Hello, and welcome to another episode of pattern tests. I’m your host, Erica, The Mediocre Homemaker.
**cue the applause**
In the past week, I’ve completed two pattern tests for two different designers. I knit up a market bag for Jordann of DoubleNKnits and a placemat for Becky of MeasuredAndStitched.
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The first one I finished was the bag. It’s no shock that I’m a slow knitter. That’s actually why I opt to crochet most of the time. It’s just faster. No ifs, ands or buts about it. But when the call came out, I was in love with the way the pattern looked and I knew I had to at least apply for it. The pattern calls for cotton yarn, of which I have a ton. Like literally, a ton. I’m sure I also had the correct needles around somewhere, but I couldn’t find them easily, so to the Amazon I went.
Not gonna lie, the thought of creating from the center out of the base slightly terrified me. I’m not super great on double pointed needles (DPNs for short), especially with very few stitches. It’s one of the reasons I’ve never knit toe-up socks. I think I restarted the base about 6 different times AND changed yarns because of it (I was going to use something else entirely that wasn’t cotton). Don’t look too close at the base because I’m fairly certain my beginning round might have gotten flipped and twisted, but the bag overall looks fine.
Once I got going, the pattern was pretty easy to follow. It was garter stitch in the round (knit one row, purl the next) with some increases. Because I’m not super great working with DPNs, I switched to my circulars as soon as humanly possible. I literally was so much faster once I switched to my circular needles.
Once the base was done, it was just a matter of remembering which row of the 4 row repeat I was on. I relied pretty heavily on my crochet friend Becky’s progress tracker (that you can get for free by subscribing to her blog) and that helped a ton. The body of the bag was also pretty easy to maintain. I absolutely love the lacey look of yarn overs and I adore the way the bag turned out. Having to cast on mid-row was something I’d never done before, so it was fun to learn that new skill.
Overall, I made my bag a little shorter than the recommended 12 inches. I think mine was about 8-9 with nothing in it. I really can’t wait to showcase this at my market in the next few months. It’ll be great for Farmer’s Market season.
The pattern is now live and can be purchased on Ravelry.
The second pattern I tested this week took me back to crochet (let’s be real, it’s likely my craft of choice). I tested the last of the placemat series by Becky of Measured and Stitched. You can find the other three on her website. I’ve tested all of them, and this one really pulled all of them together. Separately, they are gorgeous placemats that will enhance any table scape, but together, they really add a cohesive, yet distinct feel to your meal and home décor.
Would you believe me if I told you that I finished this pattern start to finish in a day? Well – it’s technically still drying on my blocking board, but the crocheting aspect is done. If you’re a maker, you’ll love the easy stitch and row repeats that these patterns provide. It’s really easy to get lost in the stitching and come out with something beautiful in a matter of an hour and a half (really that’s about how long this last one took me). I love that I can spend a day crocheting and come out with an entire table’s worth of placemats, or I can watch an episode or two of my favorite binge-worthy show (right now it’s The Vampire Diaries) and make something quick and fun to make my home prettier.
Look for Becky’s pattern to be live within the next few weeks. She typically gives us a week and a half for these placemats to be tested before the pattern is released. I may or may not have dropped all of my other WIPS in order to work on this (including another test that’s due this weekend….whoops), so you’ll have to wait a little bit to see the full pattern. Once it’s live, I’ll make a post on my Instagram and Facebook (links to my socials below).
It was a really fun week of crafting. I’m currently finishing up a project bag for Erin of JuniperAndOakes and another blanket test for Becky. I can’t wait to showcase the yarn and the beautiful projects these creators have allowed me the pleasure to test.
The Mediocre Homemaker 