Fall Felted Bag Exchange

Fall Felted Bag Exchange

1. How long have you been knitting or crocheting? How did you learn? or from whom?
   My mom tried to teach my sister and I to knit when we were about 8 years old but it didn't stick. Then about 10 years ago, I cornered one of my youngest sisters (who wasn't even around for that first go-round) while she was visiting from out of town and begged her to teach me. Before she left I had the knit stitch down. Needless to say when it came time to get the project off the needles, I was at a loss. From that point on, I've learned through knitting books and sporadic calls to my mom and sister. (Four girls and only two of us knit ... so far.)
   
2. What was your first felted object, and why did you decide to try felting?
   A bear - I love the pattern so I've knit it up twice now. Great gift for kids. (I'm posting pics of both later today.) I guess I dove in to a felting project because I like to challenge myself. Also, my mom felts a lot, I loved her projects and I'd have a resource to fall back on. :)
3. What are your favorite colors? Any you hate?
   I love blues, oranges, deeper reds, pinks and purples. Black of course. Yellow and neon green as accents. Taupe is fine. Not so hip to the natural palette which IMO includes all other greens.
4. What are your favorite styles\types of bags? (Long straps? Short handles? Handbags? Totes? Embellished? Plain? Include links to patterns or photos if you’d like – give your pal an idea of what you enjoy!)
   Hmmm.... I guess I like totes! Medium size, medium to short handles. Some embellishment like a button or clasp to jazz it up some. Contrasting colors or stripes. But in the end, clean and simple.
   
5. What handbag or bag are you carrying today? Do you use a separate bag to carry your knitting?
   My purse this week is a leather tote. My only knit purse at this point is a medium size, orange tote with medium length handles and embellished with what I think is fun fur. I carry my knitting in a canvas-like tote. The top has ties which came in handy when I knit my mom's Fair Isle sweater (lots of balls that could jump out). The small inner pocket is a necessity. My other knitting bag is a gray wool messenger bag, a little bigger than the other, also an inner pocket.
   
6. What other things do you enjoy knitting or crocheting?
   For some reason I like knitting stuffed animals. Maybe that way somebody doesn't have to wear my creation. I shrink in embarrassment when my mom wears her sweater but she loves it and shows it off. Just like a mom :)
7. What sort of needles do you enjoy working with? (straights vs circs, bamboo vs aluminum)
   I just LOVE bamboo! I have one gorgeous pair of rosewood needles that are to die for. A gift from Mom :) Sometimes I miss the click of metal needles and sometimes, as you know, bamboo just doesn't work with certain yarns.
8. What’s one project you’ve not yet tried but are dying to make?
   A few months ago at my mom's LYS, the owner had knit up a sloppy hobo bag but then felted it - Perfecto! We bought the pattern, Oat Couture shoulder bag, but I have yet to dig in. The yarn was really cool too - multi-colored textured in deep pinks, may even have had a hint of metallic in it. mmmmmm
9. What’s one yarn you’ve not yet tried but are dying to work with?
   Huh. I should have one but I don't.
10. What other hobbies do you have? Do you spin? Sew? Garden?
    Besides the day-to-day girl things (cooking, cleaning, organizing) which I thoroughly enjoy, I actually have a lot of fun when I help work on the car and helping with our remodel. Landscaping is so much fun - designing, planting, watching them grow, transplanting, etc. Someday soon we'll have an herb and vegetable garden - So tasty!
11. Besides yarn, do you collect anything?
    Not really - it all tends to collect dust. I don't much care for dust.
12. What kind of goodies do you enjoy? Sweets? Salty? Anything you hate or are allergic to?
    Ugh. Although not strictly outside of my diet, the AMOUNT of chocolate I eat sure is. mmmm chocolate Sooooo carob, dried fruit, pumpkin seeds, spelt pretzels. Yeah, I'm a health food junkie.
13. Do you have any kiddos? (Furry kind count!)
    Step baby girl, Lucy who is 11 days old, and two rescue dogs - a pit bull (8yrs) and a blue heeler/collie mix (2yrs). Be wary of the blue heeler, the pit is a lover.
14. What kind of project best personifies you and why?
    Projects in high-contrast colors and unusual. I felted striped coasters, knit up wrist warmers for my sister, have some punk designs in mind for Lucy.
    
15. What is your favorite part of Autumn? You can also share a special Autumn memory if you'd prefer!
    There's this candle by Red Barn Candles, their original Red Barn scent. WOW! I've never smelled anything like it in a candle. It IS autumn. But.... I fear they are no longer around. Oh, and why do I like Autumn? It FINALLY cools down. I love the Summer, I love the Arizona heat, but enough already. Give me a cool breeze.
16. Tell us 3 things you would do if you won 10 million dollars in the lottery.
    Ooooh! 1. I would travel to beach after beach around the world, 2. buy a bigger house and have someone decorate it while I was on vacation, and 3. put in a salt water pool and hot tub.