Back from nowhere

Hi! Me again. What's that? I haven't been around? Yeah, I know. *sigh* It's been a heck of a couple of weeks. Nothing bad, just completely overwhelmingly busy at work. That's, um, not to say I do my blogging (and blog-reading, which I'm also WAY behind on) from work...nope. Well, I do some at lunchtime, but that's legit. :) No, see the thing is, I've been covering for a coworker for the past week and a half (as well as all this week) and taking on all her work (which let's just say was a little less than organized) and doing that on top of my own has meant a lot of busy days not to mention some very long ones as well. Oh, and did I mention that a huge deadline came due while she's been out? And that she was going to be back today but now won't be back till next week? So it's simply been a matter of being so pooped after work that the last thing I want to do is go home and look at another computer. I've even been off my knitting somewhat, if you can believe that.

But not completely...I do in fact have some progress shots to share, just not as much as I should have for my little hiatus here. I've done bits and pieces of various things, just not completed any one of them.

So, up first: the very Pink Bag. I finished knitting the main bag portion, a couple of weeks ago, and it looked like this:



Then I stitched the seam in the bottom...



and then I folded in and stitched the corners to give it some depth so it doesn't end up being a flat bag, like so:











Now I just need to decide on exact placement and length of the i-cord handles and then it's ready for felting. Like some of you who've commented, I too can't wait to see how if felts!

But I am trying to be good and hold on that until I've finished the Marit purse too, so I can felt them together (or at least make use of the same water).



At this point I am close to being done with the main portion of the bag. Then I'll need to do the little edging at the top (which reminds me of a jester's hat) and the little ball things that go around (as seen in this photo of the kit). Without having studied the pattern on those yet I wonder if it'll be fun to knit a whole bunch of them or annoying? At least I'll get to change colors. One thing I do find very endearing about this pattern and this bag is the attention to detail with the colors. I love how the stripes I am knitting follow the stripes on the handle. And how there are two of each color of pompom ball thing, too. It's very satisfyingly symmetrical too, since you reverse the striping for the ends and the sides so it all works out evenly. It's these little things that I love!

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I have also been making good progress (finally) on my first grasshopper sock. The photo above is where I was a week or so ago. Since then I've turned the heel and am working my way up the leg now and am actually about an inch or so farther than the next photos show. Now that I am used to this YO p2tog pattern it is no longer taxing and I find it fun. I've gotten the hang of what stitch to start with at the end of each needle (still using the DPNs) so it's more of a no-brainer now too. I love the little seam up the back of the leg and how the YO's are symmetrical on each side. (See above note about my loving the little details!!)





I was quite entertained by the heel of this sock. I have done plenty of top-down socks with heel flaps and gussets, but this was my first toe-up. And for some reason I wasn't able to wrap my brain around the construction of it, so a little more of the magic of it came back to me. I'm still not totally sure how those p2tog's and ssk's made such a 90 degree angle on the sides, but it sure was neat! Suddenly and with very little trouble there I was back where I needed to be for the leg and I hadn't "pick up and knitted" (one of my least faves) a single stitch. What fun! I think I might have to adopt this toe-up business for more socks. (Speaking of, I do want to do toe-up on some where I have what appear to be two very small balls of yarn and so in order to make them as long as I can, I'll have to go toe-up. More on that eventually.)

Hey, question for anyone out there who might know. One of the things on my knitting To Do list is that pretty picot edge I've seen so many places now. But I think the only way I've seen it is as the starting row. Can it be done as a cast off? Am I making any sense? What I mean is, is it possible to do a picot edge cuff on a toe-up sock? I suppose I could research this more myself, and I most likely will, but just thought I'd pose the question anyway.

Whew. Sorry for the long and wordy post. I disappear and then return all long-winded! Well, thanks to anyone who's hung in there. :) Oh, and to any of my regular commenters on whose blogs I also try and comment...my apologies for not commenting and/or reading lately. I'll get back into the swing of things one of these days!

Oh wait, I wanted to share another kitty photo...a rare moment caught on camera. Two, count 'em TWO kitties sharing the same chair. I was sitting on the porch and looked up to see this. I was pleased that they stayed put till I could get the camera, too! Moose is still being his usual terror but with more cute and cuddly moments mixed in too. :)



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ETA: dude...I somehow just posted this before I was ready. I was trying to type in my title and suddenly the screen said, "you've posted successfully!" D'oh! Thank goodness for edit. ;)