Nightmare on Sharon Drive

It all started about a week ago. ASJ, MMT and I went on our mini yarn hop. While I was snooping through yarn stores touching the yarn and dreaming of projects for The Island, MMT found a display project, complete with the pattern. She said, "mom, do you think you can make this?" I said, "sure, no problem." "Really mom, don't try to knit it if it will make you crazy" she said. I like a fool said "I am sure I can do this." Yeah right.

So we proceeded to buy the necessary materials to get started. That night I bragged on the blog how I was going to start a 3rd project, even though I had 2 started already. So off I went, into the unknown. I don't even know where to begin....

I cast on the bottom and followed the instructions and so far so good. The bottom of the handbag was getting bigger and the process made sense. Then came the tricky part, adding the first row of diamonds. I survived that too, although the knitting light was starting to click on, the directions made very little sense and it seemed the number of stitches were off. But some how I muddled through.

Now the fun begins. The first row of diamonds, this is where everything went sour. The directions made no sense (not even to my mechanical engineering student daughter). I tried to knit the diamond as per the instructions, it was lopsided and looked more like something from a Dr. Seuss book. I tried drinking and knitting a diamond (remember the mojito guild meeting??) That did not work any better. Finally on the way to visit UWS, I fudged the math and made a diamond that seemed to work. So I was all set, to finish the body of the purse.

Unfortunately, this thing has a flap, again the directions made little or no sense, except to say it would be floppy and ugly when it was done. You got that right. So I worked on it, until it appears that I have completed the bag, flap, edging and all. The pattern called for an I cord strap, but MMT and I decided to make a mini multi-directional scarf for the handle, lets hope it looks good when felted. So here is the handbag pre-felting, we are off to NK's to felt tomorrow, so stay tuned to see how this episode ends.

PS: MMT had a friend over and she thought it looked more like an over-sized hat, thus the picture.