Knitted Bag for tatting - nearly there.

Yesterday I made good progress. I got the pocket section sewn to the lining at 8 points. Having done that it was possible to finish the base. I inserted 2 cds, shiny sides outwards as this looks pretty through the knitting. Then I could sew up the opening.

Here you see the inside with the pockets formed and the base in place.

And the outside of the base.

Then I was able to continue the lining until I was level with the start of the eyelet section.

I could then have picked up around the body and knitted the 2 layers together but that forms a slight line on the knitting, which I did not want. Instead I stitched the 2 layers together, picking up at intervals all around and keeping it loose enough not to pull the knitting.

Here that is completed.



Knitted Bag for Tatting - The lining 1

I went back to the base and picked up between the pocket strip and the body. If I had originally planned to do this I would have worked 3 purl rounds on the base instead of 2. Then I could have picked up the middle one at this stage.

Linings are normally made a little smaller that what they are to line, but in this case I want the lining to add stability so I have increased to slightly more than the bag body. Making it a little larger will help with the shape. People nowadays tend to assume that the main way to add stability to a bag is to felt it, but as you can see there are other ways too.

When I have worked a bit more than the depth of the pocket flap I will sew the flap to the lining at 8 points, level with the 8 increase/decrease points of the base. This will give me 8 pockets for tatting shuttles. You can see that I have placed pins where the sewing will go.



Knitted Bag for Tatting - Part 3

I couldn't get these photos to load yesterday so here they are today.

I worked the body of the bag as far as the drawstring section. At that point I worked a purl round, a knit round and another purl round. Then three knit rounds.



Then the eyelets. Because I am using sock yarn and fine needles a simple yarn over and decrease would produce too small a hole. So I worked a pair of decreases with 3 yarn overs between them. On the next round when I came to the three yarn overs I knit the first one, dropped the middle one and purled the third one. This makes a good eyelet and is a method I sometimes use for buttonholes. Then I continued, matching the pattern to finish the drawstring section.

Originally I intended to work straight to the top edge, work a turning round and continue forming a facing. However at this point I had what I hope will be a better idea. So, I increased one stitch per eyelet, worked straight for a few rounds and then changed to a 2.5mm needle, continuing straight until I ran out of the green yarn (this bag is using up several sock yarn left-overs.) I then left the stitches on the needle as I have not quite decided how I  am going to deal with them at the end.

More when I have made some more progress! 

Knitted Bag for Tatting - Part 2

At this point I picked up one stitch in each stitch of the purl round nearest the side with the opening.

Working in seed stitch I increased 2 stitches at the centre of each of the 8 segments.

Here you can see the base with the seed stitch pocket section begun and the remaining purl round visible - that will be used later.

I worked in seed stitch until I had sufficient for the pocket section - in this case, until it was tall enough to hold an upright tatting shuttle. I then cast off - this is one situation where the instruction to cast off loosely does NOT apply. I wanted to cast off at the same tension as the seed stitch so the pocket top would not stretch in use.

Then I went back and picked up all round the remaining purl round, but increasing 1 stitch for every 2 stitches picked up except where the 8 sections met each other (these areas I just picked up straight with no increases). With the purl side towards the seed stitch section I was now able to work the body of the bag in stocking stitch.

 More later.



Knitting a bag for tatting - One

Here is the base of the bag I am knitting. I am using sock wool and 2mm needles.

 I started by making a circle of 8 stitches - as I showed last time. Then I increased at 8 points on every other round - in this case by adding a yarn-over. This creates a pretty swirl pattern.

As I am planning to stiffen the base with an old cd, I knitted until it was the right size. Then I worked 2 purl rounds (these come in handy later!)

Then I continued working back and forth on half the stitches, as set, but working a decrease (in this case K2B) on alternate rows at the same 8 points. I worked to the last 4 stitches, drew the yarn through them and pulled it up.

Then I did the same thing on the remaining stitches - this gives an opening to put the cd in. It is sewn up afterwards because it is easier to continue knitting without putting the cd in until the end.

More next time!



Knitted centre for a circle - photo-tutorial

                                             

The above is a photo of a bag I have started to make (more on that later) and it occurred to me that it might be worth showing how I start a circle. I'm sorry the photos that follow are not perfect - it is hard to hold the work with one hand and the camera with the other!

To make things easier to see I am using a thick yarn and large needles.

Start by laying the yarn over your left hand with the end  at the bottom front.

Take the yarn over the back of the hand and up to the top again. You now have two strands over the front of your hand and are going to work over them both.

Now pick up a loop of yarn (from the ball).

 Pull the loop under both hand threads so you have just that loop on the needle.

Now pick up another loop of new thread.

Take that loop through the loop you already have on the needle (dropping that first loop).

One stitch complete!

Pick up another loop by going under the original double thread. It helps to remember that you are working towards the first end of the thread.

Take that thread through to form a second loop on the needle.

Here you see the first stitch and the second loop on the needle.

Pick up another loop.

Pull that through that second loop. Now you have two completed stitches on the needle.

Now you can continue until you have the number of stitches you require - in this case 8.

Now you can pull on the free end of thread and start snugging the centre.

Now you can divide the stitches between your needles and finish snugging up the centre.



Chilly Day

It has turned chilly here again so I thought we would have some more pictures from my garden. Here is the first lupin.

And an aquileigia - not the rather dull purple kind, but an almost white one which I am happy to see has seeded itself around the garden.



And the ultimate in anticipation - a poppy bud.