Bad Ass Knittin Bag Part 3

When I started working on my bag Friday, this is what it looked like:



When I got finished working on it Friday, this is what it looked like:



So this is what I've been workng on:



If you're wondering, no I didn't mistakenly put those first 2 pictures out of order. I wish that was the case. Very frustrated, very disappointed that I had to rip all of that work out. When I went to move my hoops and looked back at my work I realized that the metallic thread I was using just wasn't working the way I wanted and I wasn't happy with how it was looking. I think I could lave probably fixed part of the problem, but I didn't want to chance it and not have the time to do something else.

Note to self: I don't think metallic thread was meant for that kind of satin stitch.

So, as you can see, I've been knitting this weekend. I've been kind of sick over having to rip out all that work and just couldn't face looking at my embroidery again without a short break. I've gotten some good work done on my knitting. And, even better, I've discovered that knitting and purling the "right" way have now become habit for me.

Tommow, back to the embroidery.

Mmmmm...Pie!

I tried something new for supper last night. A recipe I got from a friend at work for tomato pie. Of all the things you can make into pies, who would ever think that tomatoes would be one of the yummiest? Not all that healthy, but yummy still. I'm sure it can be made more healthy though. Maybe next time.

The recipe:

1 pie crust, baked according to package instructions (I used Mrs. Smith's Deep Dish)
4 medium-large tomatoes, peeled and sliced
1 package bacon
fresh basil
1 cup mayonaise
1 cup shredded mozarella
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar

Preheat over to 350 degrees.
Seed and slice tomatoes. Lay slices on a paper towel lined pan and sprinkle lightly with salt.
Cut bacon into pieces and brown.
In a separate bowl, mix together the mayonaise and cheeses.
After the pie crust and the bacon has cooled, assemble the pie.
Layer half the tomatoes on bottom of pie crust. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Add a few basil leaves. Sprinkle with half the bacon. After all the tomatoes and bacon have been used, spread the mayonaise and cheese mixture over the top.
Bake for 30 minutes or uintil the top of the pie is golden brown.
Let cool for 10-15 minutes. Slice and enjoy! Serves about 6.

I wish I had thought to take a picture before we demolished it.

Our State Fair is a Great State Fair...

I love the SC State Fair. I always have. Most likely I always will. The fair always brings back good memories of my childhood and a story about my brother as a child that never fails to make me laugh and embarrass him. I love the exhibits, the animals, the crowds, the food…Everything! But now that I’m older I can appreciate parts of it more. The exhibits especially. I know exactly how much work and artistry go into so much more of it now.

A few years ago, actually, more like 6 or 7 years ago, I entered a pair of embroidered pillowcases in the fair. I did better than I expected: Second place in my category. I’m still proud of that. I even have a tattoo that was inspired by that design.

And then I stopped embroidering.

Now that I’m back into my craftiness I’m thinking about entering again. If I did, I’d enter my Badass Knittin Bag and the felted bag that I’m also working on. I have to make up my mind by August 29. Any item I entered would have to be completed by October 1. I worry that if I did enter an item I’m still working on that it would take the fun out of it for me. Not only that, but when I’m faced with a deadline I have to meet I tend to procrastinate.

I hate making decisions.

Bad Ass Knittin Bag Part 2

I love my bag and its not even close to being done. I'm making good progress. I've got the skull done and half of the knitting needles. Once I get the embroidery done I'm going to take a break from it and work on my knitting some more.

I just love it! The colors, the shapes. I almost wish I could snap my fingers and it be embroidered and sewn together. But then again, I don't want to miss out on doing any of it. I'd like to say I try not to talk too much abut it, but I'd be wrong. Hopefully my coworkers aren't too terribly tired of seeing me show off my work. I'm just so darn excited about it!!!!!

Bad Ass Knittin Bag Part 1

I started the work on my bad ass knittin bag this weekend!! Friday I pre-washed the fabric, Saturday I ironed it and cut out the outside of the bag, and then I put my husband to work.

Here he is making his blog debut. He's transferring the pattern onto my fabric.


This is what the pattern looks like before I started work.



And here it is after a little longer than a day of work.



Damn this thing called work that interrupts my embroidering and knitting!

Frustration

I’m frustrated with my knitting. It’s making me feel stupid. You see, I just discovered a couple days ago that I’m making the knit stitch and the purl stitch wrong. Oddly enough I did them both so wrong that they look right. Now, after over 6 months I’m having to go back and learn how to do it the right way, which means unlearning it the wrong way. Which sucks great big, huge, hairy donkey balls. I’ve discovered that the wrong way has much more economical motions than the right way. The right way just seems so wrong to me now even though it’s not. I’ve been making myself do it properly though. I want to make nice stuff so I have to do it the right way. Before I discovered my issue my knitting had become a thoughtless escape. It was easy, I didn’t have to think about it. But now I do. So I’ve been procrastinating. My procrastination has given me the opportunity to catch up on my trashy romance novel reading, though.

Projects, Project Everywhere

For once in my life I got money for my birthday earlier this month. Usually I spend any money I get for gifts for groceries or something else I need. This year I decided that I needed more yarn and supplies for projects.

I got this Friday night at Michaels. The blue yarn is going to be a felted bag. I'm not sure about the other yet. It was on sale and I couldn't resist it. I also got another size of circular needles for knitting the bag and transfer paper to transfer an embroidery design onto another project.

I got this Saturday morning at a little store called Fabric 101 on the other side of creation from me in Pontiac near Sand Hills. If anyone in SC reads this they have a really nice selection of great quality fabrics. This is going to be for my "Bad Ass Knitting Bag" that I'm making as well as embroidering.

So yeah, if you're keeping track that's 3 projects I've got started/planned: Baby Blanket #2, felted bag and the knitting bag. At least I won't be bored anytime in the near future.