Finished Project: Another Messenger Bag
Project Specs:
Pattern: Valley Yarns Pattern # 141: Purple Maze Messenger Bag, now available at WEBS
Yarn: Valley Yarns Amherst in Black (7 balls) and Regatta (1 ball)
Needles: US 10 1/2 circs, but I used US 11 on the flap to see if it could be a little bigger
Size: height-10 1/2â€, width-12â€, depth-3 3/4â€, strap length-38â€
This bag is for my sister-in-law. She picked out the colors. I was afraid the pattern wouldn’t show, but it does. It’s just subtle. Another thing I changed this time around is that I made the strap one decrease/increase less, so that the strap is a little wider at the shoulder. I think next time, I’ll make it even wider, and make stripes on the flap instead of the maze pattern.
Rock Star/Knitter Surprise
So I was topping off my week of solitude last night by watching a recent episode of Knitty Gritty. It’s easy t.v. to “watch” while knitting. To my surprise, Vickie introduced her guest of the day as Kelley Deal. What!? So that’s what she’s been up to; designing her own felted ROCK STAR bags.
Kelley used a technique called “Swiss darning” for the design on her bags. Really this is just duplicate stitch. But at the end of the episode she mentioned how the Swiss darning created a sort of embossed effect on the bags. Hmm, I like that idea, 3-dimensional texture. I’ve also had not much luck with felting some of my stranded knitting in the past. I can see how duplicate stitch could help with that. She also introduced me to an alternative to endless i-cord knitting for handles. But I can’t tell if her alternative would be more tedious or not.
Finished Project: Messenger Bag
Project Specs:
Pattern: my own
Yarn: Valley Yarns Amherst in Charcoal (7 balls) and Soft Grape (1 ball)
Needles: US 10 1/2 circs
Size: height-10 1/2â€, width-12â€, depth-3 3/4â€, strap length-38â€
My Blog Links: I’m So Behind
The bag worked out in the end. It’s just the right size for 3-ring binders; the size I was shooting for. The big flap makes it so you don’t need any buttons or snaps to keep it closed. The strap is just the right length for me to wear it comfortably across my chest, my preferred method of carrying a messenger bag. Ella’s already requested that I make one for her, just a little smaller. I considered adding inside pockets which would be easy to do, but I decided to keep it simple. Oh, I’ve got to mention how much I love this yarn. My first time working with Amherst. It’s so soft and lovely. Maybe a little fancy for a felted messenger bag, but it felts great, even in my front loader.
I’m So Behind
I’m quite behind on blogging, but not my holiday knitting. I’ve been busy, busy knitting.
Finally, I felted the messenger bag that I made for the store. I was nervous that the slip stitch flap wouldn’t work out. Here it is before felting.
And here it is blocking after felting.
As I feared, the slip stitch felted quite differently than the body. But I stretched it out all I could and it’s blocking right now. It’s hard waiting for it to dry. I really hope that it’s done by the morning. Fortunately the strap seems to be the right length. Twenty-five points for the person that can come up with a good name for my bag pattern. I’m not the most clever. But I imagine there’s something better than “Messenger Bag.”
Other soon-to-be finished projects to post: my raglan sweater, cashmere/cotton scarf, and a kidsilk night scarf. Busy, busy. And of course I still haven’t blogged about Rhinebeck. Probably too late now.
Forgotten Felted Bags
Here are two felted bags that I completely forgot to write about after they were finished. Where is my mind?
Project Specs:
Pattern: Shape based on the Booga Bag by Julie Anderson
Yarn: Lamb’s Pride Worsted by Brown Sheep
Needles: I can’t remember at all since it was almost a year ago when I knit this.
Size: Who knows what it started as, but now it is 11 inches tall and 9 1/2 inches wide.
Pattern Alterations: Well, there’s all that stranded knitting. And who knows what other changes there were, it was a year ago.
My Blog Links: Hello…Goodbye, Stranded Bag Update, Ready, Set, Felt
Since I’ve been using this as my lunch bag, I finally had to wash it again. But I threw it in my front loader with my felted box and a pair of sandals. Whoa baby! Did my bag felt. I had no idea it could felt that much more. Even pointy US 1 needles aren’t going through this bag. Kind of fun knowing I can felt something this much, but now my lunch will barely fit in it. Sad.
Project Specs:
Pattern: I made this one up. Can’t remember all the details, but basically I cast on 90 sts, knit in the round, switched yarns, and then finished off the top like my Little Purple Purse. Made a couple of i-cords, felted, and then sewed the handles on at the end.
Yarn: Classic Elite Desert in color 2027 for the bag and Malabrigo in color Dusty Rose for the top and handles.
Needles: US 9
Size: The perfect size to hold a bag of lentils
I made a swatch for the store of the Desert, but it didn’t show off the color changes well enough. So I made up this bag. I didn’t quite have enough Desert, but I fortunately had a bit of the Malabrigo left from my hat which matched perfectly.
Finished Project-Sophie
Project Specs:
Pattern: Sophie by Julie Anderson
Yarn: Cascade 220 and Hip Hop by Berroco
Needles: US 13, I think. (I need to start writing these details down.)
My Blog Links: Ready, Set, Felt
Once I added the magnetic closure, I needed to figure out a way to hide it from the outside. I found the ribbon at a local craft store. But instead of sewing it on top of the bag, I thought I’d weave it around the top. I was awfully nervous cutting into the bag.
But everything seemed to work out all right in the end. Whew! One more gift finished.
Finished Project-Dinosaur Purse
Project Specs:
Pattern: The Gray Flannel bag from Pursenalities
Yarn: Cascade 220 in Ella’s favorite color, orange and a 25¢ ball of orange fun fur from Target (Halloween clearance)
Needles: Oops, I don’t remember. Maybe it was US 15?
Pattern Alterations: I made the handle longer. And I extended and tapered the flap to accommodate one button, instead of two.
My Blog Links: Ready, Set, Felt
It took me forever to find the dinosaur button I had bought this summer at The Yarnery, but I found it. Sewed it on tonight while listening to my organizing class. I hope Ella likes it. I’ll let you know.
And woo hoo! This is my 100th post.
Ready, Set, Felt
I had a big felting day thanks to Amy and her generous offer to use her top-loader. Here’s what’s drying, before and after felting.
My stranded bag from my Color Stitching class: I conveniently found a box just about the right size to fit inside it for drying. The top brown band of the bag is kind of loose and flares out. Hopefully blocking the bag will fix that a bit.
A Sophie bag for a special friend: Really triangular, isn’t it! I kind of wish the opening ended up a little bigger. And the green in the yarn sort of disappeared after felting. But I really like the twisted handle. I may add a magnetic closure after drying.
A Gray Flannel bag for Ella: I think I like how this one turned out the most. The size and shape turned out just right. It’ll even be big enough for Ella to wear over her shoulder across her chest as she goes on nature explorations. There’s a dinosaur button that will be added after the bag dries.
Stranded Bag Update
Here’s the bag in all its floppy glory. I may even finish it before my Sunday class. The puckering isn’t as severe as my first attempt.
By the way, my very basic business website is up. And I’m now listed in the NAPO membership directory. I even got my first NAPO referral inquiry today. Yeah.
Projects on the Needles
Filed under: Felted Bags, Knitting, Misti V-neck Pullover, Movies, TV & Music, On the Needles
I picked up my office yesterday and discovered I have five knitting projects currently on needles. Funny how my initial idea of only working on one project at a time went completely out the window.
Misti Neck Gaiter-This is almost done. I’m just reworking the bind off so it matches the cast on edge better.
Misti V-neck Pullover-I’ve done a few rows of the sweater, but I forgot to incorporate the cable pattern in the middle. Oops! I just haven’t gotten excited enough to redo that provisional cast on edge again. It’s not as easy with three strands of yarn.
Dino Sweater-The back is done, and the front is done up to the beginning of the dino chart. I’m all ready for my class next weekend on intarsia. I’ve also begun the sleeves. I’ll be doing them at the same time.
Felted Stranded Bag-I’ve ripped out the bag and reworked the chart more to my liking. I hope I like it more this time around. But at any rate, it needs to be finished by class on Sunday, love it or not.
Brown Striped Bear-I’m working up the body of the bear. There’s a chance I may run out of yarn. I sure hope Webs still has some of this closeout yarn left.
And by the way, where are my Sockapaltwoza socks? Now that the weather has turned and I’m wearing socks again, I sure am getting anxious for their arrival.
Now off I go to New York to see The Pixies with my friend Johanna. Am I ready to rock? Yes I am.
