The String Bag Entry
Jul. 16th, 2006 04:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
redroseSo, I've been trying to knit/make myself a string bag. This has not been anywhere near as easy as I would like. This entry will be updated as the project evolves.
I'm looking for something that crushes up small and light, so that I can carry one around in my backpack and substitute it for the multitude of plastic bags that everything comes in. It should also be cheap to make, since I want to make several. This also means no special yarns.
String and Air Attempt
Pattern: here
Material: sport weight 100% cotton in beige
Needles: finally settled on 16" size 10 circulars
Problems: It's really hard to do the move from one round to the next with the double yarn over in the one instance. I tried putting a single extra knit at the end of the round, which should leave a "seam" of knits up the side, but I kept losing it! So finally I gave up.
Magknits Attempt
Pattern: here
Material: Worsted wheight 100% cotton in white
Needles: 36" size 15 circulars
Problems: It's really hard to get this stitch to look as nice as the one in the picture in the pattern. I'm not sure I like it very much. I may need a smaller needle, or to pull tighter, but it's hard to work this stitch tightly.
The Sydney bag; or the bag that I ended up making several of
My friend Ursula tried to make this bag. It is an old pattern from Australia, referenced by this link. After the cut at the bottom of the page, Ursula's rewrite and improvement of the pattern is given. She made it in worsted weight cotton, and it is huge. It balls up neatly into its bottom, and makes a nice contained lump, just like in the picture. It is totally cool.
These links are from Ursula:
Ursula's pattern and updates are now here.
Short pattern here
sizing here
My notes on string bag in expensive cotton here.
My preliminary notes on string bag in number 3 crochet cotton here.
More notes on string bag in number 3 crochet cotton here.
Other notes on this bag are below the lj-cut.
Other pattern links
Lily's pattern The problem here is that I'm looking for something I can jam in my backpack and use as needed, and this seems much too bulky.
Frugalhaus pattern I'd forgotten about this one. It looks like a good one to try next!
Fresco yarn But I'm trying not to buy new yarn for this project.
from a Sydney TV station knitted and crocheted. Possibilities!
Two more which are probably a little too thick for what I want, and I'd have to substitute for the acrylic. I prefer not to use acrylic worsted unless I absolutely have to. If you're interested in these, I'd suggest saving/printing the patterns, as they are archived and might not be around later.
This one looks like what I'm looking to make. Again, it's probably harder than it looks. It's Turkish stitch again.
Coats & Clark pattern. Again, this is an archive, so grab it if you want to keep it.
added 5-1-07: Canadian Living String Bag This one looks nice; I am thinking I'll try it.
General bag link collections
http://home.inreach.com/marthac/totes.html
http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory/bags_totes_purses.php
http://knitting.about.com/library/blmiscbags.htm
Other ideas
Make up a pattern with triple crochets and the worsted or sport weight cotton and the size M, N, or P crochet needle.
If I learn to net, I could make this one.
I am currently making it with sportweight cotton and a 2.25 mm hook.
The following is notes and conversations with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
ursula1972
Helpful hint here.
Australian World War Two era crocheted string bag,
original source unknown, pattern adapted to U.S. terms by Ursula
The scanned pattern was found at this web page: http://www.abc.net.au/sydney/stories/s1066917.htm with this as the image address: http://www.abc.net.au/sydney/simonmarnie/img/bagpattern.jpg
The web page claimed it was from a 1933 crochet book.
I used Lion Brand Kitchen Cotton and a 3.5mm hook to test/translate this pattern. I suspect this yarn is thicker than the one called for in the original pattern. Using the Lion Brand Kitchen Cotton and making the extra four 20 ch rows for a larger bag I had to make the drawstrings longer than the pattern called for and the base did not pull fully closed when drawn shut. This finished bag, closed, is the size of a large grapefruit.
Ursula’s note: I skipped the brass ring, and simply pulled the drawstrings and tied them in a bow to keep the folded bag shut.
You should be able to fold the top part of the bag into the base, and use the drawstring to hold it closed.
The Short Version
(moved up from comments)
... a "short version" of the Australian string bag, just translating to US terms but without the instructions on how to do the row changes. Here it is!
Much easier to follow, if you know how to do a smooth row change when crocheting in the round.
Make a ring of 12 chain.
1st row: 12 sc in ring.
2nd row: 1 sc 1 ch in each sc.
3rd row: 1 dc in each ch and sc of previous row. 24 dc total.
4th row: *1 dc ch 1 into 1st and twice into next dc* around. 36 loops total.
5th row: 2 ch 1 dc into each loop.
6th row: 3 ch 1 dc into each loop.
Next 3 rows: 4 ch 1 dc into each loop.
For beading:
10th row: 4 sc into each loop.
11th row: 5 ch 1 sc into last sc of each loop.
12th row: 4 sc into each loop.
Next 4 rows: 8 ch 1 sc into center of each loop.
Next 4 rows: 12 ch 1 sc into center of each loop.
Next 4 rows: 16 ch 1 sc into center of each loop.
Optional for large bag, next 4 rows, 20 ch sc into center of each loop.
25th row: 8 ch sc into center of each loop.
26th row 6 ch sc into center of each loop.
27th row 4 ch sc into center of each loop.
28th row: 5 sc into each loop.
29th row: sc into scs of first six loops. For first handle, ch 36, sc back into 1st sc of this row, 48 dc into the ch. Continue sc for next 18 loops, then, for second handle, ch 36, sc into sc at end of 6th loop back, 48 dc into the ch, sc around.
Optional, sc around once more going over the handles.
I skipped the brass ring, and simply pulled the drawstrings and tied them in a bow to keep the folded bag shut.
You should be able to fold the top part of the bag into the base, and use the drawstring to hold it closed.
A few more string bag pattern comments, for the smaller (no 20 ch loops) version:
If you use Coats & Clark crochet nylon and a 3.0 mm hook, you will need two spools.
If you use Lilly Sugar & Cream cotton and a 3.0 mm hook, you will need 4 2oz. balls. (You need just over three, so for two bags of the same thread, buy seven.)
If you use size 3 crochet cotton and a 2.25 mm hook, you will need 1.5 spools. (Aunt Lydia's)
If you need to join threads, lay the threads parallel and crochet them together from the top of one loop to the top of the next, continuing from there with the new thread. This is a somewhat thick and obvious join versus weaving in ends, but it is stronger, to resist the force of pulling from a full bag.
I'm looking for something that crushes up small and light, so that I can carry one around in my backpack and substitute it for the multitude of plastic bags that everything comes in. It should also be cheap to make, since I want to make several. This also means no special yarns.
String and Air Attempt
Pattern: here
Material: sport weight 100% cotton in beige
Needles: finally settled on 16" size 10 circulars
Problems: It's really hard to do the move from one round to the next with the double yarn over in the one instance. I tried putting a single extra knit at the end of the round, which should leave a "seam" of knits up the side, but I kept losing it! So finally I gave up.
Magknits Attempt
Pattern: here
Material: Worsted wheight 100% cotton in white
Needles: 36" size 15 circulars
Problems: It's really hard to get this stitch to look as nice as the one in the picture in the pattern. I'm not sure I like it very much. I may need a smaller needle, or to pull tighter, but it's hard to work this stitch tightly.
The Sydney bag; or the bag that I ended up making several of
My friend Ursula tried to make this bag. It is an old pattern from Australia, referenced by this link. After the cut at the bottom of the page, Ursula's rewrite and improvement of the pattern is given. She made it in worsted weight cotton, and it is huge. It balls up neatly into its bottom, and makes a nice contained lump, just like in the picture. It is totally cool.
These links are from Ursula:
Ursula's pattern and updates are now here.
Short pattern here
sizing here
My notes on string bag in expensive cotton here.
My preliminary notes on string bag in number 3 crochet cotton here.
More notes on string bag in number 3 crochet cotton here.
Other notes on this bag are below the lj-cut.
Other pattern links
Lily's pattern The problem here is that I'm looking for something I can jam in my backpack and use as needed, and this seems much too bulky.
Frugalhaus pattern I'd forgotten about this one. It looks like a good one to try next!
Fresco yarn But I'm trying not to buy new yarn for this project.
from a Sydney TV station knitted and crocheted. Possibilities!
Two more which are probably a little too thick for what I want, and I'd have to substitute for the acrylic. I prefer not to use acrylic worsted unless I absolutely have to. If you're interested in these, I'd suggest saving/printing the patterns, as they are archived and might not be around later.
This one looks like what I'm looking to make. Again, it's probably harder than it looks. It's Turkish stitch again.
Coats & Clark pattern. Again, this is an archive, so grab it if you want to keep it.
added 5-1-07: Canadian Living String Bag This one looks nice; I am thinking I'll try it.
General bag link collections
http://home.inreach.com/marthac/totes.html
http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory/bags_totes_purses.php
http://knitting.about.com/library/blmiscbags.htm
Other ideas
Make up a pattern with triple crochets and the worsted or sport weight cotton and the size M, N, or P crochet needle.
If I learn to net, I could make this one.
I am currently making it with sportweight cotton and a 2.25 mm hook.
The following is notes and conversations with
ursula1972Helpful hint here.
Australian World War Two era crocheted string bag,
original source unknown, pattern adapted to U.S. terms by Ursula
The scanned pattern was found at this web page: http://www.abc.net.au/sydney/stories/s1066917.htm with this as the image address: http://www.abc.net.au/sydney/simonmarnie/img/bagpattern.jpg
The web page claimed it was from a 1933 crochet book.
I used Lion Brand Kitchen Cotton and a 3.5mm hook to test/translate this pattern. I suspect this yarn is thicker than the one called for in the original pattern. Using the Lion Brand Kitchen Cotton and making the extra four 20 ch rows for a larger bag I had to make the drawstrings longer than the pattern called for and the base did not pull fully closed when drawn shut. This finished bag, closed, is the size of a large grapefruit.
Ursula’s note: I skipped the brass ring, and simply pulled the drawstrings and tied them in a bow to keep the folded bag shut.
You should be able to fold the top part of the bag into the base, and use the drawstring to hold it closed.
The Short Version
(moved up from comments)
... a "short version" of the Australian string bag, just translating to US terms but without the instructions on how to do the row changes. Here it is!
Much easier to follow, if you know how to do a smooth row change when crocheting in the round.
Make a ring of 12 chain.
1st row: 12 sc in ring.
2nd row: 1 sc 1 ch in each sc.
3rd row: 1 dc in each ch and sc of previous row. 24 dc total.
4th row: *1 dc ch 1 into 1st and twice into next dc* around. 36 loops total.
5th row: 2 ch 1 dc into each loop.
6th row: 3 ch 1 dc into each loop.
Next 3 rows: 4 ch 1 dc into each loop.
For beading:
10th row: 4 sc into each loop.
11th row: 5 ch 1 sc into last sc of each loop.
12th row: 4 sc into each loop.
Next 4 rows: 8 ch 1 sc into center of each loop.
Next 4 rows: 12 ch 1 sc into center of each loop.
Next 4 rows: 16 ch 1 sc into center of each loop.
Optional for large bag, next 4 rows, 20 ch sc into center of each loop.
25th row: 8 ch sc into center of each loop.
26th row 6 ch sc into center of each loop.
27th row 4 ch sc into center of each loop.
28th row: 5 sc into each loop.
29th row: sc into scs of first six loops. For first handle, ch 36, sc back into 1st sc of this row, 48 dc into the ch. Continue sc for next 18 loops, then, for second handle, ch 36, sc into sc at end of 6th loop back, 48 dc into the ch, sc around.
Optional, sc around once more going over the handles.
I skipped the brass ring, and simply pulled the drawstrings and tied them in a bow to keep the folded bag shut.
You should be able to fold the top part of the bag into the base, and use the drawstring to hold it closed.
A few more string bag pattern comments, for the smaller (no 20 ch loops) version:
If you use Coats & Clark crochet nylon and a 3.0 mm hook, you will need two spools.
If you use Lilly Sugar & Cream cotton and a 3.0 mm hook, you will need 4 2oz. balls. (You need just over three, so for two bags of the same thread, buy seven.)
If you use size 3 crochet cotton and a 2.25 mm hook, you will need 1.5 spools. (Aunt Lydia's)
If you need to join threads, lay the threads parallel and crochet them together from the top of one loop to the top of the next, continuing from there with the new thread. This is a somewhat thick and obvious join versus weaving in ends, but it is stronger, to resist the force of pulling from a full bag.
More string-bag madness...
Date: 2006-07-24 12:51 pm (UTC)Much easier to follow, if you know how to do a smooth row change when crocheting in the round.
Make a ring of 12 chain.
1st row: 12 sc in ring.
2nd row: 1 sc 1 ch in each sc.
3rd row: 1 dc in each ch and sc of previous row. 24 dc total.
4th row: *1 dc ch 1 into 1st and twice into next dc* around. 36 loops total.
5th row: 2 ch 1 dc into each loop.
6th row: 3 ch 1 dc into each loop.
Next 3 rows: 4 ch 1 dc into each loop.
For beading:
10th row: 4 sc into each loop.
11th row: 5 ch 1 sc into last sc of each loop.
12th row: 4 sc into each loop.
Next 4 rows: 8 ch 1 sc into center of each loop.
Next 4 rows: 12 ch 1 sc into center of each loop.
Next 4 rows: 16 ch 1 sc into center of each loop.
Optional for large bag, next 4 rows, 20 ch sc into center of each loop.
25th row: 8 ch sc into center of each loop.
26th row 6 ch sc into center of each loop.
27th row 4 ch sc into center of each loop.
28th row: 5 sc into each loop.
29th row: sc into scs of first six loops. For first handle, ch 36, sc back into 1st sc of this row, 48 dc into the ch. Continue sc for next 18 loops, then, for second handle, ch 36, sc into sc at end of 6th loop back, 48 dc into the ch, sc around.
Optional, sc around once more going over the handles.