Random

1. I've decided I really ought to be more organized with my posts. It has occurred to me that perhaps people don't like the long, rambly posts where I just go on and on about everything. Any thoughts from my few regular readers? I know I tend to do that a lot (and this one will be no exception), but that may not be the best for reading. I'm not sure whether people prefer lots of short posts or one long one. I guess I tend to save up stuff to babble about here and do it all at once. I realize this is my blog and it's ultimately up to me, but I don't want to alienate any of my readers by being too prolific. ;) Anyway, thoughts welcome.

2. I am currently trying to decide on and plan my knitting projects for our upcoming vacation...camping! I know I'll take Grasshopper #2, since I know what I need for that one, ie, notions-wise. I like to pack as light as possible because even though we're not hiking to our campsite or anything (it's on an island in a lake) there's still so much other crap that needs to be taken that I like to keep my personal effects to a minimum.

I was thinking I might want to start a lacy scarf too because that would be something small and therefore good for travel, but that will also hold my attention and therefore be perfect for sitting by the lake and knitting. I am currently thinking of trying the Branching Out scarf from Knitty. I just am not sure what yarn to use...I have some very light laceweight stuff but I am thinking this pattern might be better suited for a fingering weight yarn.

I also ordered a really cute fair isle hat kit that might be good to take if it arrives in time. Or I might take another ball of yarn which I've been wanting to make into a hat, just because again, that's a no brainer. Or perhaps just some plain socks. (I think I spend more time planning what knitting to take than all of the rest of the stuff like sleeping bags and tent!)

3. I felted/fulled* my two wool bags this weekend! They are currently drying. I have also decided that even though it has a neat result, I'm not so sure felting is my favorite thing to do after all. These took forever to felt, and the pink one didn't get as small as I'd have liked. The knitted fabric was very loose and the yarn was single-ply, so I'd have guessed that one would felt really well, but it didn't. Yes, I know I could've kept up with the felting, but after all that checking and resetting the machine I was just kind of done, ya know? It still came out very cute though, a larger bag than I was imagining, and the straps definitely not hand-carry length. I might be able to get them over my shoulder. Anyway, I think I'd rather just knit a bag and add a fabric lining. That might be the route I'll go in the future. Plus, you have more control over the end size of the bag, too.

The Marit purse felted really well though, and it'll be fun to see how it comes out when it's all put together. (You felt that one in pieces, and then sew them together using blanket stitch.)

4. I also got waylaid by another small quick project. See, this summer we've been doing a lot more biking, due largely in part to the fact that I got a new bike. I love my new bike, it's very comfortable (which is key) and rides great. I used to have a mountain bike from college days, and now my new one is a hybrid. And the kind of biking we do is on nicely paved (or packed gravel) paths that are relatively flat and not along roads or anything. We are very lucky to have such great paths to be able to bike on. We have to drive to them, but that's not a big deal. Anyway, I always take along my cell phone, wallet, car keys, etc. and used to use an old "fanny pack" bag that I looped around on my handlebars. Well, I wanted to make a new bag for my new bike for this purpose. So that's what I'm making. I finished the knitting portion of it yesterday, and now it's blocking. I am going to sew a lining and then add a strap with a hook on one end so I can fasten it to my handlebars. I think it'll work out well. I did a fun cable pattern, in a dark gray heathered bulky yarn. Photos when it's done!

5. Oh yeah, and something I forgot to mention on my last post about my Grasshopper sock. Once again, this club has come through for me in that I have learned new techniques. Just the way the toe-up version of the heel-flap heel was done was a new thing for me. Also, the toe, loved the toe. Even though the first couple of rows after that cast on were a tad fussy, to me it was worth it to not have to do the provisional cast on. Plus, that type of toe (where you increase every other row) is more intuitive to me than the short row toe. Although I liked that too. And then the type of cast on (the e-wrap or backwards loop) and the cast off ("sewn") were things I'd never tried but can certainly see their worth now.

I've been reading the Rockin' Sock Club blog all along and find a few people have commented about how they don't use the patterns because they don't like them or can't do them. Obviously, to each his or her own, I totally get that. I mean, we're supposed to enjoy this knitting thing after all! But for me personally, I am really enjoying the challenge of working the socks up the way they were designed, intended yarn and all. That's why I joined the club. Now, to be honest, sure, I may not have chosen some of these patterns or yarns either, but this is one thing I am really loving about the club is that it is stretching my boundaries and I am learning a lot more about my beloved craft of knitting.

6. I also may have, um, cast on some new socks as well, last night while watching the first Harry Potter movie. See, my other plain-jane socks are dark gray, hardly the color for summer knitting, right?! So I cast on some toe-up socks in Panda Cotton, Strawberries and Limes colorway. That photo link is a terrible picture, no idea why that even made it past my own QC. But it's what I've got right now! The colors are gorgeous, pinks sprinkled with lime green. yummy.

I am using my new found techniques of the toe from the Grasshoppers, and will probably do a stockinette short row heel. I want to do these toe up because they seem to be smaller balls of yarn so I want to make anklets. I intend to use that picot edge cast off I found too. More on these later!



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**For the record, yes, I know that when you purposely shrink knitted fabric it's called fulling. I just find it easier to use the more common term of felting. :)