Holiday knitting begins

I said I wasn't going to do any holiday knitting, but now that I've been working from home I seem to have an extra few hours every day (the time I would have been commuting). So, I'm going to knit as much as I can for the holidays. I started with some washclothes and then I will make homemade soap. This will go to the women in my boy's family, my cousins, my aunt, and my grandma.

I know this is a horrible picture. It's the only way I could show some of the pattern. It's supposed to be a leaf pattern. And an i-cord is woven through the top row of holes to hold the soap in. I've got 3 done and I need 8, I think.

Next I started on a bag for my niece. She loves pink. I made the pattern up as I went and thought it was just going to be a purse, but I had enough yarn that I decided it should be a messenger bag. I don't know if it will fit her as a messenger bag, but it barely fits around me so I think it will fit her fine. Here's a couple pre-felting pictures:

It's knit using Paton's Classic Wool and an embellishment pack of ribbons from my sister's local yarn shop, Wild and Woolly Wools. If you're ever on Long Island, you have to stop in. The owner is a hoot and she has a great selection of quality yarns. Anyway, here's a picture of it felted:I haven't decided yet if I should trim the ribbon or not. I think I'll leave it long and leave the decision up to my niece. It's cute though and the fabric is really thick and sturdy and hopefully it will last a while.

I took a trip to my local yarn shop, Knitting Sisters, today to get some needles to make another Christmas present and another ball of yarn. I so don't need it, but it was what they called for in the pattern and I didn't have a substitute in my stash, imagine that! It was a fun trip and I was actually amazed at how little I felt like I HAD to have. I think my stash is becoming overwhelming, I have to start using it up!