Yellowbird Yarn Room

The Recycled Bag Pool Bag Experiment

I am very excited to announce some new craft-along fun!

Now, stop me if you've heard this one before, but I am a knitter who loves to try out new techniques.  Each project I do likely offers some sort of new and different challenge.  This time, I'm going for making my own yarn out of nothing!  (No, I don't need any straw, thank you.  I'm good.)

There's been a bit of buzz here lately about fusing plastic shopping bags together to create fabric, and you know what?  I am in desperate need of a new pool bag.  Preferably something plastic so I don't have to worry about what those wet towels and pool toys are doing to it day after day.  That black Esprit bag I've had since middle school is looking pretty sad.

If I knew how to sew I could just make the fabric, cut out the pattern, sit down at my machine and walk away with something fantastic.  I've seen some really cool rain gear made that way!

But my machine and I are not friends.  I try on occassion, but it's just plain fickle.  Too many variables to consider.

What I do know is knitting.  So, I have a masterful plan to make a tubular fabric and cut a spiral that will turn out the perfect "yarn" for the perfect pool bag.  

And for free, no less!  Yay!

I cordially invite anyone in the area who is intersted in this technique to come join me at River City for every Wednesday in the month of May from 10:00 until noon.  You may come and watch, or work along with me.  You may knit, crochet, or keep the fabric and sew away if you and your machine have reached an understanding.  There's no charge to participate, but please send me an email (link up there on the left) so that supplies may be supplied.

I am very excited to try this out, it's something I've been wanting to do for a long time.  And I am a bit overdue for the new bag.  It would be good to have one before my oldest son starts middle school. 

How to learn how to _______

I do believe my extreme flexibility in instructional options has been cause for some confusion.  Let me now clarify as best I can.

I will teach you what you want.   When you want. For as long as you want.

Prices may vary.

Okay.  Beginning knitting is easiest to clarify, so let's start there.  Classes are scheduled based on store hours, school hours, your schedule, and mine.  The cost per hour is $10 for one person, $9 per person for two people, or $8 per person for three.  That's about all the room I have at my table, but if you have a larger group we can work something out.  Judy's more than happy to let us use the tables at her Ice Cream and Coffee Shop!  For someone just starting I recommend at least one hour one week and at least one hour the next week, depending on skill level.  Supplies for beginners must be purchased at Yellowbird, but I do offer a 30% discount.

Now.  Beyond the basics.  What would you like to know?  What knitting challange are you striving to tackle?  Maybe you would like a quick tutorial on cabling.  Or perhaps you're ready to take on your first sweater but would like a little hand-holding through the process.  Or you've found the ultimate pattern that haunts you day and night, calling you to your needles, but you just don't understand how to do it.  You name the class.  The same regulations of scheduling and cost per hour are in place for this type of instruction.  Supplies do not have to come from Yellowbird, but the 30% offer does stand.

I'll be honest with you, though.  I have challenges to tackle, too.  I have knit a number of baby booties, but nary a sock.  I have tried intarsia, but the backside is a mess and the stitches pull.  My mind knows what I am supposed to do for crochet, but my hands don't like it.

In these instances I will gladly arrange a time to meet with you and we can figure it out together.  Obviously, I will not charge you for instruction I am not qualified to give!  But I promise to always be honest and let you know if this is the case.  I promise, too, that I am always eager to learn more about fiber techniques, and am rarely incapable of mastering them!

Except intarsia.  Give me the duplicate stitch or self-patterning yarn please.

In this spirit of fiber-skill-improvement, I will be forever working on something new and keeping you posted on my progress.  For instance, during the Fall Festival I did my first needle felting.  (Did I mention how much I loved that?)  The picture of the coasters I am working on can still be seen in the sidebar under "Project Pictures".  Unfortunately, now that my oldest is past the flu, my youngest is presently suffering.  This means that I cannot say for certain the next time I will be in to work on my current challenge.  I will post as soon as I know, however, and invite you all to come sit with me.  With or without a project of your own.