Blue bag I knitted for Jan Walker from MO, one of my yarn donors. She sent me 3 huge boxes of yarn she handspun herself. The yarn will be used for CIC and for our troops (Ship Support). After she sent me the yarn, I decided to knit one for her. I tried to felt the bag but it refused to felt .



I designed this crocheted felted purse. I've written down the pattern and plan to use it for my crochet class for the Sac Crochet Guild. Yarn used is Brownsheep"s Naturespun.



Knitted felted purse from Winter 03-04 issue of Knitters mag. I believed it's designed by Bev Galeskas. I changed the handles though. Yarn is Country Classic by Brown Sheep. I think Brown Sheep makes the best feltable wool yarn ever.

This is a yarn that is so similar to Koigu that it's unbelievable! I got it from Mary Moran at Needletrax.com, called Gems Merino Fingering Pearl yarn, on cones. I used acid dyes in blue, teal and purple. Knitting with it right now. What else but a pair of socks. Out of the half pound cone I got, I can probably make 2 pairs or a pair and a scarf.

Yummy!

2 CIC kid's vest going to CIC. The wool was donated by Jan Walker from MO, handknitted by me using my own generic pattern. The blue one was thrown in the hot wash intending to felt it. Lo and behold! the wool refused to felt. Jan doesn't know what breed of wool was used. The red one was the same wool which I handwashed.



arghh...., I hate my new digital camera. 3 new socks, the one on the left is crocheted with self striping Confetti yarn; the middle is my handpainted Wensleydale yarn; the one on the right is February sock pattern by Lisa Carnahan, using Zimba top yarn from Judy@theknitter.com

Productive week! I finished 2 vests for CIC, and a felted pocketbook bag from Knitters. It's knitted but not felted. I used my own handspun.

I feel lost whenever I finish a project. Heck, it's not like I don't have any other projects started. Probably more than 10! Yet, I have the strange feeling that I have to start another one.

Discipline is what I need. Finish my UFOs first. But I don't listen to myself.

So, I started the Ribbed Pullover from Knit It! (the 2004 edition). I'm not a designer but I've knitted enough to know that it could have been designed better. I'm making a bunch of changes. And the yarn count is wrong. There's no way you can finish even the smallest size using only 3 skeins of LB Homespun. I'm done with both sleeves. On to the body which I will knit in the round.

I'm in a slump. I can't decide if I want to knit, crochet or spin.

I've spun up some handpainted Corriedale roving that I bought from Woolgatherings.com. I don't know what I'm going to use it for.

Finishing a pair of Heart socks for Valentine's day.

Finishing a pair of crocheted socks.

Starting a felted purse from the latest issue of Knitters.

And all I want to do is surf the net for patterns and yarns. But I can't afford to buy anymore. I am soo addicted.

Aaack....., I've come down with a cold, got it from Emily, who got it from Matthew. Those are my kids. Hubby's still safe. I feel lousy.

On the hook, a crocheted sock from Janet Rehfeldt's book, Crocheted Socks! I'm almost done with the sock and I just started yesterday. Very easy and interesting new stitches. I might have to crochet all of the patterns in the book. It sure did get my interest!

I'm a rather fast crocheter. I remember the time in 2000, here in Sacramento, when I competed against the famous Lily Chin, in the Fastest Crocheter alive. Boy, that was nerve wracking but fun!

Also knitting my Valentine's sock using the Magic Loop method which I enjoy. No dropped stitches, dropped dpns, etc, etc. I might invest in more 40" circs. More pics to come.

Happy New Year!! A Blessed 2004

My daughter, Danielle (14) says, at the stroke of midnight," Mom, I don't feel any different!"...

Christmas and New Year's Eve in the Philippines is way different. Somehow, the Filipinos savor the holidays. It's festive, much anticipated, truly joyous. Just GREAT, GRAND celebration. And no matter how poor you may be, you still have FUN! I really miss my homeland during the holidays.

Any New Year's resolutions? Nahh... Like they say, it's just meant to be broken. But anyway, how about: Don't buy anymore yarns or patterns (you've got to be kidding me! Is this some kind of a cruel joke? ) ...Or... finish all the projects you've started before you start another one (he, he, he). And what, be bored to death with just one project?

Or... How about designing your own pattern instead of buying one (Ooooh, that's a good one! So what do I do with all the money I save?)

Or... Stay the heck away from Ebay! (Why don't you just kill me and get it over with. )

How about you?

The yarn I used is my own handspun wool from a handpainted roving I got from Interlacements yarns. Judy at theKnitter.com sells the roving. The pattern is from Frugalhaus.com (free).



My Pelerine cape from my own handspun alpaca and wool yarns. The pattern is from INKnitters magazine by designer Susan Esser.

Here's the Bead Stitch lace sock I tested for Wool and Fiber Originals. The pattern is available for sale on her website.

Sunday was meeting day for the Knits of the Round Table ladies here in Sacramento and I was finally able to attend again. My friend, Teresa Simons, gave me an early Christmas present-- 4 skeins of different yarns spun in Nepal: Recycled silk, silk/wool blend, jute and hemp. She knows my passion for purses and she remembered my interest in the silk yarn. What a wonderful, generous friend she is!

I'm thinking of putting up some free patterns on this site but I have to figure out how to do it.

Finishing a felted purse pattern from the 3rd Jamieson's Shetland Knitting book. I have so many lace shawl and scarf project on the needles that I'm missing my socknitting.

Can't wait from Christmas! It's is the best time of the year even though we're broke . But God still provides.

Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year to all!

I have officially joined the Blogging revolution! Well, what can I say? I have been knitting for 14 years, crocheting for 30 yrs, and spinning for almost 2 years. I'm addicted to all three. I love lace, knitted socks, teddy bears and purses. I love working with wool and alpaca, from fleece to finished product.

I have lots of knitting projects scattered around the house. My son says that the house is covered with wool. I can't work with just one project at a time! That bores me to tears.

I've been knitting scarves like crazy. Just finished a poncho based on an Ann Norling pattern.

will post pictures later. More on my addiction to follow.