Felting for dummies

A while back I made some lovely hiking socks:

It turns out, the yarn used was less superwash than previously advertised (the page now has a comment to that effect, but it was marked as superwash when I made the socks). These are my socks now:

I was also attempting to make some slippers, felting them on purpose:

I am just not very good at this felting malarky.

Snowmen!

Coinciding with the return of winter in time for Easter, I found some old photos of the snowmen I made last year.
As I was knitting the periodic squares, I had the sudden urge to knit some snowmen using the leftover yarn. So I did. I found some pictures of one of them in the camera, and I was struck by how cute it looked, especially in this cut. It looks very much like a postcard.

The last couple of scarves of a rainbow set need to be attached still. Thankfully winter is always coming again.

All the elements!

A couple of days ago, I finally finished knitting all the elements! I have recently been playing quite a lot of Dragon Age, and I have been knitting squares while the dialogue plays. This has been working out remarkably well!
They squares do not have the ends woven in yet, so I think that is what I'm going do to next. I am also trying out a couple of colours for the background, so that it works against all the other colours. I am doing an awful lot of homework and prep-work for this blanket but, really, I can't not to. It's just too big!

Periodic table progress (31/240)

Although I've not said much about it, the Periodic Blanket is in full swing!

I finally found the right yarn for the project: Sirdar Snuggly DK. Although it is missing a couple of colours (that should not be hard to substitute), it fills all the requirements: good colour range, soft, not too expensive, and available at my LYS. I have now purchased the yarn for all the element squares, and have done the right hand size block.


I have now 31 squares made (out of a total of 240). I've been averaging 1 square a day, which is my target. However, because I am now knitting a lot after a year-long very quiet period, my hands and arms are complaining a little. They don't get sore if I knit very slowly, but it is very difficult to do that. And yet I must try, because I really don't want to screw up my hands. The blanket would never get finished otherwise (plus, I also need my hands for a living).

Sewing!

The last couple of days, I finally took my new-ish sewing machine for a spin. And look what I made! I'm so proud!



Pattern: Gathered Clutch, by Noodlehead.
The main and accent fabrics were purchased a while back as remnants from a little Bath quilting shop, which name I can't remember. The lining is repurposed from an old shirt.




The only thing I'm not terribly happy with are the zip tabs. I didn't manage to get them small enough and hidden enough, so they look a bit ragged, but if I don't pull them out too much, they don't show a lot.



Detail shot!


I made this myself! It even looks like it's supposed too! There is the tab problem, and the dividers gather a little inside, but it looks good. I'm so proud of myself!

I also have fabric for a handbag and a dress. Because starting slow and easy is for wimps. My sewing machine and I are going places, baby!