Wednesday, July 27, 2005

Something different


Here is a bag that I wanted to try making. After having done it, I can think of a million ways to construct it better, faster and less labor intensive. I started out with a basic garter stitch strip for the bottom. I picked up and knit a couple rows all around. Then I put all but one short side on holders and knit in garter stitch, alternating colors for about 16 inches. Orange and brown on one side. Then I picked up stitches for the front in green, worked in stockinette for awhile, then did a little square in a contrasting tweedy rust color. I finished off when I thought it was about even with the side. I knit the next side the same only in deep purple and wheat. Then the back as the front only reversing the colors. Well then to sew it all together, I discover the vast difference between garter rows and stockinette rows. Duh! Back to the needles and built up the front and back to match the sides. Once that all worked out and every side was even, I worked a few rows of reverse stockinette in the deep purple color for a band around the top. I made a flat i-cord for a strap. Wait till you see how it felts! Then just because I could stand not trying it, I knit a small pocket on the inside of one of the short sides. I was always curious to see if it would just felt together with the bag or remain a separate piece. We'll see....

Wednesday, July 20, 2005

Jan Bag


This is one of my verry favorite bags. I call it "Jan Bag" for two reasons; the very first reason is because the yarn came to me through a great woman named Jan. She graciously gave me the yarn which is a fun Lopi and a gorgeous handspun apricot wool. Thanks Jan. The second reason is because this bag was made in January. I know it's a hot July right now, and perhaps it is wishful thinking that it just might get cooler, but I was revisiting some of my winter projects and remembered how very much I enjoyed this one.
When Jan gave me a bag full of yarn I poked through it and found a half finished sleeve with a pretty cable design made in the apricot yarn. Since I wanted to use the yarn and wasn't going to finish the sweater, I began to rip it apart, then I thought, duh! she's already done the knitting for me. The sleeve became a very sturdy, pretty botton to this bag. Thanks again, Jan!

Saturday, July 16, 2005

Hot...hot...hot!

Today at the Harbor Marketplace it was definately HOT! 88 degrees and unfortunately no lake effect breeze
:(
It was so absolutely beautiful to see all the people and all the flowers and music and produce!!
We had a good time talking with various knitters that stopped by. It is a growing culture out there. So many people that learned to knit as a child and more or less abandoned it. Now, I think folks are seeing some potential for taking it up again. That is soooo cooool. I hope that I have been able to encourage some people to try knitting again for the first time.
If it hadn't been for my sister and her encourgement to knit again after an obscene amount of time, I never would have known the joy and satisfaction of playing with color and fibre and meeting so many great people.

Citrus Bag: pre-felted

Okay, I know that this bohemouth will turn into a useable handbag, but it seems pretty incedible to think that it will convert from almost 28 inches to roughly 16 inches tall. Just wait and see...

Citrus Bag is finally finished


Well the citrus-y bag in bright lemon yellow and lime green is finally done. The knitting went well, The design was inspired from a pattern called the "Oval Bottom Bag", by Two Old Bags. It is a great pattern that uses short row shaping for the bottom and the sides. This verison was made a bit taller than the pattern and I knit some stripes at the top before the final shaping. The double strap idea came from the "Constant Companion" pattern. The thing that held this bag up the most was the straps. To use grommets or not not to use grommets. That was the question. Of course, once you punch the whole in the felted bag, you can't undo it, so I had to be pretty sure. Well, I lept, and I really LOVE the way it turned out.

Wednesday, July 06, 2005

A Bag Is Born


Yowsa! Such drama in felting. This is why I love this art so much.
Here are some mor post-felting shots...

Extreme close-up!

This one ends up right around the 18inch mark including the strap. I used one needle size larger on the chart work to try to avoid the 'tuliping' that can happen when knitting designs. Not too bad. The sides are fairly straight.

In the Bag!


This little ditty started out not so little. If you came to the Harbor MarketPlace last Saturday, you may have seen me with this newly knit item. I was using it as a demonstration of the dramatic effect felting/fulling has on wool. Here is a pre-felted picture...
Weighing in at just about 27 inches stem to stern. I used mostly Patons classic wool, with a bit of Lopi on the bottom for some thickness. Quite a dramatic difference from the finished bag, eh?