SeaGlass Bag complete!

I finished this bag this summer, but realized I never took the finished picture. This was a Christmas present for my daughter. Here is the front (there are little bead fish with bubbles rising to the top):

And the back:

And my favorite part is the liner (a Japanese fabric with sheep and a shepard):

Here are the details:
Pattern: My own
Yarn: Knit Picks Bare - Superwash Merino Worsted Weight
Color: Hand dyed lime green by AnniePurl (Ravelry)
Gauge:4.5 st/inch, unblocked
Needles: US 9 / 5.5 mm
Notions: beads, 1 tube 5/0 beads; fabric liner; ribbon for handle

Already August?

Is that really possible? Wow. As I mentioned yesterday, not much knitting happened in July, but that will certainly change for August. Ravelry is hosting the Ravelympics 2008, similar to Yarn Harlot's Knitting Olympics which are held every 4 years during the Winter Olympics. Being the Ravelry junkie that I am, I of course have entered. So this month's knitting goals will revolve around the Ravelympics. Basically, I have from the start of the Olympics (Aug 8) until the closing ceremony (Aug 24) to complete my "events" (see below).

I am on 2 teams and doing a number of events. Here is the summary:
Team Monthly Adventures (my very active swapping group)

• Project: Start and Complete "Hanami Stole" from start to finish (pattern from June swap). Can swatch ahead of time (considered training). Events this project is entered in:
  1. Balance Beads
  2. Lace Weight Long Jump
  3. Shawl Relay
  4. Hand Dyed Hurdles (I will be dyeing the yarn sometime during the next week, but I did buy yarn that would work in case my first-ever dyeing attempt does not produce the results I am looking for!).

• Project: Finish my Seaglass Beaded Bag (from our swap back in March and April). Events entered:
  1. Balance Beads
  2. Bag n Tote Backstroke
     
  3. Holiday Handball
  4. WIPs Wrestling
     

Team Countrywool (with Claudia, the fearless leader of my knitting/spinning retreats)

• Project: Finish my February Lady Cardigan. Events this project is entered in:
  1. WIPs Wrestling
     
  2. Sweater Sprint
  
  

I will be really happy if I can get all of this done in 17 days. I'm not even sure it is possible, but I am willing to lose sleep trying!

After the Olympics, I need to finish my SKP sock 3 before the end of the month (I have barely started). Those are my knitting goals for August.

Seaglass bag

I have started my beaded bag (named the "Seaglass Bag" because of the colors). It was a frustrating start--I could not get the beads to work with my yarn regardless of what method I was using to attach the beads. I ended up buying new beads (the exact same colors) with a larger hole and now I am happily knitting along:

It is about 7 inches across and there is a design on the back. I think the beads will look better once I have finished knitting and I block everything. Now that the beads are working, it's a pretty easy and fun knit. I hope to have the knitting done before this weekend and will work on the liner and straps next week.

Beaded Bag

Since last summer's Mystery Stole 3, I have been dyeing to do another knitting project with beads. This month I will be knitting along with some fellow Ravelers (Monthly Adventures 2008 group) to make a small bag. All of the items needed for the bag were received over 2 swaps. The beads were sent to me by knitknerd:

And the yarn was hand dyed (yes, just for me!) by AnniePurl:

who also sent the fabric for the liner:

The color of the beads and yarn together remind me of the sea glass we find along the coast of Maine. I am designing a simple pattern with that in mind. As soon as I finish my second sock for SKP, I will be casting on for this bag (I am on the heel of my 2nd sock...).