Sewing the Easiest Ever Lined Drawstring Bag

Recently, Madeline (age 6) asked me to teach her how to knit. That will be so much fun! We'll probably start over her Christmas vacation; she's in first grade and is pretty busy right now. I already have the needles and yarn, and I'd like to make a bag for her to keep her knitting project in. I'd like for it to be easy to open and close and for her to be able to carry it by the straps on her wrist. It stays open when it's open, and it stays closed when it's closed. Before we get started, here are the needles and yarn:

Did you see the kitties on the ends of the needles? Here's a close up:

Supplies:
1 piece of fabric for the outside of the bag
1 piece of fabric for the lining
2 pieces of grosgrain ribbon
2 ribbons or cording or shoelaces (Note: It must be thin enough to fit through the grosgrain ribbon after the ribbon is stitched down.)

Here's a picture of grosgrain ribbon; you can see the "ribbing" texture and that the edges are finished. I always save grosgrain ribbon from wrapped packages to use in sewing projects.

Photo credit 

Before we start, I'm going to decide on the dimensions of the finished bag.
Finished length/height: 12 in. to accommodate her knitting needles and some yarn
Finished width: 9.5 in.

Math ahead (but easy):
Finished length x 2 plus 1/2 in. seam allowance x 2
(Mine is 12 x 2 = 24 + 1 = 25 in.)
Finished width plus 1/2 in. seam allowance x 2
(Mine is 9.5 + 1 = 10.5 in.)

So I need to cut 2 pieces of fabric (one for the outside and one for the lining) 25 in. long x 10.5 in. wide.

When I'm sewing, I like to think ahead at least a step or two. My next step will be to sew those two pieces of fabric together, right sides together, leaving an opening to turn. So after pressing the fabric, lay out the fabrics on the cutting mat as follows: lay the outside fabric right side up and lay the lining fabric fabric right side down, on top of the outside fabric.

Using my rotary cutter and ruler, I made four cuts so that I have two pieces that are 25 x 10.5 in.

Again planning ahead, before I lift the fabric, pin the two layers together. (Isn't that nice; now you don't have to match up the layers before sewing!)

The red clips are my reminder
to leave this part open.

Stitch all around with a 1/4-in. seam allowance, leaving a 4 or 5 in. opening for turning. Be sure to secure the stitching at the beginning and end. (I backstitch.)

Needle position is one notch to the right of
center position for 1/4 in. seam allowance.

Trim corners.

Press to set the stitches into the fabric. At the opening for turning, fold back the fabric even with stitching line and press along the 1/4 in. fold line. Repeat with the other side.

Reach into the opening with your hand and turn right side out. Use a skewer or something similar (I used a Size 15 knitting needle) to push the corners out. Be gentle; don't push too hard.

Push the knitting needle into the corner.

Press. Stitch the opening closed, very close to the folded edge.

This is how it now looks:

Cut two pieces of ribbon, each the width of the lined fabric.
Turn under and press 3/8 in. at each end.
Zigzag the folded ends to secure the raw edges.

Pin the grosgrain ribbon to the outside of the lined fabric. (I pinned mine 1.5 in. from the edges.)

Stitch along both long edges of the ribbon to the fabric, very close to the edges, leaving the ends open. Reinforce the stitching at the beginning and end of each row of stitching. I double backstitched mine. Repeat at the other end.

The stitching is very close to the edges.

Fold the bag in half, right sides together, and pin, then sew each side from 1 in. from the top to the bottom. Reinforce the stitching at the beginning. Repeat on the other side.

The arrow points to where
I begin the stitching.

Turn the bag right side out. Use a skewer or something similar (I used a Size 15 knitting needle) to push the corners out. Be gentle; don't push too hard. Press.

The grosgrain ribbon is close to the seam
but not included in the seam allowance.

Cut 2 pieces of cording, each the width of the finished bag x 2 + 6 in. I cut mine 25 in. for my bag, which is 9.5 in. wide.

Thread one piece of cord through the grosgrain ribbon and continue around and slide it through the second grosgrain ribbon. Slide until both raw ends are even. Tie the ends into a knot. Repeat with the second cord, but this time, begin at the halfway point side of the first cord. As for the first, slide the cord until the ends are even. Tie the ends into a knot.

One cord (upper) starts at this seam allowance and
the other cord starts at the other seam allowance (lower).

I'm ready when you are, Madeline!

I'll also include this little poem in the bag, laminated, with one verse on each side:

How to Knit
In through the front door
Once around the back
Peek through the window
And off jumps Jack.

How to Purl
Under the fence
Catch the sheep
Back we come
Off we leap.

~ ~ ~

Of course, this bag can be made in any size. What size will you make? What will you use it for?

Note: I edited all of my photos to be 325 pixels wide, but they appear all different widths here. If anyone knows what I need to change to get my intended result, please share. Thanks!

Blessings and peace...

Knit a Little Square on the Bias (Diagonal)

In my first blog post, (here), I included a few photos of a few things that I had knitted. A dear reader requested the pattern for the little mug mats. Here's the background for them:
After making a lot of dishcloths, I had a lot of yarn leftovers. I wanted to use up every bit of the ball of yarn, so I couldn't follow any existing pattern without knowing how many yards I had left. So I set out to figure out a way to knit a little square that could be used as a coaster or mug mat (if worked with a smaller needle to obtain a more tightly knit square), a doll quilt or rug, or a child-size dish cloth. This square starts with 3 stitches, then 2 stitches are added every other row until almost all of the yarn is used, then bound off. The resulting size of the square depends on 1) the amount of yarn and 2) the needle size. Or you can finish it when it is the size you want.

Knit a Little Square on the Bias (Diagonal) by Sandra Carden

Materials and Notes:
Yarn: Cotton worsted-weight solid or variegated yarn: approximately 1/2 oz
Needles: Size US 6 or Size 3 or 4 if you are making coasters
Stitch marker (1)
Movable stitch marker or safety pin (1)
Abbreviations:
st(s) = stitch(es)
k = knit
M1T = Make 1 Towards
M1A = Make 1 Away

The special technique used in this little project is
paired increases between stitches (knit stitch).

M1T (Make 1 Towards): This is a left-leaning increase that perfectly matches M1A.
Here's how: Make a backwards loop of the working yarn onto the right needle, so that the working yarn points toward you. The ball yarn will be pointing to the front.

M1A (Make 1 Away): This is a right-leaning increase that perfectly matches M1T.
Here's how: Make a backwards loop of the working yarn onto the right needle, so that the working yarn points away from you. The new loop will be closer to the end of the needle than to the ball yarn.

Note: If your increase stitches show a small hole, you can close them up on the next row by twisting the stitch before knitting it.

M1A: To watch a short video of this technique, click here (for English style knitting) or here (for continental style knitting).

M1T: To watch a short video of this technique, click here (for English style knitting) or here (for continental style knitting).

Pattern:
Notes: All increases will be on even-number rows. The number of sts at the end of the row is shown in brackets [ ].

Cast on 3 sts.
Row 1: Knit across.
Row 2: K 1, M1T, place marker, K 1, M1A, K 1. [5 sts]
Row 3: Knit across.
Row 4: Knit to marker, M1T, slip marker, K 1, M1A, knit to end of row. [7 sts]
Before beginning next row, place a movable marker a row or two from the beginning on this side of the work. This will help you to keep track of which rows you should work the increases.
Row 5: Knit across.
Row 6: Knit to marker, M1T, slip marker, K 1, M1A, knit to end of row. [9 sts]
Row 7: Knit across.
Knit to marker, M1T, slip marker, K 1, M1A, knit to end of row. [11 sts]
Row 9: Knit across.
Knit to marker, M1T, slip marker, K 1, M1A, knit to end of row. [13 sts]
Row 11: Knit across.

Continue these two rows, increasing 2 sts every other row until you have enough yarn for one more row (or until it's the size you want). Bind off and weave in ends.

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments, and of course if you make some! Thanks!

Blessings and peace...

Windowpanes Knitted Dishcloth Pattern

I am honored to share (by request!) my own pattern that I used for some of the dishcloths shown in my October 2 post.

And here are a few of the tips and techniques I incorporate into my knitting:
1. I usually use a needle one size larger for the cast on and a needle two sizes larger for the bind off. For example, I use a size 6 (4 mm) needle for worsted weight cotton for dishcloths, so I use size 7 (4.5 mm) for the cast on and size 8 (5 mm) for the bind off. This helps to achieve the same stretch in the cast-on and bind-off edges as for the body of the piece.
2. Speaking of needles, I use circular needles for both round and flat work. It makes knitting in close quarters (such as a movie theater) much easier. And if I happen to drop one end of the circular needle, I am still holding the other end, so I don't really lose the needle.
3. When I set my work down or put it away for a while, I push all of the stitches to the cable section (thinner section of the needle between the two ends), ensuring that a ridge from having left the stitches on the thickest part of the needle won't permanently form in that row.
4. When I use the long-tail cast on, my choice for dishcloths, I work the first 3 to 5 stitches with both yarns, the yarn end and the ball yarn. That way, I don't need to weave those ends in later.
5. I try to complete a row before setting my work down, which helps to maintain a more even tension.
6. Blocking. I block almost everything I knit. It vastly improves the appearance, evening out changes in tension throughout the piece. I think it somehow presses the blocked shape into the memory; in other words, even after a cloth is machine washed and dried, it retains the blocked shape.

Windowpanes Dishcloth by Sandra Carden
Front:

Back:

 

Materials and Notes:

Yarn: Cotton worsted-weight variegated yarn: One 2 to 2.5 oz ball will usually make two cloths.
Needles: Size 7 to cast on, 6 to work dishcloth and 8 to bind off. Gauge is not important.
Abbreviations:
st(s) = stitch(es)
k = knit
p = purl
For a smoother edge (optional): Slip the first stitch of each row as if to purl. If the next stitch is a knit stitch, remember to move your working yarn to the back first. If the next stitch is a purl stitch, your yarn is already in front, so you do not need to move it.

Cast on 36 sts using size 7 needle.

Bottom border: Change to size 6 needle and work in seed st (*K1, P1*, repeat, ending K1) for 6 rows.
Side borders: Begin and end each row in seed st (5 sts).
Instructions for pattern between the side borders:
Work bottom border.
Row 1: K1, P4, K1, P4, K1, P4, K1, P4, K1, P4, K1.
Row 2: P1, K4, P1, K4, P1, K4, P1, K4, P1, K4, P1.
Row 3: K1, P4, K1, P4, K1, P4, K1, P4, K1, P4, K1.
Row 4: P1, K4, P1, K4, P1, K4, P1, K4, P1, K4, P1.
Row 5: Knit across.
Row 6: P1, K4, P1, K4, P1, K4, P1, K4, P1, K4, P1.
Repeat these six rows six times.
Work top border. Bind off using size 8 needle in knit stitch. Weave in yarn ends. Block.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Shorthand: Repeat between * and *.
Work bottom border.
Row 1: K1, *P4, K1* across.
Row 2: P1, *K4, P1* across.
Row 3: K1, *P4, K1* across.
Row 4: P1, *K4, P1* across.
Row 5: Knit across.
Row 6: P1, *K4, P1* across.
Repeat these six rows six times.
Work top border. Bind off in knit stitch. Weave in yarn ends. Block.


Resource:
Knitting Help has free knitting videos.

I have taken some before, during, and after photos of the blocking part of knitting, so I will write about that soon.

And I have started a sewing project, a reworking of something I bought but will never wear, so that's on my list of sewing projects to share with you.

Blessings and peace...