Where do you keep your WIP's?

This blog entry is in response to Monika's question on her blog. I started to comment and realized it was way too long and that it was a great question, so it deserved an entry in my blog. Here goes the answer: well, I have basically three bags I use... a small, a medium and a large. I feel like this is sounding a little like the story of the "Goldilocks and the Three Bears". The small one is a bright, red, shiny vinyl bag that my mother bought in Switzerland over twenty years ago.
( It was my parents' one and only trip to Europe. I'm still waiting for my trip there; sure hope it doesn't take that long for me to get to Europe. When my husband was in the Airforce he was stationed in Brussels and he would love to go back some day, so there is a little hope there. I also have relatives in Germany that I'd like to meet someday, too.) Back to the bags...the red one was Mom's knitting bag, because it was hers - I really love it and it's my favorite, but sometimes it's too small for a project. This one is empty right now, but it will have dishcloths in the making soon as I have many more to knit for Christmas. The middle sized one is a native American looking cotton print. It holds quite a bit, but tends to collapse on itself. Right now my latest prayer shawl is in that one. And my biggest one for WIP's is a dark green tote, like the ones from L.L. Bean, but I got this one in the Christmas Tree Shop. This one now contains the Mason-Dixon "Baby Genius Burp Cloth" blanket that I'm knitting for Kate. It's really getting tight trying to get the blanket in and out now and it's hard to take places also because of the size of the bag...the blanket has grown so big. Brought it with me yesterday to my son's 12 year well-checkup and I think I'm starting to look like a "bag lady" or it looks like I'm planning on staying on for the duration. I still have a ways to go with the blanket, but the end is in site...I really have to concentrate and get this one done soon or I might have to remove stash yarn from my very old extra large, white/red tote that did come from L.L. Bean!
Hope I don't have to do that because I won't have any place to store all that yarn. :(
Well, Monika...does that answer your question? Have a great weekend and...happy knitting :)

Knitted Turkey Cloth (aka Gary the Gobbler) is finished!

My turkey dishcloth (Knitted Turkey Cloth - aka Gary the Gobbler) for the Dishcloth Fun KAL has been finished for awhile now. I figured it out very early on with this Mystery KAL. I found the pattern and finished way before everyone else except maybe Rhoda (better known as g-girl in the blogging world). I read on her blog that she figured it out, too, so I wasn't alone which made me feel better. I was good and kept quiet until now as I didn't want to spoil the fun for any one who did not know yet what we were knitting.

Now I'm anxiously waiting to find out what we are doing for the next KAL. All I know is that it will have a Christmas theme. I really don't have any Christmas colors in my cotton stash. All I have is a dark green and white. As soon as I know what we are making I probably should go to the store and get the appropriate colors. Any excuse to buy more yarn. I am really getting bad in that department.

In adding the links to this post I just noticed that Judith put up the pattern that we are doing next. Now I have a dilemma...should I go buy more yarn or pick an un- Christmas like color? The pattern we are doing is this one, Melissa's Christmas Bell Dishcloth. Now, what am I going to do? .....

Recent yarn acquisitions

On a recent trip to Pasa Yarns in Uxbridge, I acquired some new yarn. Pasa Yarns is an interesting place to visit. They sell yarn by the pound ( very reasonably priced I might add) on the second floor of an old mill (next to Berrocco, which unfortunately does not sell to the public! ). The place is rather messy, but they do have lots of interesting yarns. There are endless boxes in several rooms filled with all sorts of yarn on cones.
I lucked out on this day because I got some beautiful 100% wool. Very nice royal blue that I hope to use for felting. I also got some natural wool which hopefully if I don't chicken out will be my yarn dyeing experiment. I've been wanting to try my hand at dyeing, but have been afraid to try. I think I'll be ok once I take the plunge :) Once the holidays are all over I think I will conduct my experiment.
I also got a big cone of natural colored 100% cotton chenille. If I do well with my dyeing experiment, maybe I will try dyeing this yarn as well. The chenille is an incredibly soft yarn and I know it will make nice washcloths and towels. They didn't have any when I was there, but they also carry sock yarn. Must try knitting socks first though to make sure I like knitting them, then the next time I go I'll get some sock yarn. Too bad that it's a little bit of a trip for me or a would go more often just to see what they have in stock.
The last yarn that I bought were some cones of a wool/boucle blend that I am going to mix with simply soft from Michael's for a sweater for me. I want it easy care...machine washable and dryable. I love the colors. I think it will look nice with jeans. Previously I made a hat and scarf for my husband with a similar yarn with wonderful results. That's it for now... happy knitting :)