Meanwhile on my home front, here's what happened.
Last month I decided that the felted Dumpling Bag would make a nice holiday gift, so I made one with Patons Merino which says right on the label that it would felt. Sure, felting was going to be an issue since I'd only done it once before - unsuccessfully. In fact, the booties I attempted to felt were so badly done that I shipped them off in a package to Africa. But I digress.
I made the bag in one day. The next day, I embroidered (I use that term loosely) the design, and then I searched high and low for weeks for the lucite rings which I never found. Instead, I ended up at a department store and found a 'lovely' purse for $8.00 just so I could get the metal rings (that I did not want, but had to use):
I put the rings on, assembled the bag, and took my almost finished bag to the bathroom with my felting plunger (not to be confused with the other plunger) and my big plastic bucket. Filled the bucket with hot, hot water and a little detergent and plunged until my right arm almost fell off. When the pain got too intense, I used my left hand, then I stood in the tub over the bowl and I plunged like there was no tomorrow. And what happened?
Nothing. The bag looked the same coming out of the water as it did going in. What could I be doing wrong? When is the stitch definition supposed to go away? I let the bag dry and tried again a few days later. Nothing! OK, I'm doing something wrong. I went online and reread the directions and decided it was the plunger's fault.
I let the bag dry and tried again. And again. And yet again. Finally, I put the bag in a pillow case with a flip flop and really steaming hot water. And when it was all done again, nothing! Now I'm frustrated and ready to take the bag out into the street and drive over it with my car.
It's still going to be gifted, half baked though it is. Ultimately, it's the thought that counts, right?
Only the bottom below the embroidery felted. I give up! Well, maybe I'll try one more time.
The other thing that happened is this: I had a conversation with my uncle who told me he's on Facebook and that I should give it a try. I declined because with my luck I'd be stalked by the only axe murderer on the whole site. So I decided to try Twitter instead - for a week or two. Honestly, I think I'm headed for trouble because I didn't understand the instructions and I've already forgotten my password.
Happy knitting to you all!
This is Patons Classic Wool Merino? The yarn which made my cardi felt??? I would through it in the washing machine, as it is, use a hot cycle, and than rinse and spin dry, work for me all the time. I don't felt by hand. But the bag is VERY cute!
ReplyDeleteI'm not going over to the dark side, Facebook AND Twitter is OUT for me. I spend enough time on ravelry and reading blogs as it is.
Something funny happened on the radio the other day. One of the moderator bought some coins to outdo his moderating partner, who played farm on facebook (????) for a while now, he normally does not (or so he says) ;o). (My son explained it all to me.)
Anyway - they got a call from an angry listener, who said to the moderator "You are not a real farmer!" And the mod. said, " you are not a real farmer either." That was hilarious! People really can get all worked up over what? a game? (O.K. for me it's fiber, but I don't say I'm a sheep, shepherd, or a knitting needle).