Harriot String Bag and Bucket Totes.

For the Harriot release, I tried out a couple of new bag patterns. First up is the String Bag pattern by Green Pepper Patterns–a pattern company that I’ve mostly seen at Joann. They have a huge variety of designs, and I was curious to give one a try.

On the String Bag pattern, I made the Small size, which is actually a pretty handy size. I didn’t want one that was too big or too small, maybe one that could hold a pair of shoes for going to the gym. This is the perfect size for that, and I love that it is fully lined.

One thing that I really liked about this design was the front, zippered pocket. It gave me an opportunity to play with and feature the scallop.

This gray version is the most subtle of the scallops, and I like the results, especially paired with the brown zipper and drawstring.

I will admit that the instructions were a little hairy at times. If you’re new to making bags, there were a few parts that weren’t the clearest, and I do remember tweaking a few aspects to suit my taste. But in the end, I’m pleased with the outcome.

Next up are a couple of versions of another pattern that I wanted to try, the Finch Bucket Tote by Stitch Mischief. I’ve been doing a little bit of knitting lately, and this seemed like a worthwhile project to check out.

I made two versions, mostly because I couldn’t decide on just one!

Both make use of a couple of the different yarn dyed wovens in the collection as well as some screenprints.

I always like a bag that has lots of fabric opportunities as well as extra details like the corded drawstring and webbing strap on this one.

The inside of the bag has a nice, flat bottom, and the sides feature a wrap-around pocket.

On the other version, I used the scallop for the pocket.

Even though the finished size for these bags is clearly listed, they still seemed to surprise me a bit by how big they are. They are a little too big if you’re knitting socks, but easily large enough for a sweater or any other big project you have in the works.

There we go! A few new bags, and a couple of new patterns checked off my list.