Project #2 - Revamp your Reusable bag!

Skill: Embroidery

Level: Basic hand embroidery skills required

Tools Required: Tapestry Needle, 1 x 10m skein of Tapestry Wool (the best is Anchor), Hessian or Cotton bag, Snippers/ Scissors, Pencil

For this super quick and simple project, I have used a reusable Hessian bag - a shopper - to revamp with a little embroidery detail to give it a new lease of life! There are so many options with the bag you could use, the design you could choose and the tapestry wool colours...This would look super cool on a branded shopper too with some of your own designs embroidered on top!

For my bag, I have hand drawn an anchor design from the brand of tapestry wool I use. The bag will be used to stash my growing pile of wool skeins so I have themed appropriately! If you love the seaside and all things related this design also makes a cute, simple beach bag.

The plain bag ready to be pimped...

Pencil on your design...

Thread your first length of wool - it is easiest to work with 1m to start with, put a simple knot in the end and start from the inside of the bag, stitching through onto your design...

I like my designs to look a little handmade and with the hessian loose weave - it is harder to keep your lines straight (but I think this adds to the character!)

Et voila! Complete in super quick time - this can take you one train journey if you are a speedy sewing star!

Ready for a little grocery shop or to turn into an extra stash for more wool!

Crafty Hints...

# You can easily add more to the design of your bag - if you wanted to choose the anchor design, you could add some metallic thread to make a chain hanging from the top to wrap over the design...

# You could also turn it into a beach themed bag by adding some smaller designs around the anchor; maybe a seagull, a boat, a beach hut...

# Or you could personalise with your name or a friend's name and give the finished piece away to your bestie as a heartfelt gift!

Project #1 - Bubbalicious Baby Booties!

Skill: Knitting
Level: Basic knit skills required
Tools Required: UK Size 4mm Knitting Needles, 1 x 50g ball of yarn (I have used 50% Cotton/50% Acrylic suitable for this size needle), Knitting Needle (for sewing up and sewing in ends), Snippers/ Scissors

This pattern is a super easy starter! With all of my friends popping out little ones - this is the perfect use of my commuting time to make some cute little booties suitable for firstborns - 3 months. They make great presents and you can jazz them up by using fancy wools and embellishing with a sewn in ribbon tie - cute for a little girl!

If you are totally new to knitting and have never attempted a pattern on your own before - I have posted a link on the blog to a video for a tutorial to teach you the basics. 

For this pattern, you will need to be able to cast on, knit stitch, purl stitch and cast off. Simples!

Pattern

Pattern Abbreviations: K= Knit Stitch, P= Purl Stitch, K""Tog. = Knit Stitches together (ie. K2Tog. = Knit two stitches together).

• Cast on 38 stitches *make sure to leave approx. 15cm of loose yarn before your slip knot for sewing up the bottom of the bootie
• Knit 12 rows
• K16, K2Tog., K2, K2Tog., K16, Count 36 Stitches
• K15, K2Tog., K2, K2Tog., K15, Count 34 Stitches
• K14, K2Tog., K2, K2Tog., K14, Count 32 Stitches
• K13, K2Tog., K2, K2Tog., K13, Count 30 Stitches
• K12, K2Tog., K2, K2Tog., K12, Count 28 Stitches
• K11, K2Tog., K2, K2Tog., K11, Count 26 Stitches
• K10, K2Tog., K2, K2Tog., K10, Count 24 Stitches
• K2,P2 to end of row,
• Repeat for total 12 rows,
• Cast off (24 stitches) *make sure to leave approx. 15cm of loose yarn before snipping the yarn from the ball - you need this to sew up the back of the bootie!
• Sew the bootie up along the bottom row and back of the bootie.
• Turn the bootie inside out and fold down the ribbed cuff
• Et voila! Time for bootie number 2...

The kit

Casting on

First 12 rows - knit stitch

Start of decreasing

Sewing up the pretty bootie

One down, one to go!

Crafty Hints...

# In a Blue Peter style "here's one I made earlier" type way - I like to add a little ribbon for the girly booties and package them up in a cute paper bag or a polythene bag with a cute sticker.

# If you want to make them even more exciting to open, I like to box mine up in a little take out box; you can find a free template for these online via the link below!

http://wrappedforlife.blogspot.co.uk/2010/12/new-baby-mini-take-out-boxes.html?zx=7ed21d4ecc49e647

# Chose your yarn wisely - You may be tempted to go for more natural than man made fibres but the high acrylic content gives the booties an elasticity in the yarn which makes it easier to get the boots onto the baby feet = Happy Mums! :)

# You can substitute the ribbed cuff for a plain cuff by replacing the last part of the pattern where you knit and purl your last 12 rows for 8 rows of plain knit. This is a more traditional looking bootie but is less easy to get on the baby feet so you need to take care with not making your tension too tight!

# If you are a knitting pro - why not jazz things up by substituting every second knit row with a purl row to create a horizontal rib effect?

Until next time commuters - keep it crafty!

How to Knit - The Basics!

Hey there crafty fans! I imagine you have found your way to my blog for one of two reasons; you are either a friend (thanks for the support you guys - love you too!) or you are a fellow commuter who fancies a little commute time crafting and is in need of some inspiration. In either case, you are in the right place...


The idea of the blog came to me this morning while I was on my daily commute...
I currently live in East Sussex and commute every day into London Kensington. I need a little 'me' time every morning to set myself up for the day ahead and I often need a way to unwind on the way home. The best way to do that? A little craft session...My commute takes me about 1 hour and 45 minutes each way. Within this time I hope to create at least one project each week which could be hand made by you in either 1 day or 1 week of your travel time. The aim of the blog is to get people crafting on the train or tube and spread a little joy to fellow crafters and commuters alike.


To follow the blog and complete the first craft projects, you would need the following tools from the crafty trade;


The Craft Commuter's essential kit bag;
1 x pair of 4mm needles (small enough to fit in your handbag)
1 x 50g ball of wool (I will specify what I have used for each project)
1 x pair of snippers (small scissors for cutting yarn and threads)
1 x knitting needle (for sewing in ends)`
1 x 5mm crochet hook
1 x hand embroidery needle
1 x small embroidery hoop (approx. 4" circular hoop is perfect handbag size)
Bundle of embroidery floss (Best brand is DMC but any will do!)
1 x reusable cotton bag (plain or ready for upcycling) 
A cute little pouch to keep your kit in : )


There are plenty of small independent haberdashery stores in London including Loop and Ray Stitch which are both in Islington and larger retailers including John Lewis and Liberty's haberdashery departments which will sell all of these items. If you hunt around - you could purchase all items for your kit for between £8-15. There are many upgrade options available on each of the items mentioned - if you are new to crafting my suggestion is that you purchase the basics and see how you get on. There is usually a very helpful member of the sales team available to guide you to the starter options for each piece of kit! 


Watch this space for the first craft project which will be published this week and tell all your crafty minded commuting friends about the blog!


Get ready for the commuter crafting revolution....