Echo Bike Products Sneak Peek!

Dana and I have been hard at work putting together an amazing new product line concept for lady bicyclists! With her awesome sewing skills, my bike commute experience, and a whole lot of amazing fabric, the Echo bike accessories will be the perfect alternative to the mass of pink and flowery things that you currently have to choose from! 

Above is a sneak peek at some of our fabric choices. A sample of products we are currently mocking up include a bike seat rain cover, a handlebar/side pannier bag, a super-packable wallet with clear phone holder, and bright embroidered hankies for those Fall sniffles. You can currently purchase the handlebar bags and wallets on Dana's Etsy store here. We can't wait to show you more!

-Betsy

My Reversible Handbag

searching through my new bag!

the other side!

another version, using Heather Ross fabric

Dwarves at work!

the button clasp

all my knitting projects stashed in my new bag!

 

Last week Betsy posted her version of the "reversible handbag" with embroidery embellishment. Here's a couple of the "reversible handbag" versions that I made! I'm using one as an everyday purse which I made out of the new Melody Miller "Ruby Star Spring" collection and the other one with Heather Ross's Seven Dwarf fabric which is so cute!! I'm using that one as my project bag, as you can see it is full with yarn already!

Projects and Motivation

A lot of people ask me if I ever sleep. Needless to say I have a lot of interests, hobbies, and activities I like to do. It can be overwhelming at times except that I am also insanely organized and love to map out my day, week, month, year with all the things I am doing, would like to do, and need to do (and then reorganize that for better efficiency). 

One of the things I have noticed about myself in the years since being out of school is that I love to have a routine, and the routine usually includes rotating through various activities after work. Such as, one month I'll be really into knitting; I'll breeze through ten projects, plan out ten more, and just become totally consumed with knitting projects. Then that will sort of wane off and I'll get some great ideas for art making, then the next month is spent deep in paint, pencils, and paper churning out vast numbers of large and small works of art. Then I'll get a sewing inspiration and have to spend the next few weeks creating a new wardrobe for myself and all my close friends and family. If you know me (or read any of the four blogs I write), you know I’m not exaggerating! I don't really watch TV, and if I do I'm knitting while watching. I don't go out to eat or drink much, and take very few mall or shopping trips. This affords a lot of time to be busy giving myself carpal tunnel! 

Currently "on my needles" are a two-color patterned vest in fingering weight wool (I have about 1/5 left to do!), a brown silk/wool fingering weight pullover sweater for Justin (just have to finish 1/2 a sleeve and seam it up!), a two-tone slip-stitch patterned blue cotton fingering weight pullover for me (started at my residency, finished the back and set it aside to chill), and a three-color funky patterned sock from "The Joy of Sox" (a present from Dana!) using stash wool/acrylic yarn (almost done with the first sock. This was a spur of the moment project I started because I just needed something different to work on!). I'm also getting ready to start knitting small sets of Christmas presents for my close family. These are currently a bit of a secret but they are multi-colored wool and I will post a whole series about the process after the new year! 

So those are my current knitting projects, next week I'll post about the awesome sewing collaboration project I started with Dana!

Hankies!

These hankies are surprisingly sturdy and can  be washed in the machine!

Here's the back. I'm a pretty novice embroiderer, but I try to keep it neat! I love my rolled hem job though!

I love using hankies. They're especially great when I'm riding my bike and need something that will last through the commute and not disintegrate or fly away when I grab it out of my pocket! I have a few packets of Sublime Stitching embroidery patterns that I've been using to decorate squares of hand-hemmed cream linen. The one pictured above is almost done, it's my second one. The first one had a great bird on it but I accidentally left it somewhere while changing for work, rats! Hopefully someone who found it is enjoying it! I can't wait to make some more. Hankies will also be a feature in a cool new project that Dana and I are hatching. More details on that soon!

Embroidery - meditative or frustrating?

I've been working on the Split Personality bag for the last week or so. I had to plan this thing out carefully because I have a tendency to rush through the preparation and get straight into the cutting on sewing projects, especially smaller things like bags. I was all set to dive into my fabric stash and start cutting out pattern pieces willy nilly. But I want this one to be special and last a while and be able to stand up to my constant fickleness with my bags/purses. So instead I took a deep breath, walked away from the box of fabric, and made a plan.

I planned one side to be gray and plain, with cream piping that is the only embellishment. And the other side has grayish blue and white striped ticking at the bottom with a bright green twill at the top. I have been dabbling with embroidery lately and I wanted something to spruce up the plain fabrics of the bag so I decided to use some of the many "Sublime Stitching" embroidery patterns and stitch a cool design on the "fun" side of the bag.

Now I love needle arts. I like the methodical way the thread goes in and out, and how you can make different stitches and patterns with just a needle and thread. I love how you can construct an entire garment with two blunt needles and one super long piece of yarn. I love how hand stitches have that slight irregularity to them. But I do not like when thread gets tangled, needles poke my cuticles, and yarn balls get twisted and knotted! It makes me want to throw the whole project on the floor and go for a bike ride. (Maybe I should try that). But instead I quietly curse in my head while trying to unknot the yarn or thread or put bandaids on my fingers. It can get to be a little too much though. I love the part of embroidery when I'm actually doing it and it's going along great and the image is appearing beautifully before my eyes. Then I make all these plans to embroider everything and just can't bring myself to start the projects because it's just a little too tedious. Do you ever feel that way?

Anyway, I love the way this bag turned out and can't wait to flip flop it when I get tired of one side or the other. And I'm really glad I un-did those knots and stuck with the embroidery! 

Felted Bucket Bag

After seeing so many people around Santa Cruz carrying big baskets as purses and project bags, I decided I needed a version for myself. I LOVE this bag because it is so big and sturdy I can stuff anything in it and it all stays organized and awesome! The bag is fully lined and has an optional fair isle stranded color work pattern. I based my design for the imagery on the lining fabric which reminded me of creatures you might see in a tide pool! I'm happy to be bringing my readers the pattern for this bag for free! I designed the entire thing myself for someone with basic knitting skills (except for the colorwork- you probably need a bit more experience for that), and basic sewing skills.

 Here's me loving my new bag!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Color work pattern after felting. The design becomes much more readable after felting which is one reason I love to felt! (and love my washer/dryer!)

 Here are some closeups of how I stitched the lining to the felted bag with a plain old whip stitch.

And now, the part you've all been waiting for, the Felted Bucket Bag pattern:

Felted Bucket Bag

Materials:

Yarn: Cascade 220, Main color: #8393 4 skeins

Color B: #8011 1 skein

Color C: #9566 1 skein

*All Knitting is done with 2 strands of yarn together

Needles: Straight size 10

Medium sized stitch holder

Darning needle, embroidery needle (to sew lining to bag after felting)

¾ yard lining fabric, preferably cotton or linen for durability

1 yard stiff 1 sided fusible interfacing such as Peltex

*Bag will shrink approximately ½ size after felting

*Finished size is 19 ½” x 19 ½” x 9” BEFORE felting.

AFTER felting, finished size is 12” x 14” x 8”.

Knitted Bag

Gauge: 13 st. x 22 rows =4” in St. st before felting

Front:

With main color, cast on 58 stitches. Work in Stockinette Stitch (St. st.) for 9”.

Work optional pattern according to chart for 14”, or solid St. st. for 14”.

Switch to color B and work 4 rows of St. st. Switch to color C and work 8 rows of St. st. Bind off all stitches.

Back and sides:

Cast on 116 stitches (29 for left side, 58 for back, 29 for right side)

Work in St. st. for 14”. Switch to color B and work 4 rows of St. st.

Switch to color C and work 8 rows, end with a wrong side row.

Handle:

Work 29 Stitches for left side and place stitches just worked onto holder.

Bind off 58 Stitches for back. Work last 29 Stitches for right side.

Row 1 WS: Purl all Stitches

Row 2 RS: K1, Slip two stitches purlwise one at a time, return the slipped stitches back to the left needle, and knit those at the same time through the back loop. Knit to last 3 stitches, Knit two together, K1.

Repeat last 2 rows until there are 13 stitches left. Work St. st. for 22”. (For a longer handle, work for 24”). End with a WS row.

Switch to color B and work 2 rows in St.st. Switch to Main color and work 2 rows in St. st.

Row 1 RS: K1, M1 (Insert tip of left needle from front to back into the strand between the stitch on the left and right needle. Knit this as a stitch [the stitch will appear twisted so as not to make a hole]).

Knit to last stitch, M1 same as before. K1

Row 2 WS: Purl all stitches

Repeat last 2 rows until there are 29 stitches left, end with a WS row.

AT THE SAME TIME

Switch to color B and work 4 rows. Switch to Main color and work 2 rows. Switch to color B and work 8 rows. Switch to main color and work 2 rows.

Finish:

Graft live stitches from stitch holder to stitches just worked using Kitchener Stitch,

OR

Slip stitches from stitch holder onto another needle and bind off with a Three needle Bind off.

Sew sides to front, and bottom flap to bottom of sides with the large tapestry needle and 1 strand of yarn using a mattress stitch.

Felting:

Put the finished sewn bag into the washing machine on the lowest water level, and the highest temperature. I throw in a pair of jeans or something heavy to help with the agitation. Before it gets to the spin cycle, stop and check to see if you are happy with the tightness of fibers. (I threw mine in for two cycles). You can do more cycles to get more felting. Then pull it out before the spin cycle and throw it in the dryer on high for a few minutes to get it even more felted.

*if you totally dry it, there might be unwanted creasing, so I took mine out before it was fully dry and put a paper grocery bag in it to keep the shape I wanted while letting it dry all the way.

Lining

Cut 2 pieces of Peltex 12” x 14” for front and back. Cut 2 pieces of Peltex 12” x 8” for sides.

Cut one piece of Peltex 8” x 14” for bottom. Cut one piece of Peltex 2 ½” x 26” with a flare for the strap. Flare starts from the bottom at 8” and tapers up to 2 ½” over 3” vertically on both sides.

Cut 2 pieces of Lining fabric 13” x 15” for front and back. (Seam allowances are ½”).

Cut 2 pieces of Lining fabric 13” x 9” for sides.

Cut one piece of Peltex 9” x 15” for bottom. Lay the Peltex strap piece over the lining fabric and cut out a piece of lining fabric 1/2 “ bigger on all sides.

Fuse the pieces of Peltex to the Lining fabric, leaving ½” seam allowances on all sides.

*if you want pockets like mine, cut two pieces of lining fabric 15” x 9”. Finish one long edge on each for the top of the pockets. Turn under the bottom edge and press. Then pin on to the front and one to the back so the side raw edges match and the top finished pocket edge is about 1 1/2” from the top of the lining. Stitch the bottom edge of the pocket and to make a sectional pocket, stitch another line down the middle vertically from the top of the pocket to the bottom.

Sew the lining pieces together, first sides to front and back, making sure to catch your pocket sides as well, then sew the bottom on, pivoting at the corners. Go slow and be patient!

Place the lining inside the bag and pin in place. Put the handle lining and bag handle together and adjust the alignment, slipping the lining between the bag lining and bag (so you can’t see the raw edges).

Whip stitch the lining to the bag with polyester sewing thread doubled and a small tapestry needle.

Enjoy your bag!

Optional Color Chart

The ten minute skirt

If you're like me, you look through your closet and never seem to find anything to wear! I have a solution. Make the ten minute skirt! All you need is about 5/8 yard of fabric, some elastic and your sewing machine!

Here are the super easy directions. Seriously, this skirt went so fast, I have to make 10 more!

So that's it! You can make the length of your "ruffle" shorter by cutting off the edge of the fabric, or using a fabric that is 54" wide or smaller. It is important though, that it is knit fabric, or something with a little stretch, otherwise, you won't be able to pull the skirt on! Good luck!