What Is Off and On My Needles

Hello my blogging friends! I hope all is well with you and that you are finding time to craft. A couple of weeks ago I was inspired by a post on Woolly Wednesday’s blog about making a Market Bag. I have had a pattern and yarn in my stash for a market bag for a couple of years now. So I pulled it out and got started on it.

The pattern is the Eastern Market Tote by Tanis Gray and it is a FREE pattern on Ravelry. The yarn I am using is Berroco Modern Cotton in color 1665 Wetherill. This pattern starts out using the Provisional Cast-on, which is a first for me. I crocheted a chain with the pink yarn, adding a few more stitches than I actually needed. I flipped the chain over and skipping the first chain, I inserted my needle into the “dash” looking stitch and knitted a stitch. I repeated that for the number of stitches I needed for the bag. Then I started stitching the pattern in the round. One thing I will note: The pattern called for a 36″ circular needle, but there was no way I could make 90 stitches meet in a circle, so I used a 14″ cable, added to the 5″ length of my tips to make a 24″ circular. This is the 3rd time I have run into this problem with a pattern. Am I figuring something wrong? The width of this bag will be 10 1/2″ laying flat, so doubled will be 21″. Not even sure how I would have stretched 21″ around a 36″ needle?? The 24″ circular worked out perfect.

The pattern is so cute and very easy. I must say, it is a very relaxing knit. And the Berroco Modern Cotton is a dream to work with. This is my first time using it, but it won’t be my last. So I knitted the pattern for 4 repeats and then added the garter stitch border at the top and then bound off. Then it was time to unravel that cast on. I was a little nervous at first, but it was pretty easy pulling the cast on pink yarn one stitch at a time and picking them up with my needle. There are wonderful videos on You Tube about this cast on. I then knitted the pattern until the decreases made it too small to continue with the circular needle. I switched to Double Pointed Needles. Not my favorite way of stitching, but sometimes you have to do it.

I started with 4 needles. It looks like crazy knitting! So chaotic!

Then I went to 3 needles. It took a little bit of finagling, working around stitch markers and the pattern and the decreasing, but I did it.

I was so happy to be done with Double Pointed Needles. Seeing the finished bottom of the bag made it all worth it. It looks so cool! I just love it! I added a knitted handle, making it about 2″ shorter than called for, wove in my ends and it was finished!

I love how it turned out and can’t wait to take it to the vegetable tent to get some fresh fruits and vegetables. Aside from the DPN’s, I loved this pattern and the yarn I used. I already have a few requests to make more and I will get to them eventually 😉 And while I had a nice evening to take pictures of my bag, I remembered to take some photos of my blocked Merfolk Fade Shawl.

This shawl turned out really beautiful and I can’t wait to wear it this fall. So, now what is on my needles?

This is the Jolie pattern by Lindsay Potter and was included in the July 2021 Seed Club Packet from the Yarn Garden in Michigan. The yarn is Britty Rae Knits and is so gorgeous and so soft! I think this Seed Club Packet is my favorite!

This is my first time using this dyer’s yarn. It is so soft and squishy and has some silver sparkle in it. The name of this yarn is “A Visit to the Nursery”, as in gardening.

I casted on last night and look forward to all of the knitting on this one.

So what is on your needles?