Category: handmade

i forgot that i had not had “proper” caffeine in almost two weeks. (a cup of weak chai over pesach does not count). this morning i had a nice mug of latte.

i’m so darn jittery.

3 loads of laundry done (we are only 2 people, how did i do that?).. kitchen swapped back.. table already set for shabbos (gasp!) and well, back to knitting. whee! (oh wait, i have to go buy challah. no, sadly i don’t make my own b/c it would be too tempting to eat all of it. i have made it in the past and enjoy baking my own, but i can’t. celiac is difficult, i am not fully, but i cheat far too much and fresh me-baked challah is too large a temptation)

This morning, while doing laundry, I felted this bag which was knit in a few hours erev pesach. [one day i’ll fix images to display properly] prefelting and and was inspired by this knitty pattern of a french market bag, but i crocheted the base (b/c i can work that faster increasing in the round, all those kippot that e doesn’t and will never wear paid off, no?) and then crocheted one row with my MC and then swapped to knit. my intention also was to provide a thicker base for the bag than knitting would provide. it’s supposed to have two handles but somehow i had half of the suggested stitches (still not sure where i missed that in my knit->crochet->knit conversion. it was knit with $1 9mm needles which i will replace with something nicer asap. as i wasn’t sure if i would take to knitting since i had problems the first time i wasn’t willing to devote much money to it. this was knit with Kraemer yarns muach chunky in portobello and raspberry and was purchased at PS Fabric & Yarns. I can’t tell you how much i enjoy this yarn. to me it’s a luxury yarn, at $5/ball it’s the most i’ve paid (ok, the berocco plush is, but i don’t like that yarn. anyone want it? let me know we’ll talk $). it’s easy to work with, it knits fast, and it’s fun. it’s not spun even (not sure if it should be), but for felting thus far on several projects, they have all come out marvellous.

Also, I am knitting a sock, well, hopefully a pair. I recently took out the wonderful book, Ann Budd’s The Knitter’s Handy Book of Patterns: Basic Designs in Multiple Sizes & Gauges and erev pesach (after i finished the tote, which is for B’s daughter, my mum wants one too) i cast on and did much of the ribbing. last night while on the way to the grocery store for staples such as eggs, coffee, peas, cereal for e, bananas (note no bread, must go find challah soon, else i will have to make. hmm. hope there’s enough time), i made the heel, turned, gusset, etc. now i’m on the foot part. I still think the yarn is very very very ugly, but it’s easy to work with. i do think the colours are good for the sole reason they stand out and help me count rows. i’ll share a pic when i finish the pair. :) One day I’ll buy Ms Budd’s book. It’s wonderful. it is a nice companion to Ms Zimmermann’s book. :)

note: if this makes no sense i warned you i was jittery!