Vintage Mesh Bag

Pattern: Mesh Bag

Source: Gifts and Accessories by Beehive, Book 90. Pattern, p. 20.

Yarn: Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy (dk), Rose 006, Turquoise 008

Content: 41% Cotton, 34% Hemp, 25% Modal

Balls: 50 gm, 160 m (I used 2 and a bit to complete this)

Crochet hook: 3.5 mm (US E, US 4)

I finally made this bag. I have wanted to make it for years. I like how it folds down to fit into its own carrying clutch. My version is one row short on the mesh, but it was getting so large I knew it was time to stop.

I hope to give these colourful bags as gifts. They are sure to help reduce the use of a few plastic bags, and do so in style!

I plan to modify this pattern to use one ball of Hempathy. I am not sure it can be done. If successful, the finished pattern will be posted here. In the mean time you can download the vintage pattern. I believe Gifts and Accessories by Beehive, Book 90 is now in the public domain and therefore I can share. If I find out differently I will remove this link immediately.

Download the pattern for this mesh bag (pdf).

Designers List from Q17 0807

I am enjoying looking up the designers you posted in Quesiton 17 0807. I thought I would share the links with you too. Enjoy surfing!

• Victorian Lace, Jane Sowerby
• White Lies Designs, Romantic Knits by Joan McGowan-Michael
• Bittersweet Blog, Hannah Kaminsky
• Cookie A: Monkey Socks, Pomatomus, Hedera, Baudelaire, Red Herring, Queen of Cups
• Eunny Jang, everything
• Nancy Bush, socks and shawl
• Cat Bordhi, her moebius creations, felted bags and catbeds
• Wendy Johnson's toe up sock patterns
• Elsebeth Lavold designs
• Stefanie Japel's Glampyre Knits
• Friendly Sock Compilation
• Elizabeth Zimmermann (of course)
• Kaffe Fassett for his amazing colourwork
• Wendy's patterns on her blog Knit & Tonic
• Teva Durham, Loop-d-loop book
• Charlene Schurch, Sensational knitted socks, etc.
• Jenna Adorno on knitty.com - Anitfreeze, Blaze, Tempting, Tempting II
• Alexandra Virgiel at Artisokka.com - Alice, Ballet Camisole, Coronet, Fibonacci, Mesilla, Pasha the Penguin, Rose, Soleil
• Meg Swanson of Schoolhouse Press
• Dorothy Siemens of Fiddlesticks Knitting
• Norah Gaughan and her Knitting Nature book
• Jane E. Slicer-Smith of Signatur Handknits. Her Harlequin Jacket featured in Knitter's Magazine #85 (Winter 2006)
• Sivia Harding Knit Designs - Extraordinary Knitting Patterns
• Melanie Gibbons of Pink Lemon Twist - Hanami Stole, Swan Lake (a.k.a., Mystery Stole 3)
• Catalina Shawl by Gabriella Chiarenza(you can see I agree! Check out my KAL button)
• Veronik Avery (from Montreal no less!) Check out her Short-Row Hat & ZigZag Sweater. And she has a new book - Knitting Classsic Style.

Question 17 0807

Who is your current favourite designer?

My favourite these days is Hanne Falkenberg of Denmark. I appreciate her use of colour and texture. Some of her work looks so tailored. Take a peak at her Tweedie (below).

Special notice: This month I will be picking one entry, at random, to receive 2 hanks of Shelridge Farm Soft Touch Heather fingering yarn in Highland Mist (enough to make a large pair of socks). The prize winner will be chosen on Sunday, September 16th, 2007. If you would like to be included in the draw please send me your email address to fingersfancy at inbox dot com once you have posted your submission to the comments section of this post.

ETA: If you wish to email me, please put "[FF]" in the subject line (without the quotes). Otherwise your email will be lost.

Favourite Socks

Here are the re-footed socks I promised to show you.

I believe these are the first socks I knit. And now they are the first socks that I have repaired by replacing the feet.

Yes, the colours are not the same. I used remnant yarn - one is cream and the other is white. I used two strands of fingering weight yarn.

They fit my love perfectly and are certainly unique. They will continue to be a terrific pair of boot socks.

On Catalina

You may want to check out my post on the Catalina KAL.

It took SO long without my usual setup.

My favourite socks are up next... I just have to crop the picture and post.

See you soon! :o)

Still here

I must apologize. It has been a long time since I have posted anything to this blog. But don't give up on me. I have a bunch of stuff to post and plan to be doing so soon.

It is just that my computer died. Heat stroke I think. The other day I went to turn it on and it didn't make a sound. No familiar click or whir. Just silence and an acrid smell. I am taking her in to the computer hospital and hope to up an blogging soon. I will keep you posted.

Question 17 0707

Time for this month's...

I am becoming obsessed with knitting socks (it comes in waves), so my question this month is -

What is your favourite sock pattern
[pair or singleton if you have Single Sock Syndrome (SSS)]
you have ever knit or crocheted?

My favourite is the first (I believe) pair of socks I ever knit. I was frightened because I had heard that turning a heel was very hard. They are called Socks in heavier weight wool (sounded perfect for the beginner) from Gifts and Accessories by Beehive, Book 90. This book was orginally owned by my Great Grandmother. Making things from this book makes me feel closer to my roots. Fortunately these socks are so well loved that they had worn out in a few places. I am currently remaking the feet and enjoying the memories! (See the picture on the right; C - the 3rd pair from the left top corner.)

Pattern a Day Contest

Here is another contest to consider for your patterns - the Pattern a Day Calendars.

The contest rules are:

1. Entries must be received by December 15, 2007, 10:00 pm EST.
2. Entries must include an image and the completed form.
3. Entries must not include images that infringe upon someone else's copyright, trademark, or license.
4. To be eligible to win a prize, the participant must be over the age of 18 and must not, in any way, be affiliated with Accord Publishing or Ripley Designs, Inc.

And there is prize money to be won too! You can submit as many patterns as you like.

Another good reason to submit; you get a free copy of the calendar that you submit your pattern too (selected for publication or not!). Submit to both and get TWO calendars!

TOFUtsies Socks

Here we have a completed pair of socks made with TOFUtsies (toe-foot-sies) yarn in No. 719, Best Foot Forward.

Content: 50% Superwash Wool, 25% SOYSILK brand fiber, 22.5%, Cotton, 2.5% Chitin (made from shrimp and crab shells!)

Tension: 8 sts = 1"

Needles: 2.75 mm (US 2)

425 m / 100 g ball (makes a pair of socks with lots to spare)

Care: machine wash and dry

Pattern: Priscilla's Dream Socks (click for the PDF)

Also found in Favorite Socks: 25 Timeless Designs from Interweave (ISBN: 1596680326)

I came across the TOFUtsies in one of my favourite LYS Wool n'Things. Gisèle had a knitted sock sample and I couldn't believe how soft and supple it felt. Of course I had to buy a ball and make a pair.

I enjoyed the knitting experience but there are few things I will do differently in the future.

• My tension was the same as the label, however, I think that this yarn would be better on slightly smaller needles for a sturdier end result.
• I followed the pattern's yo technique for the short row heel and toe - next time I will try the Knit Encroachment and Purl Encroachment stitches for the short rows for a tidier, sturdier miter.
• I bound off using the zig-zag technique from the pattern. I found it difficult to complete this bind-off neatly. The limited elasticity of the yarn contributed to this problem, but I am not too fond the resultant ridge. I redid the right toe because I was so unhappy with the result (the picture is of my first attempt). Next time I will definitely graft the toe to the foot (Kitchener Stitch).

I also wonder how this yarn will wear. Only time will tell.

(I have a number of other projects completed or nearly done, so check back later this week for more updates.)

Question 17 0607

Goodness, I'm late! Sorry. Here it is this month's

(or Question 19, as the case may be)

Where can we find your favourite undiscovered* craft blogger?

(Please include the web address so we can discover them too.)

My answer: Hyldemor by Anni. She also has an older blog called the Knitting Adventuress (Technorati rank is 350,504)

* If pressed, I mean anything other than a super popular blog like the Yarn Harlot (Technorati rank is 316, one of the Top 500.)