Well, I've way behind everybody else that was participating in the She-Knits Mystery Bag KAL on Ravelry. People began posting finished pics to the group about six weeks ago (dang, where does the time go?).
I started working on the last clue (handle straps) about 3 weeks ago. First, I was knitting them on too small of a needle. I wanted the stitches to be tighter so they wouldn't felt as much as the rest of the bag. I'd been knitting on a 10.5 circular and as I didn't own anything in a 10, I tried my 9 circs. Too tight. Rip 1. I gave in and bought some size 10 double points. My LYS only carries bamboo, so I got those and cast on again. It's a cable pattern and about halfway into the first strap, I realized I had jacked up the pattern. Rip 2. On try 3, I got to the midway point and realized these handles were going to be too short for my liking. Back to the forum to find a finished one with handles I liked. The participant had put an extra cable repeat in and had doubled the amount of the center i-cord. Rip 4. I got to the midway point again and decided I didn't like where I had put the repeat. Rip 5. The day before yesterday I realized I hadn't knit on these straps in almost two weeks. So far I was liking where I put the repeat and was almost halfway done with the first strap again. I take this project with me everywhere, but kept putting off actually working on them. Now what was the problem?
As I was wandering around Strawberry Tree yesterday trying to find something I might like since they are having a 40% off going-out-of-business sale (last day of business is today), I saw some metal Addi double points. Got me to thinking that now maybe my problem is the bamboo. I went home and tried them...Hooray! Definitely working much better now.
Another problem I've been having is the darned yarn tangling up. This bag has been knit holding two strands and I've been working from both ends of the same yarn cake. Someone on a forum I read suggested putting the cake on an empty DVD spindle. So far that's working like a charm. After I finish the straps, I've got to sew down the four pocket sides and felt. Maybe I'll actually get this darned bag finished before She-Knits Mystery Bag KAL 2 starts September 23rd.
Speaking of Strawberry Tree, in addition to the needles, I only bought one small ball of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino to make some Fetchings (not sure there is enough yardage for my fat hands) or an iPhone sock. Frankly, I was a little shocked when I went in there. You'd never know the place was in its final days with as much freaking yarn is still in there. That's always been one of my peeves about that place and why I never purchased stuff there — too much stuff in too small of a space (and none of it is priced - you have to look it up in a binder). I was really hoping to score some yarn for the next mystery bag or for a hat I want to make for my father for Christmas, but no luck. Even at 40% off, the yarn was so overpriced to begin with that it wouldn't have been that great of a deal even if there had been something that struck my fancy. I overheard one of the employees telling a customer that the owner was going to move all the remaining stock to her basement. I hope her basement is huge.
OK, enough yapping. I've got knitting to do...
I started working on the last clue (handle straps) about 3 weeks ago. First, I was knitting them on too small of a needle. I wanted the stitches to be tighter so they wouldn't felt as much as the rest of the bag. I'd been knitting on a 10.5 circular and as I didn't own anything in a 10, I tried my 9 circs. Too tight. Rip 1. I gave in and bought some size 10 double points. My LYS only carries bamboo, so I got those and cast on again. It's a cable pattern and about halfway into the first strap, I realized I had jacked up the pattern. Rip 2. On try 3, I got to the midway point and realized these handles were going to be too short for my liking. Back to the forum to find a finished one with handles I liked. The participant had put an extra cable repeat in and had doubled the amount of the center i-cord. Rip 4. I got to the midway point again and decided I didn't like where I had put the repeat. Rip 5. The day before yesterday I realized I hadn't knit on these straps in almost two weeks. So far I was liking where I put the repeat and was almost halfway done with the first strap again. I take this project with me everywhere, but kept putting off actually working on them. Now what was the problem?
As I was wandering around Strawberry Tree yesterday trying to find something I might like since they are having a 40% off going-out-of-business sale (last day of business is today), I saw some metal Addi double points. Got me to thinking that now maybe my problem is the bamboo. I went home and tried them...Hooray! Definitely working much better now.
Another problem I've been having is the darned yarn tangling up. This bag has been knit holding two strands and I've been working from both ends of the same yarn cake. Someone on a forum I read suggested putting the cake on an empty DVD spindle. So far that's working like a charm. After I finish the straps, I've got to sew down the four pocket sides and felt. Maybe I'll actually get this darned bag finished before She-Knits Mystery Bag KAL 2 starts September 23rd.
Speaking of Strawberry Tree, in addition to the needles, I only bought one small ball of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino to make some Fetchings (not sure there is enough yardage for my fat hands) or an iPhone sock. Frankly, I was a little shocked when I went in there. You'd never know the place was in its final days with as much freaking yarn is still in there. That's always been one of my peeves about that place and why I never purchased stuff there — too much stuff in too small of a space (and none of it is priced - you have to look it up in a binder). I was really hoping to score some yarn for the next mystery bag or for a hat I want to make for my father for Christmas, but no luck. Even at 40% off, the yarn was so overpriced to begin with that it wouldn't have been that great of a deal even if there had been something that struck my fancy. I overheard one of the employees telling a customer that the owner was going to move all the remaining stock to her basement. I hope her basement is huge.
OK, enough yapping. I've got knitting to do...
Name: LaDonna
