Needle felting, Penny rugs and Sweater Pillows

Wow!!! Three projects finished yesterday! and only two more started...shouldn't that be considered gaining on the problem? I found this pattern...or something similar to it in an old stack of quilting magazines that my Mom gave me. I love to do scrappy circle pennies but sometimes these "planned" ones are hard for me, they are not as relaxing as the circles, but certainly more rewarding when they are finished. This sweater was a favorite of mine, just an inexpensive acrylic sweater, but the one that I grabbed that worked for everything and the color was good for me. Unfortunately in my excited quest for pine cones on a trip through the woods, I pulled my sweater into a pouch and threw them in. Pine sap EVERYWHERE! What was I thinking? I salvaged this much for a little pillow, there is still some left...I'll add it to the stash!

This was my first attempt at needle felting and I loved it. I did this quite awhile ago and just finally finished it into this pillow.

Now to feed the addiction, I found a link online to a Pittsburgh Knitting and Crodheting Festival/Trade show/Enablers Anonymous event that was happening over the weekend. So I gathered a fellow addict and away we went yesterday morning. After being away from all things yarn for so long pursuing a painting career....lol....this was a revelation for me! About the third booth and first swipe of the debit card, a feeling came over me that I don't think was brought on from too much coffee. I WANT IT ALL! I want to learn, I want to buy, I want to be able to do it all! (Truth be told, I think I had this same feeling when I wanted to learn to paint 25 years ago)

Now, thanks to Memaw, I can crochet about anything...those tiny, fine little doilies to jumbo afghans but knitting I am struggling with. Those straight scarves and the dishcoths that I thought were confusing are nothing compared to this adorable sweater pattern that I bought to make for a granddaughter...not sure which one yet because I don't understand guage and sizing so we'll see who it is for when we see how big it turns out. Anyway, I started the sweater yesterday and Tuesday night we start a knitting group....I can't wait, how fun is this going to be? I have to clean my house though, the first meeting is here!!!!