Can't Get Enough of "Knit One Below" by Elise Duvekot

After finishing the Inside Outside scarf (see previous post), I decided I just had to make the Bottoms Up! felted bag. This entailed a quick evening run to my LYS (11 miles away) before they closed to get some needles I needed. I got back, and sat down, ready to plunge forward. Instead, all I did was mutter not-so-nice words for the next two hours. Part of the problem was trying to manipulate 4 large dpns with just 8 stitches total on them. I also wasn't sure I really should be trying to knit below into the cast on--the directions sure seemed to be saying that, but my knitting kept falling apart. I posted a message of desperation on the Ravelry group for this book, and a very nice woman responded, who said she would start a second bag to try to figure out what was happening to me. How incredibly kind! She assured me you do knit into the cast on, and mentioned using 2 circular needles. Though I'd not tried that method of circular knitting before, anything would be worth a try to get me out of my agony. After about 20 more minutes the next evening, I finally got it (or got it enough!). It is going well now, though I am about to run out of the navy yarn. Webs can't ship quickly enough for me!

The lovely woman who helped me is a designer herself--I can't wait to start her Mitered Striped Felted Bag for my mom. Her spring-like colors motivated me to get some bright ones myself.



Her wonderful help makes me think of pre-Ravelry days. I wasn't knitting for too long before Ravelry came along, but I do remember desperate runs to the LYS, even phone calls for more basic questions. Or I could ask one of several people at work, and I've done my share of that. But if the LYS was closed, or I was not at work, I was pretty much out of luck. Ravelry may not be the greatest thing since sliced bread--it is the greatest thing including sliced bread!

Oh, and in the package from Webs will be half the yarn I need for the lovely Chanel-like jacket in the book. I have the gray in Jaeger Matchmaker DK, so I've ordered the black in Schachenmayr Extra Merino, which is a nicely priced closeout. I hope they will work well together. I also have yarn for a vest from the book, and socks, and a hat.... Can you tell I am becoming addicted?