Hi Everyone,
I can finally show you what I’ve been up to lately. It was my sister’s birthday recently and she had mentioned ages ago that she was looking for a new knitting bag. So I just had to make one and hope that she didn’t buy one in the meantime. I did consider giving her one of these three bags that I’d made earlier but decided that she had already seen them and that a knitting bag should be bigger than these.
Then the scraps of a Bali Pops jelly roll were calling to me. My sister had actually bought the Bali Pops for me (for my birthday) and I’d already made a quilt top from them. There was still plenty left and I had some lovely matching solid fabrics to go with them. Maybe, she wouldn’t like the idea of me using a present from her to make something to give back…hmm. I decided I was only using the scraps and that way she would be getting fabrics that I knew she would love otherwise she would never have bought them for me in the first place 
. I searched the internet for a bag pattern that was just right. However, I wasted a lot of time. I just couldn’t find anything the right size with all of the pockets that I wanted etc. After several days of thinking, sketching, measuring and head scratching I came up with this.
There are three pockets behind the batik fabrics panel on each of the front and back. The middle pockets are the perfect size for knitting patterns or books. The base is flat and large enough for the knitting to lie down, even if it is on large chunky needles and there’s plenty of room inside for all of the yarn for a whole project.
I used straight line quilting so as not to compete with the gorgeous fabrics. The quilting continues on the wrap-around base.
There are two lined patch pockets inside. One is big enough to take large scissors and the other is for buttons etc.
Plus I added a loop at each side to thread the yarn through.
Once I’d decided how I wanted the bag to look and how to put it together, the sewing part was easy. The bulk of the work was in the design process. I’ll definitely make more bags like this one.
My sister really liked it which was good news too. That makes me very happy .
Merry Christmas to you all!
Avis x
knettycraft
/ December 22, 2014Hello Avis, it is easy to imagine your sister loves her new knitting bag! I would love it too. Your design make really sense for a knitter’s bag. And I love batiks & the blue colour!
I wish you a Merry Christmas… especially a bit of quiet time for yourself. Warm regards, Annett
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 22, 2014Thank you Annett. Happy Christmas to you too! You are so right, quiet sewing time will be very welcome 🙂
claire93
/ December 22, 2014how could she not love it? it’s a customised, made-to measure bag – perfect for a knitter. You’ve chosen a wonderful solid turquoise that sets off the batiks so well.
And thanks for reposting photos of your previous bags. Had forgotten all about them – I do love a tote bag, always great just to throw things in lol
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 22, 2014At a push, the other bags would be fine for just knitting but they wouldn’t hold too many extra balls of yarn. Anyway, she reckons it’s too nice to use as a knitting bag LOL.
Gail
/ December 22, 2014Lovely well designed bag, Avis. I proudly presented my DIL with a knitting bag a few Christmases ago but in a thoughtless moment I used velcro to close the bag. Big mistake as the wool keeps catching onto the velcro.
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 22, 2014Thanks for the tip. I would never have thought about the velcro problem. I suppose your DIL will just have to be careful and not knit from yarn when it is still in the bag. Could it be covered with a strip of fabric to stop it catching? I did think about a zip closure but dismissed it for a similar reason. Now my sister says she wants to use it as an ordinary bag so I could have inserted a zip after all 🙂
katechiconi
/ December 22, 2014That’s a lovely bag, for knitting or other purposes. You could use the loop to clip keys onto, for example.
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 22, 2014Thanks. I did actually attach a couple of carabiner clips to the loops for keys 🙂
witchylin
/ December 22, 2014Fantastic. Your sister will find it so useful with all the perfect pockets for patterns and needles. The colours are so restful too.
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 22, 2014Thank you. She reckons it is too nice to use for knitting LOL. I’m sure she’ll make good use of it, especially for weekends away 🙂
sonyamayhem
/ December 23, 2014They’re all lovely Avis! I always spend ages looking at patterns and can’t decide and then just go with the flow – once you have a basic bag pattern it’s easy just to add and amend for whoever you’re sewing for.
And I love those Bali pops too – not usually a fan of batiks but those are just stunning colour choices.
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 23, 2014Thank you 🙂 These are the first batiks I have ever used. I used the same pack for a quilt top earlier and I can’t wait to use more. They don’t seem to fray as easily as most cotton fabrics and the colours are gorgeous, especially when you buy a coordinating pack like this. I’ll definitely buy more. I agree about the patterns. I was hoping to buy something suitable and still can’t believe that it isn’t out there. It feels so good to have done it on my own 😉
Carole
/ December 23, 2014That’s a gorgeous bag, and so practical. I love the pretty fabrics you’ve used on it too 🙂
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 23, 2014Thank you. I love the fabrics too. I might just have to make another one for me 🙂
ArtisanAtHeart
/ December 23, 2014Fantastic bag! I want to make it now! Are you writing a more detailed pattern?
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 23, 2014Hi and welcome to my blog 🙂 I have no plans to write a more detailed pattern as my spare time is so limited at the moment. The three bags at the top of the post are all variations on a tutorial found on the MSQC web site. Once you’ve made that one and get the idea of bag construction, it is quite straight forward to change the sizes and add pockets for a knitting bag like this one.
mtetar
/ December 23, 2014Very nice all if them. All the best now and always Avis x, Mtetar
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 23, 2014Hi Mtetar, thank you very much 🙂 Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year!
mtetar
/ December 24, 2014You are always so welcome Avis x. Be Blessed, Mtetar
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 25, 2014🙂
Isabel's Needleworks
/ December 24, 2014Fabulous job Avis !! The knitting bag is gorgeous ( so are the others) 🙂 Merry Christmas to you as well
Izz
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 25, 2014Thank you Izz. Best wishes for 2015! May we get lots and lots of time to craft next year 🙂
Audrey-58daydreams
/ December 24, 2014Love the bags! 🙂
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 25, 2014Thank you and welcome to my blog 🙂
Denby
/ December 25, 2014I am the lucky recipient of this beautiful bag and as always when Avis makes something it is perfect in every way. Yes I had originally said that I would like a new knitting bag, but, there is no way that I could keep this hidden away and having read all your lovely comments I’m sure that you agree with me. Thanks Avis for a fantastic birthday present.
Oh Sew Tempting
/ December 25, 2014Now I’m blushing LOL. You are most welcome. I’m so pleased you like it and you can use it for whatever you wish 🙂
Granny Maud's Girl
/ January 5, 2015That is a well thought out knitting bag!
Oh Sew Tempting
/ January 7, 2015Thank you 🙂