Bitten by the thread bug again

Next up on the UFO list, this. Apparently, according to the receipt in the bag and the date on the pattern I printed out, I started this three years ago this month, and stopped sometime around April 2007. I actually managed to finish 5 of 15 rows before I either got bored or burned out.

Naturally, in the intervening 3 years the thread I was using stopped being made, so I've ordered some from a different manufacturer in the same color. Here's hoping it's remotely the same.

It's giving me the Claw Hand again, and my eyes are old now so it's hard for me to see all the stitches, but I can't help myself. I love working with thread.

Anyhoo, I thought it might be fun to show the evolution of a motif. Here goes:

And there you have it. A thread motif in 14 easy steps!

Wool bag

I have decided that this will be the year that I clear out my bag of UFOs (unfinished objects). Some I abandoned because I got bored, but most of them defeated me at one point or another, and I will not be defeated any more.

First up, this crocheted wool bag. Something about the way the pattern is written had me completely flummoxed, each of the previous four times that I tried it, but this time I was determined to figure it out, and after much tearing of hair and gnashing of teeth, I cracked it.

Here's a long view:

Here's a view with handles (knitting needles for placement only). The pattern suggests some lovely hardwood handles, but they're $22 for the pair. If anyone has a source for a nice, cheap(ish) pair of straight handles I would love to hear it.

And finally, a view with some hooks in one of the two pockets.

I'm not one to carry around little totes like this, but I'm still quite pleased with this bag. Not yet sure what its ultimate fate will be.