More Spherical Craziness

I made a larger version of Sharon Dreifuss' Dumpling Bag by casting on 8 stitches between the handle sections. It turned out a little too big. My ideal size is somewhere between the small size and this size. With the same needle and wool, I think I can do it if I want to. But I'm not sure I would actually carry this bag. I mainly wanted to make it for the sake of making it. I really enjoyed the embroidery on which I spent at least as much time as I did the knitting. At least one reader of this blog (I'm talking to you, Joy) should know that that the wool used for the embroidery was a handspun, hand-dyed wool purchased at Knitting Camp sometime in the late 80's. It has been hermetically sealed for a few decades. Note: overspun wool makes fantastic French knots.



The Squishy Balls are from Susan B. Anderson's Itty-Bitty Toys. I used remnants of Cotton-Ease, which worked quite well.



There are about two more spheres I want to knit, although the Learn-Along is officially over, but they may have to wait as I have started a lace project that will probably consume me.

These will probably be left somewhere for The Toy Society.

Having a Ball

The first spheres I knitted for Rachel's Knit Cents LAL were from the book Knitting for Baby by Melanie Falick and Kristin Nicholas. The pattern is called Baby's First Ball. Ok, I got a little carried away and finally stopped at 10. This is potato chip knitting at its finest. The first 5 or so were made with remnants from my wool stash. It was fun using up every bit of wool of a particular skein until I realized I needed something to sew the hole up with after felting. (I forgot that the end piece would felt also. Knock on head.) Noro Kureyon makes the best colors but some of the best felting wool is plain. Dark wool tends to felt more quickly than light wool. Why? I have no idea. Maybe a spinner can tell me.









I like the looks of the colors in one of the big salad bowls hand turned by my dad.





Billiards, anyone?

Learning experience: In the photo with two green and purple balls: the ball on the left was knitted with alternating segments of Noro Kureyon and Cascade 220. (green). The ball on the right was made only with Cascade 220. These were knit on the same needles and run through the same wash together. Since the Noro did not felt as quickly as the Cascade, the blended ball is nearly twice the size of the Cascade ball. These two balls went with my friend Carol for her little grandson in California.

There are many lovely balls, but I'm partial to the colors in this one.