Knit Along: Plymouth Yarn Market Bag from Knitorious - Day 1

I wanna be...a bag lady?

A market bag. Gosh, I feel smarter and greener already.

You know, I want to be the kind of person who frequents farmers markets and carries a hand-knit market bag. I aspire to be one of those clear-eyed, lean and healthy types. Those admirable people who drink soy milk and avoid trans-fats.

Ah, but get me near a Hostess cupcake, and all that virtue goes to pieces. I’m too much an instant gratification gal to do much of the enlightened stuff that is good for me and good for the environment. I bought these lovely retro glass food containers at Crate & Barrel with a barrel of good intentions, but there are way too many zip-lock bags in my fridge. The spirit is willing, but the flesh loves disposables.

Still, I love the plant-my-flag-in-the-ground attitude of a hand-knit market bag. I will probably be insufferably smug when I use it. Even if it is used to lug home a box of nuclear twinkies rather than organic radishes. Perhaps the yarn will be unfused with a conscience through the magic of knitting, and the bag will reject anything but the healthiest of foods. “I’m sorry, Ms. Grocery Store Bagger, you’ll need to give me a paper bag since my hand-knit market bag refuses to accept that bag of Cheetos.” Called on the carpet (or is it the conveyor belt) by my own handcrafts.

My favorite feature of this bag so far is the nicely reinforced bottom. A square of garter stitch is a good jumping off point, with easy stitches to get me used to the yarn. And it is cheery yarn, to be sure. I was smiling and done in not much more than an hour. I like projects that start off with a fast first phase--it feeds my sense of accomplishment. I’ll need it--there’s 15 inches of open webbing pattern to slog through before I get the further entertainment of the handle. But you know me, I’ll find a way to make it entertaining...hopefully this time without the need for an ambulance!