My best intentions of blogging regularly evaporated quickly as I found myself immersed in numerous projects. Oh, yes, and there was the messing around on Ravelry (it's addicting). I discovered something the other week when I started listing my books on Ravelry. OMG! I have at least 120 knitting books -- this doesn't include the ones not in the Ravelry database, or all of my weaving, spinning and dyeing books. Yikes! And I'm now deep into dyeing sock yarn for The Yarn Tree's "A Sock for All Seasons" sock club. I actually have had dyepots going since 6:00 a.m this morning. My pattern and yarn will be sent out to members in Spring 2008. Linda LaBelle just opened up the sock club for the next go-round. [http://www.TheYarnTree.com]

So here's some stuff I've been working on since last I blogged. I knit a "Lady Eleanor" entrelac stole a couple of years ago, and ever since wanted to do another. I used some of my stash of Silk Garden -- two colorways. In between the SG, I used natural silk/merino yarn that I dyed which looks so similar to SG, same hand only in solids. My four colors (cinnamon, toffee, pear and moss) melded perfectly with the many colors of the SG. And for anyone wanting to knit the Lady Eleanor with SG, I went down to a US6 needle instead of the US8 suggested in the pattern (using LaLana Wool's yarn).



Then, Lynne Vogel emailed me a pattern she'd worked up for a felted bag. I loved it and, geez, on US13 and US17 needles, it was a snap. I had it completed within 24 hours of receiving the pattern. I followed Lynne's pattern to a "T", but used stash yarn: Manos del Uruguay worsted doubled, and a superfine bulky merino in cream and some I had dyed. After felting the bag, I added a handmade flower from my friend, Michelle Hoffee.

Of course, I was still in felted bag mode and looking to use up more of my stash, so I immediately knit a second one, using Berroco Hip Hop in two colors stranded with Malabrigo worsted merino. This time, I altered the handle by knitting it in three strips and braiding them before reattaching to the other side of the bag. I used the Malabrigo doubled for the handle. The bag turned out so cute and then I knit two colorful flowers with some of my leftover bulky handpainted yarn.



I love both of these bags and they make great knitting and spinning baskets. Another project I had been wanting to do was a pair of "Firm Fitting Fingerless Gloves", one of the Mac & Me patterns I had knit previously. On Ravelry, I saw a pair of mitts knit by "Punkin" from Southern Oregon and was inspired to use some of my natural-colored handspun yarns: taupe pygora and cream alpaca/silk. Here's the result. Yes -- I had to add a splash of color.



After Margie and I had our first foray into "nuno" felt with the kits we brought back from Rhinebeck, we'd been wanting to try this felting technique again, only with silk, instead of cotton gauze. My order of silk organza arrived from Dharma Trading Co. so we got together on Monday and had a very successful felting session. Here's a picture of my piece.



I loved this piece so much, I had to try it again yesterday and here's the result. This time I made a wider and more rectangular piece.


If you haven't tried felting, it's fun but quite labor intensive. My arms and back are killing me today so I'm going to have to recover before I tackle another felted piece.

I was very excited when I saw Lynne Vogel's spinning article for Knitty.Com with a beautiful mobius wrap in the pattern section. I think the Winter Issue of Knitty is going public today (Weds.), so check it out. If you aren't a spinner yet, this article and pattern may just push you over the fence into handspinning.

And, finally, let's keep all of our friends in Oregon and Washington in our thoughts. They have really taken quite a hit with horrendous rains, floods, huge surf, snow storms etc.