Boring?

 

I've done this month's bags for Anne, the silversmith, 15 small bags and 15 tiny bags. A lot of folk say, or imply, that making the bags is a rather boring job. Granted, it's not the most exciting or creative task, but I enjoy the methodical nature of it. I put on the radio or a podcast and listen while I work.

 It's just as well I enjoy the job, because I've just agreed to make bags for someone else. Watch this space. 

Another

 

I dyed two skeins in this jade colour, used one for the half-finger gloves and am using the other skein to knit a pair of fingerless gloves for the next market. I'm using one of my favourite patterns, Nalu, by sparrowhawk/Leila Raabe. 

I'm sewing jewelry bags for the first time since we moved house. First, I had to round up my equipment. The cutting board was at the bottom of a trunk, but where is the seam gauge? I cut another one. 

A Pair

 

Right, I've finished the half-finger gloves. They'll be collected on Friday. Pattern is Tipsy by AndreSueKnits, yarn is my handspun wool. 

Back To Knitting

 

 I'm not entirely organised after moving house, but there's nothing urgent now, so I've taken time off to work on an order. The lady wants gloves with 'half fingers'. I've used this pattern before, Tipsy by AndreSueKnits.  Last time I did the ribbed version; this time I've done the stocking stitch version. I think the ribbed version fits better, but I shall continue and finish the mate of this one. Doing the fingers is much more fiddly than doing fingerless gloves, but there you go, it's probably good practice. 

MIA

 Sorry to be missing in action. We're in the process of moving house, so crafting is on hold. I did go to the market on Saturday. I finished knitting a pair of fingerless gloves while I sat at my stall, and sold them before I was done! 

Stash Buster Cardigan Is Done

 I combined two yarns from a friend's stash to make this cardigan for myself. I used Elizabeth Zimmerman's percentage method, found in Knitting Without Tears, which is more a method than a pattern. I think it would have been difficult to find a pattern to use the two yarns. The percentage system also helps create a well fitting garment:

Winter is definitely here now, so the cardigan will be put to good use. 

Deciding The Way Forward

 

I've finished round 16 of the Spring Doily. I've run out of thread and time (I'm about to move house) so the sensible thing would be to take a leaf from muskaan's book and Stop Tatting. But I really like those last two rounds, and the way they enhance the scallop outline. A friend suggested I use a completely different thread to do the outer rounds. I'm a bit worried that would draw the eye away from the overall design, but it's a possibility. I also have a different brand of size 40 white thread. It doesn't match - there's white and there's white. But I'm going to try tatting round 17 with it and see how it looks. If it doesn't look good, I can try working with completely different thread colour. Or colours. I thought of using green with a different colour for the 'flowers'.  Decisions, decisions....