Tribal Tote pattern now available

This design was originally published in issue 95 of Knitting magazine so I have to admit to being more than a little lax in adding it to the website. In fact I didn’t realise it was missing until I got a message from  a lovely member on Ravelry asking where she could get a hold of the pattern. (Thanks kubakat, I owe you). So, having done a bit of wizadry I’ve now formatted the pattern which is finally available to download in pdf form from both the website and my Ravelry Pattern Store.

It’s a boldy coloured design worked in the round on double pointed needles which is created using the modular knitting method. For those who don’t know that means after knitting the initial square, each subsequent square is added by using a combination of casting on and picking up stitches into the base of previously cast on edges. It also means that once all 21 squares have been knitted the amount of final making up is kept to a minimum ~ good news for those of you who hate all that sewing up. That said, the colourful stripe effect is achieved by using Anchor’s Wash & Filz It Multicolour yarn with odd stripes of solid contrast yarns thrown in to create flashes of interest. Whilst this does give a great effect all this chopping and changing of yarns does however mean that there are lots of ends to sew in as you can see below.

Once all the ends have been dealt with and the bag sewn together the pointed top edge of the bag is completed to create a straight edge then it’s off to the washing machine for felting…actually strictly speaking that should be fulling but I’ve called it felting for so long that using any other word seems odd.

Whatever your preferred word the process of shrinking makes the bag more rigid and blurs the striped squares taking it from this….

to this

A simple wooden handle sourced from Kleins (London) attached with leather thonging completes the tribal look. Since designing the bag the handle has actually been discontinued but a similar style can be found at www.sewinspiring.co.uk.

The pattern, which includes full instructions and detailed schematics for constructing the bag, is available as a pdf download from my JeanetteSloanDesign website http://www.jeanettesloandesign.com/ourshop/prod_2642784-Tribal-Tote.html or from my Pattern Store on Ravelry http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tribal-tote

Happy knitting

J x

Two new patterns now available on Ravelry

I just added 2 more designs to my  Pattern Store on both of which are great Summer knits, or indeed any other time of year!

There’s the Sapa Beaded Bag, a cute little ‘throw over the shoulder’ bag which is great if you only need to carry the bare essentials around with you. It’s decorated with 2 colours of beads throughout on both the main bag and the long strap.

Then there’s the Gaia Beaded Bag which is more generous in size and worked in 3 colours of bead.

Both designs are knitted in Rowan Denim which is one of my favourite yarns to work with as the character of the designs will develop with every wash as the yarn fades. You can buy patterns from my Pattern Store even if you’re not on Ravelry  ( assuming you’d want to of course ) I just need to work out the jiggery pokery to make it possible –  bear with me whilst I work it out!