Hi - I recently bought some ribbon “yarn”, just cause it was so pretty. Well, now I’m looking for suggestions on what to make with it. A little bag perhaps? I’m not good at making up a pattern as I go along so any help/ideas from you knitting dopers - I know you’re out there; I’ve lurked your threads - would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Scarves are the all-purpose answer to novelty yarns… but if you want to make a bag, maybe try the Booga Bag (pattern free–google it) or find a pattern on the Lion Brand website.
Booga Bag would be good, but you should probably skip the felting part. I don’t think most ribbon yarns felt.
Knitting bags using narrow strips of fabric[quarter to half-inch wide] is/was very poplular. Don’t see why you couldn’t use your ribbon. You won’t get the frayed look, since ribbons almost always have finished edges. You’ll need an awful lot though. I hefted one of them once, and they’re heavier than they look. The bags I’ve seen have dowels at the top edges to provide a bit of stability. You might be able to dispense with those if you knit fairly tightly, or if you make a round one. Good luck.
I don’t think I’d recommend the booga bag pattern for ribbon yarn; it’s not knit densely enough for the bag to support itself.
If it’s a varicolored ribbon yarn, I’d recommend the Multidirectional Diagonal scarf available here: http://douma.net/Karen/knitting/Accessory-Scarves/Multidirectional_Diagonal_Scarf.htm
Or try knitty (http://www.knitty.com/) and see if any of the bag patterns there appeal to you.
What timing! I was just reading “Ribbon Knits” by Judi Alweil and planning how to alter her Cropped T-Shirt pattern to longer sleeves and longer length! The book was published in 1998 but the designs are fairly classic and a lot for beginners…check your library for a copy (except the library in my town, because I’m not returning this for a while) She has a cute drawstring bag pattern that only takes 200 yds of ribbon yarn, and it looks very easy. A scarf or shawl would ork up quick. I plan to make this t-shirt in a multi-colred ribbon to wear under a jacket this fall. My Yarn Of The Month selections came the other day and one is the perfect color and weight. just google her name for a link to the book…I can’t remember how to create a link right this minute…
I also plan to learn how to type soon…don’t like this notebook computer of my son’s, but mine is toast.
What kind of ribbon yarn is it? (what’s the fiber that the ribbon is made of? rayon? wool? cotton?) How thick is it? And is it shiny/dull? Slidy?
Tell me about the yarn.
Oh, and how many yards have you got?
That said, tank tops and t-shirts are generally good for ribbon yarns.
Unless it’s got natural animal fibers, it won’t felt. Knitting it with another, different novelty yarn or even crocheting thread makes a beautiful scarf. Plus, it’s just so easy, garter stich on like size 15 needles. It’ll go really fast.