Knit Along: Knit Nook Knick Knack Sack - Day 3

Road Trip to Anywhere

Ah, what is happier to a knitter than a road trip?  The passenger seat is one of my favorite places to knit, especially easier projects like our Knick Knack Sack where I am wielding a small piece with easy stitch requirements.  Add a cup of Starbucks, NPR or a good audiobook, and I’m a happy gal.

The only bad thing about such trips is that my photography quality takes a dip.  Blackberries do amazing, but inconsistent photography.  Or, perhaps more likely, I haven’t wielded the option settings to work right under some conditions.  As such, you won’t see much stunning photojournalism in the next few episodes, but at least there’ll be enough imagery to document my progress through this sack.  

After the eyelet rounds (easy as pie), it’s a straight shot through five inches of stockinette, which thankfully means no purling when you’re on dpn’s.  I did a small increase because I wanted a slightly pouchier sack, but it was no big deal to line them up under the eyelet holes--the dividing was already done for me!   

That got me thinking to all the ways you could adapt this pattern.  Add vertical lines--maybe with purls--and you’ve got a pumpkin.  Throw in a bauble pattern.  Basketweave.  Stripes in school colors.  Beads.  Really, anything is possible.  I bought some little soaps on my trip, and I figured out that if I use fingerling yarn and those tiny hi-ya needles I picked up in Bowling Green, I could knock out a different bitty sack for each of my editors when I visit New York next month.

Kudos, Knit Nook for a marvelously adaptable pattern with plenty of style.

Knit Along: Knit Nook Knick Knack Sack - Day 2

It’s adorable.  I’m picturing my gift recipient’s face as she spies the perfect purple pouch all textured and yarn-y, miles better than any of those impersonal store-bought gift card holders.  

I’ve done the trio of decrease rows so that now I have this little flower-like object, all ruffly and sweet.  I’ve installed the set of yarn-over eyelet holes that will eventually hold the i-cord to make this a draw-string bag, and I’ve transfered the project over to double-pointed needles.  

Like most small projects, this knits up lickety-split. I imagine I could knock one of these out in an afternoon, even more quickly if I skipped the i-cord and just used ribbon.  Filled with candy or chocolates, these would make great hostess gifts, teacher gifts, or anytime you needed a small token of thanks.  I’d like to try one in self-striping sock yarn--how cute would that be!  An excellent stash-buster to be sure.  It’s also just the right size to hold a bar of artisan soap--another of my favorite hostess gifts.

Remember, comment for your chance to win goodies!

Knit Along: Knit Nook Knick Knack Sack - Day 1

What's on first?

I was going to start the scarf first, but my Christmas list forced the issue.  I had a small gift--a gift card, actually, so a lame gift at that.  Actually, even lamer (is that a word?) than a gift card, I think this gift might actually end up being cash. Some sort of creative presentation is definitely in order.  Not that I’m a poor giver--I actually love buying gifts--but this is a person near and dear to me and said person has requested cash.  So, I’m stuck with the tricky balance of granting the recipient’s wishes while looking like I put a little effort into the endeavor.

So now you know why the Knit Nook Knick Knack Sack edged its way into first place.  Yes, I know they called it the Knick Knack Bag, and even my pattern says "pouch," but how can you resist saying "knick knack sack?" You can't.  You just can't.  Especially not when you're a writer who loves the way words sound.  So, I'm taking a little liberty here and calling it the knick knack sack.  You can send me letters about my abuse of intellectual content if you feel you need to.


Ahem.  A bit of a digression, there, sorry.  Back to matters at hand.  No way on God’s green earth was I going to get through a lace scarf AND the cute little bag before Santa made his way down our chimney.  I could pull off one, but not both.

As such, I’ve happily cast on my cozy little purple pouch and am happily making ruffles.  I feel better already.  Did I have to re-do the long-tail cast on because I didn’t give myself enough tail to make 240 stitches?  Um, yes.  And that was embarrassing.  I know the rule of “an inch per stitch” when measuring out my tail, but one should never eye-ball 240 inches.  You end up underestimating, which ends you up saying un-ladylike phrases while you pull out your 201 cast-on stitches.  Not exactly holiday cheer, if you know what I mean.

Speaking of presents, don't forget every comment during these Louisville episodes puts you in for a cook prize!