Only I Would Make A Project From Nanny’s Knickers….

May 17, 2007 at 9:46 am (Pratchetty Posts)

So, as referenced a bit ago, I decided to step up and swap angel for a crafter who’s swap partner went MIA before reciprocating. I had to think long and hard about what exactly to make, but I wanted to hurry and make something… so that PinFish wasn’t waiting forever and a day more than she already had waited on the first package that would never come. I was kind of stuck on ideas too… My first swap ever, I made a Cripple Mr Onion kit for my partner. In the next swap, my new partner asked for a CMOK as well- so I made her one. As a surprise I made her a Knitted DEATH of Rats (pattern viewable to the right). Then in the next swap my new partner asked for a knitted DOR as well- so I made her one.

See where this is going?

Anywhos, PinFish was not my original partner so there was no initial discourse and therefor… no requests. I was also under the belief that swap angels were anonymous, so I didn’t contact her (she understandably started to worry that she got flaked on again). All said and done, when I received her info I got straight to crafting. But what to craft?

Usually with the Discworld swaps I make normal stuff and apply a Discworldian meaning to it. I figured I’d do that again this go round as well. So, I just recently learned that San Francisco has banned plastic bags or something… and while she doesn’t live in San Fran, I figured I could make her a bag that was big enough to haul groceries. So I combed through several online patterns trying to find exactly what it was that struck me as perfect, finally deciding on this one.

While it was “the one” it was still far from perfect. Lots of stuff about the original bag bugged the hell out of me. So I opted to use just the stitch pattern (but since I didn’t come up with the stitch I still should give credit to where I found it). When I finished the bag it looked like a multicolored cut away of a seamed stocking. My initial inspiration for the bag came from the character, Nanny Ogg, who in several of the books is found pilfering things from assorted larders and stuffing things in her knicker leg- being able to abscond with whole hams and kegs. So thus, Nanny’s Knickers Bag was created.

Nanny’s Knickers Bag

Materials:
Worsted weight Yarn, I used 3 colors but you don’t have to- this could be an excellent oppurtunity to stash bust
US13 circulars 32″ length
Crochet Needle US-H
Tapestry Needle

CO 80 sts, and join for knitting in the round.

Knit in Stockinette for approx 3-4 inches, this is the top rim of the bag.

Then you will begin the body of the bag and you will start doing the pattern repeats for the mesh.

Diagonal Stitch Pattern (multiples of 4 sts, rep 8 rows)

R1: and all odd rows, Knit
R2: k2, *yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo, k1 rep from *across to last 2 sts, k2
R3: Knit
R4: k2, *k1, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo rep from * across to last 2 sts, k2
R5: Knit
R6: k1, k2tog, *yo, k1, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso rep from * across to last 5 sts, end yo, k1, yo, ssk, k2
R7: Knit
R8: k2, k2tog, *yo, k1, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso rep from * across to last 4 sts, end yo, k1, yo, ssk, k1
Repeat this pattern for as long as you want the bag to be.

This is where you begin the bottom of the bag. Knit in stockinette for 7-8 inches, BO

Since this bag is meant to look like a cut away of a leg of stockings (with the seam), position the tube so that the long stripe/seam of stockinette lays in the middle of the bag. This stripe/seam mimics the seam on the back of a stocking, but it is the front of the bag.

Turn the tube inside out, reposition so that the stripe/seam is in the middle of the front.

Sew/Seam the bottom closed. You can do the bottom of the bag however you like, you can keep it simple with the one seam…. or you can pinch and sew the ends to make a square bottomed bag (which is what I did for PinFish’s bag). To “pinch the ends”, sew all the way across the bottom of the bag, then pinch the corner of the bag so that the seam from the bottom makes a line down the middle of a triangle, sew across the bottom of the triangle at whatever width you want the side of the bag to be. Fold the triangle down to the bottom of the bag and sew down flat, carefully, making sure not to marr the stockinette of the other side. Do this for both corners, so that looking into the bottom of your bag, the bottom looks like this >—-<

Along the side of the top edge of the bag, Pick Up 5 sts and knit in Moss stitch for however long you want the strap to be, BO leaving a long tail. Use long tail to attach the other end of strap to the other side of the bag. Remember, knitted straps stretch.

For Drawstring: using crochet hook: Pull out a length a yarn (I used 3 yards) fold in half and begin making a crochet chain holding both strands together until all of yarn is used up. Knot both ends well, then weave in and out of holes between double crochets starting on one side of the stripe/seam and ending on the other.
Weave in ends.
Voila! You are done! Now you too can carry away larders and kegs like Nanny.

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After some debate I decided that this post will get you two patterns for one…… I know! The madness!!

Along with the Nanny’s Knickers Bag I made for PinFish, I also sent her along a Calorikerchief or a Kerchiefimetry (I really couldn’t decide on a name). If you look back in this blog, you’ll see that I really enjoy wearing kerchiefs and whatnot. Years ago, I found a free shawl pattern online that has been my standard kerchief pattern for like…. ever, I guess. I have a billionty of the things. Thing is, I have no idea what the original pattern was named, or called, or even where I found it…. much like beloved recipes, I wrote it down and its been transferred from piece of paper to piece of paper for years- never remembering where it came from. If you know what or who’s pattern this is, tell me so I can give them mad credit… its that freaking awesome. I just changed how it ended for this and turned it into a kerchief rather than shawl. I included this in the Discworld swap as a Lancre Peasant kerchief.

The Calorikerchief/Kerchiefimetry

Materials:
I used a 24″ circular needle, but you can use straights if you want
US10 Knitting needles
Worsted Weight yarn
Tapestry Needle
1 Button to match (obtain after you finish knitting)
F Crochet needle

This is meant to be a kerchief that buttons rather than ties. You can alter how lacey the kerchief is by changing up needle sizes. I’ve done this on an assortment of needle sizes and have always loved it. I’ve knitted it in cotton (as both examples shown above) and silk. Just going through the setup alone is enough to know if the yarn and needle choice will work out.

CO 3 sts
Purl the 3 sts

Setup:
R1: Sl1, YO, K1, YO, K1
R2: this row and ALL even numbered rows throughout project- Sl1, P to end
R3: Sl1, YO, K3, YO, K1
R4: Sl1, P to end
R5: Sl1, YO, K5, YO, K1
R6: Sl1, P to end
R7: Sl1, YO, K3, YO, K2tog, K2, YO, K1
R8: Sl1, P to end
R9: Sl1, YO, K3, YO, K2tog, YO, K2tog, K2, YO, K1
R10: Sl1, P to end
R11: Sl1, YO, K5, YO, K2tog, K4, YO, K1
R12: Sl1, P to end

Pattern Stitch:
R1: Sl1, YO, K3, *YO, K2tog, K4* repeat section between stars until 5 sts remain, YO, K2tog, K2, YO, K1

R3: Sl1, YO, K3, *YO, K2tog, YO, K2tog, K2* repeat until 1 st remains, YO, K1

R5: Sl1, YO, K5, *YO, K2tog, K4* repeat until 1 st remains, YO, K1

Repeat rows 1-6 until kerchief is almost wide enough to reach around your head- making sure to complate pattern repeat.

After last repeat of row6, begin this pattern:
R1: Sl1, YO, K until 1 st remains, YO, K1
R2: Sl1, Purl to end
Knit this pattern for a few more rows until kerchief is wide enough to go around your head with some slight overlappage, BO leaving last stitch on needle.
Replace knitting needle with crochet needle.
Begin single or double crocheting BO edge across top, BO.
Weave in ends

Attach button to either end making sure it can easily go through either the last loop of the edging or between the double crochet stitches if you decide to DC.

Voila! You are done! Now you can go be a Lancre Peasant…. in style! (or at least as stylish as a Lancre Peasant gets).

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Sometimes It Takes a Knitter…

May 11, 2007 at 6:01 pm (Knittery Craftery)

There are some home repairs that are very important…. like say, a collapsing roof or no front door. Then there are some home repairs that aren’t so important or pressing… things you can leave for a bit like a squeaky hinge or a torn screen.

I had the latter of the two, in fact it was the screen issue. Lately here in Pittsburgh, the weather has been awesomely warm- however, as pregnant as I am, it feels like the middle of summer already. So now I have alot of windows open- and those non pressing repairs become somewhat important.

Last year, during a summer hissy fit or possibly boredom, the eldest monkey started cutting our bathroom window screen whenever he was in there. It got so bad that everytime the 10 year old left my bathroom, I would immediately go in there with a camera and take a picture of the window screen… marking the new cuts and slices and comparing pictures to earlier ones I had taken so we could actually prove there were less slices in the screen before he went in the last time.

Then the cold weather came, and a screen full of cuts was not so pressing an issue.

Winter went by, then wintery Spring, and we arrive at now- where a breeze blowing through the house is a godsend. However, the issue of the slices has now come to the forfront- what good is a window screen with slices as long as my forearm?

Of course we could go buy a replacement screen, or replacement screen like material…. however, we’re trying to save up money for a trip to Manassas later this month and we’re scrimping where we can. We can currently scrimp on the screen if I’m willing to sit there like a third world fisherwoman and sew it up. Which I did.

Then came “The Issue”.

The Eldest monkey had removed a section of the screen so there now was a gaping 3inch by 2inch hole in the middle.

Should I scrap the whole thing and just buy a new screen?
Should I just give up?

Never! Much like the rearview mirror debacle I cannot allow inanimate objects to defeat me. So after a quick stash dive for some black crochet cotton, and some US4 DPNs- I ended up with a soloution only a knitter could accomplish:A Screen Patch. It’s not pretty and looks quite Frankenworthy- but it works, and that’s all a pregnant girl needs for a breeze.

What’s funny is it was the Mister’s idea… who followed up the idea with “Then, when you are done, you can take a picture of it and put it on your blog”. Awwww, god bless him.

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The Angel package was sent, and is currently on its way. A pattern for something inside is written up and waiting for posting- I only await its arrival to its recipient. I like how it turned out actually, a whole lot.

I am also knitting away at the Sister’s “Thing”, and have got further than the four previous tries combined all together. The only thing is deciding if I want to add a border or not when I’m done.

All in all, I’ve had alot of knitterly things going on… which is good- it distracts me from the thought of squirrels doing it in my gutters.

ETA: By the way, run on over to Steph’s and give her some congrats as you oooooh and awwwww over the sweetness of her brand new baby boy! Then, after you plotz over the cuteness, just try to keep your ovaries in check. Congrats Steph!

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