A Couple of bags and a blanket

My sewing machine had been busy lately. Last week I sewed the race car blanket for a birthday present for my Nephew's 3rd birthday. I decieded that I wanted a new purse to match most of my summer outfits, and that is the orange one and the long blue bag is the new knitting bag that I designed. It is called the "Knitn' Carry".

Cades Cove, TN

We spent three hours here on Monday and I thought that these pictures turned out great. So, I decided to share them with you all.

And the Winner is . . . . . . . . .

For the Vacation Contest the winner is Teresa of Maggie Grace Creates. Please e-mail me with your address and I will send you the yarn . Thank you all for the comments I hope that you have

I forgot my Blog Anniversery

It was May 16, I began this blog on May 16, 2005 and I can't believ that I have been doing this for over a year now. This is a feat for me because I normally cannot keep up with a journal longer than a month. I don't think I would have been able to without my readers and your comments. Thank you for making this year fly by.

I might just take this also

After seeing this post over at Molly Chicken I might just get back to making cute patches I might just have to take my stitching kit with me. I love these and I think I might just have to make a few to go on the purses that I am working on.

What should I take on Vacation (Contest)

I will be leaving on Saturday morning to go on vacation. I have a 4 hours drive each way and will be camping the whole weekend. I plan on packing the following:

1. My Denise Needles
2. My summer sweater project
3. A original scarf pattern that I am knitting up for the shop
4. and a choice between two other projects

• A mystery shawl [3 different yarns 1 skein each and #15 needles] (1)
• An original Felted Bag [1 base wool yarn,3 skeins and 3 different novelty yarns (2)

Ok, I need help with the last two which one should I take. Let me know by picking either #1 or #2

I will throw the names in the hat tomorrow afternoon [Friday, May 26 at 4pm]

All picks need to be in by 3:30pm est to count.

One Skein of Novelty yarn: Please pick a color from the following list and list it in your post.

• Blue
• Red
• Purple
• Pink
• Green
• Black

It's the SOUL PATROL

My favorite won last night Yipee, Yipee. I was about to jump out of my seat. I love the way he sings, he needs a few dance lessons but he can sing.

The Arts & Scraps Swap

I participated in the Arts and Scraps Swap at Swap-Bot and this is the loot that I recieved from Robin. It was a pacakage full of items for collage and shadow box art, I love the items and now all I have to do is get a few shadow boxes and get to work. Here is one detail shot. Here is another upclose shot. I got buttons, beads, chips, ATCs, antique postcards, and so many other cool things. Thank you Robin

Another interest sparking post

This is a Japanese Craft Magazine and I think this one is one of the best issues that I have seen.

Japanese craft books

I really love these books and magazines and I hope that the pictures inspire you as much as they do me. This is handbags and I love this books and plan on making a few of the bags from this book.

I am sorry that these are so small but I could not get them any bigger without losing my sidebar.

I have been Surfing

The World Wide Web that is. I have been checking out various Japanese websites in the hunt for the perfect inspiration. After a few hours I set back and decided to draw up some Items based on what I had saw. Well here it is.

Week 6 of Whip up

Week 6 And I decided to make something for this contest. This is the Geisha Bag: I created a foundation pattern out of a canvas fabric and then I pieced the fabric on it using the foundation method of quilting. I then put decorative machine stitches on each seam line. I also added beads and buttons as a detail to the front top of the bag.

The ribbon handle was attached with ribbon tabs and D-rings, and lobster clasps.

This bag was very fun to make and I really enjoyed the process.

The buttons that are on the bag are the ones that I recieved in the button swap on Swap-Bot

My Podcast

I have just started a podcast and I have a new blog just for this podcast. http://katiesknitknatpodcast.blogspot.com and here is the feed for the podcast.

Inspiration Day

This bag was found on the Jaca Jaca Site. I think the idea is great for using up the scraps in my fabric pile. I also have a Sizzix Die Cut Machine, from my scrapbooking days and I have the Paper Doll Punches and it would be so easy to make the clothes for this bag. I thought I would post a few links that I find inspirational.

• Denim Bags
• Great links and more Translated
• Jaca Jaca this is a handmade botique that has great ideas for small items
• More Bags

These are all Japanese websites and you might want to use Google Language tools to Translate the pages for you. I find the pictures are better that the words because the meaning gets lost in translation.

A Wonderful Mother's Day

My wonderful DH and daughters gave me the most womderful Mother's Day Present, that a Fiber Nut would want. I think that most of my friends will think that I am crazy for making such a big deal about this gift. I do know that most of my fiber friends will know why. It is a Stauch Petite and I did have to try it out last night. I works great on the Llama Fiber that I have to spin up. I was able to card enough to spin half a bobbin full of yarn.

Sitting Here Crying

I am sitting here at my desk crying, my DH just called and told me that we have a buyer for my Baby. Well she is not a baby anymore, but she was my first baby. I have had her longer than I have had my children. I am talking about my horse Legs by the way. We had been saying that we were going to sell her for the past couple of years and we always backed out because no one wanted to pay the amount that we were asking, even though she is worth every penny. So today we had somene call and offer us more than we had been asking for her and we decided to take the offer. He is going to deliver her and pick up the check in the next hour, I don't even get to say goodbye. I will get visitation :-) she is only going about 15 min form our home and will become a hunter jumper horse.

I just had to again

Your 80s Heartthrob Is

Michael J. Fox

Who's Your 80's Heartthrob?

This is right I love Michael J. Fox when I was younger. I saw this in so many different places that I do not know who to credit.

American Idol

I have not post on how much I like this show because I did not want to get into who I liked best and who I didn't like. Well I will say I really like Taylor, but this week I almost cried when I watched this. I cannot believe he is gone. Chris did Elvis so well , and hit every note perfectly and still kept a sense of his own style that he should have been in the final and I will miss him. You can see a recap of the performances of this week here

Converted Pants

Converted Pants, originally uploaded by knitknat1021.

I made this skirt froma Pirn of Blue Jeans and I love it. This was prior to washing to fray the edges My five year old was nice enough to take this picture for me. That is the reason for the headless shot

Father -in-Law Update

I thought I would let you all know that as of Yesterday it has been a week since My FIL recieved his Lung Transplant. He is doing very well and will be coming home early on Monday. He has completed each step ahead of scheldule.

• He came off the Ventelator in less that 24 hours
• out of ICU in under48 hours
• His drain was out in less that a week
• he was up walking in under a week
• and he will be coming home under the normal 14 day stay.

Thank you all for your prayers over the past few months and I did not post about this any earlier because I wanted to make sure that he was doing good before I told anyone else.

Second Book is on is way

Here is the second book from Yes Asia. I thought that this book looked interesting so I decided on it also. ISBN: 4277413307

Coming soon from Yes Asia

book-16, originally uploaded by Six And A Half Stitches.

ISBN: 4579109813

After reading Crafting Japanese so much I decided I had to Splurge and get a couple of Japanese Craft books and this one is on it's way form Japan to me via www.yesasia.com

New Swap

I have just set up a new swap on Swap-bot and I thought that I would tell all my readers about it. Here is the details:

• You will make a Handbag or Tote Bag out of fabric and fill it with items to help someone learn a new craft.
• The themes for these can be one of the following: *
• Needlework *
• Knitting *
• Crochet *
• Cross Stitch *
• Beading *
• Jewlery Making
• You will send a book on the new craft, and enough items to complete one or two project form the book.
• The Value for this swap is $40- $50
• When you get your swap partners name you will have 3 months to get to know this person to get an idea about what to send, and have time to collect the items that are to be included in the tote bag.
• To keep postage cost low I would like to limit this swap to USA AND CANADA ONLY PLEASE
• If you would like to sign up for this or any of the other great swaps on Swap-Bot all you have to do is sign up for a FREE account.
• Here is the swap info

SP7 Questions and Answers

• 1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? I love Ribbon Yarn What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? Cheap Acrylic, I love anything else I am not that picky I just don't like Wal-mart yarn.
• 2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? I have a Denise Set and I use whatever is around
• 3. How long have you been knitting? 6 years Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? Intermediate
• 4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? Yes it is in my Sidebar
• 5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.) Citrus
• 6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Yes Very, Favorite candy? Twix, Kit Kat,
• 7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Sew, Make Handbags, Quilt, Do you spin? Yes
• 8. What kind of music do you like? DC Talk, Toby Mac, Super Chick, Switchfoot, Lifehouse Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I have an I-Pod
• 9. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? I love Spring Colors and Autumn Colors, I also the combinations of Pink and Green and Pink and Brown. Any colors you just can't stand? Dull Colors
• 10. What is your family situation? Married 2 daughters. Do you have any pets? 5 horses, 2 dogs (outside), 8 Chickens, 1 Guine Pig
• 11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? I wear scarves
• 12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? anything with chunky yarn (quick Knits)
• 13. What are you knitting right now? about 8 things, ( a sweater sample for the shop, a shawl for Shae, ababy Blanket, a wrap for me,etc)
• 14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? I love them and I love making them
• 15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I have a Denise Set and I love Bamboo
• 16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? I have both
• 17. How did you learn to knit? I taught myself while on Bedrest with my Oldest Daughter 6 years ago
• 18. How old is your oldest UFO? Over a year a Cape that I started for my daughter.
• 19. What is your favorite holiday? Thanksgiving
• 20. Is there anything that you collect? Buttons and Ribbon
• 21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? Any Japanese Craft Book Crafting Japanese Has some great ideasWhat knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? Interveave Knits, and Crochet
• 22. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Intralac
• 23. Are you a sock knitter? Sometimes What are your foot measurements? Size 7.5 shoe
• 24. When is your birthday? (mm/dd) October 21

Just a little chat

Swap Bot Update

I have added a few more swaps to the Swap Bot web site and here are the ones that I thought you all might like to join.

• Journal Swap
• Random Button Swap
• Fat Quarter Fabric Swap
• To Knit or To Crochet
• Yarn of a Certain Color
• They all have different dates and you can sign up for a free Swap-Bot account and join your choice of swaps from me and lots of others.