Sunday, July 19, 2015

YOP Update - It's Looking Like a Rug






Hi!  Well, it's Sunday and time for a Year of Projects update so here I am inside typing on a beautiful, albeit hot, summer day.  Actually, I'm having lots of fun sitting here in my chair people watching out my front window.  You see today is the Hopkins Raspberry Festival (my city of Hopkins used to be farmland where they raised lots of raspberries) and from my comfortable vantage point I can see all the floats lining up for the parade on Mainstreet as well as all the people walking there to nab a great viewing spot.  I'm not much for parades myself as I really don't like crowds, but the atmosphere is overflowing onto my street which I do enjoy.  

I've been working on my braided rug every morning before my son wakes up and I've been pleased with how its coming along.  Today was, in theory, going to be the grand finish, but it's still a little small to my eye.  Currently it measures 21 1/2 inches wide by 28 inches long (71 cm x 55 cm), whereas I am aiming more for 24 x 36 inches.  With the rug being a bit more circular than oval this will probably end up as 24 x 31 or something along those lines.  My guess is about two more loops around should do it.  I have enough of the red and the blue/green colorways, but am now out of the pink/orange/yellow.  I'll be adding in what I call my "Autumn" colorway which is red, orange, yellow and green.  I think it'll blend in pretty well.  It's really starting to look like a rug don't you think?

I did have a finish this week though, my Out of the Frying Pan oven mitts are now both knit and felted!  The even turned out almost exactly the same size even though I felted them separately.  Cool huh?  I would really recommend this pattern as the fit of the mitt is excellent.  Now I'm all set to start mordanting my base yarn this week.  I only have to skein them up in small sample sized skeins. Yay!

Since I really enjoyed making the felted oven mitts I think I'm going to make some felted potholders for my friend's Christmas gifts.  Every year I pick something and make the same thing for everybody.  Last year it was this Market Bag, the year before simple dishcloths, and this year I was going to make everyone these trivets, but after making all the I-cord for the rug I am getting a little bit tired of the process.  I am trying not to buy yarn, but I think I have plenty of color choices now that I'm using up my knitted toy business yarns. 

Thus, I'm checking off one item to the list and adding one item to the list.  Which means I'm not getting ahead really, but then again not behind either.  Have a great week everyone!

9 comments:

  1. It's a really great rug and will be finished very soon. I love those oven mitts, they really do look great and I think replacing the trivets with felted potholders a great idea and I can see that working out for the better. Enjoy your week. Ruth.

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  2. The rug looks awesome. If you still want to make those trivets then an iCord machine like the one from Embellishknit would be just the thing. It works really well and really fast.

    I clicked the market bag link and now I think I need one or two of those!

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    1. Thanks! That Market Bag are a super quick knit do give it a try!

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  3. The oven mitts are fabulous and I love the rug - especially because you can leave footprints!

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    1. Love those mitts! Might have to add them to my future projects list. The rug looks awesome!

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  4. The rug is coming along nicely. I've never seen anyone make oven mitts before and yours look cool. I am about to go and check out the Market Bags that you made before.

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  5. Saturday our town hosted the county's 4-H Fair parade. We attended many parades in the past (were in a few, too), but with the heat we've been suddenly thrust into, all I could think was how thankful I am that we didn't feel compelled to be there. :^)

    I love how squishy and soft that rug looks. And the mitts are great, too. I look forward to seeing your felted pot holders!

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  6. Your rug is really taking shape, but I agree, it needs to be a bit bigger yet. Your mitts are great and the fact they are the same size after felting is fantastic. Your market bag idea for gifts has given me a great idea to do them too. They are starting to make you pay for bags in the grocery stores here.

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  7. Your rug is really taking shape, but I agree, it needs to be a bit bigger yet. Your mitts are great and the fact they are the same size after felting is fantastic. Your market bag idea for gifts has given me a great idea to do them too. They are starting to make you pay for bags in the grocery stores here.

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