I finished the body of the Noni bag. It looks huge! Does it really felt down so much? The next step is a flexible bind-off, which I've never heard of before. I'll look online to see if I can find instructions on how to do it.
Added still more rows to the Gossamer Wrap. I have three skeins left to knit up, plus one for the fringe. Still knitting the back of Caroline too. It's going so slowly, I think because I've lost motivation for this project for some reason. It's just not as exciting to me as when I first ordered the yarn.
With the cold weather, I've been reading more mysteries. I finished Die Laughing, one of the Carola Dunn mystery series that takes place in 1920s England. Daisy our detective is married to Alec, a DCI at Scotland Yard. She always manages to step smack in the middle of a murder, this time finding her dentist dead of nitrous oxide poisoning when she goes to his office to have a tooth removed. Alec is forever trying to keep her out of detecting, though he usually needs her help to solve the murder. The series reminds me very much of Anne Perry's Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series, though it takes place in Victorian England.
When I finished Die Laughing, I missed Charlotte and Thomas so much that I pulled The Whitechapel Conspiracy off the bookcase. The story begins with Thomas giving evidence for prosecution of a murder, though he can't provide a motive for it, yet. I'm at the beginning of the story, so I know Charlotte's going to go and have tea soon with someone and find out!
Lastly, Sarah recommended In a Dry Season by Peter Robinson. I'd never read any of his books before, but this one intrigued me because it involved a murder that took place in the 1940s. The town where it happened had been flooded by a reservoir, but in the year the mystery takes place, the reservoir has dried up, and so the body was discovered. The story travels back and forth in time, and the author depicts WWII England on the homefront very clearly. Most of the characters are pretty dysfunctional, so I didn't enjoy them as much as I do the Anne Perry characters, but it's a great story nonetheless if you are looking for a page turner to while away the winter nights. That is, if you're not watching the Tour of California this week, on the Versus channel. *Love* those shots of palm trees, and seeing all that bike racing reminds me that spring really is around the corner.
Pretty flowers! I want spring..... I'm always amazed at how much things felt down, so I'll keep my fingers crossed for your bag! :) Are there any tips on the bindoff for that bag on ravelry?
Posted by: Chris | February 20, 2008 at 11:51 AM
We're trying to watch the Tour of California, but it's airing at 11:00 p.m. during the week -- a little late, when I have to get up the next morning for work!
I trust you've heard that the entire Astana team has been banned from the 2008 Tour de France...
Posted by: madalyn | February 20, 2008 at 02:34 PM
I love reading the escapades of Thomas and Charlotte! Such fun...
The Noni Bag is looking great!!! I think you'll be really happy with it after felting. And the colors are very "you." I've started thinking of you every time I see pink!!
Posted by: Sheepish Annie | February 20, 2008 at 03:20 PM
The Noni bag looks so [email protected] I love the little bits of green with the pink. I too am a big fan of mystery serieses (is that a word?). Lately I've been reading the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters. It's pretty good.
Posted by: Nancy | February 20, 2008 at 03:43 PM
Pretty Noni bag. I've never heard of that bind off either; will you share with us what it is?
Awww, that Hyacynth is so pretty.
Posted by: Julie | February 20, 2008 at 06:06 PM
Oh I love the Noni bag, it does look very pretty. Elizabeth Peters is very good, and I like Peter Robinson too.
Posted by: 2paw | February 20, 2008 at 06:24 PM
The Noni bag is pretty! Things can felt down a lot so hopefully this one will too. I love the flowers.
Posted by: Sydney | February 20, 2008 at 11:07 PM
Thanks for those shots of spring color! The Nonibag looks great so far - can't wait to see it felted and finished! I find it helpful to crochet around the unconfined edges of a felting project, so they felt evenly without splaying or bunching.
Posted by: Ina | February 21, 2008 at 09:36 AM
The Noni bag is looking great! I've not made one, but I know everything else I've felted always looks absolutely HUGE pre-felting. It'll shrink alot.
I haven't tried the flexible bind-off and I don't even know what it is. Look forward to hearing what you find out on that one!
Posted by: robin | February 21, 2008 at 11:46 AM
Those hyacinths just shout, "SPRING!" - even digitally from across the country. They're so pinkly perfect for you, and should definitely get to model with the Noni bag after the felting!
I'm so happy to be knitting while watching cycling again. I'm getting a tremendous kick out of the jazzy new uniforms, too - how much do I want to make Team Slipstream orange and blue argyle armwarmers? And then there's Rock Racing - I like to think of them as Team Skeletor, because those suits are definitely what the Evil Lord of Destruction would choose if he were going to climb on a road bike. They're Snake Mountain black and Slime Pit green, with skulls! (Okay, can you tell I watched Saturday morning cartoons in the late '80s?)
Posted by: Sarah | February 21, 2008 at 07:04 PM
Your Noni bag is very lovely! I can't wait to see it in all its felted glory.
Posted by: Sue | February 21, 2008 at 10:34 PM
It's amazing how much something will shrink when felted. I'm sure your bag will be fabulous!
Posted by: Dana | February 22, 2008 at 09:15 AM
Love the colors of the Noni Bag and the plant!
Posted by: tiennie | February 22, 2008 at 07:00 PM
Oh, it'll felt down. Usually takes at least a couple of washes, but it will...
Such pretty flowers... *sigh*
Posted by: Brigitte | February 25, 2008 at 08:31 AM
Your Noni bag is big but don't worry it will felt well or just keep felting until it does get smaller.
Posted by: wendy g | February 25, 2008 at 10:28 AM