knitting project bag

102_1963, originally uploaded by lilah_ward.

I haven't sewn anything in a while because I need to get my serger and better sewing machine fixed and need to get over wanting to be perfect the first time by being meticulous and if I can't serge it it shouldn't stop me from creating so I designed something new. I haven't designed something new in a loner while than i haven't sewn and realized that that part of by brain had been sleeping so it was hard to visualize how to sew my creation at first trying to get all seam between outer and inner fabric. So I ended up drawing the steps instead of just explaining in words like usual. Here is the finished product of the first prototype. Just a plain bag to hold your current or on hold knitting projects. I notice that if I leave my project around and not up high and in a bag of some sort that the cats with chew on the needles, play with the yarn eventually sliding the stitches off the needles. So here is my solution. On the inside is a piece of ribbon sewn to the inside to slide circular needles through to keep the stitches on the needles and a little button hole at the top back side to stick straight needles through so that they don't poke a hole through the bag. the top of the bag folds over and both layers have button holes to button close with a cute fabric covered button.

shop bag

Here is a bag I made recently based off of a shirt pattern. I took the 2 pattern pieces there were for the front of the shirt. I chose a thick linen looking muslin for the yoke (top piece) and two different (fabric) patterns for the front and back of the bottom (larger part) of the bag. I cut out 2 of the yoke in the linen and 2 out of (reg.) muslin. For the main larger part of the bag I cut out 4, 2 out of muslin and 1 of each the front and back fabric I chose. I took each fabric piece intended for the outside and matched it up with a muslin pattern piece that matched it and surged all the edges. I sewed it together adding some gathering as an accent (between the yoke and bottom). First the yoke pieces to the bottom pieces then the handles, sides and bottom. Then on the inside where the sides meet the bottom to make a 90 degree angle. I folded so the seem down the side would touch and seem across the bottom and measured where it was 2 inches across, sewed and surged for both corners of the bag (this makes it possible to put more stuff in the bag). Then sewed seem binding to the outside of the neck part of the handles and the arm holes of the handles and finished it up by sewing the other side of the seem binding by hand to the inside of the bag.

You can make your own shop bag out of many shirt patterns by just doubling the front of the pattern and not making sleeves. I cut mine out of the largest pattern size (the pattern I used had, 16) and use it to carry around my knitting including the book I’m working from. Can also be used as a library bag or a purse in which you can place your jacket when the temperature fluctuates and it often does here in Texas. Your very own environmentally friendly bag like they have at grocery stores now except more desirable and personal.