How To Knit Cable Purses

Knit cable purses make an ordinary knitted bag extraordinary. By adding a cable to a simple purse pattern, the bag goes from plain to chic.

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Knit cables are often found on knitted garments such as sweaters or scarves. They offer rich texture in a way that looks complicated but isn't once you master the basics of knitting cables.

There are many cable stitch patterns that can be used on a knit purse to jazz it up. Just find a basic knit purse pattern or make up your own and then add some cables to it.

Free Knit Cable Purse Patterns

Or if you want a knit cable purse pattern, check out these two free knit cable purses:

• Yarniverse has a knit cable purse pattern with two cables. The purse is whip stitched to handles when it is complete.
• Knit Picks also has a free chunky cable purse pattern on its website. The purse has two types of cables on it.

Books With Knit Cable Purse Patterns

There are a couple of great cable-oriented knitting books with each having a pattern for a knit cable bag.

• Inspired Cable Knits: 20 Creative Designs For Making Sweaters and Accessories by Fiona Ellis has a knit cable yoga bag. This book has some incredible cable knits including sweaters and blankets and scarves that will keep you knitting cables for time to come.
• Cables Untangled: An Exploration of Cable Knitting by Melissa Leapman has a little bag with handles. The bag is knit with Classic Elite Yarns's Bazic which is auperwash wool worsed weight yarn. This book also has a great cable stitch pattern dictionary divided into cabled ribs stitch patterns, cabled panels, and allover cable patterns.

Blue Moon Fiber Arts Rockin' Sock Club 2007

Due to a bank's stupid, stupid decision, members of the Blue Moon Fiber Arts Rockin' Sock Club 2007 have been refunded their money for their memberships in the company's year long sock knitting club.

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In a crazy decision by Blue Moon Fiber Arts' bank, who thinks that sock knitting yarn clubs must be illegitimate, the bank has refunded the money paid for the Rockin' Sock Club 2007 memberships.

Knitters around the world are outraged at this blatant discrimination against knitters everywhere. Thousands of knitters knit socks every day and sock yarn is one of the most popular types of yarn that they use.

There are tons of Sock Knitting Books out on the market and even more sock yarn available. How could this bank be so stupid to think a sock knitting club could be anything but legitimate?!?!

You can read the letter sent to Blue Moon Fibers Arts Rocking' Sock Club 2007 customers and the outrage expressed by knitters everywhere on the Yarn Harlot website.

Wrist Warmer Pattern

Wrist warmers and fingerless knitted gloves are a great way to keep your hands warm while leaving your fingers free. Here is a easy free wrist warmer pattern that knits up quick and is really fun.

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Finished Size
6 inches in circumference and 8 inches long

Materials
Yarn: 1 skein Buckwheat Bridge Angoras Yarn (50% Kid Mohair, 50% wool, Corpus Cristi)
Needles: Size #3 Double Pointed Needles (DPNs)
Notions: Stitch Marker, Tapestry needle

Gauge
40 sts = 4 inches in K2P2 stitch pattern

Directions
Cast on 60 stitches on size 3 DPNs. Divide stitches between needles and join to begin working in the round, being careful not to twist stitches. Place stitch marker to indicate beginning of round.

Work in K2P2 stitch pattern until work measures 6 inches.

Next Round: Bind off 7 stitches. Knit to end of round.
Following Round: Cast on 7 stitches. Knit to end of round.
Thumb hole created.

Continue work in K2P2 until work measures 8 inches.
Bind off. Using tapestry needle, weave in yarn.

This wrist warmer pattern can be modified to use any yarn for any wrist size. Check out the free wrist warmer pattern generator to make a custom wrist warmer pattern.

Free Range Knitting

Jane Thornley, knitwear and jewelry designer, is offering a free virtual knitting class on Free Range Knitting.

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Free Range Knitting, according to Jane Thornley, is "using any fiber, any weight, and combining the elements in fresh new ways." In Free Range Knitting, you explore knitting as art. By using various knitting techniques such as intarsia, short-rows, openwork along with surface embroidering and buttons as embellishments, knitting becomes an artistic expression.

Jane creates beautiful knitted designs using bold, vibrant colors in some designs and earthy colors in others. Her designs mix various yarn types and yarn weights to create uniquely beautiful knitted art.

Jane has a free scarf pattern on her website to get you started knitting in the Free Range Knitting style.

Or if you are feeling more adventurous, Jane is offering a free virtual knitting class on her blog for an asymmetrical design called Ocean Currents Not-a-poncho.

You can also purchase some of Jane's knitting patterns on her website. She has knitting patterns for tops, wraps, scarves, vests, caplets, and shrugs.

For more information on the Ocean Currents Not-a-poncho virtual knitting class goto:
SURFACE DESIGN AND FREE RANGE-KNITALONG
on Jane's website.

Free Charity Knitting Pattern

Interweave press has a Free Charity Knitting Pattern available on their website in support of the Red Scarf Project 2007.

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The Red Scarf Project, a project of Orphan Foundation of America, collects handmade knitted and crocheted scarves, which they then send to college students who don't have parents. The scarves are included in a Valentines Care Package that each youth receives in February.

During the month of January, the Orphan Foundation of America collects the scarves from knitters and crocheters so that the scarves can be distributed in February.

If you would like to knit a scarf or crochet a scarf for the Red Scarf Project, just follow these guidelines:

• Scarves can be knitted or crocheted.
• Scarves should be knit or crocheted from red hued yarn. Otherwise, you can use a neutral color yarn such as white, black, or gray.
• Scarves shoul be about 60 inches long and 5 inches to 8 inches wide
• Send the knitted or crocheted scarves to the Orphan Foundation of America during January 2007

Don't have a scarf pattern? Interweave Press's Ann Budd has designed a free charity knitting pattern for the Red Scarf Project. It is a free scarf pattern called Ribbed Scarf with a Twist and is available on the Interweave Press website.

Send completed scarves to:
Orphan Foundation of America
Red Scarf Project
21351 Gentry Drive, Unit 130
Sterling, VA 20166

For more information on Orphan Foundation of America or the Red Scarf Project, go to:
http://www.orphan.org

Tags: Knitting, Free Knitting Patterns, Knitting Charity, Scarf

Knitty Gritty

Knitty Gritty: 25 Fun & Fabulous Projects by Vickie Howell contains projects from the DIY Network's Knitty Gritty television show.

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This is a fresh and fun knitting book. From the clear photos and diagrams to the funky and fashionable knitting patterns, Knitty Gritty: 25 Fun & Fabulous Projects is a great tribute to the popular knitting show hosted by Vickie Howell.

The first part of the book covers knitting basics including yarn, tools and supplies, and how to knit the basic knitting stitches. This section has clear and easy to understand pictures, diagrams, and instructions.

The second part of the books is split into two sections of knitting projects.

Wearable Knits includes some great knitting patterns. I especially like the Rock Star Bag, which is knit and then embellished with duplicate stitch. The bag is then felted for durability.

The Lace Sampler Shrug is a great way to learn different lace stitches while creating a great garment to wear.

The Garter Pocket is a fun and easy knitting project. This garter is meant to hold lipsticks and other essentials when you don't want to carry a purse.

The Great Gauntlets are knitted with cables and go up past the elbow to keep arms warm.

Home Decor and Knitting Gifts is the second knitting pattern section.

The Backgammon Board is felted and uses i-cord wound up into spirals for the games pieces.

The Sampler Afghan is a great way to learn new knitting stitches while knitting a fun and funky throw.

For the more advanced knitter, the Teddy Sweater includes fair isle and steeking in an adorable garment for a teddy bear.

The last section of the book covers dyeing your own yarn. It gives directions and the materials needed to make your own unique yarn.

If you enjoy Knitty Gritty, the television show, you will be happy to own Knitty Gritty, the book.

Friday Night Knitting Club

The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs is a wonderful novel that follows the fictional lives of members of a knitting group at the Walker and Daughter yarn and knitting store in New York City.

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I could hardly put this book down. The Friday Night Knitting Club is a touching and poignant story. This wonderful tale celebrates the lives of women from all walks of life who meet to knit each week at a fictional New York City yarn store, Walker and Daughter.

But it is much more then a book about women knitting. The yarn store is a backdrop for the stories of strong, independent women who love and support each other through tough times and good times through relationships and break ups.

Georgia Walker is the self-reliant business owner of Walker and Daughter, the knitting store where the novel takes places. She is raising a teenage daughter, Dakota, an entrepreneurial in her own right, as a single mom.

The other women in the group: Anita, Cat, KC, Peri, Lucie, and Darwin, have their own stories that weave together with each others and forms the close bonds between them.

The book is expected to be adapted to a film of the same name starring Julia Roberts. It is scheduled for release in 2008. I'm looking forward to seeing Julia portray Georgia Walker in the film. Both are strong, independent women (who love to knit!).

Non-knitters, inspired by the book and who want to learn how to knit, will enjoy a basic garter stitch scarf pattern at the back of the book. This is an easy pattern and a great introduction to knitting.

And for knitters, the book's setting and analogies of knitting to life will really touch home. We already know how knitting brings families and people together. The book reinforces this in a way we can identify with.

I think The Friday Night Knitting Club is a wonderful book for both knitters and non-knitters alike. It offers a touching story about independent women supporting each other that will be hard to put down, even for knitting!