Designing Women

Some people have tons of creative energy to spread around. They create all day long and then sit down at night and create some more. I am a little different. When faced with a large creative challenge I pretty much stop everything else. If I am writing, I have to knit something plain with no decision making requirements. If I am knitting something difficult, I don't write. That is what happened to me last week.

I finished Mariposa and dropped it off at the SWTC warehouse on Thursday. I had Jack with me and he was in a foul mood, so I had to jet out of there. On the way home I got to thinking. Doesn’t Mariposa need a purse? It’s an extravagant shawl, meant for special occasions like weddings or fancy dances. Wouldn’t it be great to have a cute bag to match your shawl?

I emailed Jonelle and she thought it was a good idea. She offered to give me some yarn to complete my ideas.

On Friday the air conditioning guys were here from Chas Roberts all day. Seriously, they came at 8 and left at 6:30. I kept leaving and coming back because it was hot in the house without a/c and I couldn't just sit around and sweat all day. On my trip to get my yarn I started thinking about these purses I wanted to make and how I would construct them. Then I came home and started knitting.

I have never designed anything in my life. I can read a pattern. I can follow directions. But create something without knowing what will happen? It was scary and exciting and I loved every minute of it. I can't stop thinking about these purses, and even as I type I want to go back to my room and pick up my needles.

I knit on the red purse all weekend and today my mom helped me line it. The finished product is here:



I wasn't sure if it was okay to post this picture since I'm still designing, but I consulted my personal intellectual property attorney and he assures me it is fine.

I love Southwest Trading Company. Not just because they have interesting yarn, but the people who work there are wonderful. They were unpacking a shipment of Karaoke on Friday and everyone there was in a jovial mood even though they had billions of boxes surrounding them and tons of work in their immediate future.

If you don't know what Karaoke is, allow me to show you my personal cone of it:



Here it is along with some black and white Bamboo and Shimmer that I am using to make more purses. Of course, digital photography does not do the yarn justice. It is beautiful. It is not like anything you've ever touched before. It is lofty yet thick. It is soft and weighty. The colors are blendy and smooth. I love this yarn. Alas, it will have to sit in my stash for a little longer while I work out the issues with my purses.

I have to take a moment to thank Jeff for watching our dogs and Gloria and Tom for watching our baby this weekend. Joe and I stayed at a lovely place called Sanctuary on Camelback Saturday night. What a wonderful time we had. It was relaxing and quiet and just beautiful. I forgot the camera, so you will have to believe me when I tell you it did not even resemble Phoenix. It was green and lush and wonderful.

Ok, back to the needles.