Swatching can be reassuring

Last week I decided to start another L-Bag, this time using the sport-ish weight Kauni yarn I purchased at the estate sale. I wasn't sure what needles to use, and had started a swatch that was not knitting up very well. Fortunately for me, one of my spin-in groups includes the author of this pattern. I mentioned my dilemma to Lorinda, and she reminded me that the pattern included instructions for knitting it with sport weight yarn. Duh!

So I jumped right in and started knitting the bag with US10 needles, but I still wasn't very happy with how things were going. So I knit up a new swatch. Initially, I put it in a small lingerie bag and threw it in with my regular wash, but that did not do the job. I finished the felting by hand and am quite pleased with the results.

Still, I restarted the bag because, after using a knitted cast on, I had neglected to knit through the back on the first row and the top was rather floppy. Now I am on my way.

Knitting: Started an L-Bag - see aboe. The heels are turned on the basketweave socks, but now I am bogged down on them. Progress is being made on the non-matching socks, as they have been my traveling project.

I have not been spinning much lately. When I spin at spin-ins, I tend to go too fast and the yarn gets kinky (can't talk and spin at the same time), so I've been knitting instead.

In the better-late-than-never department, a quilt top that I hand-pieced over 45 years ago finally got quilted. One of my fiber friends has a free-arm sewing machine, and she uses it to generate a bit of extra cash by quilting for others. I was ecstatic with the results (and the price - a pittance compared to what others charge - it pays to have fiber friends).

For some reason, I made the quilt top too long. So I asked Beth to cut off two rows of blocks and make them into a wall hanging, for over the bed. Now I need to find a rod to hang it from, one that won't kill me if it falls off the wall.