Let’s see, it’s been two weeks since my last blog. I’m busy at work!

I finished and felted the bag from Interweave Knits. We had a felting party at Mary’s apartment. :) It was really fun to see how everyone’s bags turned out. I WANT straps on mine, so I’m dropping it off at the store tonight so that Mary can put straps on it while I’m on vacation. I also knitted another one for Meredith out of Noro Kureyon that she sent me about a year ago. She had bought it when she learned to knit and just didn’t like it. I have been wanting to make something for her out of it and this seemed like the perfect project for it. I only had two balls of it, so it will be a perfect small little bag. Debi used Kureyon in her bag and it was beautiful. We are going to be hanging all of the bags in the window at the store (Knitting Workshop) to encourage people to buy the yarn and make the bags. :) I haven’t been as ambitious as Mary and Debi have been – I think they are on their third bags. They are making them for Christmas gifts, which I think would be cool, but I’m working on the scarves for my family. Maybe I’ll make a few for my friends.

I started the TKGA Master Knitting Level 1 program on June 15. I got my packet from TKGA the first week of June. I thought I would spend a weekend working on the swatches and I made all but one swatch in a week. Now I have to write the answers to my questions and write my blocking report. I couldn’t get over how quickly the swatches went. I did learn two new things – how to do a raised increase and how to do a bar increase. I didn’t expect to learn a whole lot in Level 1, I expect that I’ll learn a lot more in Level 2. I’m sending my packet in by the end of July and I should know how I did by October.

I finished the first side of the Susan scarf and am 2/3 of the way through the ribbing around the neck. I am taking it with me on vacation so I should be able to get a significant part of it done.

I started “Petula” (a sleeveless boat-neck shell) from the Rowan Magazine 31 in Linen Drape. I’m using the deep blood red color. The yarn is a pain to work with at first, but once you get going it’s really fast. It feels amazing knitted up. It will be a good vacation project because it’s on Bryspun flexible needles and I can work on it on the plane.

Vacation Projects:
Petula shell (see above)
Susan scarf
squares for the Great American Aran Afghan (this will have to be checked because I’m sure my cable needle will be considered a weapon)

I can’t wait to leave town tomorrow. I’m going to central Idaho with my parents and sister to a glacial lake, it’s absolutely gorgeous there!

My new job keeps me busy at work. Time flies when you aren’t bored stiff! So keeping up my blog has become difficult since I’m not looking for things to do to help me looking busy.

On Friday, I started my first of three lace scarves for Christmas this year. They are out of the “Stahman’s Shawls and Scarves: Lace Faroese-Shaped Shaws from the Neck Down & Seamen’s Scarves” book. I’m doing the namesakes for my friend, Mom, sister and aunt. So my friend, Susan is getting the Susan scarf. My mom, whose first name is Barbara but she goes by Jane, her middle name, is getting the Barbara shawl. My sister Meredith, is getting the Anne scarf because her middle name is Anne. My aunt Nancy is getting the Nancy scarf. I thought it would be something cool to do. :) So those are the Christmas presents for my friend, Susan and my female family members. My dad and grandpa are a whole other story, I don’t know what to make them. My dad got a sweater last year, so he’s due for at the most socks. :D My grandpa is someone that I’ll have to think about.

I started the Susan scarf last Friday evening and I’m about 2/3 of the way through one side. I only worked on it Friday evening and Saturday afternoon, until I got distracted by the felted bag out of the new Interweave Knits that everyone who hangs out at the lys seems to be making. :) Now I want to finish the bag before I finish the scarf, priorities! I figure in three weeks, I should have the first scarf done. I’m going to start my mom’s shawl soon, but I wanted to get comfy with the lace patterns before I jumped into the shawl, since the most lace that I’ve done is the edging on the bottom of the Brittany jumper . Lace is fun though, so I’m sure I’ll do fine.

I’ll post my progress on my current projects site soon.