What a Difference a Yarn Makes

Dear Blog-

Ha! I bet you didn't think you'd see me back here so soon! But as promised yesterday (and since I have a spare morning today), here are the pics that I didn't have yet yesterday when I posted. First there are the lovely new/vintage rhinestone buttons for my Algonquin cardi, courtesy of Anna. Aren't they lovely? They aren't the stark white of the previous ones, and that makes all the difference. Ok, now I can appreciate why a vintage button has more value. They are mellower.

Algonquin cardi with buttons Version, what? Four? Ok, at least Three.

Ok, enough of that attention freak, let's move on to other things. Like the dadgummed Blues Band Vest from Cast-On magazine. This thing was a PITA to make. Just as I feel that there are some classical radio stations with dj's that take delight in putting the most obscure music on just to prove how cool they are (and let's face it, music that has been around for several hundred years that has so far failed to capture popular attention, failed because the music sucks), I believe that the women of whatever guild that was that designed this beast included some of the most PITA stitch patterns in creation. All of which had different gauges! Yes! What fun! But a group from our guild were all doing it as a project, so I joined in. And I like the finished result. But I would never, ever knit the danged thing again. Anyway, this was my only previous experience with a side-to-side garment.

*$@_$*@+$*$%#&% Blues Band (should be Banned) Vest

So I had this brilliant idea for a felted bag for summer. Riding on the success of my cabled felted bag, I wanted to explore more texture in felting. So I found a stitch pattern for a vine, put it into chart form, altered it a bit for various reasons, and then knitted up the bag. I couldn't find the exact shade of green I was picturing in my mind and I finally settled on this Ella Rae. I got all done with the bag and further changes to the chart, and then, because I have never felted with Ella Rae yarn before, I set my timer for only 5 minutes, and tossed the bag into the washer to felt. Pulled it out five minutes later to find that not only was it completely felted, but that it had EATEN the pattern! Horror! Despair!

EEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

I played with it, tried needle felting on it, embroidery to bring out the pattern - anything to try to save it - but it just was never going to have the texture I envisioned. So, DH - who I am convinced really loves me - told me to stop my whining and go order the yarn that I knew would work. I looked online for Cascade 220 and lo and behold found the color that I had in mind originally. And re-knit the bag. And after ten happy minutes of felting, this is what I had...

aaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

The lovely braided leather handles are from Homestead Heirlooms.

Finally, as promised, I frogged out the beginning of my jacket design and reworked it with lifted increases rather than yo's. Ok, obviously I know that yo's leave holes, for heaven's sake, yet I thought it would add something pretty to the design. But in the end it was just too holey for me. I didn't think the jacket would have enough substance to it, or hold in any warmth with all those danged holes. My change was the beloved lifted increase which is the most elegant of increases, IMNSVHO, and still creates a design. I've left the umbilical cord attached so that you can see how it works, now I'll go ahead and close that up and you will see in later pics what a nice way that is for beginning something like this. I am well on my way, now. Further progress to be reported here.

oooooooooooooooohh!!!

Well, dear Blog, that is it for me today. See you later when I have more to report.

Lynda