Knitter in Knots
May 16, 2022 1:51 PM Subscribe
Can any knitters help me interpret a confusing section of a knitting pattern? I've read it over several times, asked other knitters, and even written to the knitting company, but I'm STILL not getting the answer I need.
The pattern is this bag: if the link to the pattern I post here doesn't work, you can download it free.
The construction, as I understand it, is thus:
1. Knit the bag body itself flattish, as a sort of rectangle. You use smaller needles at the beginning and the end (which become the short sides of the rectangle).
2. Then, you pick up 30 stitches along the long sides of each rectangle, cast on a whole lot more stitches, and knit 6 rows back and forth and cast off. This gives you a long strap running along each long side of this rectangle and then extending into space.
3. Then the instructions simply say to "sew sides of each handle to bag."
....But...what does THAT mean?
I THINK that when they say the "sides of each handle" they're talking about the end of that strap you made, but - what end gets sewn to what part of the bag?
Even more confusingly, I keep getting people telling me to "sew the ends of the handles together" but that just sounds like I sew those two straps end to end and that would make one very long strap.
I cannot FOR THE LIFE OF ME figure this one out and I am feeling really foolish. Can anyone help?
The pattern is this bag: if the link to the pattern I post here doesn't work, you can download it free.
The construction, as I understand it, is thus:
1. Knit the bag body itself flattish, as a sort of rectangle. You use smaller needles at the beginning and the end (which become the short sides of the rectangle).
2. Then, you pick up 30 stitches along the long sides of each rectangle, cast on a whole lot more stitches, and knit 6 rows back and forth and cast off. This gives you a long strap running along each long side of this rectangle and then extending into space.
3. Then the instructions simply say to "sew sides of each handle to bag."
....But...what does THAT mean?
I THINK that when they say the "sides of each handle" they're talking about the end of that strap you made, but - what end gets sewn to what part of the bag?
Even more confusingly, I keep getting people telling me to "sew the ends of the handles together" but that just sounds like I sew those two straps end to end and that would make one very long strap.
I cannot FOR THE LIFE OF ME figure this one out and I am feeling really foolish. Can anyone help?
Response by poster: So you sew the short side of the free end of one strap, to the short side of the attached-to-the-bag end of the OTHER strap?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:13 PM on May 16, 2022
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:13 PM on May 16, 2022
Yes, that's right. So each strap is looping across one of the short ends of the rectangle.
That is a really crappy pattern instruction!
posted by octothorp at 2:17 PM on May 16, 2022 [1 favorite]
That is a really crappy pattern instruction!
posted by octothorp at 2:17 PM on May 16, 2022 [1 favorite]
I wish there was a better picture but that is how I would interpret it. However I don't see a reason you couldn't sew 1 to 4 and 2 to 3 (joining each strap to itself) if you liked it better that way.
posted by muddgirl at 2:19 PM on May 16, 2022
posted by muddgirl at 2:19 PM on May 16, 2022
If you are signed up for Ravelry, this knitter has a good picture that shows the free end of one strap going across the short edge and joining to the back of the other strap.
posted by muddgirl at 2:26 PM on May 16, 2022
posted by muddgirl at 2:26 PM on May 16, 2022
I think muddgirl has it right. But, whew, you are not wrong to be puzzled.
posted by praemunire at 3:54 PM on May 16, 2022
posted by praemunire at 3:54 PM on May 16, 2022
Looking at other ravelry projects some people did attach the straps by looping each strap back and sewing it to itself. So it's definitely not obvious which was intended.
posted by muddgirl at 5:01 PM on May 16, 2022
posted by muddgirl at 5:01 PM on May 16, 2022
Best answer: Someone wrote this forgetting that circular needles are a thing. Muddgirl's link is helpful, you can see the joins.
If you haven't started yet, use a circular needle for the strap. Pick up 30 stitches, cast on the required amount, pick up 30 stitches on the other side of the rectangle, cast on again, then join back to the pick up stitches. Then garter for 6 rows, cast off, done.
posted by kjs4 at 5:38 PM on May 16, 2022 [2 favorites]
If you haven't started yet, use a circular needle for the strap. Pick up 30 stitches, cast on the required amount, pick up 30 stitches on the other side of the rectangle, cast on again, then join back to the pick up stitches. Then garter for 6 rows, cast off, done.
posted by kjs4 at 5:38 PM on May 16, 2022 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Honestly, two days ago I spent about 20 minutes looking at that very picture on ravelry mudgirl linked to and STILL couldn't figure it out.
But - mudgirl, I think the diagram you drew finally made the penny drop for me. THANK YOU.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:04 PM on May 16, 2022 [2 favorites]
But - mudgirl, I think the diagram you drew finally made the penny drop for me. THANK YOU.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:04 PM on May 16, 2022 [2 favorites]
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https://share.sketchpad.app/22/098-764f-2427a9.jpeg
Then you would sew 1 to 2 and 3 to 4. So the red straps join into a full circle.
posted by muddgirl at 2:10 PM on May 16, 2022