Double Duty Bag

Vacation took me away for a bit, but I'm back.  There is still much to be accomplished on the WIP pile.  Long term projects (as in over two weeks to finish) tend to zap my yarn mojo.  Thus, I was forced - for creative reasons as well as instant gratification - to whip up a two day project.

It was time to start a new knit & crochet-a-long for ESSS.  I was a May no show due to vacation, but I can redeem myself in June and encourage the members to participate.  This market bag project provided an opportunity to become a double duty bag by also serving as a sample for my upcoming teaching of embroidery at The Knitting Tree, LA.

Fellow yarn-a-holics, I present to you my interpretation of the Provence market bag. . . .

Round To It

Plastic shopping bags are a thing of the past in my area.  There is a charge for paper bags.  Many people are now saying, "no thanks," tucking their purchases under their arm or in a pocket and walking out of the store.  My approach is different. 

The trunk of my car is loaded with no less than 6 - 7 shopping bags.  Different shapes, different sizes and even a few of the insulated types.  Add in that I frequent a Farmer's Market weekly and shopping bags are always coming into the house and returning to the car trunk. 

The ones that I use for fresh veggies and fruit (especially at the Market) are all washable.  The ones that I use for meats can be wiped out with anti-everything wipes.  Now that we are expected to reuse over and over, I don't want the germs and bacteria to re-touch over and over.  I'm not overly weird about it.  It is just that in the past, we could toss out the unseen and now we are expected to reuse. 

 I got around to making a new market bag.  It is made from this free pattern which is so wonderful that it gives the option for a small or slightly larger size and two different handle options.  The designer even gives two suggestions for the side stitches. 




The bottom starts out just like a top down hat, which is not my favorite thing to knit. 


The bag itself works up rather quickly if your have a few evenings in front of the telly.  I decided to make the smaller size which still holds a lot of veggies because it is so stretchy.

The cotton sides and acrylic bottom/rim/strap can be washed in cold water without harm.  If I have to reuse it, I will re-clean it!

Market Style

Have you joined the bandwagon that is the stylish market bag?  Do you walk the Farmer's Market with a multi - use shopping tote?  Are you ready for the demise of the plastic bag? 

Enter Ilene.  Ilene is an extremely stretchy market bag designed by Hannah Ingalls.   When I finished the pattern instructed depth of the bag I was convinced there was no way this little eight inches would ever function for a trip to the heirloom tomato vendor.   (No, that isn't an heirloom in the photo)  It made me happy to discover that the simple lace mesh design really stretches - - to the extreme!

The strap is nice and wide.  This is really a benefit.  As the bag is filled with goodies, it gets heavy.  That wide strap helps to distribute the weight and it does not dig into the shoulder like narrower straps are want to do.

I am so thrilled with the quick and easy result that I foresee making several more.  Linen, cotton, blends - all in my sights.  Anything that is strong and can be washed should make a fine Ilene bag.

Kudos to Hannah for providing a perfectly written pattern for a totally functional item and giving the design away as a free download.  That's right.  FREE.  Hop on over to her Ravelry page or blog and download.  It would be nice is you leave her a thank you note.