Working away on the felted satchel for A. Had the hardest time with picking up stitches on the sides and cast-on edge. It was so tight I knew that I had to be doing it wrong. So I went to knitting last Tuesday night (at the library) and after Nancy and Marcia argued about it and which way was the best way to go about knitting it, I finally got it under control. It was hard going the first couple of rows but great now. I have finally done stripes...not as bad as I thought and hopefully I will be able to figure out the I-cord bind-off.
The sock is finally moving along. I was working on size 1's and Nancy told me no,no, no. That yarn calls for size 3 to 5 needles so I pulled it all off...be still my heart...and have started it on size 5's. We'll see how it goes.

Went to lys today and got the yarn for A.'s felted satchel. It is from Knitty Spring '05 issue and looks like it will be fast to knit. As for the felting I'm not too sure. I have a front loader machine and although I've been told it can be used by throwing a pair of tennis shoes in with the knitting who wants to take the chance with the very expensive machine. Guess we will go to the laundry room at A.'s place and use one of those. The colors are cinnamon and a green/black kind of tweed. It is Cascade 220. Should be a neat looking bag. She is so excited that she wants me to start it right away but I can't use my Addi Turbos :( because they are too long and it has to be 24" since it is knit in the round. I guess I'll use the detachable ones...grrrr. Oh well. They are knit on size 13's so it won't take too long. I don't like to use big needles but at least it's quick.

Oh yeah, oh yeah!! Happy dancing all around. I finished the sweater yesterday and handed it off to A. I was so happy to have it finished. It's not that it was all that hard (well, the directions were really confusing) but it just took too bloody long. But she likes it so it was all for good. Now I am finishing my vest and the long cardigan so I can start on Ad.'s sweater. It has cables and I've not done those before. Hope they will be fun.
Last night was "art night" and I worked on making cards since I'd spent most of the day sewing together the sweater and didn't really want to knit. I got 14 cards made so I have a pile and don't need to worry about being short for awhile.
Going to get the needles for the Celtic poncho this week...I think so anyway. I did go to Barnes and Noble the other night and got Mason-Dixon Knitting. I had looked at it before and had decided not to buy it but after purusing it again I thought that it looked like a good one to have. So I'm off to finish the right front on my cardigan so happy knitting to all.

I'm still alive and knitting but haven't been on the computer too much since the storms have had a lot of lightening and who wants to be attached to something electronic. I will be finished with the sweater (it is now called "The Astroturf" since that's the color) this weekend...yeah, I know...you've heard it before. Really, I will. As a matter of fact I am going to go and knit right now. And then to the bookstore and maybe a new book. We shall see.

I cannot believe that I had to go to the library knitting group today for help with the stupid, stupid sweater pattern. Turns out it was not the stupid pattern,(well, mostly not) but me. I was working in reverse stockinette stitch and forgot that the purl side is the right side. DUH! I am going to get this thing finished in the next couple of days 'cause it has taken entirely too long. I need to get the vest and the cardigan finished also. Maybe now that one pattern has fallen into place the others will just go really fast.
Also went to JoAnn's and got a set of size 1 dpn's to start a pair of socks. Marcia said they were very easy and it was time I started some. So, okay, socks we shall do.

Finally got some help with the sweater pattern that I haven't been able to crack. I knew it was going to be fairly easy once I got it figured out. All they had to do was make me understand it in another way. I haven't knitted today but am going to try and finish it tomorrow. I need to get moving on my vest...it seems to be taking forever, although I'm at 10" it seems as if it is never growing. Sooner or later I will get it finished. Probably in time for next winter but better late than never.

Now. For those of you who only like knitting, close your eyes now for this portion of the post. Okay, I hadn't been knitting for the past couple of days because I couldn't finish A.'s sweater. I had to miss the knitting group last Tuesday and am totally uncertain about the instructions. I don't want to continue on as the yarn is rather hard to rip out. I will go to the knitting group at Barnes and Noble on Tuesday night (oh darn, I will have to get the new book Mason-Dixon Knitting). I was disgusted with my lack of "knitterly" instruction understanding and so threw all the knitting aside and picked up the afghan I had been crocheting for A. I am using a size Q hook, which is like crocheting with a fireplace poker but goes very fast. It is huge as she likes to wrap up in them like a "burrito". Um, okay.
I did knit some last night (those of you covering your eyes can open them now). I finished the left front of my cardigan...woohoo. It's good and long and a nice,nubbly boucle. I think the yarn is Bernat but will have to check. I would post some photos but don't own a digital camera and A.'s in on the blink. Maybe soon.