Almost Done Knitting This

I began knitting this in the first week of July. It was intended to be my July project. In reality I finished knitting it last night so it turned out to be a full three month project.

This is all in garter stitch as when I started the project I was having trouble learning the purl stitch.

The plan was to knit a bit rectangle then sew it into a bag such as a tote bag and then felt it.

The yarn is Noro Kureyon, 100% wool, hand painted and made in Japan. I love these colors.

I used #9 needles, first using straight metal needles then, after I bought it, transferring over to my set of interchangable bamboo circular needles.

This is my fourth knitting project since I learned to knit in May.

In the beginning I don't know what I did wrong but you can see holes or stretched spots.

I also somehow made accidential increases and so the beginning is shorter. When I realized that I had made that error I paid special attention to every stitch and the work evened out.

Also when I realized that I had holes in the work I started paying attention to every stitch and the holes stopped happening.

I lost count but I think this has a total of 4.5 skeins of yarn in it, if not, it is 5.5 skeins.

Last night after taking this photo I finished off the row, I then binded it off. Then I took swatches of similar colored yarn and tied the holes closed.

I think what I will do with this is machine or hand felt it as is and then afterwards will decide what to do with it and use the sewing machine to sew it into something.

I was disturbed to read some posts on Ravelry.com that said that the people had sewn pocketbooks and tote bags with this yarn but when it felted up it was thin and not durable or thick enough to withstand being a decent bag to actually use.

I also really loved these colors and working with this yarn. I would like to make a sweater for myself out of this Noro Kureyon yarn. Perhaps when I perfect the purl stitch I will make myself a sweater out of it.