My new summer job....

Chauffeur. If today was a taste of it, it's going to be a busy summer. Potluck and the park, followed by a trip to an Academic Decathelon meeting. In between jobs, I had lunch with my mother and took a nap. I'm thinking some kind of uniform might be snazzy...

Speaking of driving, Saturday we took a little road trip to the O.C. Laguna and Mission Viejo to be exact. Talk about traffic!! It took us over 1 1/2 hours to get down there, 30 minutes just to go the first 8 miles. Once we got there, we had a really nice time. The weather was great, not too hot with the ocean breezes wafting across. Solely for the sake of market research, we felt that we should visit a yarn store. We decided to check out La Petite Knitterie. I had read many good things about LPK and their yarn, so I was interested in seeing it. This is a lovely shop with very friendly staff. It is a small shop, but filled with many treats. We treated ourselves to some of their house brand sock yarn. I don't think the photo will do this yarn justice, but the colors are absolutely beautiful. I actually got to chat with the dyer, Lori Lawson. Here is a photo of my yarn (for another Spanish Dancer, don't yell, C)


and this is the yarn H selected

Good news/bad news

The Lotorp bag is experiencing technical difficulties


now, the good news:
I have finally finished the body of the Larger than Life bag. I'm taking a breather before I have to dust off the old Singer and get the lining together.

The bag isn't as wonky as it appears in this photo.

I never sign up for knitalongs, but I took the plunge and joined the Mystery Stole 3 KAL, along with about 1,100+ others. come on, let me see a show of hands--who's going to do it with me??? I'm waiting for my yarn so that I can swatch.

Can I get an intervention please?

Would someone please stop me. This yarn, Kauni Effekt, is one of the "hot" yarns on the internet now. Yarn Harlot mentioned it on her blog a couple days ago. If you buy 2 skeins you can easily knit a faux fairisle cardigan. Now, of course, I want to get some. I live in L.A., aka the last heat stop before Hell and Arizona. The yarn is a hand dyed somewhat scratchy shetland type WOOL from Denmark. It comes in huge skeins of approx. 1,200 yards. This fact alone should discourage me from buying this since I get annoyed winding Cascade 220. I am a person who has been warm her whole life, summer is approaching (it was 90 today, some would say it's here) and I may be experiencing hot flashes. I still want the yarn. call 1-800-Imalunatic. I can already hear certain friends of mine screaming...


In other news, things are really coming along on the Larger than Life bag. I've got one side completely sewn together, one side to go. You can see the lining fabric lying there on the table. As others have said, this bag really is larger than life. So large that the plastic needlepoint canvas sheets that I bought to stabilize the bag are too small! I am now mulling over other ways to firm up this bag. Maybe fusible interfacing attached to the lining? I was in Jo-Ann's this evening to look at interfacing, but it was so hot and stuffy in there, I had to leave. They had this ultra firm interfacing called Peltex, has anyone tried that?

Larger than Life...

Things are rolling along on the Larger than Life bag. Eight squares done, four to go. After that, I have to crochet the sides/bottom and assemble.

My friend and sister-from-another-mother, Fay Lynn of Marvels of Knitting, gave a really nice mention of our new blogs (Hannah and her Mother and mine) on her blog today. Thanks a lot! My readership may soar above 5! Actually, I think FL is feeling guilty for torturing me for months with her Chevron scarf. I resisted as long as I could. I forced myself to stop pairing Koigu colors looking for a good combo. But when I saw (fondled) the finished scarf last Saturday I was finally hooked. This pattern from Last Minute Knitted Gifts has spread around the internet faster than a case of chicken pox in a kindergarten class. Just google "chevron scarf" and you'll see what I mean.



I just happened to buy 2 skeins each of Lorna's Laces sock yarn in Tickled Pink and Envy. Guess I'll have to cast on for the scarf.... just to be polite...

There are 7 days left of 10th grade. I hope I make it.