I converted this Patons pattern from hand-knitting to machine knitting and 
decided to knit it with some of my handspun yarns from my ever-growing 
stash of handspun. It is a tad tricky to machine knit because the main and contrast yarns keep changing every 1 to 4 rows, so I input it into the computer hooked up to this bulky electronic knitting machine and knit it with Designaknit from the screen. That way, the program kept me apprised of which yarns to change and when to change them. Slow going but a lot faster than hand-knitting it. Took about an hour to knit the 71 rows, changing yarns, on average, every two rows.
decided to knit it with some of my handspun yarns from my ever-growing 
stash of handspun. It is a tad tricky to machine knit because the main and contrast yarns keep changing every 1 to 4 rows, so I input it into the computer hooked up to this bulky electronic knitting machine and knit it with Designaknit from the screen. That way, the program kept me apprised of which yarns to change and when to change them. Slow going but a lot faster than hand-knitting it. Took about an hour to knit the 71 rows, changing yarns, on average, every two rows.The needlebed wasn't large enough to do the entire width, so I have another width to do tomorrow. Then I will attach them to each other, attach the cicrcular bottom I've already hand-knit, then put the top stitches on a circular needle, remove the green waste yarn from the top and bottom, knit the top edge and handles. Then I will felt the entire thing and, perhaps, line it. Should be a lovely tote bag.
When I completed this bag, I felted it in my washing machine, just to full it slightly and hold all the yarns together neatly.
When I completed this bag, I felted it in my washing machine, just to full it slightly and hold all the yarns together neatly.
This pattern was adapted from a free download available at: http://www.patonsyarns.com/totetofelt/ClassicWool_FairIsleTote.pdf
