I realized that I hadn't posted on this and then posted saying I had "left over" yarn from a project I hadn't shown...oops! So I did this market bag with a pattern from Mag Knits for the body and my own variation for the top and handle.
The body is made with an interesting S1,K1,YO,PSSO pattern that not only looks great but has a great deal of stretch in the finished project (read I can fit all the Trader Joe's Frozen food I want in it!)
At the top I picked up fewer stitches than called for in the pattern and did a tunisian slip stitch pattern for a couple of rows to define a separation. The original pattern called for a garter stitch handle grafted in the middle. ICK!
Not only was I worried about how much the garter stitch would slip, but I really didn't want to have to have a graft line. I solved this in two ways: First I used a basic slip stitch pattern (slip every other stitch always with yarn held at the front) that looks a bit like a weave and then I used a circular silver ring I had stashed away in my tool box as both an excellent way to join two sides, and a place I can clip my keys onto while shopping (wouldn't want them falling through the holes.)
Tunisian Slip stitch around top of bag
Woven Slip stitch handle
Joining ring
Visit my Non-Knitting blog here
