Sweet Tea anyone?

I randomly enter online contests and promptly forget about it. I mean really, what are the chances that my name will get picked out of the hundreds, maybe thousands of entries. It is much easier these days to enter contests, just fill out a form with your name, address and email. Lo and behold, I received an email not long ago to confirm my mailing address, as I was the winner of a Pure Leaf Basket. What? They got the info right and I didn't have to respond if the information was correct, so once again I promptly forgot about it. Imagine my surprise when a good sized box showed up on my door step. Nope I don't remember ordering anything from that return address. Let's see what it is...
Well what do you know? It is a prize from the monthly drawings sponsored by All You Magazine. It is a collapsible picnic basket filled with a variety of flavors of Lipton Pure Leaf Tea, ranging from unsweetened to Peach. The tea is delicious, not to sweet and very refreshing. I love it. Thank you All You!

More cotton for an Everlasting Bagstopper

There's a lot of cotton on a cone of Sugar and Cream, 706 yards according to the label. I used quite a bit of it on the Eastern Market Bag, but there was still a lot left on the cone. So I found another bag pattern and cast on for the Everlasting Bagstopper by Amy Singer. You can find the pattern in Knitty, Summer 2007.
 
I added a couple extra knit rows before starting the lace pattern and used the modifications from PKJewelry on Ravelry.


I love the shape and it looks to expand quite a bit. I need to test it out for strength and handle length.
There's still a lot more left on the cone. Another bag perhaps?

July Colorwork MAL

Almost forgot about the July MAL by Colorworks by Debi. I had so much fun in the June MAL making the needle case, I quickly jumped in the July MAL. Blue and white, a great combination. I cast on some Knit Picks Palette in Jay and Oyster Heather and learned something right from the start - corrugated rib. I love the effect and it was fairly simple to accomplish. However this hat was a chore. My tension kept tightening and the stitches were sinking in. I didn't want the hat to be too small so there were many rows done over and over again. I am happy to say that I finished the MAL before the end of the month and while the hat is still waiting to be blocked in to a tam shape, I will call it complete!

Black and white socks

While taking diving in my stash for yarn for the colorwork KAL, I found two skeins of Pattons Stretch Sock. Black and white, so practical, but not the easiest colors to work with. But in my quest to use up stash, I cast on a pair of Fretful. I loved the simplicity of the pattern and the results were so comfy (or so I am told by the one who wears the socks). Not quite as soft as Happy Feet yarn, I thought this would make a serviceable pair. I'm going to work a few inches before deciding if the yarn color works with the stitch pattern.

A shopping bag for Suzanne

I needed a quick gift and this market bag that was on my needles would do nicely. It is the Eastern Market Tote by Tanis Gray, a free pattern on Ravelry.
This was my first attempt using a provisional crochet cast on. It was very easy to pick up the stitches from the crochet chain. BUT... I knitted into the wrong loop! So instead of pulling on the end and releasing the crochet stitches I had to unweave the crochet chain. Lesson learned, pick up the back loop on the chain.

After some muttering to myself, I was back on track and finished the bottom of the bag.
The results? She loved it! and that's all that matters.

Stitch club update #2

Moseying along with Summer Stitch Club. Every Monday, without fail, an email arrives in my inbox with the week's mini embroidery pattern. And every week, without fail, I print it and file it away to be done "later". "Later" has been getting away from me and today the second to the last pattern was delivered.  YIKES! I better get my needles moving!
There has been some progress... See... I have 4 of the twelve little guys stitch up. The next seven are traced out and ready to be stitched.

My hexies are almost done. I need to count the green ones again. I think I'm short by two... I'll have to do some adjusting when I assemble.

Not too far behind, wouldn't you say? That's a good thing because there will be an Autumn Stitching Club! Who can resist these cute patterns that take just a moment to make. Not I, said the busy mom...

Some Knitting? Yes, of course.

Remember I mentioned some colorwork? The project is a needleroll. Lovely, isn't it?

 

 

It was a fun project with a first for me - STEEKING! I've read about it, watched some videos, but never brave enough to take a pair of scissors and CUT INTO my knitting. I decided to do a crochet reinforcement. It made a nice neat edging.

Knitting colorwork, fun! Steeking, not so scary after all!