Vintage Bubble Bag Bottom and more . . .

To answer "anonymous" who asked a question about the bottom of the Vintage Bubble Bag: I finished the bottom just as the pattern called for and it did make kind of a line across the bottom. When I stuffed it to dry, I pulled it really hard and stuffed it hard on the bottom in order to try to "flatten" it out somewhat. It ended up with the bottom being OK and it will stand up on it's own. I have thought that if I make another one, I will finish the bottom a little differently - trying to make it rounder or at least eliminate the line at the bottom.

I'm currently working on a tote bag that I think I will really like. It has a nice large, flat bottom that you insert a plastic piece in to give it stability. Knitting it with Cascade 220, navy blue, double stranded and the handle is actually a strap that's felted separately and then sewn onto the bag - going up both sides and across the bottom, which will give it strength, I hope. The strap is out of one strand of Cascade 220 in a purple shade with a strand of Koigu wool carried with it that is a variegated of shades of blue, including navy, and purple.

I'm also working on finishing two tank tops, just have a little left to sew them together - why don't I like finishing as well as I like knitting???? Then - I'm almost done with the front of another short sleeve sweater I'm making out of a really nice Elizabeth Levold wool/silk combo. Then there are the sleeves and sewing together. If I'd just get the finishing touches done on these three - I'd have 3 more sweaters/tops to wear!

I went to a fabulous yarn shop with my daughter last Saturday called Common Threads in Encinitas. Besides being 1 block from the beach, it was in a really fun area to shop, and it was a beautiful day. We stayed there 1 1/2 hours and her kids (my grandchildren, of course) were angels. They carefully looked around the store and checked out the yarns, feeling them and oohing and aahing just like we were. That deserved a trip to the ice cream store across the street when we were done! I purchased a yarn I have been looking for a long time called "Denim Silk" by Berroco. Love it, love it, love it! I've already got it wound into balls and am trying to decide between 2 or 3 patterns. I discovered another yarn I immediately fell in love with called Manos Cotton Stria. Wow! Fantastic feel (really soft) and wonderful colors. I don't know how I kept myself from buying some, but I did. Have to have it, though. Maybe on my next trip to visit the kids!