Red Felted Phone Purse

I wanted to know if Paton's Jet (12 ply Wool / Alpaca - 16st in 10cm) would felt. I was just going to just knit a test square, then I thought why not make something small and useful instead? I have always wanted a little purse to keep my mobile phone and headset safe and together. So that is what I knitted.

I cast on 24 st using 6mm needles.

I knitted the first 6 rows as garter stitch, then changed to stocking stitch. I knitted about 38 - 40 cm in stocking stitch (you can adjust the exact length to fit what you are going to put in it - allowing for shrinkage when the item felts. Width wise this purse would also fit my camera, but I would probably knit another 10cm in length). Then I knitted another 6 rows of garter to finish.

I sewed up the side seams using mattress stitch leaving approximately 7 cm for the flap (but you can adjust this too). Then I crochet two loops for the buttons using chain stitch - about 10 stitches. I sewed the loops on.

Then I washed it in the machine. I put it in with other things to help felt it more quickly. This only took one wash, but different yarns felt at different rates. I have run some yarns through the machine more than 6 or 7 times. Just depends...

Then found some suitable buttons that fitted the felted loops, sewed them on, and it was finished!

No more scratches on my phone!

I am obsessing about my yarn stash at the moment...

When I started knitting again I declared that I would not 'stockpile' yarn. I'd buy something, knit it and then buy something else.

But it doesn't work that way. Knitting is about imagining new projects. It's what keeps me knitting (apart from the inner calm it brings once you are submerged in the rhythm, oh and the end products!).

Imagining the new, leaves you vulnerable to temptation. I could explain it as a formula:

yarn temptation (new/ different/ interesting yarn, on sale yarn, yarn you have always lusted after) + money = more stash

In psychological terms I could dub it the 'Bower Bird Phenomena'

As one of my new year resolutions, I did a quick review of what was actually in my stash... OMG. I've pulled out yarn for at least 4 jumpers / cardigans for Mr S, which if I don't knit for this winter I won't have enough yarn to finish the project... Sound familiar?

At the same time as talking to my self about self discipline, hair shirts and a bit of self flagellation for breaking my original commitment, I was tempted... again. Here is how far I fallen in January.
I walked past Cleggs on Elizabeth Street. Big mistake. They have a big sale at the moment. I guess I don't really need to say any more... but just to demonstrate the complete lack of self will I showed, let me out line exactly what I bought:

• blue mohair for a cardigan
• 8ply Cleckheaton Country for a cardigan and a jumper
• same 8 ply for two toys: a farm and little animals; and a donkey

And then I passed the Mornington Wool Shop's sale table (which I always give the once over), I noticed 8 balls of oxford grey wool in 12 ply. Mmmm.... another great cardigan for Mr S in the making... so yes I bought that too.

And then I visited The Sewing Box in Rosebud... grey Jet for a long jacket for winter, red Jet for a mobile phone purse and tea cosy, and Heritage Alpaca in creamy white for a scarf...

I'm completely insane.

A Retrospective

Inspired by Textile Seahorse's mosaic of 2008 projects, I have made my own too.

I finished 14 knitted items in 2008.

Not my most prolific year, but a respectable effort.

Mostly toys and clothes for Mr S. But that reflects my focus at the moment. So not surprising really. (Oh, and the sheep is a mistake - it was finished in 2007, but I'm not redoing the mosaic! It wasn't difficult to do, using flickr toys, but it took too long with a child pulling at my sleeve wanting attention.)

Anyway it's nice, and a little bit satisfying, to see them all in one place.