Yarn Overload (and a new knitting project)

So last night I went searching for a new knitting project.
See... I get bored much too easily with large projects.
(That might be the reason I've never attempted a sweater.)
While perusing Crazy Aunt Purls sight, I found the cutest beret pattern ever!
Then I went looking for yarn.
I knew I had the yarn I was looking for... but I couldn't find it anywhere. So I started just placing all the yarn I could locate in the living room.

(Sidenote: I hide yarn everywhere. I buy yarn constantly. It borders on obsessive. I'd never put all of the yarn I could find in one place before.)

WTF!!!!!!

How and when could I have possibly acquired all of this yarn???

What's worse? I never did find the specific yarn I was looking for to do the cute ass beret.

What does that mean? I've got more yarn stashed somewhere. (Ummm... quite possibly I've got alot more yarn stashed somewhere.)

What's even worse? For a moment, I actually considered driving over to Michael's to grab the yarn that I can't locate but I know I own.

Here's where I'm at on the Never Ending Messenger Bag (which will now be affectionately referred to as NEMB.) I'm still on the back of the NEMB. I'd say I've got about 14 inches of the 28 inches that the back must be. Add to that the front and the strap and anything else it requires... I'm about 1/3 of the way done? I think...

Frankly, I'm just bored with it. There's no pattern. Just stockingette stitch over and over and over. I need a break from it. (Although I totally plan to take it on the plane with me Tuesday night. I get mass amounts of knitting done while flying!)

So here's Crazy Aunt Purl's cute beret that I started last night. It's not in the yarn I wanted.

But I'm happy with the yarn none the less.

Okay... as you know... I always have problems! I can't just follow a pattern the right effin way ever! difficulties in following patterns just right. This beret??? It's supposed to be knit on circular needles. First, I couldn't find circular needles in the size the pattern called for. Second, it called for double pointed needles to finish the hat off. I seriously suck and I still can't figure out how to use the damn double pointed needles I have not mastered the art of the double pointed needles just yet. So it's being knitted on straight needles. What does that mean? I have absolutely no way to tell if the hat is anywhere near the correct size for a human being. Which brings me full circle back to the normal hat issue at hand. Will this hat fit me or will it only be appropriate for Andre the Giant?

Don't believe me that I make hats large enough for Andre the Giant???

Here you go.

Although as I'm looking at the picture... I must admit... it's a cute ass hat!

Anyone have an unusually large noggin? I'll send it to you!

It's all yours!

Tis The Season For Knitting???

I knit.

I typically knit non-stop from fall to early spring.

I do not knit well.

Today, Michael and I headed over to our local Michael's to pick up a project for his economics fair next week. He's making friendship bracelets with the name of his school, his friends names, etc...

While we were perusing the store in search of beads with letters on them, we passed by my favorite aisle in the world. The yarn aisle. I have a bit of a yarn obsession. I have yarn hidden everywhere. I can't get enough of it.

But as I said before, I do not knit well. So purchasing fabulous expensive yarns is not an economically intelligent choice for me. I have this small (or occasionally big) problem with sizing and gauge. I love to make beanies. But for some reason, the beanies I produce only seem to fit two head sizes. Newborn or Andre the Giant. See, I haven't really mastered the normal adult head just yet. I can't even seem to master my 7 year olds head yet. (But seriously, if you have an adult with a head the size of Andre the Giant in your life... I've got lots of hand made hats for them!)

While we were passing the yarn aisle, I noticed a cute little pattern book with a messenger bag on the back cover. I know it's not the greatest picture here, but as I sat there drooling over the bag, Michael looked up at me and said "Mom, you haven't knitted anything in a while." Well, there's a reason I don't knit in the summer. It's Las Vegas. It's 120 degrees. The thought of yarn and anything knitted in that heat makes me sweat just thinking about it. But oh, the bag was so cute.

So what did I do? I bought the pattern book and enough yarn to probably make 3 messenger bags. Considering my sizing issues, I'm thinking it may be one of three things:

1. It may wind up a tiny over the shoulder purse/clutch.

2. It may wind up large enough to use as baggage for a three week trip to Europe.

3. It may take three tries to get the bag "just right."

Here's the yarn I'm going with. Of course, I already have a "problem A" which would be that the bag is meant to be felted. A felted bag would mean that I'd need to be knitting with worsted wool. What did I accidentally buy? Worsted acrylic.

So, um, yeah... I'm not going to be going with a felted bag.

I would call it my own adaptation of a super cute messenger bag.

I'll let you know how it goes.