Friday, November 30, 2007

I'm so happy!

I'm such a proud new Mum here and I hope Sharon is too! I just can't tell you how much I love this bag that will be my Mum's Christmas present. I can highly recommend this pattern. The intarsia is not too difficult and I had a lot of fun with the embroidery. I used Berkshire Bulky wool which is a wool/alpaca blend from Webs. It came out a little fluffy for my liking but I just gave it a little shave with a disposable razor.



Sunday, November 25, 2007

Caroline Before Felting

Here's my Caroline bag before felting. I have to run out now but wanted to (hopefully) put a smile on Sharon's face :)


Saturday, November 17, 2007

Melly's Cousin Bag in Berkshire Bulk

Hi everyone! I'm Lisa and I'm from Pennsylvania. I started listening to Sharon's podcast a few months ago and have been more and more intrigued with the notion of making one of her gorgeous bags. I decided to start with Melly's Cousin Bag. I chose Valley Yarns Berkshire Bulky from Webs in Coffee Bean and Tan. I used US 13 needles instead of the 15s called for because I didn't have 15s. And the handles were knit on US 10.5 dpns because I couldn't find 13s. Otherwise, I stuck to the pattern. I knit the bag in only a few days during my vacation. In fact I was knitting on it Halloween night in between answering the door for trick or treaters. Here she is pre felting...

And after...
The yarn was really hairy so I had to go over the bag with my sweater shaver. And the holes for the handle didn't close up tightly enough. In hindsight, I should have made the holes smaller knowing I'd be knitting the handles on much smaller needles. But it looks fine. And I've gotten tons of compliments on it. I just love when people ask where I got my bag and I say I made it and watch the look of awe spread across their face.

Turns out, this bag is just a bit too small for me though. So I just got the Ali Bag pattern to knit next. The yarn decisions are proving much more difficult for me on this one, though. I want the main part of the bag to be blue and the pipes to be purples or maybe greens (Sharon suggested both, which could be totally awesome too). It's so hard trying to decide by looking at pictures on the computer (I don't have a local yarn store so the majority of my shopping is done online). When I do find yarn, I'll be sure to post.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Wool Gone Wild

Ok, I wasn't going to post this picture, but decided to so I can get feedback on what I should do with it. The main color before felting was more of a purple color, and actually matched the rest of the colors. After I felted it, the purple is less noticeable and now the brown/orange "Hairs" are sticking out, so much so that it is really shedding. I made the braid but didn't felt it as Sharon suggested earlier, but then it didn't match after I felted the purse! Then the X's weren't sewn onto the bag right, so I decided to cut them off - you can see what's left of them on the bag. I purposely made the shoulder straps shorter, and I do like the length of the straps and the size of the bag. I also like the way this bag felted more than the first bag I did.


So, gals, what should I do with this bag? Will the shedding eventually stop? I had black on the other day, tried this bag out, and landed up having to change because of all the "hair" the yarn left on my clothes (the yarn is Cascade). I've thought of somehow making purple polka dots on it to match the leftover yarn from my "x's." I could maybe embroider a design on it, or just put it away in my closet......

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Ali Bag for my sister

My house has that lovely wet wool smell and that can only mean one thing - another She-Knits bag is finished! This is the Ali bag knitted from Sharon's original kit. I just loooove the jewel tone colours of this bag and the construction is simply ingenious. My sister had better be nice to me between now and Christmas otherwise I'm going to keep it for myself :)


Saturday, November 10, 2007

Purple Mini-Melly Bag

Hi all -
I made Sharon's Melly Bag with a lighter weight yarn (Paton's Classic Wool) and love the way it turned out. It is SO cute in person... the obvious change was to do the cable design in the contrasting bag color which I think increases it's 'youthful appeal.'

This is the second time I've used this yarn and it felts beautifully! One cycle thru and it's completely felted (with assistance from Sharon's suggested flip-flops for agitation)!



Happy Knitting!
JavaNut

Roses at midnight

This bag was so fun and superquick to knit. It has endless possibilities when it comes to decoration and I am in love! All the knitting took me just about 2 hours I think.

Stats:

Pattern: Roses at Midnight by She-knits for knitters

Yarn: Iglo from Trysilgarn about 1,5 balls.

Needles: 9 mm dpns.

Modifications: I did not decorate on both sides of the bag, and I needlefelted on the leaves instead of embroidering them on.

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Marly Shorty!

I got my kit I think on Tuesday and I finished it last night. I felted today and I LOVE IT!!! I did the Marly shorty with the patterned bottom. My bottom turned out a little different than Sharon's I believe because I was helping my DD with homework and knitting. However I totally love it! I also had a bit of yarn left over and used it to make a small pouch to put in the purse. I used 2 of the bag patterns on the pouch.

Here is before felting pictures

Bag

piece that will turn into a small pouch


Felted purse (sorry about the pic being sideways) Bottom of the bag, different but I like it)
Felted pouch, I am going to add snaps to the top flap

I sent pics to my sister and now she wants one too! It was a really fun knit. My sister is thinking she wants one in black and cream or brown and cream

Have a fun day,

Loretta

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Out here in the wilderness...

Hulloooooo,

Sorry that it has been so long since I posted. I finished the knitting on my sunflower bag, but decided to wait until I got the next one or two done to felt, so no bag children pictures. Sorry Sharon!:( Also, I'm going to NYC in three weeks and decided that I wanted to have a clapotis to wear with my new coat. ( This is what I'm using my hard-won peruvia for! :) To add to this knitting stress, more of my colleagues at work are having babies and it is tradition for me to knit a hat for each one. But...starting the second week in Dec. I'm going to do two more loop de loop bags( can't remember the new name) or die in the process. I'll post the pics then.

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Hi Everyone

Hi! I am just joining and waiting for my first purse kit. I am very excited to finally get one of Sharon's kits. I taught myself to knit when I was about 12 or so and have knitted off and on till about 3 yrs ago and have been knitting like crazy since then. I love felting it is so much fun. I have the Marly shorty on its way to me and I am already coveting another bag as well!

I am loving seeing all the pictures of the finished bags! Thanks for this Sharon.