Sometimes when I design something, I get a twofer – an item to sell and a pattern to make it. On hooks and needles this go around is a twofer. The Bae Bag. Both the item and the pattern have been in the shop for a bit and I really don’t know why it’s not selling off the shelves.
It’s a pretty straight forward knit. A feather and fan stitch that can knit up fairly quickly.
If you want to by one ready made go here. Wanna make it yourself, go here.
The bag is made from cotton – though it can be made of another fiber. It can also be lined and the handles changed to make it more of a purse than a grocery or farmer’s market tote. I believe I used Big Twist cotton. There’s a review.
This would also make a nice project bag. It can hold an insane amount of yarn and the pattern or pattern book. It looks smallish but it has a great deal of stretch. An afghan project would fit with no problems. You might want to make sure the needles and hooks are secure. There are openungs in the pattern and a loose hook or needle might be able to slip through.
If you’re looking to make useful gifts or you want a fun easy knit for yourself. The Bae bag is just the thing.
The Name Game in creating patterns can be a stressful thing. One never really knows what to call a pattern. Could I actually get away with hat pattern No. 43 as a name as opposed to this?
It became so bad I had to create a work around so I wouldn’t get stressed out. My solution: name patterns in alphabetical order. Boy, girl, gender neutral; didn’t matter. I picked the letter and started reading the meaning of the names and if one struck me with what I wanted that pattern to convey, then that was the name.
Even if I am using an established pattern, if it doesn’t have a name, I will rename it on my design board and give the item that name when I sell it. The original pattern is given full credit when I do write about it publicly. Ain’t stealing nobody’s work.
I suppose I could go through the dictionary and find a word that works for a name. I might try that the next time and see what I come up with. Right now, the next item will begin with N. Instead of going to the baby name sites, I will open the dictionary and just start reading until something clicks with me. It would be funny if the next item was called the Nomenclature.
This has been off the hooks and needles for a while. I thought I announced the Aadi Cowl but it may have been everywhere else but here…so here it is! The Aadi cowl is available as a pattern only; though I could certainly be persuaded to add it as an item in the shop. Cowls tend to sell better as patterns.
The end of summer and the beginning of fall is a great time to fatten that wardrobe with cowls. The shorter cowls are a great, drop in purse accessory that can be brought out when the sun goes down and the chill comes up. A short cowl can be draped around the neck and allows you to enjoy the scenery without bulking up with a hat or sweater (though there ain’t nuthin’ wrong with that under the right circumstances.)
The yarn is Lion Brand Touch of Alpaca – Read the review.
One of the good things about this yarn is the texture. I mean, you can see it in the photo. The texture makes it look like it took much more work than it did. This would be a great piece to go with a plainer jacket or coat. It can carry the style because of the texture. If you really want to step up the bling, add some pearls into the mix.
Since last we spoke, there have been some finishing around here. The shawls, infinity scarf and patterns are completed.
And here they are in all their neutral glory.. All of them made with Caron One Pound bought from JoAnn.
I love how they all came out and the person who bought them loved them, too. That’s always a nice thing. Now, here’s the difference between knitter and client. She had her husband came over and said I really made these in record time. It took three weeks. I started them August 18th and told her she could pick them up on September 10. Three weeks and I was ready to see the end of them! Don’t get me wrong. I loved the way they turned out – so much prettier than the photos. But i was ready for the infinity scarf – which was done in one day!
Just like the scarf, I had a hat in my shop I wanted to make again and didn’t see the pattern, so I made one up. It took me two tries but I have the pattern for The Boyfriend Slouchy and a new hat made with Charisma by Loops and Threads. I am sure you will be seeing those pics pretty soon.
Oh, and since last we spoke, I did another long stocking cap in Cranberry Crisp and have another one started in Cherry Compote. Several folk in the shop have stocking caps in their carts and I don’t have enough yarn in those colors to satisfy them all. So I am making ready to ship caps so if they decide to buy, I won’t have to cancel an order. I hate when that happens.
If you go grocery shopping in Chicago and you don’t bring your own bags, it will cost you $0.07 per bag. Now, that’s not a lot of money, depending on how many bags you will need. Three bags is my goal. A great deal depends on the checker. It can end up being almost a bag for each item.
I started bringing my own handmade bags. This saved money and allowed control over how the bags were filled. I have one firm sided back someone made for me and I have my market bag I knit myself.
I’ve nagged myself to get Farmer Market bags in the shop. It would make sense to have something that would get folks to the shop over the warmer months and also provide a service. I love using my bag so it would make sense that those who are far more eco-friendly than I could use them.
So, here they are. And there’s one in wine that’s complete and one in orange still on the needles. What can I say? They are a pretty quick knit and the pattern was fun to come up.
I’m using two different yarns for these bags. The always reliable, Lily Sugar and Cream and Village Yarn from Herrschners. I will do reviews on each of them at a later date. (You can find my yarn reviews here.)
If you want to purchase the bags ready to ship or made to order, check them out here. Did you get it? Check them out? Anyway…
You can also make them for yourself or for someone else. I have to admit, I think they make a great gift by itself or bundled. Make one and fill it with other eco-friendly items like paper goods, soaps, towels and give them to the student or first time homeowner. Get the pattern.
Fold them up and keep them tucked in your bag or glove box so they’re ready for grocery shopping in Chicago. It shouldn’t cost you extra because you have to make a quick trip for a few things. This way, you’re ready and saving the planet and some coin.
So, I think things are returning to normal. I am working on the EDS – and I am happy to report the back is done and the front is about to hit the needles. How much you want to bet it goes faster? I am working on item 9/10 of the September collection..egads, that’s going to take some knitting to catch up with that. I’m not counting on it.
But I am, in the interest of being in Knitsville, going to show you the hat patterns I was working on.
The first is the Cable All Around Beanie. It’s a little retro fresh. Did it in Ice Yarns Saver in green.
Then there’s the DNA Beanie. Done in Ice Yarns Saver in Cream and Caron One Pound in Claret. Both patterns are written up and need to be formatted. There’s another pattern I did before this when I was on track and I have one more to do. I know the pattern. I just have to figure out of I am going to use three different yarns or use a variegated or self striping yarn. I still haven’t used the Ice Glitz and it could provide an interesting variation. Don’t know what I’m going to do. I have to knit a prayer shawl so I have some time to think about it. Also have a hat order. That should give me enough time to think about it. If I go with three colors, do I use three distinct colors or variations of one?
See, crazy thinking. Like I said, returning to normal.
“Why do you have a cigarette lighter in your glove compartment?” her husband asked her. “I’m bored with knitting. I’ve taken up arson.” – Her Fearful Symmetry
DIY Knitting – The Joy of Doing it Yourself
I don’t know that I was bored when I first learned to knit. I know I was fascinated by it and really took to it. But I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t know to change colors on the same side and gauge was a term unfamiliar to me. My fascination quickly died because I only had one lesson, learning to knit with pencils. I didn’t even know about the purl stitch. There was no YouTube so I’m not certain how I figured it out.
Crochet, too, for that matter. Don’t remember when I learned it. I liked knitting better but I went without both, off and on, for almost thirty years after I learned in grade school.
I picked it up almost fifteen years ago and it has let me go. We haven’t let go of each other . I knit or crochet at a career choice and I’ve gotten into designing pieces for beginner and advanced beginner knitters and crocheters.
Opening the shop on Etsy was a necessity because there were too many items clogging up the house. Opening the shop did not solve the problem as there are still finished objects in the house. They are now joined by more than 800 skeins of yarn. Most of it in a 10×10 room of the house that also holds two desks, two bookcases, two computers and a laptop. Yarn is in every room of our house – including the garage and I’ve never knit in there.
There is something magical about all things made by hand. I admire people who can paint and draw. Those who have the gift of words and can pull together narratives and images in ink. I see some of the work of my fellow needle arts artisans and I am in awe.
The yarns are different that when I first learned and now they can do a great deal of the work by being self striping, having texture or mixing plies. There are some knitters who won’t work with acrylic yarn but I am not one to forego it. It is economical and has come a long way from the stiff, rough yarn that used to be commonplace. Today’s acrylics have softness, texture and beautiful colors.
Along with a huge stash of yarn, I have a collection of knitting needles and crochet hooks. Some come from the legacy left from my mother-in-law who crocheted and knit. None of her kids or grandkids have the knitting gene. Her needles are in the office in a couple of mugs. I don’t use them. They are part of the atmosphere.
I never would have imagined this would be my living and now I cannot imagine being without it. Knitting and crochet are cornerstones of my life and faith. Being able to do it as my work and as a way of connecting with the world is a bonus and a blessing. I am grateful every day.
Sometimes when I design something, I get a twofer – an item to sell and a pattern to make it. On hooks and needles this go around is a twofer. The Bae Bag. Both the item and the pattern have been in the shop for a bit and I really don’t know why it’s not selling off the shelves.
