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Red Heart Joins the Yarnspirations Family

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Consolidation seems to be a part of most businesses these days, and it’s true of yarn companies, too. Two giants in the field have joined forces and Red Heart yarns has become a part of the Yarnspirations family.

Visitors to Red Heart’s website will be forwarded to Yarnspirations, where they will find the full catalog of Red Heart yarns to purchase. Red Heart patterns are being migrated to the site as well, so the site will have thousands of free patterns from all the various yarn lines, including Red Heart, Caron, Patons and more.

In a Facebook Live about the merger, knit and crochet designer and spokesperson for Red Heart Marly Bird said the reason for the combination of the two websites was because the Red Heart website wasn’t great and this allowed the parent company to combine all of its brands into one website rather than continuing to keep a separate website for that brand.

The major change aside from the different website is that many of the Red Heart designers will no longer be a part of the team, though Marly said she is continuing in her role and will now use the full range of Yarnspirations yarns instead of just Red Heart.

I love the Yarnspiration website so I think this is a great change and it makes it clear that Red Heart is part of the family, which I’m not sure everyone knew (the company was purchased in January). What do you think about the change?

[Photo: Yarnspirations.]

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Knitting Market Bag Patterns

There are certain things that just make sense to knit at this time of year, and market bags are one of them. We tend to use our canvas bags more often in the summer with trips to the farmer’s market and the library, but string bags and market bags are great to use all year.

I love the Three Oranges Bag by Hana Cho, which looks just like a knit version of a plastic shopping bag, but with three cute oranges stitched on. The bag uses intarsia to make the oranges, but you could use duplicate stitch or intarsia to add a different design if you like. It calls for fingering weight yarn and you can find the pattern on Ravelry.

Sharyn Anhalt’s Market Square bag (also on Ravelry) uses worsted weight yarn and a mosaic pattern to make a pretty bag you’ll want to use every time you go shopping. The bag comes in two sizes and is worked in two colors of the same yarn for a fun mixed up effect that’s almost like weaving.

Speaking of fun colors, the Market Bag from Hubbabubbie Art uses a multicolored cake yarn (specifically Lion Brand Mandala) to produce fun color changes without any extra work. This bag is worked from the bottom up with a crocheted bottom and knit mesh sides. It’s a free pattern on Ravelry.

The Pike Place Market Bag from Blue Bird Pine Shop looks like a massive bag to hold all your market goodies (that is a child holding it, but still). The bag calls for worsted weight cotton yarn and the mesh is worked on extra large needles to help it open up to hold everything you want held.

The Knit Farmer’s Market Bag form Design BCB is another good one, made mostly of mes with a little stockinette for extra stability. The base is also worked in stockinette so items you put in it will sit flat.

This mesh bag from Sheep and Stitch doesn’t have a base, and the body is worked flat before being joined in the round to make the top and handles. That makes it easy to make the bag just the size you want because you can stop knitting whenever you feel it’s big enough. The pattern includes a step-by-step video if you need extra assistance.

And the Eco Market String Bag from Mama in a Stitch has a solid knit base worked in a contrasting color from the mesh body. It’s an easy project that comes out a great size for your market needs without being too huge.

Do you have a favorite knit market bag pattern? I’d love to hear about it!