A dishcloth and pot scrubber are two of the most useful and simple items to knit. These two items are very practical and used by almost every adult. I like to make sets of dishcloths and pot scrubbers that coordinate with each other. Together, they are good to sell as a set or to give as gifts.
Dishcloth Pattern Options
There are so many patterns for pot scrubbers and even more for dishcloths. Some create a simple cloth. Other patterns give a textured finish to the dishcloth. Still more patterns for dishcloths create designs, such as letters, animals or other objects. Personally, for a dishcloth, I prefer a simple cloth with a garter stitch border. It is soft, easy to remember the pattern and knits up rather quickly.
Dishcloth Yarn Options
There are so many options of yarn to use. Natural fibers work best for this project, especially 100% cotton. However, they are typically a little more expensive than acrylic. Some of my favorites to use for this include Lily Sugar ‘n Cream, Peaches and Cream and Bernat Handicrafter cotton. These tend to be more economical, come in a variety of colors, and create a more durable product. Besides purchasing online, I purchase most of my yarn in local stores. For instance, I buy Lily Sugar ‘n Cream, Super Size, at Joann. Additionally, Peaches and Cream is found at Wal-mart. Bernat Handicrafter cotton is more difficult to find. I used to purchase it in 608 yards (for variegated yarn) and 710 yards (solid colors). Now I can only find those skeins online, and in limited quantities. I find smaller skeins in some stores.
The pot scrubbers are very simple. I use the same cotton yarn that was used for the dishcloths. Additionally, I use a coordinating textured yarn. Both yarns are held together when making the pot scrubber. For instance, with a solid red cotton yarn I join a red, white and blue scrubby yarn. Another combination I made was a green, magenta, blue and orange scrubby yarn with an orange and white variegated cotton yarn.
As I previously mentioned, there are various patterns for dishcloths with different sizes and designs. Likewise, with the pot scrubbers, there are several patterns. I have tried several sizes and designs. I came up with works best for me for both the dishcloth and the pot scrubber. I found many dishcloth patterns to be too large or were unnecessarily decorative for daily use. I came up with a pattern for both the dishcloths and the pot scrubbers that work well for me.
Make a 100% cotton dishcloth. It is a very useful and versatile item. A dishcloth makes a nice house warming gift (in the recipient's favorite color or the color of their plates or decor). It is also good for your own use. A beginner pattern, this is easy to do and easy to remember. If desired, you can make a coordinating pot scrubber to go along with it. You can find that pattern on the same post.
Active Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour
Materials
100% worsted cotton yarn, such as Lily Sugar ‘n Cream or Bernat Handicrafter Cotton
Tools
US 7 knitting needles
stitch counter
scissors
tapestry needle, for weaving in ends
Instructions
CO 36 stitches
Rows 1-5, K
Row 6 and all even rows to 42: K 4, P to last 4, K 4
Row 7 and all odd rows to 41: K across
Row 43-48: K across
BO all stitches in Knit
Weave in ends
Notes
CO: cast on
K: knit
P: purl
BO: bind off
Many worsted 100% cotton yarns will work to make this item. Stick with cotton, for the durability and the best material for this finished item. As far as needles, straight, double pointed or circular will work. I like to use 2 double pointed needles, with stoppers at the ends so that the yarn does not slip off the end. 71 yards of yarn (A 42.5 gram skein of Bernat handicrafter cotton yarn) can make one and a half dishcloths. If you would like to make a coordinating pot scrubber, only make 1 dishcloth from the skein. Then, use the remaining yarn, held together with a coordinating scrubber yarn to knit up the pot scrubber. Most cotton yarns will suffice for this pattern. If desired, you can be more eco-friendly and use organic cotton, recycled cotton or a cotton blend.
Finished dimensions of the dishcloth are roughly 8 inches by 8 inches. If a different-sized finished product is desired, increase or decrease the amount of cast on stitches. Also, to keep it square, continue in pattern until height is one less inch than width. (For example, if the width is 9 inches, continue in the pattern until the height is 8 inches.). Then, finish as the pattern is written. For instance, finish with the 5 row knit border before binding off in knit.
Yield: 1 pot scrubber
Easy to Knit Pot Scrubber
Hand knit a pot scrubber to help clean pots, pans, baking sheets and more. Useful when a cleaning an item that needs more than a dishcloth but not quite steel wool. 100% cotton, this cleans with a scratch-free finish. If you are making a set with a dishcloth, use the cotton yarn used to make the dishcloth. In addition, use a coordinating scrubber yarn, held together, to create this item.
Active Time30 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Materials
100% cotton yarn, in worsted weight
100% cotton scrubber yarn, (such as Red Heart’s Scrubby or Yarn Bee’s Scrub-ology) in a color that coordinates with the worsted weight cotton yarn, if making a set
Tools
US 7 needles, either straight needles, circular or double points with stoppers on the ends
scissors
stitch counter
tapestry needle for weaving in the ends
Instructions
With cotton yarn and cotton srubber yarn held double, CO 15 stitches.
Rows 1-30: Knit every row
BO in knit
Notes
If a smaller pot scrubber is desired, cast on 10 stitches and knit to row 20. Together with the dishcloth, this makes for a nice housewarming gift. Another idea is to gift this to a student going off to college or venturing away from their parents' house for the first time.
“No one is holy like the LORD! There is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.” (1 Samuel 2:2, NLT)
Cozy slippers are great for any season. Wearing them around the house keeps the chill off the feet. I wanted to create something to keep my family’s feet comfortable when walking inside our home. Hand-knit slippers look cozy and fairly simple to make. I like to look through knitting ideas and patterns on Ravelry and Pinterest.
A Popular Slipper Pattern
A granny-type slipper is very popular on Ravelry and Pinterest. Going through Ravelry, I stopped counting after I passed over 20 individual patterns for a similar slipper. I wanted to try out some of the patterns. All of the patterns for this slipper that I found are for 2 straight needles. It is knit flat in one piece. Then the toe and front area of the foot is pulled together and seamed. Finally, the heel is stitched together. Each of the patterns are very similar, but differ slightly. One difference is the needle size used. Another way is how many stitches are cast on. Also, where to stop the garter section and begin the ribbing differs in some patterns. After reading through many of the specific patterns, I decided to try two different ones.
Make-up of the Slippers
In these patterns, the body of the slipper is in garter stitch, while the toe is ribbed. The garter body gives this slipper a snug fit around the foot. The ribbed foot section allows for some stretch to fit many foot widths. This type of knit slipper is easily tucked into a pocketbook or backpack to take along! Some examples of places include the nursery at church; visiting friends or family; or anywhere you feel comfortable wearing them.
Choose a Pattern
One of the patterns I chose to make was, “Family Slippers,” by Churchmouse Yarns & Teas. The other pattern was, “Aunt Maggie’s slippers,” by Bev Qualheim. Of the 2 of those, I prefer “Aunt Maggie’s.” I can remember that pattern easier. The “Churchmouse” pattern had better additional information. The only reason I prefer “Aunt Maggie’s” is because “Churchmouse’s” uses markers. I sometimes use stitch markers. However, for some reason in this pattern, I kept losing my count when I slipped the markers. Subsequent times of making this pattern, I omitted the markers and had no issues.
Aunt Maggie’s pattern has instructions to knit for children, women and men sized slippers. Likewise, Churchmouse’s pattern offers instructions for sizes small, medium and large women’s slipper. The children and small sizes are very similar. Similarly, medium and women sizes are alike. Also, the men and large sizes are similar. Both of the finished projects created a comfortable piece of footwear. The “Churchmouse” pattern made a 3 ¼ inch high side to the slipper. However, the “Aunt Maggie’s” was slightly shorter at 2 7/8 inches high.
Both pattern instructions call for two strands of worsted weight yarn, held double. This equates to a bulky weight yarn, which is also an option of yarn to use. The writer of “Aunt Maggie’s,” Bev Qualheim, mentions to use a single strand of worsted weight yarn for a lighter slipper. However, like her, I prefer 2 strands of worsted, held double, for extra warmth. Worsted weight yarn held double also creates a thicker, more durable, finished product.
Select Yarn
I chose to use 100% acrylic yarn. This fiber is easily laundered. Wool yarn gives a warmer product. Superwash merino wool is washable and warm. However, my final decision came down to the acrylic. That fiber is washable, available in my area, and more cost-effective. Also, acrylic comes in very many color options and finishes.
Decide on Materials to Knit Slippers
To begin, I chose a printed yarn and a solid color that coordinates with it. There are many brands of acrylic yarn locally for me to choose from. A few include Red heart, I Love this Yarn, Yarn Bee, Caron, Big Twist, Loops & Threads, Crafter’s Secret, Lion Brand and Bernat.
Follow the Pattern
The beginning of the pattern is very simple. Just cast on the amount of stitches necessary for the size of the foot. Most of this section of the pattern is made with knit stitches on the front and back, creating the garter stitch. Two purl stitches are used on every wrong side of the slipper to create the bottom edges of the slipper. The next section of this pattern is to knit a ribbed pattern for the toe area. The ribbing creates a more stretchy material for various foot widths.
Be Safe Wearing Slippers
Though they can be worn on any type of flooring, I strongly recommend keeping safety in mind. One way to be safe is to only wear these slippers on carpet. They tend to be very slippery on hard floors. Another option for safety is to add a non-skid finish. The person wearing the slipper could very easily fall while wearing these. The carpet-type floors provide some traction.
Options to Add
I have seen many options to make slippers anti-skid. One of the options I saw was to attach a non-skid pad or patch to the underside of the slipper, under the ball of the foot. Another option is anti-skid gripper fabric. This is usually found in craft stores. Something else for anti-skid is fabric paint. There is a product called “Sock Stop” that is a fabric paint made specifically for this issue. Some have suggested plasti-dip. Alternatively, puffy paint can be used on the underside of the slipper. Similarly, hot glue added in designs or shapes on the underside of the slipper creates an anti-slip surface. One more option to use is non-skid shelf liner, cut to fit the slipper. There are more options and ideas that creative people have come up with. Share any ideas you have.
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!” (Isaiah 52:7, NLT)
My desire to knit the garter rib baby blanket came as a request from a friend. My friend got married when she was 28. She and her husband wanted to have children. She loves on other people’s kids all of the time. Though, they both desired to have their own children. However, due to medical issues, they were not able to have their own children. They did not feel that adoption was right for them.
Exciting News
Having had some fertility issues of my own, I empathized with her. I believe in the power of prayer. I knew how much it was a desire of their hearts to have children. All I knew to do to help them was to put it in God’s hands. I began praying intently for that. I continued to pray for almost 3 years. Then, one evening, I was told some fabulous news. Her husband told me to go ask her if she was pregnant. Without giving it much thought, I told him that it was not polite to ask women if they are pregnant. (Though, if I had thought about it for just one moment, I would have concluded that she is his wife. He loves her and would not intentionally want to bring any grief or pain to her.) He shrugged his shoulders and commented that she knew every time I was pregnant.
It was such a blessing to hear their wonderful news. She was so excited and he wanted to tell the world. I told her that I had been praying, and showed her the place in my prayer journal when I began to pray for her sweet baby. It was about two and a half years from the time I began to pray for them to when I heard they were going to have a baby.
Choosing the Baby Blanket Pattern
That evening, when I got home, I started to look through some baby blankets that I would like to make. I chose 10 patterns that I thought were nice. A couple of the patterns I had made before, or something similar. After saving a photo of the 10 blankets to my phone, I sent them to her, asking which she liked the best. Out of the 10 I sent, she decided that the Garter Rib Baby Blanket was perfect, in a cream color.
Requirements for the Garter Rib Baby Blanket
The garter rib baby blanket is simple enough for a beginner to make. There are only knit and purl stitches. The instructions include the amount of stitches required for the repeat. Therefore, it is easy to increase the width of the blanket, if that is desired. As written, the pattern calls for a DK (double knit) or a light worsted weight yarn. Size US 7 needles are suggested to create a finished blanket that is 30”x32,” using about 680 yards of yarn.
I went to Joann’s to find some yarn that would work with this pattern. Many of the brands and types of yarns that they had available I have used before for baby items. Most of the options on the shelf I have used several times and would use again. However, there were some that I won’t use again for baby items. The roving-type yarn did not work well for some projects I had worked on. Also, they were not fun for me to work with.
Selecting the Yarn
As my eyes scanned the baby yarn I noticed one that I had never used or noticed before. Bernat’s ‘bundle up’ yarn caught my eyes. I picked up a skein from the wire rack. The texture was so soft. Sometimes really soft yarns tend to get caught on my fingers. The fine fibers that create the soft texture cling to my dry hands. Bernat ‘bundle up,’ even as soft as it was, did not adhere to my skin. I do like to use Bernat brand for baby items. For instance, I have knitted baby blankets and many baby hats from Bernat’s ‘softee baby,’ ‘softee baby sparkle’ and ‘softee baby ombre’ yarns. Therefore, I quickly decided on Bernat ‘bundle up’ yarn.
As I mentioned before, the yarn that the garter rib baby blanket pattern suggests is a DK yarn. Though ‘bundle up’ is a baby yarn, it felt a little thicker and was labeled as a size 4 yarn. For the DK yarn the ball band suggests a size US 4-US 6 needle. However, to achieve the right tightness, or drape, the pattern suggests a size US 7 or US 8 needle. The ‘bundle up’ yarn, on the other hand, suggests using a size US 8 needle. Therefore, I should have went up to a size US 9 needle. That would have given the project a slightly different feel. However, I decided to use size US 8 needles. The blanket is so soft. Additionally, it will be very cozy and keep any baby warm.
Deciding a Size
The pattern calls for a cast on amount to be 123 stitches. However, that amount did not seem like enough stitches. I did not think the finished blanket was going to be wide enough. To increase the width, start with the 123 stitches, then add stitches in multiples of 6. For example, the next amount of cast on stitches would be 123 + 6. The cast on amount would be 129. Then, the next size up would be 135. You get that by adding either 123 + 12 or 129 + 6. The increases continue in that pattern. For instance, the next amount of stitches would be 141, then 147, followed by 153 and so forth. Because I used a size US 8 needle and did not size up to the size US 9, the blanket is not as wide as I would have liked. Even though I increased the amount of cast on stitches, the blanket width is about one inch to an inch and a half smaller than I would have hoped.
“‘Sir, do you remember me?’ Hannah asked. ‘I am the very woman who stood here several years ago praying to the LORD. I asked the LORD to give me this boy, and he has granted me my request. Now I am giving him to the LORD, and he will belong to the LORD his whole life.’ And they worshiped the LORD there.” (1 Samuel 1:26-28, NLT)
I have a cat and a dog that I like to spoil and interact with. So, I wanted to make some toys or items for them. Cat toys worked for my cat. I have not found something to knit for my dog yet. She is part Alaskan malamute and any type of sweater would make her too warm. Not only is the size of her body large, but her claws and teeth, too. Many toys do not last long with her before being ripped. Stuffing goes flying, too. To make her a knit toy would be a waste of time and yarn. Also, I would have a mess to clean up. I am still trying to decide what to make for her. For her, I should stick with chew toys.
Cat Toys To Hunt
My cat, on the other hand, is not quite as destructive with toys. I have made him a few toys. Besides playing with my yarn while I am knitting with it, he likes small toys to bat around. I have noticed that he tends to like my kids’ stuffies. He gravitates to the small ones, which are about the size of a baby bunny or very young kitten. I take the small stuffies back into my kids’ rooms throughout the day. A few hours later they are in different spots around the house. The chair in the living room, or the kitchen floor are popular places he chooses to leave his catch. Though, I rarely catch the culprit in action.
I found a few different patterns online for cat toys. However, really almost anything smallish that he can bat around would suffice. Polyfil stuffing and dried catnip stuffed inside make the toys even more enticing.
Ensure Cat Toys are Safe
For pet toys, is it imperative to keep in mind the pets’ safety. Small items, such as button eyes or jingle bells on the outside of the toy, pose a choking hazard. The pet could chew a small part off and swallow it unintentionally. Keep that in mind when selecting what to make, what details to use and the embellishments desired. Buttons for eyes can look cute and finish the project. However, a small puppy with sharp teeth will chew them off. Likewise, a metal bell gives similar concerns. An added element of the possibility of danger is crumpled or distorted metal cutting the inside of the pets’ mouth. Of course, there are danger possibilities with everything. Pet owners should always monitor use and inspect for the safety of any toy.
A Scare with Copper
I had a scary few days with our cat, Copper, when he swallowed something he was playing with. For a few days he kept getting sick, or trying to get sick and instead just making a horrible screaming sound. If anything came up it was pieces of a red fabric ribbon that my son was playing with a few days prior. We ended up taking him to the emergency vet. They treated him for severe dehydration and gave him meds to keep him from vomiting. The X-ray showed a wad of something in his body. We guessed it was the ribbon. After we were home we gave him meds every eight hours. Also, we had to try to force feed him baby food through a syringe.
Copper’s Outcome
Copper became very lethargic and would not eat or drink. We were so concerned for his life. The doctor told us to monitor his output for any trace of the ribbon, if there was any output. If the ribbon did not come out within a day or two, the vet suggested a return visit and possible surgery to remove it. That had a price tag in excess of $6,000! The next day or two was filled with much prayer, little sleep, lots of tears and uncertainty. Every time he would turn his head away from eating or drinking I felt discouraged. Soon, though, he did start eating, and then he ate on his own. A few days after that he started to get his strength back. Then, another few days later, the ribbon came out, thankfully. Shortly after that he was back to his normal, playful self. I certainly don’t want to go through that experience again, nor do I wish that on any pet lover. Now we try to be more cautious with what is lying around and what we see him playing with.
Creating the Bunny Toy
After ensuring as much safety as possible, it is time to gather the materials for the project. Certainly, the pattern is necessary. Also, obtain the yarn and required needles that are suggested in the pattern. Stuffing material is also needed for a cat toy. Such material includes polyfil, yarn scraps or other soft and squishy item. Dried catnip and/or silvervine can be added inside the polyfil to make a toy more enticing.
Copper has a mint green bunny filled with polyfil and some catnip that I made for him. He likes to lounge with it. I don’t really see him play with this cat toy. Instead, he licks it as he licks his own fur. Over time it has pulled at the yarn in a way that makes it look so fuzzy, I hope the felines in your life enjoy this as much as my cat does.
“A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgement day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” (Matthew 12:35-37, NLT)
Growing up, I enjoyed spending week-long sleep-overs at my grandparents’ nothouses during the Summer. My maternal grandparents lived in a wooded area in central Pennsylvania. It was fun to explore, play in the creek, capture creatures, make dams and just be in God’s creation. The wooded area we called, “The Woods,” was in the shape of a V. At the base of the V was the creek. Many plants included Sassafras, Maple, Oak, Mayapples, Skunk cabbage, Spice bush, Poison ivy, Virginia creeper, Box elder, Cherry, Basswood and more. There were very few evergreens in this predominantly deciduous forest.
In the Summer of 1994, Cassandra, or Sonny, my 7-year old cousin from Rhode Island came to Pennsylvania for about a week to visit. She stayed with my grandparents at their house in Chambers Hill in Harrisburg. She and her sister would often spend time during the Summer at our grandparent’s house as well, sometimes the same time my sister and I were there. My grandma asked if I would want to stay with them at all during that time, thinking it would be more fun for everyone.
I gladly agreed to this invitation, as I enjoyed being with my grandparents. Also, I loved exploring the woods around their house (including the creek). And this gave me an opportunity to spend more time with this cousin. I slept over at my Grandparents’ house one evening that week. It was so fun to me to stay there, as I got to sleep in the waterbed. The thought of sleeping on a bed with water in it was thrilling to me. As of that time, when I was 13, Grandma was the only person that I knew of to have a waterbed.
My grandparents’ house, from the front yard.
Starting the Day
In 1994 we spent most of our time in the summer outside, or as much as possible. This was no exception at Grandma’s house, but rather the rule. We awoke the next morning to the smell of coffee and eggs cooking in the kitchen and Grandad’s aftershave, as he was getting ready to go to work. The sound of birds singing outside, Grandad’s radio and the tea kettle whistling on the stovetop signaled that it was time to start the day. Grandad enjoyed instant coffee, dippy eggs and burnt toast or a burned frame egg every morning. (A frame egg consists of a piece of bread, buttered on both sides. Then, a hole is cut out in the middle, fried in a skillet, with an egg cooked inside the hole).
Grandad was up and ready for work by the time Sonny and I were getting up and dressed for the day. We said our good-byes as he straightened his tie then went out the door. He got into his car and drove down the steep driveway. It could fit about 4 cars. Grandad drove down the quiet street and out of sight.
The road Grandma and Grandad lived on, named Shady Drive, was U-shaped, and most of the traffic on that road was local. These included the mailman, the garbage truck, the egg man and people that lived in one of the 4 houses on their street. Across from the 4 houses was one of my favorite places in the whole world to spend time – a wooded area.
The Woods and the creek
I had spent many hours walking through paths, exploring, playing in the creek, capturing creatures, making dams and just being in God’s creation in these woods. I found treasures like salamanders, birds, unique trees, other creatures that lived in that habitat within the wooded area.
The wooded area, “The Woods,” was in the shape of a V. The creek at the base of the V. Many plants included Sassafras, Maple, Oak, Mayapples, Skunk Cabbage, Spice bush, Poison ivy, wild grape, Virginia Creeper, Box Elder and Cherry. More wetland plants could be found around the creek. There were very few evergreens in this predominantly deciduous forest.
After bidding Grandad was off to work, the three of us; Grandma, Cassandra and myself, got ourselves ready for the day. I had planned to spend much of the time outside, so I brought clothes accordingly. I was preparing to go down to the woods and explore in the creek for hours. It was fun looking for creatures and making a pond area. I gathered some items to take to the creek with us.
First, I collected some empty coffee tins to put creatures into to watch them. Then, two butter tubs in preparation of gathering whatever creatures we found in the creek under rocks. Finally, a strainer from the kitchen drawer to catch creatures in (I did not have a net).
“We take big rocks and some branches and pile them up at one part of the creek,” I was explaining to Sonny, “then it becomes a big pool that minnows like to swim in. Grandma likes to sit in it and have the water cover her legs, but I like to see what creatures are in it.”
“Oh, that sounds like fun,” replied Sonny, “how deep can we make it?”
The Plan for the creek
As I was contemplating how we could make it deeper-either by adding more rocks and logs to the dam or by digging down deeper into the soft mud, Grandma interrupted my thoughts by saying, “I was thinking we could do something else instead of that. We could do that later, if you want to, but I have always wondered what it would be like to follow the creek for a while to see where it goes and how it gets there.”
Certainly we could look on a map to find out and follow the creek to the ocean through larger creeks and rivers, but there was excitement in exploration. Grandma, Cassandra and I put on our creek shoes, which were old sneakers that had sturdy soles but could have had a few holes or really worn. We wore something with a sturdy sole to protect the bottoms of our feet from sharp rocks and anything else we might have stepped on.
After our footwear was on, we sprayed bug spray on ourselves, as the mosquitos were pretty bad in the area at that time of year. I put the containers and other collecting tools by the hose reel at the side of the house. They were useful for creek exploration in one location, but would be cumbersome and in the way on the adventure we were going to take.
Onward towards the creek
The three of us started out on our exploration adventure. Together we walked down the steep driveway. Carefully we crossed the road and down the steep narrow trail. We followed the trail in the woods to the creek, which was the trail for our adventure. On our descent, we passed a lot of green. The woods was a healthy ecosystem, or at least seemed to be at that moment.
We stepped over some logs of downed trees. We had to dodge ‘sticker bushes’ so they would not tear up our legs or socks. Also, we treaded on many years’ worth of fallen leaves and sticks, which made up the floor of the forest.
We watched every step we took, making sure to carefully descend the steep embankment and not go careening down to the skunk cabbage and soft mud below. At the base of the hill was the creek. I loved to see the familiar sight of this part of the woods, where two small streams came together to form a larger stream. On the ground around the creek there were skunk cabbage plants in the more marshy areas, smaller plants, shrubs and some small trees.
Plant Types We Encountered
There were familiar Maple trees, spreading their canopies as much as they could. Then there were towering Oaks with poison ivy climbing up their trunks. Also found were Tulip poplar trees of various sizes and ages. Young Sassafras was along the trail. I like the smell of a leaf when it is crushed between my fingers. Basswood and Beech were also found, but not in large populations. Finally, other typical plants found in a Pennsylvania deciduous forest made their home in The Woods.
The tree that wouldn’t grow straight
There was one very unique tree that my grandfather once wrote about. It was about the diameter of one of the tin coffee cans I would take to the creek for collecting. It was a seemingly healthy tree. The way in which it was unique was that at some point in the tree’s early life some external object caused it to grow sideways. The trunk went straight up for about eighteen inches, then made a sharp ninety degree turn. Then it continued to grow from that point. The leaves and branches reflected this growth, as they sprouted out from the trunk and turned upwards, as the rest of the tree should have done.
Motioning towards the tree, I said to Sonny, “Grandad wrote about that tree, how it did not grow straight up.” She glanced over at it and sat on it, and we both decided to ask Grandad if we could read what he had written. As we all gathered around the tree, admiring it for its intrinsic value, we looked toward the direction we were to go, to follow the creek.
The Adventure Begins
We stopped for a few moments, flipping over rocks in the creek to see what we might find right away. It was normal to find a variety of sizes of Crayfish under rocks. Sometimes they would be moving freely along the floor of the creek. Water striders glided across the top of the water, mostly at spots with slower moving water. Eastern red backed salamanders could be found under rocks around the edges of the creek, while young northern dusky salamanders were under rocks in the creek (as they still had gills). Minnows-lots of different sizes of minnows-were at various locations in the creek.
Deeper pools with rocks or where the bank had an overhang seemed to have the larger fish, while shallower, quicker-moving spots were places to find smaller minnows. The cover provided safety for the larger fish while the quick moving water made it more difficult for predators to distinguish the fish from the ripples in the water.
Ready to Begin
After finding an array of creatures the three of us began our trek, excited for what we might find along the way. At the spot we were beginning, three streams joined together. They all began from springs coming out of the ground. Grandma looked at each of us with a sense of adventure and a twinge of anticipation for where our exploration would lead us, and said, “Well, are we ready?”
“Yeah, let’s go,” I replied.
“That sounds great,” answered Sonny, as she hopped off the tree and jumped over the creek to avoid walking through the soft mud and skunk cabbage. Grandma and I did the same, trying to make a jump long enough so our shoes would not get stuck in the muddy area on the stream bank. Watching our footing was important, to avoid getting a shoe stuck in the mud; slipping on wet, mossy rocks and avoiding other dangers and discomforts.
Hopeful Hikers
We walked along, carefully choosing where to step to avoid slipping on rocks or sloshing in mud. As we carefully walked under some briar bushes Cassandra ran ahead. “It’s my turn to lead now,” she declared, not noticing the thorns stuck to her clothes. She leaped from rock to rock, slipping at times. Grandma and I were right behind her, making sure she did not fall.
As Cassandra turned the next bend in the creek, her eyes became bright and she looked excited. “Hey, wouldn’t it be great if we found a turtle?!,” she exclaimed. I could hear the excitement in her voice as. I turned to Grandma as she was saying, “Oh, well, we might. Just keep looking, there is probably one or two around here.” The thought of finding a turtle was exciting for me, too. It was like looking for hidden treasure. We previously found a couple in these woods over the years. It was not a common occurrence.
Finding our Footing
We kept on walking, mostly in the water. Sometimes we trod on the land around it, in anticipation of what we would find along the way. “How do we get around this?,” Cassandra questioned. She was looking down at the big pool of water blocking us from going any further. “We’ll find a way,” Grandma assured. Of course, we could walk around it, which was always an option. Where was the fun in that??!!
We could walk through it, but there were some things to consider. The ground at the bottom of the creek was sometimes rocky. If that was the case, we had to make sure we had good footing. We could slip and fall down on the hard rocks. However, in other spots the bottom of the creek was silty. It was difficult to tell how deep the silt was. For instance, if it was fairly shallow, walking on it would be easy and fine, However, if the silt was deep, walking on it would entail getting stuck in the soft ground.
Sometimes a shoe would get sucked into the mud, like quicksand. When that happens, it is usually is accompanied with a sloshing and slurping sound. That sound is the silt opening and closing in around the foot. This particular spot in the creek was silty, so we had to be careful. We found many pools to be silty. This is possibly due to being a lower part of the creek. It made for a settling spot for sediment.
A New Creature Joins Us
As we looked down at the watery obstacle we saw something move. Cassandra exclaimed proudly, “Look at all of the minnows, Jackie,” pointing at her new-found creatures. I looked down and saw them. There were a whole bunch of them, some swimming with the current and other minnows swimming against it. Cassandra was trying to catch them with her hands and just missed one when Grandma, with her arm outstretched, called out, “Oh, there’s one!” Our eyes followed Grandma’s hand and saw what she found. Trying to climb over some rocks and not having much success, was an Eastern box turtle (now it is called Woodland box turtle).
This turtle was Cassandra’s new treasure. She quickly ran over to it and picked up the small creature. As if by reflex, the turtle shot into its shell, sealing itself in. That is how the box turtle got its name. The turtle seals its shell up like a box for protection. It completely closes itself inside. Cassandra promptly named this turtle “Dimitri,” after a former turtle found in the same woods.
Approaching Another Obstacle
Before long we were back to following our quickly-moving trail. Cassandra was carrying her treasure, Dimitri.** Soon we came to a place where about five or six Tulip Poplar trees had fallen and blocked our way. “Now what do we do,” Cassandra questioned, her arms waiving in the air. Grandma quickly answered with, “We go over them.” She climbed up onto the first one and started to tell Cassandra and me some of what she knew about this kind of tree as we were climbing. “We have one of these trees on either side of the house,” she explained, “they get very big.” Some branches have broken off and landed on our roof. In the Fall I have to climb onto the roof to clean them off. While I am up there I clean off the leaves and flowers from the tree, too.”
Pondering a Tulip Poplar
I followed Grandma onto the first log and was ready to go on to the next when I stopped to look back for Cassandra. She was not even on the first tree. Cassandra couldn’t get onto it because the log came up to about her nose. She was not going to put down Dimitri to climb onto the tree trunk. I reached for the turtle so she could climb up and join us. It was fun to have a new obstacle, but they seemed out of place. All of these large trees seemed to be about the same size.
For the trees to be about the same size, and all in this one place across the creek did not seem right. I was trying to imagine why they would be here and what would have made them fall. Were they planted here on purpose and then, several years later, pushed down to form a kind of bridge across the creek? Tulip poplar trees grow fairly quickly. Were these trees planted by seeds, birds or another natural way? Then a lot of rain made their roots all give way and the all fell at the same time? I did not know why, but I am still baffled by those particular trees being at that specific spot, all lined up in a row.
I did not think to look at the roots to see if maybe strong winds knocked them over. Did they all collapse at once, that their roots were so clumped together. On the other hand, I did not notice if they had been intentionally cut down with a chainsaw. Whatever the reason, they were down and made for a more interesting trek.
Briar Maze
After pausing for a short break, it seemed like forever until we were back in the water again. We walked through unseen cobwebs and under briar bushes, following our narrow creek. The briar bushes got bigger and bigger and Cassandra made it clear that she did not like them at all. I had to agree with her, they seemed like an unnecessary evil. It was not long before we came to a place with tall grasses on one side and briars on the other. By this time the creek was so small we had to walk single-file. Cassandra looked ahead and saw nothing but briar bushes, hanging low over the creek. We crawled under most of them and over the rest. At one point I looked down and saw that my shirt was completely covered with thorns! Even though it was warm, I was thankful for my long-sleeved sweatshirt. Nevertheless, we continued; over and under briars and over fallen trees.
Another Notable Creature
Cassandra was getting pricked by thorns. She lost her balance and accidentally dropped her treasure, Dimitri. I bent down to pick the turtle up and as I looked up I saw two eyes about a foot away from my face. It was a dark colored snake, all curled up on some twigs by the bank. “There’s a snake,” I said, looking at the big wad of black and grey. It was probably not as big in real life as it is in my memory. “No,” Grandma replied, “you’re kidding.” She did not believe me at first until she glanced over at it. We kept going, Cassandra did not even notice it and Grandma wanted to get away from it. I was not too thrilled to have been face to face with a snake. Not knowing it was there, then being face to face with it, was startling to me. However, the snake was neat to see. I was grateful to be continuing our trek.
Cassandra was trudging through the thorns, each time saying how much she did not like them, until there was a place with rocks everywhere. She leaped from slippery rock to slippery rock, checking her balance on each one. After about five big rocks she jumped into the water, getting Grandma and me all wet. Also, she drenched her own shoes and socks in the process. The water had gotten more narrow and shallow. As Grandma, Cassandra and I ducked out from under a bush we recognized where we were. There was a nature park on the other side of Grandma’s neighborhood. Our small watery trail (the creek) had joined Laurel Run and led us to the small park off of Dennis Circle and Canyon Road. The park is called “Swatara Crest Park.”
Finish Line
Very pleased and smiling, Grandma turned to us and said, “Wow, isn’t that neat?! I never knew where the creek went or where we would end up.” We reached the finish line of our adventure. She was so pleased to have accomplished that challenge.
“Let’s look for minnows and salamanders,” exclaimed Cassandra. “What are you going to put them in,” asked Grandma. Cassandra just looked down into the water with anticipation. She was satisfied with Dimitri. We kept following the creek to the beginning of the nature trail, stopping here and there to flip over some rocks and to peek in some larger pools. Sadly, our time of exploration was almost done, as we had to get back to Grandma’s house to get cleaned up and for Grandma to start dinner.
Finding our Way Home
Finding the road, Grandma asked, “why don’t we go this way,” pointing to someone’s yard. Cassandra and I exchanged glances, not comfortable with going through a stranger’s yard. However, we followed Grandma nonetheless. There were about three yards and then a fence. “We can go the other way now,” I suggested. “It’s alright,” Grandma assured, “your mom used to baby-sit the girl that lived here.” Cassandra and I continued following Grandma to the other side of the fence. “I don’t like that you did that,” was the next thing we heard, coming from inside the house. Uh-oh, I gasped, feeling caught and in trouble. I was preparing myself to be lectured when Grandma replied, “Hi, how are you doing?” “Fine, and you,” we heard. By this time we (Cassandra and I) were up to the window and not knowing what to expect. Grandma’s kind demeanor and easy-going words were reassuring to Cassandra and I. We agreed to continue to her house as she was going to catch up with this neighbor for a few more moments. After we were all back at Grandma’s house, having dinner, we shared with Grandad the experiences of the day that we had.
**We did put Dimitri back in the woods, but not where we found him. We were unaware at the time that turtles should not be removed from their home. It is imperative to leave them where you find them, unless, of course you are getting them safely across the road. Also, it is illegal in Pennsylvania to take them from the wild.
“Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens! Praise him from the skies! Praise him , all his angels! Praise him, all the armies of heaven! Praise him, sun and moon! Praise him, all you twinkling stars! Praise him, skies above! Praise him, vapors high above the clouds! Let every created thing give praise to the LORD, for he issued his command, and they came into being. He set them in place forever and ever. His decree will never be revoked. Praise the LORD from the earth, you creatures of the ocean depths, fire and hail, snow and clouds, wind and weather that obey him, mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild animals and all livestock, small scurrying animals and birds, kings of the earth and all people, rulers and judges of the earth, young men and young women, old men and children. Let them all praise the name of the LORD. For his name is very great; his glory towers over the earth and heaven! He has made his people strong, honoring his faithful ones-the people of Israel who are close to him. Praise the LORD!” (Psalms 148:1-14, NLT)
“Praying Circles Around Your Biggest Dreams and Greatest Fears”
Zondervan, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-310-34692-0
The Circle Maker
In The Circle Maker, Mark Batterson takes an in-depth look into prayer. He emphasizes the importance and power of prayer. More than that, he describes in detail how to pray, and why that is important. At the beginning of the story, Mark Batterson retells the story of the original Circle Maker.
Ask and Pray
The Circle Maker is an inspiring book. It is a wake-up call for those who pray. In the book, Mark Batterson gives a very powerful look into how to pray. He explains how, “bold prayers honor God, and God honors bold prayers. If your prayers aren’t impossible to you, they are insulting to God.” It is important to ask God, to pray and not to hold back on the magnitude of prayer. “God won’t do it unless you pray for it. We have not because we ask not…we have not because we circle not. The greatest tragedy in life is the prayers that go unanswered because they go unasked,” Batterson writes.
Personally, this book has changed the way I pray and given me a fresh perspective. “Imagination is the road less taken, but it is the pathway of prayer. Prayer and imagination are directly proportional: the more you pray the bigger your imagination becomes because the Holy Spirit supersizes it with God-sized dreams,” Batterson explains, “God does not answer vague prayers.” I highlighted, starred or underlined Mark Batterson’s words on over 50 pages of this book. As a believer in the power of prayer to God, the author’s experiences, thoughts and ideas encouraged a new way to pray. Specific prayers, in which what we pray for is larger than what we are able to do, are what God wants from us.
“The size of our prayers depends on the size of our God,” Mark Batterson explains, “Prayer is the difference between the best you can do and the best God can do. And when God does immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine, we’ve got to be careful to give Him all the glory! We must also recognize that what God does for us isn’t just for us. There is a ripple effect to the third and fourth generations! Just as the blessings, breakthroughs, and miracles in your life are an answer to someone else’s prayer, your prayers will impact nations and generations.” That puts a whole lot of weight on what and how we speak to God.
40 Day Prayer Challenge
After reading, “The Circle Maker,” I read and used the accompanying journal, also by the same author. The title is “Draw the Circle Prayer Journal – The 40 Day Prayer Challenge.” This challenged me to pray very specific prayers. Not only to pray them, but to intensely lift up my heart’s desires to God. In my prayer journal I call them my ‘circle prayers.’ Also, I say that I ‘circle pray’ for [the specific request]. Mark Batterson writes, “Each prayer is like a seed that gets planted in the ground. It disappears for a season, but it eventually bears fruit that blesses future generations. In fact, our prayers bear fruit forever.”
My own “The Circle Maker” Prayer
An example of one of my ‘circle prayers’ was when we were looking for a new home. At the time we were outgrowing our current home. I did not pray that we find a bigger house. Nor did I pray for the schools that my children would one day go to. Instead, I prayed specifically for all of it. I asked God for a home that was a good size for our family to live in. Also, I prayed for my kids’ schools- that they would be the best match for our family. Additionally, I prayed for our future neighbors. I did not ask God for good neighbors. I asked for neighbors that would be a blessing to our family and our family would be a blessing to them. This was my ‘circle prayer’ for months.
We put our ‘then house’ on the market in October. With several offers to choose from, we were excited to put our house under contract. The buyer agreed to wait until the end of the year to officially purchase the home. In doing that, we were able to continue looking for another house. By Christmas we had not found another house, despite putting offers on 7 houses. We gave the highest offer for all but 1 of the houses. However, many other people waived inspections. We were not comfortable in doing that.
The day after Christmas we moved into a 2-bedroom apartment. We were grateful for the people that came to help us move right after Christmas day. The apartment was tight with two adults, two kids, a baby and a large dog. However, we managed and enjoyed the walking trails, dog parks, playgrounds, neighbors, pond and more.
I continued to ‘circle pray’ for our home, neighbors, school and neighborhood. Meanwhile, we still went to see some houses. Eventually, in February, we went to a house and felt right at home. I prayed for the neighborhood, neighbors, the house itself to be the best for us and more. We got a phone call from our realtor not long after that. The sellers wanted to know if we would consider waiving inspections.
Even though we were excited about this house, we were not going to waive inspections. Much of the house had recently been updated, so we did not think there was an issue. After that phone call we honestly thought we had lost the house. However, a couple of days later we received another phone call from our realtor. She was calling to tell us that we got the house. It has been everything I had prayed for and more.
“But Moses told the people, ‘Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the LORD rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The LORD himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” (Exodus 14:13-14, NLT)
In her book, “My Natural History,” Liz Primeau describes her gardening journey through her life. As she went through life, growing and maturing, her garden changed, too. She learned more about herself as she gained knowledge about her favorite past time.
Beginning of Gardening Interests
The author begins the book by describing how she gained an interest in gardening. Liz Primeau, as an adolescent, lived with her mom, dad and sister in Manitoba, Canada. Her dad’s Victory Garden sparked an interest in her. She and her mom would sneak green onions from her dad’s vegetable garden. Then they would enjoy the onions in sandwiches with mayonnaise. The primary purpose of his garden was to make (grow) food for their family to eat. In addition to that, this vegetable garden also encouraged a young Liz Primeau to gain an interest in plants.
After her father died from the effects of a stroke, her mom moved their family. Their new residence was in southern Ontario, where her mom grew up. Now they were near her mom’s family for support. Though he could never replace her father, Liz Primeau’s Uncle Ren quickly became her garden mentor. While her father enjoyed vegetable gardening, her Uncle Ren had a fondness for annuals and perennials.
In “My Natural History,” the author goes into detail about specific plants. No matter what changes came throughout her life, gardening was her constant. Though her garden was different everywhere she moved to in Canada, gardening always had a part in her life. She wrote about her gardening experiences writing for a magazine. Then, she used her experiences when she was on a TV show. All of her gardening adventures were in Canada. Her work in the media took her all over the country.
A Bit of Biodiversity
Liz Primeau wrote about biodiversity in the garden and how it is beneficial. Also, how it can benefit nature as a whole. She also wrote about invasive and introduced animal species. For example, she wrote about the grey squirrels’ effects on England. Also, she wrote about the European startlings and Gypsy moths in North America and raccoons in Germany.
In Conclusion: My Natural History
“The garden is not the place for control freaks and perfectionists, and yet I know that in my callow youth I tried to make mine conform. I used to wish for the time when it would be finished, when it would reach the perfection I envisioned.” This was a thought she had near the end of the book. With that in mind, she included “The Six Stages of Gardening.” Of this, she said, “these stages echo the stages in our lives, from the desire for immediate gratification in our youth to the deeper and mellower pleasures of maturity.” In conclusion, Liz Primeau determined, “that life, as well as gardening, is indeed a journey with many worthwhile stops along the way, if you’d only you take your eyes off the road long enough to recognize them. And if you do, you’ll never have to ask if that’s all there is.”
“So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:15-20, NLT)
My niece decided on the honeycomb blanket for her baby. She was living in Germany, as her husband was stationed there. As they were visiting in the U.S., she called me to tell me that I had someone to make a baby blanket for. She was going to have a baby! Of course, at the time when she told me she was going to have a baby she did not know the gender.
Choosing the Pattern
After giving it some thought and searching many baby blanket patterns, I asked her what kind of design she would like, what colors and if she had a theme picked out for the nursery. She wanted a gender-neutral look with a theme of Classic Winnie-the-Pooh, with muted colors. Now that I had an idea of what I was looking for, I found some patterns that I thought were appropriate with her theme and sent them her way via messenger. Patterns I sent her included a feather and fan design; a honeycomb; Winnie the Pooh; a shell-looking pattern and an elongated honeycomb pattern. She decided on the regular honeycomb pattern, which was written for two colors.
Choosing the Colors
I had a small tag with Classic Winnie-the-Pooh picture on it. With the tag, I went to check out some yarn options. I sent my niece pictures of several yarn colors. In addition to the colors I included the tag in front of it for comparison. She liked 5 of the colors, all in Bernat Softee Baby. The colors were Lemon, Antique white, Soft peach, Jacquards Tree Fort and Jacquards River Ripples. I decided to use the Lemon color as the main color, for the honeycomb pattern, as that was similar to the color of Winnie-the-Pooh. The other colors I used in a pattern as follows: Tree Fort, Antique White, River Ripples and Soft peach, two sections of each, with a 15-row moss stitch border in the Lemon color.
When I was finished with the main body of the blanket, I picked up and knit a 2” moss stitch border on each side. This was the first time I had attempted this type of pattern and enjoyed the variety. My least favorite part of knitting anything is weaving in the ends. With all of the color changes (every 16 rows) there were plenty of ends to weave in.
The finished blanket, woven ends and all, was very lovely. I will make the Honeycomb blanket again, but with just two colors, as the pattern is written. Those would be the main color and the contrasting – two colors that stand out but look good together. This could be a solid for the main color and a variegated for the contrasting color or other variety. I will only make this for a very special baby (like my niece’s sweet baby girl).
Though this pattern looks a little difficult, it is just a series of knits, purls and slipped stitches. Knit the main color loosely or the slipped stitches will pull too much. That will cause some puckering or tension issues, so pay attention to the tension throughout.
“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” (Colossians 3:12-14, NLT)
In the book, Undaunted, Christine Caine depicts how, when she put her whole trust in God, He is faithful to see the plan through. She was led to begin a program to help victims of human trafficking. Although they were told it would not succeed, she and her husband, Nick, followed God’s leading.
Daunted
When she was an adult, Christine Caine found out that she and her brother were adopted. Because of that, at one point in her life, she was just a number. When her biological mother gave her up, the author was not wanted and did not have a name. She was just identified as a number. She stated, “Even though I only just found out that I was adopted, God has always known, and he has always loved me. And since that has never changed, therefore nothing has essentially changed. I may not be who I thought I was, but I still am who he says I am. And I am more. I am loved. I am his.”
Don’t Put Limits on What God has Planned
Christine Caine said, “If we allow other people to tell us what we are and are not qualified to do, we will limit what God wants to do with us.” Sometimes when God calls people to do His will, those people feel inadequate. Other times they allow other people to influence the direction they go in. In turn, that prohibits those that are called to a purpose from completing that purpose. For instance, someone they were to help does not get that assistance needed.
“We should be sensitive to the possibility, if we lack those gifts (music, speaking, maintenance, etc..), that God may be leading us in a different direction. But once we find that direction, we must not allow ourselves to be deterred. What is impossible with people is possible with God.” She gives examples of Moses, Gideon and Jeremiah. God says in Isaiah 55:8 & 9, “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD, “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.”(NLT)
Becoming Undaunted
In Undaunted, Christine Caine shares of how she felt unwanted. She shares how she overcame her own abuse. Also, she talks about her suffering of losing a child. Her trials allow her to connect with others that are suffering or to empathize with others’ hardships. Christine Caine and a friend visited Auschwitz, the site of a Nazi concentration camp during World War II. She saw evidence of torture and oppression and was moved emotionally. After her visit she felt God calling her to help the oppressed in the world around her.
Direction to Go
As a speaker, Christine Caine went to conferences. She was on her way to Greece to speak at a Women’s Conference. It so happened that, after the plane landed and the passengers got off the plane, there was a delay in getting their luggage. During that delay she wandered around that part of the airport and saw posters of missing people. She felt a strong attachment to helping the people oppressed, kidnapped, sold and abused. She realized that the horrific treatment of people at Auschwitz and throughout Nazi-controlled areas was not just of days past. People-many of them young girls- are being oppressed, kidnapped, sold, abused, tortured and more right now due to human trafficking.
She did not know where to begin. Eventually she realized that, “…when we give what we have, and don’t overthink it, God-the God of hope-delivers the rest.” Her main point of the book is, “Don’t let Difficulty keep you from daring to go where God wants you to go. God will make a way.” Don’t be daunted by the seemingly large task that God calls you to. Be Undaunted. If He calls you, He will make a way.
“The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free..” (Luke 4:18, NLT)
There are many different patterns for market bags. As I was searching for one to make, I tried a few and they just were not what I wanted. I was looking for something with a sturdy base. I also wanted a lot of give in the sides of the bag. After making a few bags using patterns I found, I was still not completely satisfied.
So, I gathered parts of different patterns together. Some of the patterns were from bags I had knit. Other patterns I had not attempted. Then I came up with a bag that more suits my liking. The design I came up with works well. I might tweak it here and there. For example, add some solid sections throughout. Also, the length of the straps are long to me. I prefer a shorter strap. Another option I can alter is the length and height of the bag itself. I would do that by adding or omitting some repeats.
Market bag construction
The pattern allows for a garter, stockinette or moss stitch base. A large square is knit to make up the base. The sides are made by picking up stitches around the base. Then it is built up for a set amount of repeats. A mesh pattern is continued to increase the height of the project. Alternately, there could be some solid sections knit in this part if desired. To finish the sack part of the bag, end with a solid or moss stitch rim, about two inches high. I like to do the same pattern as the base. Finish the project with one strap or two.
Market bag yarn
To make this bag, I used 100% cotton yarn. That material makes it washable and sturdy. I like to use either one or two colors. For the base, a solid color is preferred. The body of the bag is made either in a solid or variegated that coordinates with the base. Some of the bags I made have a solid base, variegated body and the base color used for the rim. Sometimes I made the base and straps in the same color. Then the body, including the rim, a variegated color. If desired, make a loop on one side of the rim. After that, attached an appropriate-sized button on the opposite side of the bag. I don’t know if this is really necessary, as the bag is mostly mesh and small items will fall out even with the button closure.
Have fun trying out this pattern and share a picture of what yours looks like!
Yield: 1 Market Bag
Kalmia Knits Market Bag
This is a pattern for a mesh market bag. Use different colored yarn, solids, multi, variegated or whatever else you like. Use 100% cotton yarn. It is important to use the needle sizes suggested to get the right sizing. Blocking is not necessary unless desired.
Materials
200 g cotton yarn (solid, multi, a mix of both)
US 8 circular needles and DPNs
US 10 1/2 or 10 3/4 circular needles
Row counter (optional)
tapestry needle (for weaving in the ends)
scissors
Instructions
Base:
With solid color yarn, CO 31 stitches onto US8 needle.
Garter stitch or Moss stitch for 52 rows. **See notes on Garter stitch for the base, as if on straight needles.
Body of bag:
Switch to larger needle.
Pick up and knit 96 stitches around the base (24 stitches on each side).
If desired, switch to multi colored yarn, then begin pattern.
Pattern:
Row 1. (K2tog, YO) repeat to end
Row 2. K every stitch
Row 3. (YO, K2tog) repeat to end
Row 4. K every stitch
Repeat rows 1-4 15 times.
Top edge:
Switch to US 8 needles
Garter stitch for 13 rows, ending with a Purl row. **See notes on Garter stitch for this edge, knitting in the round.
Using US 8 DPN, Knit 15 sts, to second marker. (leave those stitches on the DPN).
BO to the next marker.
Knit 15 sts (as if on straight needles) for 100 rows, or until desired length.
Join to opposite side (where the 15 sts are waiting on the DPN) by BO in 3-needle bind off. Be sure to turn right sides in so they are facing each other.
