Alpaca Bag Directions

Alpaca Bag

I have finally posted it!!

Finished size 8” x 11”

Knitting level: Intermediate

Knowledge of sewing is recommended.

This project is more of a formula rather than an exact pattern
I owe all my inspiration to

“Andean Folk Knits”

By Marcia Lewandowski

Needle:

US 4 - 3.5 mm circular and straight

Yarns:

 ~Alpaca hand spun

   Natural Dark Brown

   1 skeins= 330yds

~Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted

  1 skeins = 190.0 yards M02 / Wild Oak

~Cascade Yarns Pure Alpaca

  1 skeins = 220.0 yards

  3033 / hand dyed grey

~Reynolds Lite Lopi

 1 skeins = 109.0 yards

 Natural

Extras:

1 square of material to create insert

Sewing needle

1 form of closure (I used a snap button)

To download the graph pattern click HERE

This bag was knit on circular needles starting from the bottom up.

You will knit both sides at the same time. I added a stitch between each side so I could sew the strap onto it after and not sew over the pattern.

CO 98 stitches using what ever color you want to start with. (I used the Cascade – light grey)   

Follow the pattern from the bottom up using whatever colors you wish.

REMEMBER TO ADD THE EXTRA STITCH BETWEEN SIDES.

Last four rows should be purled.

Strap:

Use 15 feet of 3 colors of yarn

Taking each color separately, fold in half and twist. Keep twisted until all three are done.

I used the back of my kitchen chairs to keep them in place.

Tie all three twisted colors together on one end and braid together taking care to keep the unbraided lengths untangled.

Braid until you reach the other end.

Sew braid to sides and bottom leaving enough length for the straps.

The length of the straps is certainly your own preference.

If your braid ended up short, just start over with some new yarn and make a new length!

Lining:

There are several different patterns free online that will explain how to line your knitted bag. I used one from Ravelry. If you are not a member of Ravelry, you can check out this link:

http://www.box.net/shared/lz6r07j7go

And a big Thank you to Robin for the usurping of her pattern notes regarding how to line a bag.

 Please visit her website:

http://rockintheloom.wordpress.com/

Poolside knitting

What a beautiful day to be knitting! First I did some Yoga...

I love my pink mat. It doubles as a great place to lay down too!

Then I did some knitting in between snatches of sun bathing.

I figured it was too hot for wool so I worked on my Tinks Twirley skirt. I am about 3/4 done and ready for the next tier.

Then I got to (finally) get a picture of Dan fixing the edge of the pool. He hates to have his picture taken! 

He is so cute!!

Summer Knitting

These days have been wicked hot here in NH. I feel like I am living in Africa! But the cooler mornings and evenings are spent here

The teenagers remain indoors sleeping until noon, and my poor hubby is repairing a roof.  Looks like I may have to just suck up the heat to get this sweater finished by the time school gets back into session.

I love Cascade 220!

Max's Favorite Cowl

I made this cowl to actually be worn on humans! But since I had no models, Max gladly accepted to pose!

Needle
US 8 / 5.0 mm 16” circular needles
Yarn
Classic Elite Yarns: Montera

1 skeins = 127.0 yards (116.1m)
Color way 3818

A super easy cowl!!

This is knit in the round…
CO 90 stitches, Join to work in the round without twisting.
Row one = Knit
5-stitch pattern
Rows 2-6 = K5, P5* repeat * until you complete 5 rounds,
Rows 7-11 = P5, K5* repeat *until you complete 5 rounds
Continue in this pattern until you get to almost the end of the skein.
For this cowl I used an entire skein.
Save enough yarn to knit your last row as a CO row.
Make sure you CO loosely!

Twist!!

Just a quick FYI..The new Twist online knit magazine is online! If you have never experienced this website, you need to check it out!

Finished!!

I finally finished my Blueberry Boy Bait! It was a simple project, I just have knitting ADD. I have a tendency to start projects all the time, so I usually have 6 or 7 going at a time. (I know, not very smart of me) It does keep me busy!

Friday FIll In

A view from my deck.

This is a neat way to end the week. I found this on some ones blog, (sorry, I can't remember who's) The link is on the right.

And...here we go!

1. It's time for it to stop raining.

2. My deck; it's not a bad place for just "being".

3. I must be getting old, my knees crack every time in bend down!

4. My daughters hugs are the best thing I have ever known.

5. My life is simply awesome, I couldn't ask for anything more. Really great kids and a wonderful husband, health, happiness. I feel like the Brady Bunch!

6. The last time I laughed really loudly was the other night watching "Wild Hogs".

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to finishing my Sherbrooke Cowl, tomorrow my plans include mowing the mile high lawn and Sunday, I want to sit by the pool! This fox decided to graze in our trough. I wish he would just get the millions of chipmunks making a mess of my garden.

Jane of the Jungle... EEEK!

I know this is supposed to be a knitting blog, but I am fascinated by all of the creatures I am seeing in my yard. I haven't really ever liked bugs or creepy things, But the colors are great! I am starting to understand where people who get their ideas for yarn colors come from. I guess I should start looking closer for ideas (but not too close!) This one "flew" my way this morning. It is a Blinded Sphinx moth. Okay, not really blind, I am assuming the "eyes" are supposed to scare you off. Sure scared me when I thought it was a dead flower head!
Now, I noticed the colors on it, and realized I would never have thought to put those together, but they are really pretty. I am going to try to duplicate these in a sock yarn. What do you think? Maybe someone would buy it. Between this one and the milk snake colors from my last post, I should start my own line of colors..... New England vertebrates and invertebrates. Um, okay, maybe not.!! Suggestions anyone??

Dream in Color Shrug

I love this pattern!
I love this yarn!
I can't wait to finish.

Max's Favorite Cowl

(This is really for human wear, but models were hard to find!)

This is an easy pattern:

Classic Elite Yarns Montera
1 Skein (red-orange used
Size 8 US circular needles

Checkerboard Pattern
Rows 1 - 5 *K5,P5* repeat until Marker
Rows 6 - 10 *P5,K5* repeat until Marker
Repeat Rows 1-10, 10 times
CO 90 stitches using the long tail CO
Join to work in-the-round, being careful not to twist stitches. Place marker to show beginning of each round.

Begin checkerboard pattern
One skein of yarn will complete one full Cowl
(pm) for beg-of-round
Checkerboard Pattern

Bind off loosely!









I didn't block this cowl, the pattern is nicer without!

Happy Knitting!

"Swatch-ya doin?"

I found out what to do with this swatch of Noro I had hanging around for a year. It was intended to be a felted book cover, but for some reason it didn't come out. So it stayed in the swatch box since, oh, last Yule? Now it is a very unique circular need organizer!
Pretty cool.... And Dan rather likes the idea that all my circular needles are no longer all over the living room floor! The needle holding the top was a survivor of Max's puppy chewing days.

Knitten' thyme..

One of my favorite herbs is thyme. As I sat on my deck, knitting away at my newest WPI, the warm summer breeze sent me a tease of the tender leaves. Well, I just had to make a tea. Nothing like the present! Making an herbal tea is really very simple. You could run to the nearest Natural Food Store and pick up a box or two of pre-made teas, or if you are lucky enough to dabble in the art of gardening, make your own!
Herbal Tea
The first thing you will want to make herbal tea is a tea pot and a tea ball of some kind, the bigger the better. Then you'll want some herbs. Now you can make tea. No mucking around with tea bags will be necessary. You can make much better tea yourself, out of fresh and dried herbs that you harvest or buy.

Why Not Tea Bags?
The tea you make yourself out of fresh, whole ingredients will have far more taste than the ancient stuff often found in herbal tea bags. Because your own ingredients are not as finely ground, they will be more flavorful. I guarantee that if you try this at home, you will buy a lot fewer tea bags in the future. What Can You Put In Tea?
You can put almost any dried herb from your own garden, local organic food, coop, or natural health store. I get a lot of my herbs that I can't grow in my garden from Misty Meadows in Lee NH. Most stores stock many varieties in bulk . You can try single herb teas or a blend.
The way to use fresh herbs is to snip off leaves or sprigs and add them to your tea pot. If you have space in your house or are lucky enough to have a greenhouse, you can bring potted herbs inside for fresh leaves in the winter. Some herbs I grow are:

Sage	Violas	Lavender
Rosemary	Mints	Chamomile
Thyme	Rugosa Rose	Raspberry
Rose Scented Geranium	Lemon Balm

CAUTION: DO YOUR RESEARCH AND MAKE SURE YOU KNOW YOUR HERBS!!

You can choose herbs for their taste, color, medicinal effect, or nutritional value. Use your nose, imagination, and herb guide to help you choose herbs for different effects.

"Yawn" Tea Recipe (This is my favorite!)

2 tsp chamomile 2 tsp lavender pour boiling water over tea ball into cup- steep for 15 minutes. (I always add a dash of honey) Here's to homemade herbal tea!



The name thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is derived from a Greek work thymon, meaning "to make a burnt offering." The herb confers tranquillity, peace, and security. It is believed that if a bride wears thyme in her shoe, her groom will forever be true. Thyme's ruling planet is venus and its an element of water. Magical influences: courage, conscious mind , health.

Welcome!

My blog will bring you some great knitting projects and patterns, herbal information and really wonderful recipes! My first post is being created and will be up soon!