What's In the Bag?

Here's how it works, people:
The more that people donate, the more I put into the Jordana Paige bag. I mentioned a lovely assortment of notions that I recently got for it, and then today I have found a cool knitting book and some delectable skeins to add to the enticement value. Here's a pic as it looks right now:
There are two skeins of maroon/rust Peace Fleece, two skeins of SWTC Oasis in variegated baby shades, a skein of Tahki Bunny in a kiwi green (ridiculously soft), and two skeins of a cool navy yarn from New Zealand called "Magic Garden" made of wool and acrylic, with a feel like cotton/rayon.

You will also see the little Knitting Answer Book, as well as a jar of Knit Wash and the other notions I mentioned earlier.

Do the women of Interim House need yarn?

YES!

Do you have extra yarn in your stash to donate?

YES!

Would you perhaps win this prize package by donating and having your name entered into my drawing?

YES!

When you have shipped your donations to Interim House,

Kathy Duffy, Social Worker
Interim House Inc.
333 W. Upsal St.
Philadelphia PA 19119

will you send me an email to let me know you did, so I can add your name to the hat?

Do ducks have feathers?? YES!

And . . . do you know my email address?

YES! It's above, on the right side of the blog page at the top.

Seems like we have this all sorted out, so it's time to get to it! ~Stacie

Paean to My Rosewood Needles

I love knitting, and I knit pretty happily with several types of needles, including my new Denise Interchangeables. But for sheer happy project knitting no matter what, it's these rosewoods, no contest.

I got them from eBay last year, and I have them in every size up to something like 30. Those are strange actually, like knitting with broomsticks, but they do the job. I don't have problems with different types of yarn not working well; everything knits up great on these. You will see the dangerously sharp tips--as long as I am careful, this is a huge plus. Even the Denise needles and some of my metal circulars aren't as satisfying as these.

I also have never had to sand them or wax them or anything--the finish is perfect.

Recently finished projects

I have finished a few things lately but not had the time to post them. First, remember that felted purse that I mentioned a few entries ago? It turned out great! Most of it is Paton's soy silk, with some plain brown wool for the bottom. I did three strands of I-cord for the handle and sewed them together and to the purse before felting. After a serious trim, the felted purse came out looking less like a psychedelic Malamute and more like a spiffy purse! I've even had a serious request for one in a series of teal shades. [Hey, requests? I'm ON it.]

I made a baby washcloth last week for a friend's shower in yellow Cotton Tots, and it was the perfect tie-on for the gift bag. I wish I'd taken a pic of it, but I did it freeform with the basic pattern I'd used for that tea cozy last week. I liked the feel of Cotton Tots and have some left over for future baby items.


Still working away at the baby blanket for Angelina, who is due around the first of April I think. It's an easy pattern but I still mess it up sometimes and have to tink a partial row (usually on the K1P1 row), but fortunately I haven't done anything worse. Got major progress done on it last night while watching an interesting foreign film (The Garden of the Finzi-Continis) which it turns out is old, from 1970. It was an early Nazi/Holocaust movie in that genre, so I think it was just beginning to touch on all the issues therein. But I was mesmerized and managed to knit without looking at my work much more often than usual. I had to be careful though (see above re: tinking).