23 October 2008

Rare Earth Rug

Rare Earth Rug by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
Nothing warms a New England winter more than a cozy rug to step onto first thing in the morning. This one is no exception, with its rich natural tones harmonising with the beauty of the world outside.

The colours reflect the bare branches of aspen, birch and oak with their thick covering of snow which make this time of year so special for those of us who live in these cold, northerly climes.

Even in more temperate areas, a beautiful natural-coloured rug would add a homely touch to any room.
Rare Earth Rug by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
I worked the Rare Earth Rug in hand-spun yarn using a beautiful multicoloured fleece I had recently purchased. However, the rug can also be worked with commercially available yarns in natural shades of browns, greys and off-whites.
Rare Earth Rug by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
The wonderfully gentle gradations of colour in the rug are achieved by working with two strands of yarn in ever-changing combinations.

I used a natural colour combination for the rug, but other colours could be used for a completely different look. This could be a tone-on-tone colourway or a more contrasting range of colours could be selected for a children’s room.

The rug features Ridged Rib, a reversible stitch taken from our E-book Reversible Knitting StitchesThe advantage of using a reversible stitch for a rug is that they tend to lie beautifully flat without curling or distortions. This makes it far less likely that you would trip over raised edges and corners.
Rare Earth Rug by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
The Rare Earth Rug pattern includes stitch charts and full line-by-line instructions and is available for instant download from my website.

There is also a set of co-ordinating cushions worked in the same colourway, the Rare Earth CushionsI hope you enjoy knitting a new rug and/or set of cushions ready for the winter ahead! Please send me a photo of your finished rug when you have it ready – I’d love to see your version of the pattern!

Until next time – Happy Knitting!
 
Moira
Keywords: Patterns/Rugs,
knitted rug, reversible rug, cushions, pillows, cushion covers, reversible stitch, knitting stitch, two strands of yarn held together, 

08 August 2008

Fibonacci Striped Bag

BYOB Bag by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
In my last few blogposts, I have been wring about the BYOB - Bring Your Own Bag knitting pattern with suggestions for fun variations you could try. If you would like to read the first blogpost in this series, then please click here and follow the links at the bottom of each post to return to this point.

In today’s blogpost, I am going to feature a bag I made using left-over yarn oddments from all the other bags! The dyelots varied enormously, yet when this bag was finished you really couldn't see that there were any shade differences in the yarns.

I have found myself really drawn to this bag and it has become my shopping bag of choice in recent times. It certainly has been the one most commented upon when I am out and about.

This version was worked completely in Seed Stitch and seemed to grow surprising quickly. I found myself saying: "I'll just work one more band..." and then before I knew it, it was finished! There is definitely some merit in having such frequent colour changes to provide a good target for your knitting!
Fibonacci Sequence - diagram by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
The striped pattern in this bag is a "Fibonacci" sequence. This is where the previous 2 numbers are added together to give the next number in the sequence, so:

  • 1+1 = 2,
  • then 1+2 = 3,
  • then 2+3 = 5
  • and so on to give the sequence: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, etc

Fibonacci sequences give very interesting results and reflect patterns we see in nature. We can see Fibonacci sequences in the growth pattern of a shell, the number of petals on a flower or even the leaf structure of a tree! The diagram above, for example, shows how a mollusc shell grows and develops.

In this bag, I just used the 5 - 8 - 13 part of this sequence to form the stripes. So I worked:

  • 13 Rnds in MC,
  • then 8 Rnds in CC1
  • and 5 Rnds in CC2,
  • then back to 8 Rnds of CC1 again.

I had a lot of yarn tails to finish off at the end because I had used so many remnants, but it was very satisfying to have so little wasted yarn at the end of this project.

I hope you have enjoyed exploring the many variations from just this one pattern. If you would like to purchase a copy of the BYOB – Bring Your Own Bag pattern, then please click here. Do please send me photos of the bag variations that you come up with – I’d love to see your version of the bag!

I'll be back next time with information about a lovely cozy rug to knit ready for the winter ahead.

Until then – Happy Bag Knitting!
 
Moira
Keywords: Patterns/Bags, Tutorials/Bags,
bag, bags, BYOB 2.0, shopping bag, knitted bag, stripes, Seed Stitch, blue, purple, lime green, Fibonacci sequence, stash-busting design, yarn oddments, left-over yarn,

Basketweave Bag

Basketweave BYOB by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
In the last few blogposts, I have been exploring some variations of the BYOB - Bring Your Own Bag knitting pattern so that you can make bags that will be just right for your next shopping trip.

In July, I posted about the original BYOB bag and two different colour variations: an autumnal colourway with lovely earthy tones, and a simple but effective two-tone variation worked in pinks, blues and white. Then last time, I explored some bags that were worked entirely in Seed Stitch, one of my favourite stitches.

The version I am featuring today is another solid-sided bag, but this time I have replaced the central mesh part of the bag pattern with Basketweave. This stitch is taken from our book Reversible Knitting Stitches and is a good-looking stitch with a lot of flexibility.
BYOB Bag pattern by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
In the photo above, I have worked large-sized bags using the pink, blue and white combination of colours I wrote about here. I wanted to make some bags which would be good for storing a whole projects’ worth of yarn and they have proved to be perfect for that. However, the BYOB Bag pattern comes in four different sizes, so you could make smaller bags using the same Basketweave idea.

This is a good variation of the basic design as it is still quite flexible so can accommodate awkwardly-shaped items but gives just a little more support. Working a couple of these alongside the regular BYOB Bags would make a lovely co-ordinated set.

Please click here for more details about the BYOB pattern and have fun trying out some variations of your own.

For more information about our Reversible Knitting Stitches book, please click here. The book has includes details for more than 250 double-sided stitches and is available for instant download.

I'll be back next time with one more striped version of the bag, this time with Fibonacci stripes!

Until then – Happy Knitting!

Moira
Keywords: Patterns/Bags, Tutorials/Bags,
bag, bags, BYOB 2.0, shopping bag, knitted bag, stripes, Basketweave, pink, blue, white, spring colourway, colorway,

23 July 2008

Small and stripey bags

BYOB Bag by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
In the last few blogposts, I have been looking at colour variations of the BYOB - Bring Your Own Bag knitting pattern and how you can make very different-looking bags just by selecting a different colourway.
Today, I want to look at some other changes you could make to the basic pattern to make some unique bags for your next shopping trip.

The original BYOB bag had a solid Seed Stitch base and a flexible mesh mid-section. However you could elect to delete the lace part of the pattern and work the bags completely in Seed Stitch instead. This would give a slightly smaller and firmer bag which would be a good choice for a visit to the Farmer’s Market.
Seed Stitch from Reversible Knitting Stitches E-book by Moira Ravenscroft & Anna Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
Seed Stitch is a beautiful stitch and is truly reversible. This means that both sides of the fabric look the same. It is actually the first stitch in our Reversible Knitting Stitches book and although it is very simple to work, it remains one of my favourite stitches. It gives such a lovely depth of shade and colour intensity and produces a wonderfully strong fabric.

Another key quality of Seed Stitch is that it lends itself to a wide variety of striped patterns. The bag in the photograph above, for example, has a 26-round pattern repeat with thick and thin stripes. I worked this in the autumn colourway that I wrote about herebut I could imagine this in a variety of different colours for some spectacular bags.
BYOB Bag by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
The second example shown above has evenly-sized stripes but with extra interest formed by the change of the leading contrast colour in the pattern repeat. This is only a simple change in the colour patterning, but it gives quite a complex look.

Changing to an all Seed Stitch fabric makes these into good, strong bags well-suited for moderately heavy loads of shopping. Indeed, I often use these bags when I am heading to the shopping mall and find them great for more general shopping.

It is also possible to line these bags with a light-weight cotton liner in the same way as the Weymouth Bag from the Southampton Collection. This would make a really useful shopping bag which would be perfect for most of your everyday grocery store visits.

By now we have come a long way from the original design, but with only subtle changes in the overall pattern. Next time I am going to look at another solid-sided bag, but this one worked in Basketweave.

As you can probably tell by now, I love knitted bags! If you would like to see some more of the patterns I have available for bags, then please click hereand if you would like to read more about our Reversible Knitting Stitches book, then please click here.

Until next time – Happy Knitting!

Moira 
Keywords: Patterns/Bags, Tutorials/Bags,
bag, bags, BYOB 2.0, shopping bag, knitted bag, stripes, Seed Stitch, brown, rust, gold, yellow, autumn colourway, fall colorway,

20 July 2008

BYOB - Pretty in Pink (and Blue)

BYOB bag by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
In my last two blogposts, I have been talking about the BYOB - Bring Your own Bag pattern and showing how different it can look when worked in different colours. My original bag was worked in a Summer Limes colourway, with a fresh lime green main colour teamed with blue and purple contrast colour stripes.

Then in my last blogpost I showed the bags worked with more earthy tones – just perfect for the autumn. In this post I am looking even further ahead to feature some bags which would be perfect for the Spring-time.

These are also slightly easier as they have been worked in just two colours, with a pretty berry pink or gentle blue contrasting with bright white stripes.
BYOB bag by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
​So in the blue bag pictured above, I worked three narrow bands of white in the lower Seed Stitch section, with 3 rounds in white and 5 rounds of blue between. Then the rest of the pattern is the same up to the top band, where I again used the main blue colour to replace the second contrast colour in the original pattern.

This gives a simple yet stunning bag. The blue colour here is a dusky pale blue, but I could also imagine this bag with a stronger French blue for a more traditional summer blue-and-white striped mix.
BYOB bag by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
The pink bags are worked in a similar way, replacing the second contrast colour in the pattern with the main colour of pink. The result is simple yet stylish and also involves less left-over yarn – always a bonus!

For more information about the BYOB – Bring Your Own Bag pattern, please click here. The pattern is available for instant download from my site so you can start knitting your new bag today!

Next time, I'll be looking at working another variation of the pattern, but this time with broad stripes of colour instead.

Until then – Happy Knitting!
 
Moira 
Keywords: Patterns/Bags, Tutorials/Bags,
bag, bags, BYOB 2.0, shopping bag, knitted bag, pink, blue, spring colourway, colorway, stripes,

BYOB - Fired Earth Colourway

BYOB - Bring Your Own Bag by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
In my last blogpost, I was talking about my new knitting pattern for the BYOB ‐ Bring Your Own BagThis is a pattern for a stretchy, flexible bag to accommodate all those large, bulky items at the supermarket checkout.

​Today I want to continue my blogpost series looking at different colours, stitches and pattern variations you can make to knit a whole range of bags from a single BYOB pattern. If you would like to read the first blogpost in this series, then please click here and follow the links at the bottom of the page to get back to this point.

I worked the original version of the bag in a “Summer Limes” colourway, using a vibrant green for the main colour and adding contrast stripes of blue and purple. I love the vibrancy of this combination and the way it seems to capture the essence of summer. ​

However, autumn is rapidly approaching so I have just finished another set of bags, but this time using wonderful earthy tones. I can imagine walking to the shops carrying these bags and kicking through the beautiful red New England sugar maple leaves as they fall all around me....

I worked these bags using Lion Brand Cotton Ease with:
  • Bag 1: The main colour in #134 Terracotta + contrast colours of #186 Maize and #122 Taupe.
  • Bag 2: The same three yarns, but with Maize as the main colour.
  • and Bag 3: Again using the same three colours, but with the main colour of Taupe.
BYOB - Bring Your Own Bag by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
It is remarkable how different each of the bags looks, isn't it? However, they make a beautifully co‐ordinated set when you gather them all together.

For more details about the BYOB knitting pattern, please click here. I hope you enjoy making this autumnal variation. In my next blogpost, I will be looking even further ahead to make some bags in soft pinks and blues ready for the Spring-time. 

Until then – Happy Knitting!
 
Moira 
Keywords: Patterns/Bags, Tutorials/Bags,
bag, bags, BYOB 2.0, shopping bag, autumn, fall, autumn colourway, fall colorway, cotton, brown, rust, gold, yellow,

18 July 2008

BYOB - Bring Your Own Bag!

BYOB - Bring Your Own Bag by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
​Welcome to my new blog and the first blogpost – one hopefully of many! Today I would like to introduce a pattern for a knitted grocery bag which you can use for your next visit to the supermarket to save using plastic bags.

I knoe everyone is aware of the need to "reduce, re-use and recycle" especially when it comes to plastic bags, yet millions of single-use plastic bags are still used every year. However, we knitters have solutions! Using the skill of our hands we can make bags that are not only functional but long-lasting too!


I always carry several cotton or linen bags when I go the shops and they are, indeed, wonderful. They can carry so much weight and easily accommodate bottles, cans and pots of milk. But it is all the other items that end up being a problem. Large, awkwardly shaped items such as cereal boxes and packs of kitchen towels are difficult to fit into a linen bag – so that is where this bag comes in.
BYOB - Bring Your Own Bag by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
​This is the BYOB – Bring Your Own Bag knitting pattern, first published in Knitty in Summer 2008 and then later updated to include four different sizes on my website here.

Thank you to everyone who has written to me about this pattern and I am so pleased to hear that the bags have proved so useful. I use them myself all the time and love the way they can accommodate all those big, bulky items at the shops!

The bags have a base and lower section worked in Seed Stitch, which prevents precious items dropping through, and a central mesh area which helps to keep the bags light and flexible. Colourful bands decorate the top of the bag and the lower section, and give a lot of scope for colour combinations as the yarn is available in so many different colours.
BYOB - Bring Your Own Bag by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
The handle at the top features a softly rounded handle grip which won't cut into your hands when you carry your shopping home, and the 'shoulders' to either side are gently rounded to give a pleasing shape.
BYOB - Bring Your Own Bag by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
There are many variations possible from the basic pattern depending on how many colours you wish to use and what yarns you have on hand. So I am going to post some blog entries over the next few days with variations that you might want to try. These include ideas for some autumnal-coloured bags and then others worked in pinks and blues. Please follow the links at the bottom of this post to read those.

You can also read about a Market Bag variation with long handles here.
BYOB - Bring Your Own Bag by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
For more information about the BYOB - Bring Your Own Bag pattern, please click here. The pattern includes four different sizes of bag and is available for instant download from my website.

Also click here to see patterns for other knitted bags available in my pattern store. These include a set of five fabric-lined bags, the Southampton Collection and a rucksack, the Westernesse Bag.

Until next time – Happy Bag Knitting!

Moira
Keywords: Patterns/Bags, Tutorials/Bags,
bag, bags, BYOB 2.0, shopping bag, green, blue, lime green, summer limes colourway, colorway,

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