I made a backpack for the tree swap for hannahbear and my daughter immediately requested the same item except in green and purple!  She even sent me the yarn!  Here are the results:





I lined it with sections of a cotton towel I purchased at World Market.  There are a couple of pockets, to accomodate cellphone, measuring tape, wallet, etc and plenty of space for a bottle of water or whatnot.  I used a pattern from Patons  http://www.patonsyarns.com/pattern.php?PID=2160. 

  The strapping was not adjustable in the pattern.  I'm not sure what I did is any better, but here is a picture anyways -- I used D rings and velcro.    As you can see, I altered the bag a bit in other ways as well-- I am always fooling about with something just because I can.  Thanks for letting me show it off!

I've been working on a bag pattern for the "make a purse from this stuff" swap and finished a prototype yesterday.  It's not expertly stitched -- and has many flaws, but I am posting pics so my swap partner can get an idea of what I came up with (and what I am and am not capable of!)    any other comments are welcome!!!!!!!!!!

Blurry picture number 1 to give you an idea of the shape:



What the front looks like without the blur:  



A snap closure and zippered divider pocket:



Side gusset:



Thoughts, ideas, suggestions?

I made this bag for a swap on ravelry (shhh - don't tell, I'm mailing it tomorrow).  I think it turned out handsomely!

I lined the bag with part of a scarf I received from TheSapphireMoon in Fill-a-box Swap Round 9!  I also covered the button with that fabric!

I put in a zippered divider pocket (much harder than I thought it would be).

On the back side of the purse I put in pockets - one pen/pencil sized, one pad of paper sized, and one cell phone sized.  I hope she likes it!

Is anyone interested in crafting for graduates?  Graduates would receive a medium and two smalls or a large and one small or something like that according to their needs/wants and those of us crafting would receive their thanks and a token of their appreciation?  Any interest?

I saw two of Flossbox's biscornu (http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=217396.0) on this thread and had to give them a try!  I used one of her many snowflake patterns for the top:



I just did some simple stitching on the back:



The side view:


I used an off white aida cloth and blue rayon DMC floss.  Is rayon floss hard to work with, or is it my imagination?  Anyways, I have taken a long vacation from embroidery (because I'm addicted to knitting), but a run in with carpal tunnel syndrome has me cooling my knit and purl jets.  Cross stitch was just the answer!  I have plans to use a few more of Flossbox's patterns during my CTS recovery!

Visit Flossbox at her blog (http://blog.theflossbox.com) to get inspired!  Thanks Flossbox!

I knitted this little sweater from a pattern, changing the traditional dino colors (greens and browns) to pastels and leaving off the spots.  It's a leisure arts pattern, I think.   It's knitted from cheap acrylic. 

I have friends who think my Jack Russell is humiliated by wearing it, but I think she's warm and my 22 year old daughter likes it so much she wants a hoodie to match!

I finished my Irish Hiking Scarf (http://helloyarn.com/irishhikingscarf.htm)for the Red Scarf Project (http://www.orphan.org/index.php?id=40). 


The action shot!


The detail

I used Lion Brand Wool Ease (Acrylic, Wool and Rayon blend) because it's easy care and size 8 needles.  The color is called red sprinkles.   This was a quick and fun project.  Thanks for looking!

I used "The Wonderful Wallaby" from Cottage Creations to knit this sweater for my grand nephew.  I've made lots of these, but I've never done more than add one stripe to one, so this is the first colorwork in a Wallaby for me!  Thanks for looking!