It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Well, the cold weather has found us, and today we are sitting tight at home while the snow comes down.  It's not often that Oklahoma gets a good snow, so I'll take it!  When I don't have anywhere in particular to be, I want the snow to bury us...but I do want my husband to make it home from work first!

I have a cute little finished project to show you!  I had this beautiful yarn I picked up at my LYS, Crystal Palace's Mini Mochi.  It is in colorway Treasure Chest (109) which is - guess what? - discontinued.  But it is a beautiful combination of purples, browns, blues, and pinks - to name a few.  I really never had a clear plan for this yarn when I bought it, and since I only had one skein, I went searching for a small project that would showcase the colors.

I found some glass beads that worked well with it, and strung them on the yarn before I began knitting.  All 612 of them.  Unfun.  But once they are on the yarn, it's easy to move them into place one at a time as you get to the position they need to be in.  As you can see, the beads go in a wavy pattern that really adds a lot to the bag.

I think it's the perfect size to fill with small necessities and throw in your purse or suitcase.  In my purse, it would be the perfect Hot Wheels car holder.  *Sigh*.  I could also see it working nicely as a yarn ball bag.

It has a drawstring closure, made of knitted I-cord, so the mouth of the bag opens up wide.  It's knitted in the round (meaning there are no seams), and it worked up quickly.  We knitters love a little instant gratification!

When closed up, the top of the bag makes a cute flower-like pucker!

What surprised me about this bag was it's weight and substance.  And I suppose I should realize that there are so many beads, it is going to be heavy.

The shawl on my needles now is progressing nicely.  I've already made past the number of pattern repeats I thought I was going to, so I'm pleased with that. I'm a firm believer that bigger = warmer and cozier!  

So keep warm out there!  I wish you were here with me beside the fire, knitting and drinking hot chocolate.  Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.