A Little Something New Coming Soon

Here are a few photos of what I've been working on for the shop.  I still have a few tweeks to make but basically this will be the design.  This will be a great addition to your knitting bag.  A compact interchangeable/dpn needle case that measures approximately 5-1/2" by 8" when closed and has slots for 20 pairs of dpns/

needle tips.  It also has a zipper pouch for all your other accessories (scissors, tape measure and the like.  It has a long flap to hold the needles in place and a tab closure with a super cute button.  I'm also working on some other accessories to go with this: a small, flat stitch marker case and a dpn cover.  I hope you like it!  Stay-tuned! There may be a secret coupon code for this design JUST FOR blog readers!

Valentine's Day is Approaching

Once the new year has begun our thoughts seem to turn to the next big holiday and for most of the female population, it's Valentine's Day. KnittingsMyBag is no different. I've got some super cute surprises in the works to make Valentine's Day a blast for you knitters out there. Whether you purchase items for yourself or for a loved one, you'll find these items a great addition to your knitting collection. Stay-tuned.

2011 Podcaster Challenge Winners

Mother Bear KAL Group: 231 Bears Total!!!
Knitabulls: 34 participants - 66 bears
Knittin' on the Fly: 13 participants - 50 bears
MommyNeedsYarn: 25 participants - 35 bears
DragonflySoars: 15 participants- 28 bears
KnittingBlooms: 16 participants - 26 bears
Exchange Student in Fiberland: 10 participants - 18 bears
Knitbytes: 3 participants - 3 bears
Barknknit: 2 participant - 2 bear

KAL Project:
Knittin' on the Fly: 26 completed projects (cannot count Katie's project)
Knitbytes: 23 completed projects
Knitabulls: 10 completed projects
Miss Elle Knits: 8 completed projects
BrittKnits: 8 completed projects
DomesticaKatedDarling: 6 completed projects
Dragonfly Soars: 6 completed projects
Knit1HeartToo: (Sheila) 6 completed projects; (Wendy) 3 completed projects
Dramatic Knits: 5 completed projects
Addicted to Yarn: 3 completed projects
NoteableNeedlework: 3 completed projects
Exchange Student in Fiberland: 2 completed projects
MommyNeedsYarn: 2 completed projects
Knitting Blooms: 1 completed project
A Cronic Knitter: 1 completed project

Prize Category Winners:
Most Altered Pattern: DramaticKnits (Steve)
Best Yarn Choice: Knit1HeartToo (Sheila)
Talkin' Smack: Knit1HeartToo (Wendy) - I think people were afraid NOT to vote for her!
Suffered Through It: Exchange Student in Fiberland (MariGayle)
Special Guest: Knitabulls (Diane)
Hot Mess: Exchange Student in Fiberland (MariGayle)
Super Knitter: NoteableNeedlework (Kate)
Most Creative Photography: Proverbial Knitter
GRAND PRIZE WINNER OF THE 2011 PODCASTER CHALLENGE

****************Diane of the Knitabulls Podcast*****************

Check out my previous post for photographs of the prizes (except for the Grand Prize Category - photos of those items to follow in the coming days)


**Disclaimer: The numbers were checked and re-checked and are accurate to the best of my ability. If you split your vote between more than one individual in a single category, those votes were not counted.

Facebook

Trying to build up my fan base on my Facebook Fan Page. I'd love to have some give aways and have some special coupons for my Facebook friends but I only have about 40 fans at this point. The "powers that be" tell me that I need at least 100 first. So, become a friend and let's get going! http://www.facebook.com/knittingsmybag

Spring is almost here!

With spring fast approaching, I'm working on a series of knitting bags with spring/summer themed fabric. So grab that cotton yarn and get ready for my April 2nd "Spring Fling" Open House. Check out my Etsy shop or come back here to my blog to see what new and exciting fabrics are on the shelves.

Happy Valentine's Day

My shop is loading up on great Valentine's Day themed bags, pouches and stitch markers. My favorite color is red so that makes Valentine's Day one of my favorite holidays. I really like vintage valentines and I have a few different fabrics with vintage valentines.

Please check out my new items.

Holiday Themed Knitting Bags

I always look forward to sewing up a bunch of holiday themed bags during this time of year. I especially love Michael Miller's "Holiday Skaters". It reminds me of the days of my youth when my brother, sister and I would shovel the snow off a tiny pond near our house and skate 'round and 'round. Now that I am in California, I certainly don't get ice skating (although I'm sure there is an indoor rink somewhere) but just looking at this fabric brings a smile to my face.

Gearing Up For The Holidays

Well, September is half over and that means time to gear up for the holidays at KnittingsMyBag. I've been scouting out great new fabrics and styles to add and I'm finally going to reopen my Etsy Shop: Bag Lady Bags (under the seller name lrichmond3). I have been working on some great wristlets, make-up bags, and key fobs. You know, smaller items that are great for stocking stuffer and that won't break the bank.

Anyway, back here at KnittingsMyBag, I'm going to again offer my signature "Christmas Stocking with a Twist" that was so popular last year. It's a Christmas stocking with needle slots and a wider pocket for patterns and whatnots;. It has a closure at the top and a loop to hang it on the fireplace mantel if you like. I'm excited!

Stay-tuned for lots of updates now that the fall season is upon us and the air is cooler and more conducive to work!

Doing What You Love

I have to say, I love, love, love fabric. I have yards and yard and yards of it. So much fabric I'll NEVER be able to use it all and still I want more. Could it be an addiction? I think maybe it is. I want to make knitting bags from all of it but I refuse to let what I consider a "hobby" completely take over my life. I already sew about five hours a day and that should be enough.

My first priority is my family. I need to keep an orderly house, cook meals and spend time with my husband and daughter. I love my life and I want to keep that happy balance. It is a tight rope walk; however and one that takes constant re-evaluation. So, join me on my journey. Tag along for the adventure!

Knitting for Charity

This is a website for those of you who are interested in knitting for Charity. It has great free patterns and places for send your completed projects. If your organization is not included, maybe you can work on getting it on the list. http://www.knittingforcharity.org/

Making Whoopie - (pumpkin whoopie pies that is)

My family loves the pumpkin whoopie pies. I make them for our trips to Big Bear. Now, when I say I'm planning on making Pumpkin Whoopie Pies, everyone starts looking forward to cool weather and relaxing in the hot tub! Give 'em a try! I always double the recipe ~ cause 12 is just not enough!!

Makes: 12
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Bake Time: 10 minutes (I use insulated pans so it take 15 minutes ~ to perfection)

1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, 1 stick melted, 1/2 stick softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup canned pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon plus 2 pinches salt
1-2/3 cups flour
4 ounces cream cheese, chilled
1 cup confectioners' sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk in the eggs, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla, the baking powder, the baking soda and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour.
#. Using an ice cream scoop or tablespoon (I use a cookie scoop because we like them smaller ~ you can get 32 small pies out of a double batch if you do that), drop 12 generous mounds of batter, spaced evenly, onto each baking sheet. Bake until springy to the touch, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
4. Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter with the cream cheese. Add the confectioners' sugar and the remaining 2 pinches of salt and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; mix on low speed until blended, then beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
5. Spread the flat side of 12 cakes with the cream cheese frosting. Top each with another cake.

Father's Day

Father's Day has come and gone for another year. For the last seven years I have found Father's Day to be a two edged sword. I have a wonderful husband who is a wonderful father to our daughter, Hillary Doll, yet I no longer have my wonderful dad. It will be seven years on September 24th and it seems like only yesterday when his strong hand held mine and he told me how much he loved me.

My dad was the best father on the planet. I know that others would say there dad was great as well and that is a wonderful thing. There are so few truly wonderful fathers. My dad, Clifton Otho Pease, was a great man of God. He had such integrity. His character was implacable. He was loved by everyone. As a matter of fact, I have never met anyone who didn't like my dad. He was honest, kind and the most of all humble. I remember my dad once telling me when I was upset with someone and I probably said something to them that I would regret later, "When you feel like saying something hurtful, take a deep breath and stop to think about those words will hurt someone. If you still think it is worth saying out loud, take another deep breath and think again." I don't remember my dad ever saying a hurtful thing to anyone. I tried to remember these words, "I am the master of words unused and the slave to words that should not have been said.

He had to leave his schooling after the 8th grade to contribute to the family finances and that was always such an embarrassment to him because he thought he was not smart but my dad could do anything and build anything. He built our house and our summer house, he had his own cobbler business (although he gave away more than he sold) and I can't remember anything that my dad couldn't fix.

The lasting memory I have of my dad is of him reading and studying his Bible. He was an awesome Christian and that example is one that I want to emulate. I have often seen him on his knees praying even in the latter years of his life when kneeling was not an easy thing. I know that I will be with my dad again and that is a wonderful comfort to me. He was always my rock, my "go to guy" for all things spiritual. Now I must depend on the true rock ~ the cornerstone of my faith, my heavenly father ~ he too will hold my hand and give me spiritual guidance. All I have to do is be still and know that He is God.

If you have a dad today, hug him, kiss him, hold him and tell him you love him and I pray that he has been a Godly influence on your life. There is no greater comfort when your dad is gone then when you know he is in heaven just waiting for you.

Knitting Book Reviews

I love knitting books and I have a massive collection of books. I have been stumped about what to blog about so I thought I would review a couple of my latest books. Some I like, some I don't. If you are in the market for a new book, maybe it will help you out:

A Most Have:
Socks a' la Carte by Jonelle Raffino and Katherine Cade.

This book is so much fun. It brings you back to the flip books of your childhood..only the authors refer to them as split pages. The first part of the book explans how it works, gives you yarn choices and needle choices as well as some great techniques. Then the fun part: Cuffs, Bodies and Feet ~ thousands of possibilities and a lot of fun choosing the patterns. Here are a couple of pictures.

Warmth Over The Years

As a young mother with a family of five to care for, I had very few clothes in my wardrobe. My cousin Berla was much better off financially than I and had a beautiful black seal coat.
One day, in the mid-1960’s, Berla came to visit and gave me the seal coat. It stayed in the closet for several years until I began teaching again, at the age of 48.
Winter recesses in Maine are windy, snowy and cold, and each teacher had to take a turn watching the children as they played outside. Each time I wore the old fur coat, many children, including my son, came up to me for a hug. I knew their motive—to get warm under that coat. It soon became the desire of all the teachers to borrow the old coat when it was their turn on the playground.
After I retired, my niece, Faye, gave me the idea of making teddy bears out of the old coat. I presented a bear to each of my five children with a note telling the story of the old fur coat.
The bears, put in special places in their homes, now provide a pleasing connection among the siblings.
~~Maxine Pease, Pittsfield, Maine (Published in the March 2008 issue of Reminisce Magazine)

Bags, Bags and More Bags

Wow, I'm loading up my shop with bags in new fabrics and some new styles. I have a lot more in the pipeline but finding the time to sew them all is the issue. I'm anxious to get my two other shops up and running http://littlebopink.etsy.com and http://lrichmond3.etsy.com but I just can't seem to get the time to sew for those yet. I have some great plans and patterns ready to go as soon as I get the opportunity.

I'm heading off to Sedona, AZ with the hubs for a week on Tuesday, April 28, but my daughter, Hillary, is on the job mailing out bags on a daily basis. I'm hoping to get a chance to do some knitting for a change and put some of the pictures up on my blog. With all the sewing in recent months, knitting has taken a back seat but is the reason I got started making the bags. I just couldn't find the right bag.

I'm going to put on a few more knitting patterns as well. Stay tuned for lots of new things on this blog as I fumble around trying to figure out what I'm doing!!

Back In The Saddle Again

After a long and difficult three months, I'm back in California for a few weeks and throwing myself into my Etsy Shops (http://Knittingsmybag.etsy.com; http://lrichmond3.etsy.com; and http://Littlebopink.etsy.com). I'm using the next few weeks to load up all three shops with goodies and, hopefully, there will be sales to mail out.

I've received a great shipment of fabric and I'm ready to start creating. Now, if I can just adjust to West Coast time, I'll be all set.

Wow, now that's tiny

This is a great video of miniture knitting. I have never seen anything like this. She woman is knitting appeal for tiny characters for an upcoming movie. Check it out!

Infant Bonnet Pattern from the 1920's

Materials: 1 oz. white and 1/2 oz colored 4-ply fingering yarn. #8 knitting needles. 1-1/2 yds. ribbon.
Work at a tension to produce about 6-3/5 stitches and 13 rows to the inch.
Using the colored wool, cast on 80 stitches.
Work 12 rows in plain knitting.
Fastening off the colored wool, join up the white and work five inches in plain knitting. Then shape for the crown as follows:~
Knit together every 9th and 10th stitch.
Knit 3 rows without shaping.
In the next row knit together every 8th and 9th stitch.
Knit 3 rows without shaping.
In the next row knit together every 7th and 8th stitch.
Knit 3 rows without shaping.
In the next row knit together every 6th and 7th stitch.
Knit 3 rows without shaping.
In the next row knit together every 5th and 6th stitch.
Knit 3 rows without shaping.
In the next row knit together every 4th and 5th stitch.
Knit 3 rows without shaping.
In the next row knit together every 3rd and 4th stitch.
Fasten off and run a thread through the remaining stitches, drawing them up and darning in the end very securely. Sew together the two shaped edges of the crown. Taking the colored wool, knit up one stitch to each ridge at the neck of the bonnet, but missing 9 ridges at each edge for the fold over at the front.
Work 6 rows in plain knitting. Cast off.
Add rosettes made from the ribbon to each side of the bonnet.

A New Beginning

I've decided to make the plunge and change my Etsy username. I've had 81 sales and 67 positive feedbacks but my old name, Bagladybags, never really described what type of bags I make. People thought I made purses instead of needlework bags. So, I decided to switch over and start all over again. All over again means my blog, flickr, myspace, twitter, plumdrop, indiepublic, we love etsy, and on and on but I think it will be worth it. Stay tuned to watch my shop grow and my blog grow as well. I have some fun things planned for all your knitters out there!