Felted Panto Bag!

Based on Nicky Epstein's wonderful and stylish Shibori Bag, this unique effort was made using 20mm needles and "Biggy Print" yarn to the same dimensions. I used a blanket stitch edging to join the sides and handles, and continued the contrasting chocolate-shade wool by overstitching with a crochet chain (thanks mum!) twice to bind. The result? Interestingly the stitches shrank by about 50% vertically but only by about 15% horizontally... resulting in this... I trimmed the corners off the top flap because it was really banana house shaped, while still keeping the curved effect when shoulder slung. Not quite what I had in mind, but the felting (twice round a short cycle on my daily machine wash) was fun and exciting (!) sorry I didn't take before and after pictures, which would have been much more illuminating. Next felting project coming up, and this time, I shall :)

Cabled Cloche Hat

Here's my newest project, and my first from scratch! My next task is to knit another from the pattern to ensure it's viability!

Code: Knit

Ah, how easy it is to criticise the work of others!

Recently I paid for a download pattern pdf of a lovely knitted jacket... only to find out I had to translate the american terminology, and still, wasn't working so have given up home while I read and re-read american and english knitting patterns in the hopes of insight! Cursing all the while.... I have to admit it's probably me that's the problem. This proves even more likely now that I have attempted my first full scale arran pattern..ye gods... I can't count to 4!

In the process I have written my first pattern. I'm a regular trawler of the free knitting pattern websites, but realising now the amount of work that goes into them, and producing a better quality of knitwear, I am becoming much more amenable to paying for the patternwork of others.

Having knitted several eclectic thingies with a "hold it up and see if it fits" method, this very methodical way of working (writing every row as it's knitted) I found tiresomely timesome, and not at all relaxing to do with coffee...BUT STIMULATING in other areas... Indeed the resultant scribblings resemble more thermodynamic physics than a lovely cosy hat! Still, results and variations will be posted hence... and, if anyone would like to test the pattern for me after I have finalised it, please do drop me a line to julie at cherrybrixx dot eu. Pictures to follow...