Reading & Knitting

It's all Kerri's fault really.  I am sure I would be able to focus on one project at a time if she would just stop inspiring me.    A couple of weeks ago she started a string bag for her beach knitting.   I loved the colors and the idea but did not care for the construction of the pattern she choose (No, I am not going to name it.).    A bit of Ravelry sleuthing and I came up with this one that I like quite a bit better.

This is the Girlfriend Market Bag.   It is simple (as all beach/pool knitting should be), and requires no seaming up at the end.   It is so simple, in fact, that I can read while I knit.  I love that, it's fun and non-knitters are just so impressed.  If you decide to check the pattern out, be sure to read the story of how the pattern came to be.   It is sweet.

Given that this is a casual project meant for casual use, I went with Sugar & Cream cotton in this muted colorway.   The contrast color I choose for the handle is not a color I would normally be drawn to but it really sets off the main colorway nicely (or, at least, I think it will.  Time will tell.).

Pool Knitting

Pool Knitting
12June13

We are settling into our apartment very well.    The boys are surviving a shared room and Jack has, thankfully, adjusted to apartment living with no problems.   Having to walk him rather than just set him loose in the yard is different for all of us but so far, so good.   

I have always like condo/townhouse living, so living in an apartment for a few months suits me just fine.   One of the things I could really get used to is our daily swim in a pool that someone else takes care of.   Hubby swims laps, where I am more likely to get wet and get out.   That means that I have time to kill before we head back home.  As all knitters do, I put this time to good use.

My Amy Butler bag made it back from the cleaners, clean and smelling like nothing (awesome!).  However, I was warned that the process can be tough on some fabrics and that was the case here.   The straps are fraying where they did not used to.   Still, it is plenty fine for a pool knitting bag and that is it's new purpose in life.   It easily holds a light shawl, a couple of dollars (just in case), a Kindle, phone, keys, and....knitting.    

The yarn is a fire survivor (it was in my trunk).   It is I Love Cotton left over from when I still shopped at Hobby Lobby (before they refused give their employees legally mandated health coverage).    It really is a nice yarn and I will miss it when I am all out.   In any case, this yarn is destined to be a Wingspan Shawl.   Which means that what you see above will someday, hopefully, look like this.

This is the third time I made one of these.   Obviously, I really like the pattern.