Yarn Mania

I have had an affair with yarn long before I had one with fabric. Though the fabric seems out of control, right now it's because I have been working on the yarn. My mom and grandma taught me to crochet at an early age. I can do anything in crochet. But I taught myself to knit and it is still a challenge to me.
Every couple of years I get a need to knit. What triggered this years mania was the current knitting rage. The yarns are lucious, the patterns are fun, and I am having a blast. I even intend to get around to socks. I never used double pointed needles before.
Top picture is a tote bag I just finished. It was in a new book I got named Chunky Knits. I use it to stash my latest knit project. The other picture is the cradle I got years ago for my granddaughters. This weekend we will be meeting another little one who may become our new granddaughter, so I got out the cradle and got it ready for her. Then, in cleaning up the guest room closet and organizing it, I came across a skein and half of a nice fluffy yarn. Being a yarn maniac, I sat down and cast on. It only took me a day of quick knitting to make the little soft blanket for the cradle. When our second grand, Hannah, was born, she was put in the cradle on her first day home.
The basket is one I crocheted. I don't recall where I got the pattern, but it is nice and sturdy and is holding a purse I am crocheting from the lastest Vogue Knitting magazine.
Also, having finished a few things, I started on another tote. I will post that pic when it is done. Going real quick on circular 10's, but I need to get a new set of sticks. The ones I am using are old and beat up. So badly so, that they cut my finger and I have to use a bandage on my index finger now. I have been knitting on it while I check my email and read blogs.
More later, but it takes half an hour to upload pics to this site.