Don't call it a murse

I know I said I wasn't going to become a knitter. I believed it too. But here I am, with 5 different projects on the go. Only two of which are scarves.

I tend to go through phases when it comes to my creative outlets. For a while it was charcoal. Then I got bored and tried out paper sculpture. I moved on to pottery, which was one of my more successful crafts. Next was photography, and now knitting. So I guess it's likely that I'll give this up before long too.

But in the meantime, I'm having fun trying out new things and gradually moving beyond the basic scarf. I've tried out a few hats, and am giving mittens a shot. I also just discovered the joy of felting and am sort of hooked. I want to do a series of felted bowls next, now that I've finished my most complex (for me, anyway. Technically it was pretty easy) project so far.

Since I'd been carting around my yarn and needles in grocery bags, I decided I should make myself a bag. And out of all the online patterns for girly handbags and flowery frilly purses, I hit upon one for a felted shoulderbag/satchel on knitty.com that was masculine enough - almost like a small messenger bag. I'm pretty proud of the results and have already been asked to do another for someone.

I just have to keep sweet talking my neighbor for use of her washer if I plan on all these felted works. No way I can do this at the laundromat.

The pictures are before the felting and then the finished product. I'm embarrassingly proud of it.