Blackberries and Lace!

All right Readers...at last an update on MY knitting projects!

I've decided to try and be a bit more daring when it comes to choosing which knitting patterns to make. As many of you can guess, based on the fact that I haven't posted ANY projects since November, I've kind of been stuck in a knitting/crochet project limbo.

Firsties, I whipped out some of my dishcloth cotton and learned how to do the "blackberry" stitch, which turned out quite well:

The pattern I used for this one can be found here:
http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/2008/10/knitted-dishcloth-pattern-1-blackberries.html

I'm very pleased! The pattern, for a dishcloth, was a bit more complicated than I'm used to, but the results were beautiful. I MIGHT use this pattern for a purse later.

Secondly, I finished a project that I started way back in October...this lovely "ribbon lace" scarf:

The pattern came from one of my all time favorite knitting resources: "knitty"!
http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring08/PATTlaceribbon.html

I am SO HAPPY with how this scarf turned out! I've knit scarves, but many of them have either turned out to be too chunky, too short, or just too boring. I used the same yarn on this scarf as I used for the "Liesl" coin purse I posted a while ago, and it turned out simply fabulous!

Speaking of the "Liesl" coin purse, I'm almost finished with a Liesl 2.0!

The photos simply don't do this project justice. I spent a long time looking for a good lavender/lilac yarn that had a good texture, and found this imported Italian cotton blend (with little sequins weaved in!) at the Craft Warehouse in my hometown! The purse so far is so stinking amazing that I can't seem to stop thinking about how AWESOME it's going to be once I finish the zipper, wristlet and bow!

Instead of eyelet lace, I decided to go with mini cables. I'm definitely going to put a small bow on the purse, but this will be a part of the wristlet/zipper instead of the main part of the purse itself. This purse was much more challenging to make than I thought it would be; the mini cables themselves were simple enough to knit, but the YARN itself was the most delicate yarn I've ever worked with! Plus, the sequins, which added a much needed touch of modern glamour and sparkle without looking too "out there" and tacky, seemed to bunch up and get caught on just about everything.

Also, Readers, check it out:

ZOMG a lining!!!!

Along with these projects, I'm embarrassed to say that I'm still working on a few things...that I wanted to have finished a year ago! I'm STILL working on the draft dodger Caterpillar...but at least, I have the materials, pattern, and embroidery design for the finishing touches.

The "space invaders" afghan is also still being worked on. While the main part of the blanket is finished, I still have yet to do the "back" of the afghan to cover my faire isle floats. My fiancee, that sweetheart, who knows me to be a bit of an ADHD ninja with the attention span of a goldfish, has given me an incentive to finish it: He said that he wanted it to be his engagement present from me! <3

So, Readers, I guess I have nine months to finish it!

Orb Weaver out!