I'm a F***ing failure!

F-e-l-t-ing, felting, I'm a Felting Failure!!

I got some Lopi 100% wool, which is virtually guaranteed to felt if you just wave it over some water. Well, I decided to make a lovely felted bowl for knitting knick-knacks ... So, as per the instructions of several websites I consulted, I knitted with the wool doubled - to ensure that it would be nice and thick in the end.
The tight doubleknitted stitches played havoc with my wrists, but it was finally done ....
It looked like this BEFORE FELTING

The label distinctly says "Gentle handwash in lukewarm water, do not rub or wring" - HAH! With a peverse sense of pleasure ... I proceeded to dunk it in water, I squished it and squashed it, I pummeled it and poked it with a wooden spoon, I mangled it and even mashed it with a potato masher (does it sound like I was having a bit TOO much fun??) I poured a kettleful of boiling water over it - it smelt like a wet sheep, a very DEAD wet sheep! I tossed it into a pillowcase, along with a couple of plastic lids (for extra agitation, you know ... although the only thing getting agitated was ME!) I bunged it into the washing machine with a pair of jeans (for EXTRA agitation ...) and sent it off for 20 minutes of hot water swirling and churning. I could almost HEAR the fibres screaming for mercy .... HHHHAAAHHH!
Opening the washing machine door was like opening a long awaited Christmas present ... with impatience I ripped open the pillowcase and tumbled the contents out ...
It looked like THIS - AFTER FELTING :



Do you think it looks e-x-a-c-t-l-y the same as the "BEFORE" photo????

I told you I am a F***ing failure!! And I now have a lovely, non felted, fairly floppy, pure wool HAT instead!!

Will Mother Muggle Manage? UPDATED UPDATE!!

I consider DD one of the foremost afficianados of the literary phenomenon currently in vogue .... in other words, she is nuts about Harry Potter!!





At the last book launch, she was super-excited and managed to be Number 100 in the UAE to get the book (at 3.05am!) She had dutifully worn her HP scarf (as megafans do!)

The idea this year was for her to add some more HP knitted garments for her line-up.

Plan A did not quite work out as intended, so Mother Muggle (Me, Myself) has hauled out the knitting needles and is frantically whizzing (wizarding?) up a pair of socks. Naturally, DD did not want plain ol' stripey socks, so we combined stripes, zigzags (scar ala Horcrux pattern) and some liberal thumbsucking by moi! I was stumbling along, having almost completed the first sock, when I realised ....

Urm ... THAT is not much time for a novice like me to bash out a pair of socks ..... I pulled my finger out, finished the first sock and have cast on the second one .....

Bearing in mind, the child does not have feet,

she has YARDS .....

WILL
MOTHER
MUGGLE
MANAGE??????????????????????????

LOTS of coffee later .... we are closer but time has flown too ....

Progress is sure, but slow .... I wonder if she can wear them like this ?




*Sigh* Hubeasts are such odd creatures!

The Bag knits a bag

I am busy knitting a bag (aka tote) for an exchange. Man, it is such fun - my new fav thing to knit. You can be as plain or as ott(over-the-top) creative as you want.

But, for this swap, I managed to keep my creative juices in check and am knitting a relatively staid cabled bag. I am using variegated yarn from Peru or Chile or Mexico ... one of them Souf American cities!!! So maybe it comes from a push-me-pull-you or a yak or a cactus - who knows ....

(And don't you go thinking the colours look like sha-khi - cross between shit and khaki, the true colours are actually olive green and a khaki yellow - very camoflaugy - well, my swapee did say she liked natural colours and what could be more natural than green and yellow weeds?)

Anyway, I digress .... I was so excited and enthusiastic with the knitting of this bag, that I did this .........

Ooooops!! Broke my circular needle - on its very first outing too.

Nevermind, a spot of superglue and we were good to go again .....

I will post pics of the finished product once said Swapee has received it ... try to control your curiosity!!