Recycling!

This bag was very interesting, both in its construction & its materials.  It is made with recycled plastic bags, just like you get from the grocery store.  It is knit along with yarn, so it will have body & strength.  The design is my own, something I made up as I knitted along.  It came out just like I wanted, so both things together made this a favorite project! 

Folks were talking about this bag on the About.com knitting forums.  I just HAD to check it out!  I was so inspired, I decided to give it a try.  The website showed pictures of how to cut the bags so you have one continuous strip.  I just tied the bag ends together & made a giant ball.  Then I began the knitting.

I chose white bags, & I tried to find different colors of text on them to make it interesting.  I have loads of blue bags, but I don't care for the color blue.  I used a worsted weight white yarn along with it & went to it.  I made 2 identical retangles for the bags front & back.  The pattern on the website called for sewing the 2 pieces together & adding handles, but I didn't like that.  I felt it would be too narrow at the bottom of the bag.  It needed some room for expansion. 

So I knit a long narrow strip, probably about 20 stitches wide.  It was made long enough to go from the top of the bag, down the side, along the bottom & up the other side.  I sewed this piece in & made some I-cord handles.  I also added a button flap for a closure.  I love how the design came out!  I still need to add some type of button, a huge one to accent the bag. 

Though this is a favorite project, it is not one I would attempt again any time soon.  I used larger needles to accomodate the yarn & the bags.  I'm just not used to the larger needles anymore. (Whine!)  Also, the bags tended to drag on my fingers, which made them extremely tired & sore.  I started getting to a point where I couldn't wait to finish it because it was stressful on my hands.  I'm glad I forced myself, cause I love the bag!

If you decide to do a project like this, I recommend the thinner bags.  My grocery store bags are perfect.  They are very thin & slippery.  Some of the retail stores have a thicker plastic, these were not as easy to knit with.  These are the bags that caused the most trouble.  They would drag on my hands & needles.  Also, have LOTS of bags ready, you go through them quickly!  

Bagging It!

I admit, I'm addicted to making tote bags.  I really don't need any tote bags, I have lots of them.  I have quite a few canvas bags, some vinyl bags, some cloth bags, but I can't help myself!  I just love making them!  They are so much fun!  You can experiment with colors, shapes, textures, yarns, patterns, sizes!  The possibilities are probably endless!  My next few entries will be about these bags & branching off to purses.  What fun! 

The bag pictured is not one of my first bags, nor is it my own design.  It is from a Knitter's Magazine pattern, & I fell in love!  Doing entrelac is not one of my favorite things to do because of all the turning, so I forced myself to learn to knit back backwards.  Hope that makes sense!  This way, I wouldn't have to turn on every row.  It worked out great!

I used Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride wool yarn for this in some very festive colors.  I thought it would be fun because the harlequin patterning of the entrelac is a great way to show off bright colors.  The bag started with an attached I-cord edging, then the entrelac was worked from the I-cord down to the bottom of the bag.  It ends in a fun looking star type design.  I just had to show that in the picture. 

I made some I-cord straps & threw the whole thing in the washer to felt it.  I love the way it came out, but I think next time, I would felt it a little longer.  I rather like the more blurred effect felting gives.  This one doesn't seem to be felted enough for me.  I followed the instructions that came with the pattern for the felting, but I would still go a bit longer.  I blocked & dried the bag on an old potato chip can, but an upside down bucket would work well, too.  I had some fun colored buttons that matched the yarn pretty well, so I picked on of each color to sew on the handles.  This way it keeps up with the fun harlequin theme! 

I have to fight my daughter for this bag.  At first, I didn't think she liked it.  Then one day, I was hunting for it & found it in her room.  She'd been using it for an overnight bag!  We can share!

Enough Already!

Enough of the sweaters already!  Ugh,, there are more trials & tribulations, but I'm not sure I want to go there!  I've been knitting for just over 20 years, so you can imagine how many there have been!  Like the cotton sweater made from a pattern, using the correct yarn & perfect gauge.  It fit perfect!  I wore it to Las Vegas, but by the time we got there, it had stretched out to my knees.  I frogged it immediately when we got home, but haven't had the heart to re-knit anything with it yet. 

How about my experiments with a knitting machine?  This thing is supposed to save time & frustration by knitting a sweater quickly.  I ended up more frustrated with it than I could have thought possible.  I made a few things with it, then it sat in the closet untouched for many years. For me, the relaxation comes from FEELING the yarn flowing through my fingers.  Feeling the fabric growing under my hands.  The methodical process of making the stitches.  The machine didn't give me any of that, I would rather make it by hand!

So we move on!  Its been a bad summer for knitting.  I haven't done much at all.  I started out thinking I would have a nice batch of chemo hats ready for the fall.  Well...I'm working on them!  I have about 8 so far, not bad, but not what I could have done.  I didn't knit anything else either.  Sometimes I guess I need a break from knitting too.  Usually, the bug hits again in the fall, around September.  The cooler weather just makes for comfortable knitting!

I'm thinking of showing some of my tote bags & purses that I've made.  These are fun & even a mistake can be a fun element.  I don't make sweaters very often anymore.  I'm not sure why.  Guess I'm into that instant gratification thing.  Tote bags & hats satisfy that because they are fast & fun.  Anyway, I'll take some pictures of bag projects & post them soon!

Another Goodie!

This is another sweater that came out like I had hoped!  This one & the last sweater were done around the same time frame, so I was on a roll!  I took measurements of a t-shirt that fitted me well.  It was a crop top, loose fitting body & sleeves.  A fun summer shirt.  I had this really fun yarn, green cotton with multi-colored slubs throughout.  I just knew I had to try to make it into a fun summer sweater.

I used a lacy chevron stitch, because I wanted scallops on the hemline & sleeve cuffs.  I started with a few rows of garter stitch, for a smooth line, then went at the stitch.  The lacy stitch gets a little lost in the yarn, but it was okay with me.  It was coming out just like I wanted. 

As usual, it was knit in the round to the armhole, then back & forth to the shoulders.  I knit the sleeves seperate, in the round, then sewed them in the openings.  I made a nice rounded neckline on this, just like my t-shirt & trimmed it with a few garter stitch rows to finish it off. 

It came out great!  Another victory!  The openwork of the stitches is camoflaged by the yarn, so it doesn't appear to be revealing.  The scalloped edges make a fun, interesting focal point to the sweater.  Not to mention the bright, festive yarn!  It was a very fun sweater to wear, the yarn was lightweight so it was perfect for summer.  My tastes have changed a bit (could it be old age?!) so I don't wear this one anymore.  But it is a victory sweater in the fact that it came out like I had wanted! 

Here's A Good One!

For a change, here is a good one that came out just like I pictured in my imagination!  Wheee! 

Anyway, I had a fun multi-heathered yarn.  This time I decided on simple to let the yarn speak for itself.  I think that worked well!  It is a basic golf-type shirt/sweater.  Classic & simple in its construction.  Straight to the underarms, short raglan sleeves, button placket neckline with a small collar.  I even chose a feathered-type decrease to keep it simple.  It makes a smooth transition from sleeves to body, & has just enough texture to make some interest (for the knitter, at least!!). 

I did get fancy buttons for the placket, because I fell in love with them at the store!  They have just a tinge of black etching on them, which goes with the tiny bit of black in the yarn. 

There is one sort-of glitch for this sweater.  As much as I would have liked to be able to wear it, it was never meant to be.  It fits my daughter, perfectly!  While it is not her style right now, I'm hoping in a few years she'll be more interested in it again.  

This has to be one of my all time favorites, just because it came out right, just like I always hope they do!

And There Are Still More!

Gosh, I still have more trial & errors.  Thinking about it is almost scary!  Anyway, here is yet another one!  This one was made some time ago, maybe about 8 years or so. 

This sweater is made with Tahki's Cotton Classic.  Obviously I love this yarn, because I've made so many sweaters with it!  This one is my own design, & all in all it wasn't a bad effort.  But I did have some problems with it.  First, I chose a fun slip-stitch pattern that made a vertical line with the main color & small blocks of the other colors.  Very easy to work & it looks interesting.  I wanted the vertical lines for a more slimming effect.  This is done in the round again, up to the neck opening.  I chose a raglan style decrease for the sleeves because I thought it would be fun to maintain that "line" in the white.  I remember having a little difficutly with it at first, but the results are great, I think! 

So, lets see, what are the problems.  I made it too wide in the body.  I was going for a looser style, but I went too loose I think.  Be because of my calculations on the sweater body being wider, so were the sleeve calculations.  So, they are a little too wide as well.  Also, I can't remember why I put the collar on it, maybe to hold the neck opening together somewhat.  I must have liked it then, but now it just looks weird. 

I do wear this sweater still.  Not as much as I would have liked to, because it didn't turn out like I picured in my mind!  It is also a heavy sweater, so its great for cooler days.  I'm pleased with the sleeve seams & the colorwork.  I guess I consider this one an "Okay" result.  Count it up as another learning experience! 

Back To Basics

Here is a sweater that I made from a pattern.  I found a wonderful French sweater book with very fun patterns.  It had loads of really great things, & this was one of them.  Actually, the only one I've made from the book..so far!  Of course, none of the yarns are available any longer & the patterns had some interesting translation terms.  It made it a little more challenging!

I used a lovely heathery wool in a deep burgundy.  The sweater has a cable "V" down the front, with seed stitches in the middle of the "V" & a block type stitch on the outside of it.  It makes for an interesting effect, & I think it makes the "V" stand out more. 

This sweater came out well, it fit very well, & is a great snuggley winter sweater.  Being as it was made many years ago, I don't think I made any mistakes on it...none that I can see at least!  Unfortunately, it is too small for me at this time, so I can't wear it anymore.