Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Eagle Watching


We spent last Monday, President's Day, eagle watching on the Mississippi River near Gladstone, Illinois at Lock and Dam 18. American Bald Eagles. Our national bird. Our symbol freedom. Oh, what majestic birds they are!


This eagle is fishing. That's why the eagles head for areas where the ice has broken up so they can find food. We saw several eagles spot their prey, dive for it and take it back to their nests in the nearby timber. One eagle dropped his fish, a foot long carp. Apparently, it was putting up quite a battle.

Felt Purses by Cathy Zielske

Little Felted Bag - Cathy Zielske

you need:
1 skein of chunky wool (140 yds)16- to 24-inch size 11 circular needles4 markersyard needle
Guage: in stockinette, roughly 12 inches and 18 rounds, four inches
Finished measurements: after felting, purse is roughly 6.5 to 8.5 wide by 6.5 to 7.5 tall, depending on how long you felt.

To make bottom of purse: loosely cast on 13 stitches and work back and forth in garter stitch (knit every row) for 38 rows (19 ridges). Do not turn.

Begin main part of bag: Without turning, knit 13 stitches on needle, place marker and pick up 19 stitches along the long edge (1 stitch for each ridge), place a marker and pick up 13 stitches along cast on edge, place marker, and pick up 19 stitches along second long edge, place a fourth marker to mark the beginning of the round; 64 stitches total.
Note: you will be working in rounds from now on. Be sure to keep moving markers as your work.

Begin knitting every round (stockinette stitch) until purse measures 10.5 inches, measuring from pick-p round, ending at beginning of round marker. (Mine was 9.5 inches. I was running low on the yarn!)

Begin handles: On next round, k13, slip marker off, k3, bind off next 13 stitches, k3, slip marker off, repeat to once more, leaving only beginning round marker.
On next round, k16, cast on 25 stitches, k19, cast on 25 stitches, knit to end of round.
Work 4 more rounds, bind off all stitches. Work in ends.
Felt.
Done.
Fabulous!