About a bag

Mum finally has a handmade knit. The design is simple but striking, with ridges of knits and purls pulled across and tethered to create a smocked effect. Having discovered I just can't cope with lace patterns (at least not yet), smocking has been a very welcome discovery. 

The finished Daydreamer handbag
I made mum for Christmas

I used the Daydreamer pattern from Emma King's 25 More Bags To Knit and stuck fairly rigidly to its instructions. Rowan Big Wool is one of my favourite yarns, so this was no hardship. I did use slightly smaller needles than specified (12mm rather than 15mm), but both are listed on the yarn band as suitable. The yarn is a little greener than the blue-green I had in mind, but contrasts well with the pink DK I used for the smocking. 

Bag handles are few and far between, as I've found on previous occasions when looking for the ideal handle to complete a bag I've been making. I couldn't find a D-style handle I liked, so instead have U-shaped faux bamboo ones. 

Lining fabric is less of an issue, especially since a metre of a luxury fabric such as silk costs £10 but can be used for at least three projects. My sister in law recommends Indian sari shops for even better deals than my local fabric shop, Lewisham's Rolls and Rems. 

I used a layer of stuffing from an old pillow to make the wadding for this latest project. I'd originally hoped to keep costs down by using a vintage fabric in the form of an unwanted garment for the lining, but the silk added a luxurious touch to what was an otherwise fairly homespun design. 

I should have placed the handles a little more carefully and I think the bag is better for having been sewn up more than the original Emma King version at the top, but overall, I'm pleased with the results.

The Daydreamer bag from Emma King's 25 More Bags To Knit book