A Cute Pattern Can Make You Do Things...

You've never done before - like PURL!

OK, I admit it. I never used the purl stitch in a project before. Now grant me a little slack... one does not have to purl when FELTING. Plus all my purses and tote bags were completed on circular needles. If I used a funky novelty yarn that showed up better on the purled side in a felting project, I just turned it inside out :)

Enter THE PATTERN for the most adorable little girl's dress, EXIT all knitting inhibitions. Not only am I forced to purl and complete lace designs with pattern abbreviations like ssk, yo, p2tog, k2tog, and psso - I'm doing all of this on size 6 addi turbo needles with mercenized Egyptian cotton yarn.



For those non-knitters, this is a HUGE leap from bamboo size 13 circulars and Paton's merino wool for felting a purse. Previously all I had to do was one Knit stitch - over and over 10,000 times.



You should have seen me manipulating two sets of circular needles at once to complete the hem! But I did it, or I should say I'm doing it. I'm half way through the lace design. I'm determined - which would explain why I happily balled the first hank of yarn without the intervention of a yarn swift. THAT was a sight! Yarn draped aroung my neck as I unwound (read: untangled) 12" at a time and fed it to my ball winder. Of course the following day I went back to the yarn shop for more yarn and had them ball it before I left the store. (I also went online and purchased my own swift for next time!)

Fingers, toes, and eyes crossed - I hope to finish the dress for Baby Kate's 1st Birthday. As we all know, you can only get away with giving clothes for birthday presents to one year olds - after that you'd better hide the clothes in the packaging surrounding the TOYS! I take that back, "Tante T" found an exception with Sophia... you can always buy a lil' Diva a Cinderella dress!