Shopping and felting

Today I did what I often do when I'm working on a show - and by a show I mean a theatrical production - SHOPPING. I'm currently the costume shop manager at a local theatre, which I was surprised to find that I quite enjoy doing. Managing that is. Right now we are busy remounting a popular production from a couple of years ago, so I've been shopping to costume new cast members. Now, when it comes to shopping for other people I can do it all day. When it comes to shopping for myself though I'd rather have needles stuck under my fingernails. Since I spend so much time shopping for work though, I often keep an eye out for things I need. Case in point, an appropriate dress and shoes for several weddings that I am potentially attending this summer, the first of which is this Friday!

Actually, I'm IN the wedding this Friday. My very best friend from Indiana is getting married and I get to be a part of it. This is a friend that I've known since fourth grade and is the only person from high school that I've kept in touch with over the years. I also was with her in the delivery room for the birth of her first daughter - you can be assured that this was the most effective birth control I've ever experienced in my life! This will be a quick trip - I'll be back home by Saturday night - but I'm so looking forward to it. I am knitting a small token for her, but I plan to pick up the wedding gift while I'm there.

In other knitting news, I've been effected by the Mason-Dixon knitting book in that I've been driven to make some simple knits. Using some squares that I knitted up a while back (I think they were meant for a blanket or rug of some sort) I made up this bag to felt.

They are simple garter stitch squares made from various colors of Cascade wool yarn. Since they were individually completed I picked up the 40 sts on one end, knit a few rows in a different color, and then knit the band to the next square. Once I had the three squares connected I picked up the sts on what would become the bottom and knit a ruffle by increasing at increments of 10sts for a couple of rows. I can't remember what this yarn is, I bought it years ago in Evanston, IL. It is a heavier weight and definitely itchy, but perfect for a dense bottom. After binding off the ruffle I picked up the bottom sts again, eventually switching to dpn's and decreasing to 5sts before finishing. I picked up the stitches at the top also and knit a similar ruffle. Then I tossed it in the washer on hot water with a little detergent. I ran it a second time to get a dense felt and here's what I got!

I've left it in the costume shop to dry overnight on this oversized hat block. I'm going to knit two strips of the solid dense grey wool to felt for handles. I love how the many colors in the heathered yarns came out in the felting process. It doesn't show up as well in the pictures.

Once I get the hang of this blogging business I promise to start posting links.