the times when I wish I had someone to actually look at my work and let me know if what I'm doing is OK.

Keep your fingers crossed for me!

She-Knits KAL contest winners

I am so happy with this She-Knits KAL and I hope that regardless of whether or not you are all posting or responding to other peoples posts that you are somehow being inspired by what you see or at least learning something. I just love it all, and kind of ran the contest as a way to thank you to all of you for taking the time to share your creations. I was feeling so...I don't know...sort of like this KAL is more for ME then anyone, so I ran a contest so I could give you all something a.k.a .... ...a thank you of sorts...I wanted to give you the chance to win some free stuff ....something more then my ongoing writing of THANK YOU and awesome and all the other things I find myself saying! For better or worse just 4 of you entered, and I am not sure whether it is because you aren't interested in contests, or the prizes offered, or not reading through the post. Since there were only 4 of you I have decided to give you all a prize of some sort. So Valerie, Cynthia, Silja and Anne, please e-mail me privately and tell me of the listed prizes (form the original contest post- here-) what your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choices would be and you addresses and I will send you all something!!!
*****Added later in the day...Ok Cynthia + Anne, not that you snooze you lose however Valerie and Silja responded right away, so what I have left is the Peruvia yarn (and maybe a little goodie) just send me your addresses if you want the yarn******

I am so curious, for you others that didn't enter was it because
1. Not interested in contests?
2. Not interested in those prizes?
3. Didn't catch the post?

I am stillll writing up the Floral Bag ...which will be called the Caroline Bag...it's a very detailed bag...am almost done!
I am writing up a pattern for a messenger style bag, which can also be used as a laptop bag. Here's a peek...lots of texture.

I'm In!!!

Okay, I always have a little challenge getting in to these things. I have been working on my Marly bag. I like it quite a bit, having lots of fun with it. Gonna be sad when it is done though!

Here is a pic, got a little bit more done on it last night, but this is pretty much where I am.

I Made it!

Woohoo! I finally got on...
I am AnnieRose, I live in Bismarck,ND. Like Sharon, most of my knitting life exsists online. I listen to podcasts, have Ravelry as my homepage etc... We don't even have a real yarnstore here. I also spin and crochet, but knitting is my real passion. I've managed to avoid intarsia until now, but am starting SheKnits Red Sunflower loop in a loop bag tonite! (Sorry Sharon, I know I said that I'd start it last nite, but didn't have #13 DPNs!) My thumb size is 7, I love thumb rings!. I love warm colors Oranges, bronzes, greens etc. I promise to post, this is my very first KAL!

:)

It's me again...

I took some pictures of THE bag post felting. I ran into a few problems in that area. I ran it through once and everything had begun to felt except of course the very light, nearly white aran color. I thought about just leaving it that way but was afraid of things poking out, so I did a test with a pen and yup it had to go one more time. I took a deep breath and threw it back in. I was shocked when I came back to it to find that it shrank a lot, but I love the shape of it and (as if this is possible) it's more pretty now than it was before.



The shape of the bag is great. In order to keep the top together I'm going to sew in a zipper instead of just a snap so the top will keep a super straight line, and let the bottom kind of fluff or balloon out like it does.

Flowers and Vines/Pipes and Braids

I finally put the finishing touches on this bag and it is currently felting in the washer. While I absolutely love the way this bag looks, it has taken me forever to do the finishing work on the bag. I had to sew down the leaves and secure the flowers, lots and lots of hand sewing which is always the worst part for me. BUT I had commited myself and actually finished it. I'm a little worried about it actually felting because of the aran color, but I've got my fingers crossed and I'm toughing it out. If nothing else I have these pictures.

Here's the front of the bag:



And the back:


Gorgeous right? I almost hope my MIL doesn't like it so I can keep it for myself :)

Inspiration comes from everywhere

Sunday night, while planning my trip to a LYS that was having a sale, I was struck by instant inspiration. I needed a present for my mother in law's birthday (I still have a month but when inspiration strikes you don't ignore it), I decided to make a pipes and braids bag, but with some modifications. I took off the pipe around the bottom of the bag and one from the top of the bag, following the design change Stitchnscrap did (the belt instead of the braid) I had a flash of using a vine with flowers going around it based off of this scarf. I'm using lambs pride bulky in lotus pink and aran. The flowers are going to be done in lambs pride worsted in lotus pink and the vine in kiwi. Here's some pictures of my progress so far. I wrapped my vine around the bag in one picture to give a vague idea of what it will look like all put together. Oh and if you look closely, one of my little monsters is in one of the pictures.










Thanks to everyone for my inspiration :)

Now for the picture

Here's the picture of my bag :

It's floppy, but I like it anyway :-) The straps actually GREW in the washer (remind me not to felt with this yarn ever again!!) and they're long enough to wear the bag slung diagonally across my body, which is kinda cool. I hope my Mom likes it....

~Valerie

Completed Bag: Take 2

This is my 2nd time trying to post this, my computer ate my first attempt.

I finished and felted my XL Bowling Bag last night :-) Quite a big *issue* with it though: I only used Lambs Pride for the bag strips, I used this other wool form a mill in NH for the body, pocket and straps. The top strips are the only areas that felted properly. The strips felted, shrunk down, became sturdy, did everything they were supposed to do. The restof the bag hardly felted :-( It's ok though. I'll put in a base on the bottom of the bag to make it sturdy. This is for my Mom anyway, and she'lllove it just b/c it was made for her. She doesn't know how sturdy it's supposed to be anyway! LOL! I totally know that I'm supposed to use the same kind of yarn for the entire project, I've learned that lesson the hard way already, but I figuredit may work out this time... Oh well. I still like it :-)

OK, Blogger wont upload my pic, but if you're on Ravelry you can see it there. I'm Valink on Ravelry. I'll be back after work to try the pic again.

off and on.

I am having some laptop issues and therefor not so much online these days. I hope to get a new one and then I will be bcak in action. I finished the two pairs of socks I had to before I went back to bowling bags... Well I have two bags finished.

Stats

• yarn: various leftovers.
• pattern: XL bowling bag from She-knits for knitters.
• Needles: 4 mm.
• Contribution to the she-knits kal and Holiday kalcal

When knitting it this small I would advise to skip the inside pocket, because when you have a pocket on each side of that “wall” it is so small and tight that the “wall” dont felt as good as it should because it is protected by the pockets.

Stats for the black:

• yarn: Iglo from Trysilgarn bought at europris (10 balls of black og 3 balls grey)
• pattern: XL bowling bag from She-knits for knitters.
• Needles: 10 mm.
• Contribution to the she-knits kal and Holiday kalcal
• 
  

And I am loving seeing all the different bags here!