Now I'm perfectly aware that no one
actually reads this blog, and that's totally cool. I really just
needed somewhere to put up this project so I could link it on Ravelry
and elsewhere without much headache. But I know that that pattern
directs a decent amount of people to this blog and I have to imagine
at least a couple of them look through newer entries. So I'm going to
try for like the fourth time to get my ass over here on a consistent
basis. While I stalled out for a while and I feel like I didn't knit
anything for months and months, in the past few weeks I've been
casting on and off like a woman possessed. Not to mention I don't
seem to ever stop buying yarn or notions. So prepare your
non-existent selves- Après
moi le déluge.
So much awesome coming this way soon.
But before I depart for the day and
start prepping some reviews and projects, I want to make a little
update to the pattern I linked above. So far it's been favorited by
some 140 Ravelers, which is a better response than I would have ever
imagined. It's also been cast on by four different users so far, one of which adapted it to be knit in the round (link goes to her project
page) which will very much help if you don't like seaming. Also,
another user didn't bother with the inserts, as the person she was
giving it to would just toss bags of frozen peas in it, and I have to
admit, it's totally the perfect size for that.
This pattern came about thanks to a lot of inspiration and circumstance. In a life where you face pain every single day, you tend to do whatever you can to ease that pain without taking the pain meds. If I took a vicoden every time I hurt badly enough to warrant one, I would be taking way more a day than is smart or healthy. So instead, I use things like ice, rest, meditation, and heat (if it's appropriate). So that's circumstance one. Number two: while visiting with my dad and stepmom, she gives me this ball of yarn that she found too difficult to crochet with (I don't blame her, I couldn't crochet my way out of a paper bag with regular yarn). Then inspiration struck in the name of Kkhymn's Knitted Rice Bags, which use cotton yarn knitted in the round and seamed. Finally, when I bought Knit Simple's holiday magazine and found the cover pattern for hot water bottle cozies, which used the same yarn Stepmom had given me, it all congealed into an idea.
Changeable Knitted Rice/Corn Bag
Materials:
1 skein Lion Brand Homespun yarn, in Cream
Size 9 knitting needles
Blunt/tapestry needle
3 buttons, 1/2in. or 3/4in.
Quilter's fat quarters, one in red, one in blue
Thread
Sewing machine or sewing needle
Long grain brown rice (about 2lbs should be enough, though you may want more or less)
-Or- Feed corn Pattern
Gauge: 14 sts and 20 rows over 4". Gauge is not critical in the pattern, but as in all knitting it will effect the size of your project.
CO 31 sts
Row 1: (seed stitch) K1, *p1, k1. Repeat from * to end of row.
Repeat Row 1 for 10 rows.
Row 11: (stockinette) Knit across
Row 12: Purl across
Continue in stockinette st until project measures 28" long from cast on edge.
Following pattern from row 1, continue in seed stitch for 14 rows.
Button Hole Row
I went by this YouTube video on one row button holes, and it worked perfectly. The only difference is that for this pattern you only need 2 stitch wide holes, and the video has 3 stitch wide. Basically, when she casts off 3 stitches, you will only cast off 2, and when she casts on 4, you will cast on 3. The button holes will begin on the 7th, 15th, and 23rd stitches of row 15. This video is from knittinghelp, and you can visit knittinghelp.com for more how-to videos.
Finish up with 5 more rows of seed stitch (rows 16-20). Cast off. With this yarn your button holes will be hard to see, but they are certainly easier to use than trying to shove a button through a stitch. I really like this one row method, it's definitely on my YouTube faves.
Weave in ends.
Lay your knitted piece knit side up on a flat surface. Fold it so that your cast on edge (the edge with the shorter block of seed stitch) matches up with where you began the seed stitch for the end of the project. Pin in place if you wish, and sew the side seams with leftover yarn and your blunt needle. Turn "inside out" so that the knit stitches are outside and your purl sts and sewn seams are on the inside.
To line up my buttons, I folded over the top flap and stuck a pin through each button hole. Where the pin was, I sewed on a button. That's it for the knitted pouch, now onto the sewing.
I realize that this project isn't really for everyone because not everyone likes sewing and/or knows how, and I'm not the greatest fan of sewing myself. However, these are just simple rectangles, kind of like tiny pillows. Meaning, it's pretty beginner friendly.
For each color, cut out 2 rectangles that are 14in by 7in. Place the 2 pieces with the right sides touching (if you elected for fabric with a pattern, that is) for each bag. Sew around keeping your seams around 1/4-1/2in and leaving a 2-3in unsewn gap. Using your fingers (or a retracted mechanical pencil or pen) poke the fabric "right side out" through the gap. Fill with your choice of rice or feed corn. For my project I used feed corn after attempting to use rice. The feed corn is definitely cheaper, and for some reason I like the feel of it better than rice. A funnel here helps, and you can always make your own with a flexible kitchen cutting mat or some sturdy paper. Do not overfill your bag, you still have to sew it closed! With it about 3/4 full, sew closed the gap. Repeat for second bag.
Why make a red one and a blue one? Stash the blue one in the freezer and use it for bruises, swelling, and most injuries. Keep the red one in a dry place and use it in the microwave (on high for about 2 mins) for tense muscles or cramps. Just toss whichever pack you need to use into the knitted sleeve, and no more frozen peas in a kitchen towel!
Before using, however, zap both packs in the microwave for 2-3 minutes to kill off any bacteria that may be residing in the filling. After that, you may want to reconsider putting the one from the freezer into the microwave (you may wind up with cooked rice).
In case you are wondering, yes, mine did come out a little wonky. I hate hand sewing, and the seams on this project were most certainly not the prettiest I have ever seen. So yeah, it's a little crooked. But it serves a purpose and was very well received (because Stepmom is the one who gave me the yarn, she was the one who got this for Christmas. Plus she had surgery 2 days before, she needed it).
Undoubtedly there are similar patterns to this one floating around in the Internet and elsewhere, but this one is my own creation. Please do not re-post this pattern without my permission, but feel free to link it as you wish. Remember: if you didn't write it yourself, then it's not yours to sell.
