theraineysisters knitting and so much more

I promised a picture of my side by side Modular Totes and voila:

I now love my new purse ;).  Felting is an amazing phenomenon — it transforms an ugly duckling into a relatively ::beautiful:: swan!  Even DH said he had held out little hope for the purse and now thinks it’s great.

Lettie wants to use it as a knitting bag for smaller projects:

The original pattern can be purchased as a pdf download hard copy to be mailed* from the Yarnery for $4.50.  The changes I made to transform the large tote into a purse are written in this file: Modular Purse Modifications, which can be found in our Free Patterns section — upper righthand corner.  You will need to buy the original pattern.

June asked what I did in the blocking process to prevent the flap from getting “wavy” — answer: nuthin.  I think the firm i-cord edge may have prevented the ruffling effect, but other than that I did nothing special.  Now, I will go forth and use my lil spring-colored bag — woo hoo!

*Please note correction!  The Yarnery will send you a hard copy of the Modular Tote Pattern, not send an electronic pdf.

The answer: not much, apparently!  I have not been doing enough knitting to brag post about so Sally has been doing the heavy lifting.  I have done a little knitting on the Modular Purse I am working on for my class at Amazing Threads.  Here is part of the first large square:

I did it differently this time and it is much improved.  I started with a provisional cast on and then joined the last small square to the first using a ssk (slip last st of the row you are working, slip corresponding provisional stitch and join like a[n] ssk). 

In the original pattern, you do a knitted cast on and then seam the last square to the first.  It was bulky and unattractive (at least mine was!).  This join is seamless and when you’re done, you’re done!

I was very enthused about knitting the purse WHILE making the large Modular Tote.  However, it is not so enthralling now.  I’m not really in the mood, and I have many other things I would prefer to be working on.  Like this:

As mentioned in a previous post, Sally said she would get this for me for my birthday — I just could not pick a color.  Yesterday, I asked her to go on line with me and help me pick one out.  We pulled up the color cards and BOTH of us said immediately, “Color 98 jumps out at me.”  It’s called Lagoon:

Since I really don’t care which color it is, just that it’s pretty, I ordered #98 on the the spot.  Thank you, Surly!!

Surly & I also ordered and received enough Rowan Calmer in off white for both of us to knit Whisper:

This is a summer sweater so it will have to wait until Spring.  And, of course there is the Chinese Lace Pullover which I plan on making next in Cascade 220 in a Chinese lacquer red.

I am also working very slowly on my Kauni sleeve.  Nothing to show there as yet but soon — ???? ;)  So, I’m not making any progress on anything but I sure have BIG PLANS for the future! ;)  Am I biting off more then I can chew — but, of course!

PS to Marina: You are CORRECT!  I do have the Large Lace Collar kit from Sweden — that will come after Chinese Lace Pullover and will be my fall knitting project.

PS2 to Elizabeth: The jacket is a Hanne Falkenberg design called Plisse.  I purchased the kit from Cucumberpatch.  Sorry I did not include the details :).

 

I was ready to start the second small square which is part of the larger square on the Modular Purse and decided the Plum was a no go — too dark and too dull a color.  I wanted denim blue, but had to settle for this:

I am not going to change it again — it is what it is!  I’ll post a picture once I get a square completed.