I didn’t bother checking my gauge for the worsted weight. I reduced my height based on the measurements of the bottom of the bag, thus creating the “snack version”.

Snack Bag:
Pre-Felt Measurements

• Width: 6.75”
• Depth: 4.75”
• Height: 10.75”

Post-Felt Measurements (took 10-15mins as directed on pattern)

• Width: 6”
• Depth: 3.75”
• Height: 6.75”

Pattern Mods:  Followed the pattern, “Brown Bag” with a few modifications

• Used Paton’s Classic Wool “worsted” weight yarn
• Carried base yarn up the sides and on the edge of the flap for 6 rows
• Added a knitted button hole on flap instead of cutting finished felted bag; reinforced button hole before felting
  *  K9 flap stitches
  * BO 7 stitches
  * Knit remaining 9 stitches on flap
  * Turn work, and purl 9 stitches
  * CO 7 stitches using the “knitted” or “backloop” cast on
  * Purl remaining 9 stitches on flap
  * Continue flap as directed by pattern
• Added (2) applied icords at sides of flap (4st ea)
  *  Knitted first 3 stitches after marker
  *  Switching to a US13 needle, BO remaining side, front, and alternate side of bag to last 4 sts
  *  Switched to 10.5 dpn, and knitted a 14″ 4st applied icord
  *  With 4sts on the dpn, and the first 4st still on the cable needle on the other side of the bag, I used the double-needle BO technique to “knit”
       the 2 sets of 4sts together, thus starting the second icord
  *  When the second icord was done, I reinforced it at the base of the first icord on the opposite side of the bag
  *  Continued knitting the flap with the remaining stitches on the cable needle, per pattern instructions
• BO with #US13 (as mentioned above)
• Added snaps at sides

To top it off, I added a large wooden button for the closure.

Perfect snack bag, which will be a great compliment to the lunch tote.

~g

Sach for your Stash

Sure!  Why not?

As we become more eco-aware, we are coming back to “natural” in many areas of our daily living, including knitting.  Introducing Sach for your Stash®.

These sachets were created and designed by Stacy Young, and contain natural herbs and essential oils to help ward off moths and other critters that like to munch on natural fibers.  Sach for your Stash®  can be used when storing animal fiber fabrics and yarns such as wool, alpaca, mohair, angora, and even possum (that is another post).  They are also useful when storing woolen clothing and bedding for the Spring and Summer months.  Before storing, be sure to check your fabrics and yarn for pests, and properly clean garments and bedding.   I’ve read some real horror stories out there — that lovely wool turtle neck you had in March is now November’s swiss cheese tunic. 

Sachets work best in enclosed storage areas like drawers, cabinets, wardrobes, or chests.

Sach for your Stash® will be available soon.  In the meantime, if you’d like to place a custom order, please let us know.

~s

Adorable Apple Cozy

I fell in love with this little bolero for my Pink Lady apples.  I received my first Adorable Apple Cozy from SUPERIORCreations, which was designed by Theresa Grant for Unravel Me.    This is the perfect addition to your “brown bag” lunch to protect your apples from bruising and to help keep them chilly.  The Apple Cozy’s can be used for other fruits as well. 

I better get started on making my own.  Our apple trees will soon be ready for harvesting!

You can find SUPERIORCreations and Theresa Grant, aka, “needlenhook” on

100% of the proceeds will be donated to benefit free community programs for children with special needs.

While strolling the Bay near my home, contemplating a hat pattern for a dear swap partner and my sister, the Bayside Cloche was born.

Date of Birth:      June 20, 2010
Gender:               Female
Weight:                50g
Length:                9.25”

The stretchy Bayside Cloche fits adult head sizes from medium to extra large, and can be worn slightly angled or straight on. For colder days, this cloche can be worn low on the neck and forehead. For days when just a little warmth is needed, cloche can be worn higher on the head.

She may be small, but will grow on you!.

Size:  One size fits Medium to Extra large Adult Heads
Measurements:  18.5”, circumference and 6” wearable height

“To Slip or Not to Slip…..
that is the question”

I’ve often wondered what all the fuss was about when it came to slipping stitches.  Someone once suggested I slip on a neckscarf to give a cleaner finish, but I never tried it on other garments or projects.  I’ve since learned there are many uses for both techniques which would enhance your knitted projects.

Check out this post from Ask a Knitter within Ravelry’s #57 issue in “This Week in Ravelry“.  Roxshows us when it is desirable to slip stitches on your selvedge, and when it might not be the best thing to do. 

~g

I have mentioned this before, but I’ll say it again for good measure. There are some excellent tutorials out there for reclaiming yarn from thrift store sweaters. If you’re thinking of using recycled yarn, here are a few things to keep in mind. Look for something that feels nice, and that isn’t felted or pilled. Try pulling at a yarn discretely to make sure it will move. I tend to avoid synthetic fibers, but that’s just a matter of personal taste. As far as size–the bigger the better. I think the one I got was a men’s sweater, a couple sizes bigger than I would normally wear–but I wasn’t swimming in it. It had long sleeves–which is great, cause there’s a lot of yarn in sleeves, and I knew I was making something sleeveless. If you’re worried about having enough yarn, you could also consider getting two sweaters to unravel with colors that would look nice together (perhaps subtle variations of the same color) then using a strand of each.
___________________________________________________

About Meghan:  “I’m an art conservator by day. When not working on artifacts, I can often be found in the kitchen whipping up something tasty and unusual, or creating something by hand. Lately, I’ve been fascinated with vintage clothing patterns for both sewing and knitting.”  To see Meghan’s blog, simply go to Involving the Senses.

Source: http://involvingthesenses.blogspot.com/2008/03/shalom-tips-1.html

“Practice isn’t the thing you do once you’re good. It’s the thing you do that makes you good. In fact, researchers have settled on what they believe is the magic number for true expertise: ten thousand hours.”
- Malcolm Gladwell, The Outliers

There comes a time in most knitters’ lives when a delicious pattern lures us to venture beyond where we have been before. Challenging us to leave our knitting comfort zone. We may be chastened a bit by ratings like intermediate, advanced, experienced. We may be stunned by the sheer magnitude of stitches. And awed by the directory of symbols signifying unfamiliar techniques. But we journey forth anyway.

Several years ago, a lovely lace shawl caught my knitter’s eye. I had made other shawls before, but never an intricate and delicate lace like this one, with repeats that happened only after 20 rows of skillful knitting. I was convinced that this type of lace knitting wasn’t for me. I was pretty sure I lacked the major personality prerequisites for it. Like mindfulness and patience. But the shawl was inviting. Intriguing. Daring me. So why not just give it a try?

Click here for the Leaves of Grass directions from the StitchFinder

Very early one Saturday morning, fueled with strong coffee, I determinedly muddled my way through chart instructions that looked liked a code used to communicate highly secret messages, or calibrate esoteric mathematical theorems. It wasn’t easy going. I made mistakes. Lots of them. Surprising myself, I let them stay in, knitting on, remaining steadfastly committed to finishing the first repeat. Even if it was flawed. I knew in order to understand it, I had to experience the whole graph, try out each stitch group. Accepting this, and knowing in advance that I would probably have to take apart the entire first repeat, not once, but many times before my true understanding came, made the experiment less stressful.

Lace has its own magical way of drawing you in, lassoing your concentration. I hadn’t expected that. My highest mind functions stayed on task, attempting to decipher symbols and make the abstract concrete. I persevered past that morning, even when later knitting had to be ripped out. In order to finish the shawl, whenever I could, I left in errors that I knew no one else would ever detect. Months later, it was done. My dream shawl. Complete with its unique and quirky imperfections.

According to Malcom Gladwell’s book, The Outliers, there’s a 10,00 hour benchmark in every field. Pass over it and you become more proficient, an expert, possibly even a success. I’ve made many shawls since; still I’m not an expert lace knitter. I think I’ll need at least another 9800 hours, or more. But Gladwell is right, the more you knit, the more able a knitter you become. Your practical understanding of patterns carries over and grows from project to project. The more you challenge yourself as a knitter, the more fluent you are in the complexities of its language. Because of that shawl, I’m no longer a stranger in lace land, I know how to get directions to the market, discuss the weather. This year I aim to sneak a bit of that knowledge into my everyday mittens and socks.

School starts in this week here in Iowa City. August 20th. My youngest daughter will leave the house chewing on a bagel, ruminating over a new clarinet piece. All across America, young minds will be learning new things, practicing what they know and gaining proficiency. This year why not join them? Enroll in the school of lace. Attend the sock academy. Sharpen your pencils. Tackle a pattern that delights and stretches you.

• Stitch markers can become like an extra brain pathway, located between the repeats, they will signal to the sleepy the distracted to pay attention.
• The pattern graph becomes infinitely easier to follow when enlarged.
• Protect your enlarged graph from wear and tear by slipping it inside a plastic sleeve.
• Lace knitting is about keeping track of stitches, rows and repeats, so you may want a row counter.

Check out these Lace Knitting Patterns:

• Golden Honey Shrug: Easy
• Edith Shawl: Easy+
• Spring Lace Shawl: Intermediate
• Shawl Collar Slipover: Advanced Intermediate

Authored by Michelle EdwardsMichelle Edwards, a life long knitter, is the author/illustrator of many books for children including the 2006 Gryphon award winner, STINKY STERN FOREVER and CHICKEN MAN winner of National Jewish Book Award. Michelle lives in Iowa City, Iowa with her husband and three daughters. You can visit her at her website, www.michelledwards.com, her blog pens-and-needles.blogspot.com, or her illustrator’s group blog oldsneakers.blogspot.com.

Source: http://www.lionbrand.com/cgi-bin/lionbrand/displayCustomerProjects.fcgi?projectKey=52063&displayType=lit&service=3635&letterId=55205

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I have come to love crafts of all kinds that have to do with stitches: making garments, quilting, knitting, crocheting, and the very rare embroidery.  I must say, VERY RARE!

This blog will feature patterns, articles, tips, and all kinds of fun stuff for your stitching pleasure.  So exercise those fingers, and let’s get stitching!

~g