Celtic Tote WIP

So all the bits are knit. Tonight I'll move on to embroidery and maybe assembly.

I am so taken with the structure around creating a stable bottom for the bag. After knitting the first side flat you double the stitches on the needle with a knit through the front and back on each stitch. Then on the next row you wrap each stitch by knitting one then slipping one with yarn in front.

Then from the one needle the stitches that are all in one line are divided evenly across four dpns and you start knitting in the round for a neat and tidy stockinette tube! (I'm also impressed that the bottom is not in reverse stockinette - its smoother and so will stay cleaner and will be less likely to snag on things.

When you reach the required length you slide in plastic canvas mesh as a stiffener. (I doubled mine, stitched together to reach the necessary length with one standard 69 cent sheet of canvas. (This will also increase the stiffness of the bottom - I may need to take hand weights along to the grocery store some day ;) ).

Then the end is closed (with the stiffener sealed invisibly inside - very neat!) by knitting stitches together off two parallel dpns (just as you would in a three needle bind off). Then up the second side you go, back on the flat again! Seamless and clever.

I've chosen the button from my teeny button stash for the closure at the top but I'm still pondering which accent colour to use in the embroidery around the Celtic cable.

Blue?

Red?

Purple?

Black?

I'll likely post about that tomorrow - in the meantime thanks for dropping by - have a great day!