A finished bag and new project

I finished the Oregonian Farmer's Market bag this week and had the privilege of delivering it in person to one of my favorite peoples! 

 

Now, I have decided to try my hand at making baby stuff to sell on Etsy to raise some funds for a couple of road bikes.  In the meantime, I have started a super slouchy hat in Shepherd's Wool, colorway storm.  I purchased the yarn yesterday at Knit Purl in Portland.

¡Uno Más, Por Favor!

It's a handle! Now I just need one more.  I decided not to make the huge single sling-esque strap.  It's harder to put stuff into a bag with only the one strap.  So two handles, it is.

Who's ready for some handles?

This bag is! :)

Oregonian Farmer's Market Bag

I'm making a bag, a Farmer's Market Bag, to be specific.  It's the color of spicy mustard in my opinion. The yarn is Ella Rae Phoenix, colorway Medium Wheat, and it's 100% Egyptian cotton.  The yarn is so soft. 

Inspiration

Nothing in this world beats that moment when you realize you have been inspired to do something for someone else.

Today I received my weekly Lion Brand email.  It was full of tote bag patterns.  When I saw the Farmer's Market Tote, I knew exactly who would love/need this bag.  So now I must find the perfect cotton yarn and I'll be set!  I am so excited.  This is the first time I have been excited about a project in a while; I truly hope the feeling lasts.

Judgement

Today I was reminded of an incident that happened last year when I was purchasing some yarn, and I would like to share the story. I hope it warns other from making judgments.


I went to the local Wal-Mart to purchase some Hometown USA yarn, A. because it's convenient and B. because it's cheaper there.  I had about 10 skeins of the yarn piled on the checkout belt thingy.  The "friendly" cashier asked what I planned on making with this red, black, and white yarn. Stupidly embracing her curiosity as a fellow crafter, I gushed about the blanket I was going to make for my sister and how it matched our old high school colors and her sons' middle school colors--even though they were in a different district. I smiled and thought, how great to chance upon someone else who uses yarn to create things that loved ones will cherish.  Foolish thought. Her next words were, "You do realize this is rug yarn, right?" WHAT? I've just spent all this time choosing colors, matching dye lots in an effing Wal-Mart, only to end up with "rug yarn".  NO SHIT SHERLOCK! I know what kind of yarn I am buying. What gives you the right to judge my project and yarn choices...oh yes, NO RIGHT.  It's also 100% acrylic, would you like to offer some frakking commentary about that? My sister has 5 kids of various ages, so easily washed and dried acrylic is best for her.  I've made all kinds of things out of this yarn.  I wonder if she would said anything if I had bought baby yarn and confessed to make an adult sweater or sock yarn for gloves or lace yarn for a dish cloth...


Whatever you do, don't judge how people use their yarn.  It's yarn.  Raw materials. It can be whatever you want it to be and no one, not even Elizabeth Zimmermann's ghost has a right to comment on it.


What's crappy is that every time I use that yarn, I always remember that stupid cashier and it makes me angry.


Lesson no. 2 of this story is, learn to let things go to avoid being bitter. :) Happy Thursday!

Welcome Blanket

I'm making a blanket from my scraps for friends moving to Oregon next week!