Lucy-Proof Sock Knitting Bag

Meet Lucy.

She's pretty much the best cat on earth. She doesn't meow, scratch, bite, or claw. Probably because she doesn't have an evil bone in her body. She answers to her name and is never more than a few feet away.  In fact, sometimes we wonder if she knows that she's a cat at all because she mostly acts like a dog .

Except, like most cats, Lucy loves to quilt.

 

And has an affinity for FMF. 

But her true passion is knitting. I took this picture after she tuckered herself out trying to help me knit a beret for my bestie.

In an effort to control her help with sock knitting, I decided that it was time to protect the goods.

Enter the Lucy-Proof Sock Knitting Bag!

It's the perfect size to hold your sock or small knitting project. A ball of yarn, needles, stitch markers, measuring tape, and other necessities fit nicely in the bag. The bottom is round instead of squared off because I think that round adds to the cute factor :) 

But the BEST part about the bag is that the lining is secured to the bottom, with no seams showing. I get so irritated when I pull something from a pouch and the lining comes right out with it. Then I have to stuff the lining back and it's always bunchy and lumpy. This pouch solves the problem.

Specs:

Size: Approximately 20" circumference and 10" tall

Time: You should be in a good mood

Seam Allowance: 1/4" throughout

What you need:

Outside
40 squares 2.5" x 2.5"

1 rectangle 3"x 20.5" linen

1 circle 6 3/8" diameter

Inside

1 rectangle 10.5"x20"

1 circle 6 3/8" diameter

Other

 30" of drawstring cut in two equal pieces

Optional

Beads for the drawstring

Embroidery Floss for hand stitching

Process:

Arrange your squares in a 4x10 grid . Keep in mind that the row on each end will touch.

Chain stitch your squares until you have ten strips of 4 squares. Once all your strips are finished, press the seams (however you like) and join by the long edge.

When all the strips are joined, press the long seams open. 

Flip over and press again. Pin the 3"x 20.5" strip of linen to the bottom of the bag and sew. Then press the linen with the seam towards to the linen side.

At this point add the hand stitching, if you want it. Hopefully you stitch a straighter line than me :)

Fold the fabric right sides together along the short edge and sew. Then press the seam open.

Decide where to place the openings for the two drawstrings. Place one on each side, which splits the bag into 5 squares across the front and 5 across the back. Make a buttonhole or do the following...

Mark 1/2" down from the top edge of the bag. Then mark about 1" down from the top of the bag.

Seam rip the stitches between the lines. Then stitch a box around your opening, reinforcing the top and bottom seams. Now you have a simple opening.

Join the tube to the linen circle for the outer bottom. The easiest way is to divide your circle and your tube circumference into four quarters by folding. Pin the tube to the circle in quarters then sew.

Now take your lining rectangle and sew in half along the short end. Press open the seams and attach to the lining circle in the same manner as the outer portion of the bag.

With WRONG sides together, pin the bottom of the lining circle to the bottom of the outside circle. Take time to make sure that none of the bag sides get caught in a pin. A smooth join is key.

Carefully sew the two pieces together following the stitch lines from joining the tube to the circle. Keep the outer side of the bag up to eliminate puckering on the outside of the bag. Go slow and continually check that the lining side is not puckering. Clip the seams to help create smooth curves.

Next, seam rip about 2" or 3" in the center of the lining seam.

Now things get a bit complicated and I didn't take a picture (bad!).  You are going to sew the top of the lining to the top of the outer bag with RIGHT sides together. When finished, you will pull the bag through the seam ripped section that you just created and the bag will miraculously be right side out with the lining inside. Ready?

In awkward fashion, twist your lining section around until you are able to line up the right side of the lining to the right side of the outer bag, in the correct spot. Pin all the way around. Your item will look a bit hour glassish, with the bottom joined, the middle twisted, and the top pinned. Sew around the top. The finished piece will look something like this.

Now find your seam ripped section and start pulling the bag out through the hole. 

Until it looks like a bag!

 

Take time to press the whole bag smooth. Then sew up the seam ripped section by hand using an invisible stitch. 

The lining is now firmly attached to the bottom and won't bunch up or come out. 

Top stitch close to the top edge of the bag and again about 1/8" below the drawstring bag opening to create the drawstring casing. 

Thread one piece of drawstring through one of the openings. Bring the drawstring all the way around and back out the opening that you started with. Add a bead, if desired, and tie a knot. Then, starting with the OTHER opening, thread the second piece of drawstring all the way around and out that opening. Add a bead and tie a knot.

Now when you pull the drawstrings at the same time, the bag will close tight.

All done! Enjoy your {insert pet name here} Proof {Insert project here} Bag!  If you decide to make a bag, please let me know. I would love to see it! 

Feel free to use my tutorials for gifts or charity but please give credit where credit is due. 

THANKS!