Web-Letter, Issue 31 – Green Projects Go Green for St. Patrick’s Day To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on March 17, Cecily Glowik and Kristen TenDyke bypassed the green in their stash and went ‘green’ in earth-friendly way. Their projects, though small, give you three ways to be a little greener in your day-to-day life long after the shamrocks have disappeared from store displays and the emerald dye has faded from the Chicago River. Cecily Glowik’s knitted Lunch Sack is a re-useable container for carrying your sandwich and apple back and forth to work. If you’ve been using a paper bag for your lunch, you’ll save trees, and if you’ve been in the habit of buying lunch in a Styrofoam container, you get even more points for knitting and using Cecily’s project. And try working up Cecily's leaf as a sachet for car or home. Kristen TenDyke made an expandable Bag Bag in an heirloom lace pattern—Feather and Fan—for storing those plastic bags that you and I end up with when we’ve left our canvas shopping bag at home or on the car seat… Knit the bag, put your plastic in it, and you’ll have a supply of bags at hand for all your wrapping needs.
The Story: I had been thinking about knitting a lunch bag for some time and a ‘green’ web letter offered the opportunity to design one.  I based the shape on a paper lunch bag, all straight lines with creases in the middle of the sides to help it fold in.  I added stability to the bag by using a slip stitch pattern on the bottom and by knitting all the pieces separately and sewing them together.  For a bit of whimsy, I used an allover cable pattern paired with some contrasting French knots and added an I-cord closure/handle tied into a bow.  When we were talking about this web letter, Kristen TenDyke came up with the idea of a natural air freshener, something to replace those scented tree-shaped car fresheners.   Hence the leaf-shaped sachet.  It’s pretty enough to go in a drawer, closet, or over a doorknob, as well as in a car. Fill it with the scented dried herbs, flowers, etc., of your choice. While it would be nice to bring home all our groceries in hand-knitted or crocheted bags, sometimes we end up leaving the store with a plastic bag in our hands. Rather than throw away the plastic bag, why not store it in a knitted one for another use. To be honest, I wasn't thrilled to tackle this design at first, but as time went on I realized that beauty can be expressed through any project, even if at first it may not seem obvious. I think the Feather and Fan pattern used in this design really gives it something special. Plus, the holes can be used as vents to air out any rained-on bags that may have been stuffed inside. Because this project got me thinking "green" I've knitted up another little project and posted about it on my blog. Take a look. The Yarn: Sundance — 50% cotton, 50% microfiber Sundance is a 50/50 blend of  cotton and  microfiber. Cotton is a natural fiber that feels smooth and comfortable against the skin and breathes well.  However, a 100% cotton yarn in a worsted or bulky weight can be heavy when knitted up and has a tendency to stretch. Adding microfiber to a cotton yarn eliminates weight and helps garments to keep their shape. Projects knitted in Sundance are also machine washable, although they should be laid flat to dry. The added microfiber will help them to dry faster than those knit in a 100% cotton yarn.    The Stitches: We used I cord in our Lunch Sack and Bag Bag. I-Cords are pretty simple to knit and can be a great design element for all sorts of different types of projects. Learn how to make an I-Cord.	more photos The Pattern: Here are the free downloadable patterns: Lunch Sack Leaf Sachet Feather and Fan Bag Bag
On Ravelry? Find these designs: Lunch Sack • Leaf Sachet • Bag Bag If you do not yet have access to Ravelry, add your e-mail to their list, and check back once you've received your invitation.
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