Tote Em Tote

Finished the Tote Em tote from Knitter's magazine #84, Fall 2006. Here is a link to color various parts http://www.knittinguniverse.com/flash/webfeatures/paintbox/k84toteem.html





I knit this with Cascade 220 and Artful Yarns Shakespeare. The original tote in the magazine only used three different colors. I used a total of 5 different colors (I'm going the Shakespeare as only one color even though it is multicolored). I'll be teaching a class at Colonial Yarn shop this spring on making this tote. I counted 58 different times you could change colors in this pattern. I think maybe I'll make another one and see how many different colors I can use and have it still look good.





Here are some of my modifications (in addition to using more than three colors):





For an easier pick up edge I made sure to keep the selvedges in stockinette and to move the decreases in one stitch from the edge. Since I used a multicolor for the center squares I didn't want the colors just to stripe in a diagonal. So I used the pattern from Barbara Walker's Learn to KNit Afghan book for the garter stitch square knit from the center. I used a temporary cast on when making the gusset. PLus I put the final stitches of the gusset on a stitch holder. Then when I finished sewing the gussets to the fronts I took out the temporary cast on. Then I had live stitches on both ends of the gussets as well as the tops of the fronts to do the i-cord bind off.





MIstakes:


I forgot to braid the handles before felting. I did the outer ring of one of the fronts all in one piece and knit too many rows. The shakespeare is a pain in the neck to frogg.


I did a slip stitch edge on the gusset thinking it would make sewing easier. I should have kept that in garter to practice my mattress stitching in garter.



I wasn't very neat in sewing the handles to the bag. Next time I'll have to remember to braid the i-cords before felting.

Questions:
I wonder if I tried making the gusset with my ADdi Turbo Express KNitting machine if it would felt ok. The addi machine only makes stockinette. The Tote'Em tote pattern calls for garter stitch. Would a stockinette tube attached to a garter stitch piece felt o.k.? I'm thinking of trying a mini tote'em (halve all the stitches) to test the tube sewn to the garter stitch front idea. The gussett and the i-cords were the only tedious portions of this pattern.


This was a fun pattern. Good thing I had a deadline to make it for display at the colonial yarn shop, or I would have toss the gusset strip aside and maybe finished the darn thing in 2 or 3 years.