Tuesday, April 29, 2014

A Spring Accessory

Spring has sprung, and not a moment too soon.


For how pleasant last winter was, it didn't provide much rain.  Thankfully April showers did bring flowers, and my poor herb garden is starting to look delicious.

This is also the time for dressing lighter, getting out, and seeing all manner of fairs, markets, and friends.  With warm days and cool nights, plus all the extra sight seeing, it's helpful to have something to help tote around any extra odds and ends that may be needed.  So may I present a new pattern to share.


Aloe Day Bag
One Size
Worsted Weight Cotton/Wool

This is a little something that came about due to my current love of street fairs.  I wanted something light-weight, but durable, and that could hold my current craft project, lunch from the farmers market, trinkets found at market, or all of the above.  

So far it has proved itself to be everything that I hoped it would be.  The open work in it allows for air flow.  It has a bit of stretch, but not too much.  Plus it is comfortable and nice while matching just as well with jeans as with a summer dress.

The lace work is fairly simple with a bit of counting involved.  The shoulder strap seem is grafted together with the kitchener stitch, but it isn't over very many stitches and it is always possible to bind off at that point and sew the seems together if it feels better.  I also put four buttons onto one of the flaps to hold them together.  I find buttons with a shank work better for this purpose, but button that will fit through your yarn over spaces will conceivably work.

I hope that you enjoy this bag as much as I have. And just remember, if you don't like the yarn, change the yarn.  If you don't like the gauge, change it.  Just have fun and see were your needles take you.  The only thing that I ask, is please do not sell the pattern as your own.  (It will hurt my feelings.)

If you have any questions about the pattern, please email me at GridMammalCrafts@gmail.com and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.  :)

Also, if you would like a pdf version of this pattern, and have a Ravelry account, it can be found here.

If you would like a copy from Etsy, it can be found here.

Aloe Day Bag

Materials:
·         Size 5, 3.75mm Double Point Knitting Needles
·         Size 5, 3.75mm Circular Knitting Needles
·         Size 5, 3.75mm Straight Knitting Needles    (Optional)
·         Waste Yarn
·         3 skeins Brown Sheep Co, Serendipity Tweed, Color Blue Spruce
·         4 Shank Pearl Buttons
·         Stitch Marker
·         Darning Needle
Gauge:
·         26sts x 32 rows = 4” x 4” in stockinette stitch
Finished Size:
·         ~ 32" around the top of the body
·         ~ 14" from center bottom of body to the top edge of the body
·         It will have a little stretch
Notes:
·         Bag starts at center bottom and is knitted in the round until it is time to knit the straps and flaps.
·         Repeat body pattern row eight times for each round through round 124.
·         Knit all even rounds 2 through 124.
·         Pearl rows 126 through188 for the arm bands and rows 126 through 170 for the flap.

·         Five skeins will make two bags. 
 


Instructions:
Chart: Bag Body

Written Instruction: Bag Body
Cast on 8 stitches and join in the round without twisting.
Round 1: yo, k1 - 16 sts
Round 3: yo, k1, kfb - 32 sts
Round 5: k4 - 32 sts
Round 7: yo, k1, m1r, k1, k2tog - 40 sts
Round 9: yo, k1, m1r, k2, k2tog - 48 sts
Round 11: yo, k1, m1r, k3, k2tog - 56 sts
Round 13: yo, k1, m1r, k4, k2tog - 64 sts
Round 15: yo, k1, m1r, k5, k2tog - 72 sts
Round 17: yo, k1, m1r, k6, k2tog - 80 sts
Round 19: yo, k1, m1r, k1, ssk, yo, k4, k2tog - 88 sts
Round 21: yo, k1, m1r, k3, ssk, yo, k3, k2tog - 96 sts
Round 23: yo, k1, m1r, k5, ssk, yo, k2, k2tog - 104 sts
Round 25: yo, k1, m1r, k7, ssk, yo, k1, k2tog - 112 sts
Round 27: yo, k1, m1r, k9, ssk, yo, k2tog - 120 sts
Round 29: yo, k1, m1r, k12, k2tog - 128 sts
Round 31: yo, k1, m1r, k13, k2tog - 136 sts
Round 33: yo, k1, m1r, k14, k2tog - 144 sts
Round 35: yo, k1, m1r, k15, k2tog - 152 sts
Round 37: yo, k1, m1r, k16, k2tog - 160 sts
Round 39: yo, k1, m1r, k17, k2tog - 168 sts
Round 41: yo, k1, m1r, k18, k2tog - 176 sts
Round 43: yo, k1, m1r, k19, k2tog - 184 sts
Round 45: yo, k1, m1r, k20, k2tog - 192 sts
Round 47: yo, k22, k2tog - 192 sts
Repeat round 47and the subsequent knit row eight times more.
Round 65: yo, k2tog, yo, k20, k2tog - 192 sts
Round 67: yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k18, k2tog - 192 sts
Round 69: yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k16, k2tog - 192 sts
Round 71: yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k14, k2tog - 192 sts
Round 73: yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k12, k2tog - 192 sts
Round 75: yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k10, k2tog - 192 sts
Round 77: yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k8, k2tog - 192 sts
Round 79: yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k6, k2tog - 192 sts
Round 81: yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k4, k2tog - 192 sts
Round 83: yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2, k2tog - 192 sts
Round 85: yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 192 sts
Round 87: yo, k2, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 192 sts
Round 89: yo, k4, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 192 sts
Round 91: yo, k6, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 192 sts
Round 93: yo, k8, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 192 sts
Round 95: yo, k10, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 192 sts
Round 97: yo, k12, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 192 sts
Round 99: yo, k14, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 192 sts
Round 101: yo, k16, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 192 sts
Round 103: yo, k18, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 192 sts
Round 105: yo, k20, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 192 sts
Round 107: yo, k22, k2tog - 192 sts

Repeat round 107 and the subsequent knit row eight times more.

Chart: Arm Strap

Written Instruction: Arm Band
Row 125 (rs): ssk, yo, ssk, k18, k2tog, yo, k20, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 46 sts
Place the remaining 144 sts on the waste yarn.
Turn work, switch to the straight needles and continue with the 46 sts just worked.
Row 127 (rs): ssk, yo, ssk, k16, k2tog, yo, k20, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 42
Row 129 (rs): ssk, yo, ssk, k14, k2tog, yo, k20, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 42
Row 131 (rs): ssk, yo, ssk, k12, k2tog, yo, k20, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 40
Row 133 (rs): ssk, yo, ssk, k10, k2tog, yo, k20, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 38
Row 135 (rs): ssk, yo, ssk, k8, k2tog, yo, k20, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 36
Row 137 (rs): ssk, yo, ssk, k6, k2tog, yo, k20, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 34
Row 139 (rs): ssk, yo, ssk, k4, k2tog, yo, k20, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 32
Row 141 (rs): ssk, yo, ssk, k2, k2tog, yo, k20, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 30
Row 143 (rs): ssk, yo, ssk, k2tog, yo, k20, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 28
Row 145 (rs): ssk, yo, ssk, k20, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 26
Row 147 (rs): ssk, yo, ssk, k18, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 24
Row 149 (rs): ssk, yo, ssk, k16, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 22
Row 151 (rs): ssk, yo, ssk, k14, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 20
Row 153 (rs): ssk, yo, k16, yo, k2tog - 20
Row 155 (rs): ssk, yo, k13, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, k2tog - 20
Row 157 (rs): ssk, yo, k12, k2tog, yo, k2, yo, k2tog - 20
Row 159 (rs): ssk, yo, k11, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, k2tog - 20
Row 161 (rs): ssk, yo, k10, k2tog, yo, k4, yo, k2tog - 20
Row 163 (rs): ssk, yo, k9, k2tog, yo, k5, yo, k2tog - 20
Row 165 (rs): ssk, yo, k8, k2tog, yo, k6, yo, k2tog - 20
Row 167 (rs): ssk, yo, k7, k2tog, yo, k7, yo, k2tog - 20
Row 169 (rs): ssk, yo, k6, k2tog, yo, k8, yo, k2tog - 20
Row 171 (rs): ssk, yo, k5, k2tog, yo, k9, yo, k2tog - 20
Row 173 (rs): ssk, yo, k4, k2tog, yo, k10, yo, k2tog - 20
Row 175 (rs): ssk, yo, k3, k2tog, yo, k11, yo, k2tog - 20
Row 177 (rs): ssk, yo, k2, k2tog, yo, k12, yo, k2tog - 20
Row 179 (rs): ssk, yo, k1, k2tog, yo, k13, yo, k2tog - 20
Row 181 (rs): ssk, yo, k2tog, yo, k14, yo, k2tog - 20
Row 183 (rs): ssk, yo, k16, yo, k2tog - 20
Row 185 (rs): ssk, yo, k16, yo, k2tog - 20
Row 187 (rs): ssk, yo, k16, yo, k2tog - 20
Row 189 (rs): ssk, yo, k16, yo, k2tog - 20

Place the 20 stitches that have been worked onto a separate piece of waste yarn. Leave about a foot of yarn on the end and break yarn. Pick up the next 48 sts off of the long piece of waste yarn to the left of the arm band that was just made, so that you can start knitting directly to the left of the arm band. Join fresh yarn and start on the first cover flap.

Chart: Cover Flap
Written Instuctions: Cover Flap
Row 125 (rs): ssk, yo, k20, k2tog, yo, k22, yo, k2tog - 48 sts
Row 127 (rs): ssk, yo, k19, k2tog, yo, k23, yo, k2tog - 48 sts
Row 129 (rs): ssk, yo, k18, k2tog, yo, k21, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, k2tog - 48 sts
Row 131 (rs): ssk, yo, k17, k2tog, yo, k21, k2tog, yo, k2, yo, k2tog - 48 sts
Row 133 (rs): ssk, yo, k16, k2tog, yo, k21, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, k2tog - 48 sts
Row 135 (rs): ssk, yo, k15, k2tog, yo, k21, k2tog, yo, k4, yo, k2tog - 48 sts
Row 137 (rs): ssk, yo, k14, k2tog, yo, k21, k2tog, yo, k5, yo, k2tog - 48 sts
Row 139 (rs): ssk, yo, k13, k2tog, yo, k21, k2tog, yo, k6, yo, k2tog - 48 sts
Row 141 (rs): ssk, yo, ssk, k10, k2tog, yo, k21, k2tog, yo, k5, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 46 sts
Row 143 (rs): ssk, yo, k10, k2tog, yo, k21, k2tog, yo, k7, yo, k2tog - 46 sts
Row 145 (rs): ssk, yo, ssk, k7, k2tog, yo, k21, k2tog, yo, k6, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 44 sts
Row 147 (rs): ssk, yo, k7, k2tog, yo, k21, k2tog, yo, k8, yo, k2tog - 44 sts
Row 149 (rs): ssk, yo, ssk, k4, k2tog, yo, k21, k2tog, yo, k7, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 42 sts
Row 151 (rs): ssk, yo, ssk, k4, k2tog, yo, k21, k2tog, yo, k7, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 42 sts
Row 153 (rs): ssk, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k21, k2tog, yo, k8, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 40 sts
Row 155 (rs): ssk, yo, cdd, yo, k21, k2tog, yo, k8, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 38 sts
Row 157 (rs): ssk, yo, ssk, k20, k2tog, yo, k8, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 36 sts
Row 159 (rs): ssk, yo, ssk, k18, k2tog, yo, k8, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 34 sts
Row 161 (rs): ssk, yo, ssk, k16, k2tog, yo, k8, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 32 sts
Row 163 (rs): ssk, yo, ssk, k14, k2tog, yo, k8, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 30 sts
Row 165 (rs): ssk, yo, ssk, k12, k2tog, yo, k8, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 28 sts
Row 167 (rs): ssk, yo, ssk, k10, k2tog, yo, k8, k2tog, yo, k2tog - 26 sts
Row 169 (rs): ssk, yo, k10, k2tog, yo, k10, yo, k2tog - 26 sts
Row 171 (rs): ssk, k22, k2tog - 24 sts
Row 172 (ws): bind off all 24 sts purl-wise

Leave about 6 inches of yarn and break yarn.

Next:
Pick up the next 48 sts off of the waste yarn to the left of the cover flap that was just made so that one so that you can start knitting directly to the left of the arm band. Join fresh yarn and start on the second arm band.
Complete the second arm band the same way that the first one was done.
When finished, instead of putting the remaining stitches onto a piece of waste yarn, pick up the stitches from the opposing arm band with another needle and graft the seams together using the kitchener stitch. Be careful not to sew a twist into the armband.
Next:
Pick up the remaining 48 sts off of the waste yarn. Start knitting with the right side out and complete the second cover flap just as the first one was done.
After the second cover flap has been bound off, sew in all loose threads.
Lastly:
Pick one of the cover flaps. Line the other cover flap over the top of it and notice where the top flap's holes fall. Pick four spots and sew the buttons into the bottom flap only on the right side.

(I find that the easiest way to do this is to line up the top and bottom flap, then put small pins through the holes in the top flap and into the bottom flap. This way the top flap can be lifted and the buttons can be sewn into the bottom flap easily. I also find it easier to do one buton at a time so that I can check the alignment of the flaps with each new button. This way, with each new pin placement, the previous buttons are holding the flaps in place, and if I make a mistake, it can be fixed before all of the buttons have been sewn on.)
Enjoy.