Stitch Along with Yarnspirations on a Summer’s Worth of Bags

Yarnspirations is hosting a three-week, three-project knit and crochet along (three patterns for each craft), with Vickie Howell providing the knit patterns and Mikey of the Crochet Crowd sharing the crochet projects.

Starting June 29, you’ll be able to pick up one free pattern a week for a different beach bag, with videos to help you with the techniques. Stitchers who join the stitch along formally have until August 15 to finish their bags and share pictures for a chance to win prizes. There will be a prize for each weekly bag and a grand prize for someone who makes all the bags (I assume just all the knit or crochet bags, not all six).

Winners will be chosen at random from entrants who meet the requirements. Weekly prizes will be 20 balls of Lily Sugar’n Cream, while the grand prize winner will receive one ball in every color that’s produced.

Bags can be made in any color but must follow the instructions, and photos must be submitted via email in order to be in the running for the prizes.

The knit bags that will be part of the stitch along are: the Market Bag, Poolside Tote Bag and Sea Breeze Bag. My favorite is the Sea Breeze Bag, which looks really simple and quick to knit with all those elongated stitches, which also makes it perfect for the beach because sand can get out.

I’d love to know if you plan to participate or if any of the patterns caught your eye!

[Photo via Yarnspirations.] Looking for more patterns? Check these market bag patterns out on Etsy.

Next Pattern:

Many times when I write these posts I will say something like “you can use any yarn you want” or “this would be a great stash-busting project.” That’s just how my mind works. And my stash, too, since I probably have sweater quantity of two or three yarns at most, but tons of singles and odd balls and leftovers.

Blankets are generally a really good way to use up those bits, but in this case, I think you’re going to want to plan it out a bit better.

Looking at photos of the Color Study Blanket from Purl Soho, it looks like it’s made with two yarns held together, and that block in the center is worked with one of each color from the adjoining sides to make a mixed up color.

But that’s not actually how it’s done. This is three separate colors (four, really, with the neutrals in the corners) chosen form a yarn with an expansive palette so they play off each other. The project calls for a worsted weight superwash wool, which is a great choice for a blanket that’s both warm and washable.

This pattern was originally designed by Laura Ferguson and was updated by Hiromi Glover. It is worked in one piece in garter stitch intarsia, which is a great way to learn the intarsia technique if you don’t already know it. It comes in crib or throw sizes.

Despite the introduction to this post, I am going to go ahead and say that, yes, of course you could do this blanket with scraps or odd balls or even just choose five colors that don’t blend together so easily. But I really do love the look of the color play, and I think it would be worth your time to find colors that play well together to get a similar effect.

This pattern is available for free from Purl Soho.

[Photo: Purl Soho]

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