Wild Irish Roses Wedding Purse 

Last Post till After the Wedding!

Just thought you'd like a peek at the little bag I'll be carrying to DD's wedding! This is tiny, not the knitting bag size at all, yet I'm amazed at how much I can still get in it. This Nana Sadie Rose purse is called the "Kerri" bag, and is 9.5 inches wide and 7 high. Just perfect to complement the dress I'll be wearing in an lovely muted amethyst. See you all later in the weekend! Have a great Memorial Day!

More Yahoo Knitters' Bags 

Nana Sadie Rose Knitting Bags!

More of my fun knitting bags for you to enjoy...these will be going out to Yahoo knitters' in the coming days - one is even travelling to Alaska! I can't thank my Yahoo friends enough for your support!

Challenges, Struggles, Losses

Life in cyberspace is more challenging than I'd expected. When someone you think of as a "friend" disappears without much or any explanation, it's painful. You don't have any way to find out what's wrong. You can't offer help. It's a limbo-state. It's happened a time or two recently. Since I live daily with physical challenges and mental stress in what I know of as my "real-world" existence, my cyberpals mean a lot to me. I grieve when they're gone.

So today, along with the stresses of being the "mother of the bride," I'm also dealing with the loss of friendships and just when I feel like I need them most. The saddest part is wanting to be there to help those friends and not knowing how.

It was in that light that I participated in a long phone conversation with an RN from my health plan's heart patient support program, and probably talked her ear off. Then knitted two repeats of my baby afghan.

Finally, agitated, I picked up the triangle lace shawl. I think that was what was most comforting, odd as that sounds. It's such a challenge to concentrate on the chart, the slippery, soft yarn and now, working around the lifeline. And the cyberworld fell away. Till I started this post.

Maybe my missing cyberpals will read this. Maybe I'll hear from them. If not, I wish them peace, health, love. I hope they know how much they enriched my life. I send them warm hugs.

Lace Shawl Class Lesson 1 

Triangle Lace Shawl Class!

I can't tell you how pleased and proud of myself I am. There are two people who are responsible for getting me to this point in this class: Kitt and Birdsong. Because last weekend I would have given up completely. But they wouldn't let me. I can't tell you how many times I frogged what you see above. I can't because I really don't know - I lost count. I can tell you that tonight, after having made it to row 17 last weekend, I pick this up again, only to come out wrong on my count and in tinking back I dropped two stitches. I love this Wool-eze yarn, but it's so soft, it just slipped and slipped and I couldn't catch it fast enough. Yes, I had a safety line in. But I'd forgotten to write down (last weekend) the row at which I inserted it. Another lesson learned.

So I frogged and started over yet again. I'm very pleased to show you this photo, taken at row 25, progressive blocking. I'm learning every time I pick this up to work on. I can read a chart now. It's quite hard for me, being without a portion of my vision, but I can read one if I take it slow. All of this was done from the chart. I'm proud of myself for that.

So later this week, I'll start lesson two. I have bags to make (and you'll see photos of those in the coming days).

But Nana is knitting, too! Have a terrific weekend!

Aibhlinn Complete!

She's Finally Finished! 

A New Project for the Baby KAL

Take a look at my newest project? A lovely little baby blanket in the easy, old-fashioned ripple pattern. I just love this yarn…it’s Caron’s Simply Soft and it’s washable, which always comes in handy when you’ve got a little baby. This is for a friend of mine who quit smoking when I did, with the plan to have a healthy, happy baby! So I’m tickled to have a chance to make something special for her little baby girl! And what do you see, helping me along on this pattern? Well it’s the lovely lavender heart stitch markers I got from Kelly's! I just ordered 2 sets of her kitty stitch markers and I can't wait to see them ... you really need to visit her blog! You won't be sorry...

Ripple Baby Blanket with Lavender Heart Stitch Markers From Kelly's! 

Knit Wits Knitting Tote! 

KnitWits Are Here!

I couldn't wait to get one of these bags made and show it off to all my knitting friends...there are three photos so enjoy them all! This is the green background Knit Wits fabric but there's another with the kitties that has a red background, then the companion fabric with yarn balls on black (for knitters who have no pets or pets other than kitties) is called "Ball & Skeins!" All these great fabrics, the stockinette stitch fabrics - 3 different colors are available (make great lining fabrics), and the knitting terms (white lettering on black, which is the pocket fabric you see below) are from Michael Miller. I can make one for you!

Close up of Knit Wits Button 

Knitting Terms Pockets of Knit Wits Tote