Erica's Stitches

Here is what I made for the Stitchmap Sashiko Challenge.  I think the deadline was back sometime in February so I'm a little late. The challenge was to try Sashiko and make a needle case.  I already have more needle cases that I can use.  But, I have a new set of unchangeable circular knitting needles in an ugly plastic case.  So, I set out to replace it. I had some green fabric and vintage linen threads to use.  Traditionally it is done on a blue background, but I don't have a good blue fabric.  Besides, green is my favorite color and I've wanted to use it for a while. The linen thread was maybe a little to thick for the fabric.  However, it has a different texture from any other threads I've used and it was nice to try something different.  While I like the look of Sashiko, my eyes really didn't enjoy making it.  I found the diagonals especially difficult.  I kept getting to an intersection and being a hole or two ...

I've been making bags. This is the Vintage Modern Bag from Moda Bakeshop. It's the most complicated bag I've attempted and the directions made it easy. And this is the Sock Sack from Atkinson Designs. I have a few more bag patterns that I'd like to try.  Since I seem to be on a bag roll maybe I'll do them next.

I just finished a Stitchmap challenge.  It was to finish a stitched item as a bag filled with accessories. Since my goal is to finish items I signed up.  I didn't plan on it but most of the fabric I used in the challenge came from cut up shirts.  The main bag used a blue-gray oxford shirt. Another oxford shirt and a flannel shirt provided lining fabric. And finally some paisley fabric.  Remember when that was in style?  I saved my favorite shirt from that era and every few years I use a piece of it. A few pieces of leftover ribbon and some buttons finished everything off.  It's fun making something out of scraps.

You can never have too many bags, right?  I hope so because my bag collection keeps getting bigger. In my quest to use yarn up stash yarn, my felting wool is almost gone and I have a new yarn bag. I'll use this to hold knitting projects and use the last of the felting yarn to make pot holders or coasters. Meanwhile, I've been fusing plastic.  It turns out my first experiments with this were a year ago .  I'm surprised it took me this long to get back to it.  The bag at the top is my new lunch bag modelled after a brown paper bag.  Hopefully it will last longer and be more durable. This fused collection of bags from many stores is one side of a tote bag. The other side is my attempt at weaving and fusing.  Ok, ok, enough bags for now.  I'll get back to some serious stitching soon.

Tomorrow I go Quilt Shop Hopping!  To get ready I've made myself some shopping bags.  The first its a rather large tote bag with a pocket on the inside for maps and lots of room for anything I might find while shopping. The flowers are silk flowers that have been fused down to fabric and embellished.  A technique I first saw years ago and it took me this long to try it. I went a little wild with beads and they really catch the light.  The bag is fully reversible, but with the beading on the outside, I don't think it will get reversed too often. This is the 3rd or 4th pattern that I 've tried from Lexie Barnes "Sew What! Bags" and like all the others it went together quickly and easily. Next I made a little bag from the book "Little Birds". As I went through the book I found a lot of patterns that I'd like to do someday.  This was a pattern that I wanted to do NOW.  I don't do that very often, but I put everything aside and made the b...

Another finish! This started out as Potholder # 2 from Domino Knitting by Vivian Hoxbro.  I really liked the way the colors worked together and decided to make another one and turn it into a bag. I like bags but making them intimitdates me.  After staring at the parts for a few weeks I finally decided to do it.  I've made my share of errors assembling bags.  I've sewn the pocket in upside down and made the lining too small. This projects first mistake involved the straps.  I remember seeing something somewhere about i-Cords with clothesline on the inside for strength.  That sounded like a good idea.  I knitted the i-Cords and then got some clothesline to stuff inside.  That doesn't work.  Had I done more research I would have learned that you knit the i-Cord around the clothesline (and there are great tutorials out there).  Instead I ended up using a doubled up white shoelace for strength.  It was actually possible to ...