12 free bag and purse tutorials via How About Orange

I finished this a while back but then it was just sitting on my desk, waiting to be photographed and blogged about. This was designed completely from scratch – from idea, to drawing to knitting. My first! And I am quite satisfied how it turned out. I used yarn I bought some time ago from eBay – it is a nice and soft cotton, in pale baby yellow. Goes very well with gray and black! I am working on writing up the pattern which I will then post here, for free. Because it’s Christmas time and I feel generous. Details:

Yarn: Welcomme Eau Claire
Gauge: 23st x 30rows = 10 x 10cm
Needle: US 6
Size: 12mo
Measurements: chest: 57cm (22.5in); length (to shoulder): 34cm (13.5in)

Fashion Templates – tips for drawing children’s fashion

Fashion Design: from sketch to boutique – from co-owner of Baby Fabulous

Threads Magazine – the croquis family: includes six figures: average woman, petite woman, plus-size woman, average man, child, and toddler.
… or just search google images for  “free croquis” and “fashion flat sketches” and you will get a bunch of images you can use for your fashion sketches

I made this west some time ago from a pattern in Japanese, and said I would post the translation of the pattern but did not have time until now. The original pattern is from Pierrot (free download here). I made this vest in original size (which I think corresponds to size 3T – 4T), but I reworked the pattern to fit the gauge for this yarn (16×20). I also made a smaller version in a different gauge (finer than this and the original) and I might post that as well if there is any interest. Also, I might write a pattern for different sizes too.
I liked the yarn – it was a really chunky cotton from an old, but not often worn, sweater (too chunky for me). However, working with US 10.5 needles was not fun. Too clunky.
To finish, I did two rows of slip stitches around neck and armholes. I am really happy about how this turned out. It always surprises me how the finished item looks so much different than the finished pieces…

Yarn: Repurposed cotton yarn from a slightly used sweater
Gauge: 16st x 20rows = 10 x 10cm
Needle: US 10.5
Size: 3T – 4T
Measurements: chest: 70cm (27.5in); length (to shoulder): 40cm (15.5in)

The pattern is available as PDF, here.