This is my official first post on my Knit Bitz blog. Exciting! I have been knitting on and off for a very long time but am enthusiastically back into it in a big way now. In other words I have major stashes of yarn, probably more than I will ever be able knit but I plan on giving it a good try. It's a good bug to have because there have been lots of studies showing that knitting is good for you, good for the mind, physically and emotionally. It keeps the mind going strong but so far seems to have little benefit in any aerobic way. Hasn't done much for strengthening my core either, but I digress.
Anyway I have decided to put down some notes on the various items I knit and crochet.... mostly knit, but to also add in my thoughts on various techniques, how easy they are, how successful (or not) I was and pictures of my progress and ultimately my final product.
First up is this Ilene bag. It is a great item to throw in your purse and take to the market. It looks kind of wimpy, not much substance to it but believe it or not it is an incredibly useful little bag. Turns out it is very stretchy, so though you may initially think you can fit just a few items in it, pretty soon you'll realize if you had to you could probably get the kitchen sick in there along with a few fresh fruits and veggies.
I have completed one, about a year ago and promised myself a second one, now underway. It's an easy lace pattern knit in the round..... I love items where there is no seaming. It has a rectangular base which makes it a little easier loading things into it. The strap can be made any length really, I like it as a shoulder bag length, also stretchy, so that needs to be kept in mind when deciding on its length. The ones I have done so far are knit in a 100% wet spun linen, lovely to knit with, though not soft. Going to try another one in a softer 100% cotton.
At a relatively relaxed pace I can knit one of these up in a few days. No blocking required so once complete you can dash straight out to the market. The cotton yarn I have is a variegated yarn so it will be fun to see how it turns out.
This is not a difficult knit but it is not a beginner project either. The lace stitch is an easy repeat pattern, but there is a lot of picking up stitches once the base is done and the first few rows in the round are a bit tight and tricky to do. The handle has a 3 needle cast off which is actually pretty easy.....I did have to google it the first time I did it and I may need a refresher when it comes time for it for the current bag.
