It's Farmer's Market Season

May 14, 2010

It's Farmer's Market Season     The Pike Place Market in Seattle Spokane is a great place to live—my hometown is welcoming and friendly, and there's never a problem parking! I do miss a lot of things about my former life in Seattle, though—not the least of which are my friends and knitting groups. Lately I'm really missing the Pike Place Market. I lived pretty close to downtown Seattle, and I loved going to the market to do my grocery shopping and visit the host of food and flower vendors (and the very first Starbucks shop!). The newsstand at the Market was one of my favorite stops. I could browse magazines and newspapers from all over the world, then stop into the fabulous Italian grocery-cafe DeLaurenti for some wine and cheese, pick up a fresh bouquet of flowers from one of the flower vendors, and head home to make a wonderful dinner from the freshest ingredients. If you're headed to Seattle, don't miss an afternoon at the Market! The Farmer's Market Cardigan by Connie Chang Chinchio         The Farmer's Market Harvest Cardigan by Judith Swarz Spokane is surrounded by farmland, so although there's nothing like Pike Place Market here, there are some wonderful community farmer's markets around town. On Saturday mornings it's fun to stop into the farmer's market downtown to visit with the vendors and stock up on fresh veggies and whatever else strikes looks interesting! It's a wonderful start to the weekend. The farmer's markets have just opened, and there's a still a chill in the morning air. What could stave the chill more than the beautiful Farmer's Market Cardigan by Connie Chang Chinchio, which former Knitting Daily editor Sandi Wiseheart just finished knitting? Sandi did a series of blogs about her Farmer's Market cardi journey, so have a look and get inspired to knit this amazing cardigan! I found another farmer's market cardigan in our pattern store, too: The Farmer's Market Harvest Cardigan. This sweater, designed by Judith Swarz, has a lovely wheat stalk pattern on the fronts, and it uses two complementary colors of cotton yarn. It's a fun combination of stitch patterns with enough detail to keep you challenged.     Market Bag by Vicki Square Petunia Tote by Katie Himmelberg Fill 'Er Up! When I visit the farmer's market, I tend to fill up a couple of sacks with fresh produce and meats. I have some hemp yarn that I've been wanting to knit into a bag, and at right are a couple of bags I'm considering—the Market Bag, a free pattern by Vicki Square, and the Petunia Tote by Katie Himmelberg. The Market Bag is a classic knitted mesh bag, designed with Louet Euroflax, a linen yarn that gets softer with use and keeps its strength at the same time. The Petunia Tote is knit from Tahki Cotton Classic, which comes in a garden of colors and is a pleasure to knit with. Have you knit a market bag? What's your favorite pattern? Maybe we can do a quickie knit-along and whip up one of these in a week or so... I need mine soon—it's almost time for carrots! Cheers, P.S. The knit-along results are in, and the Sleeveless Tuxedo Shirt is the winner. Thanks to the 4500 of you who voted! To join up, simply gather your yarn, needles, the pattern (available in our pattern store), and start knitting your gauge swatch. I think I'm going to use Louet Euroflax or some other lineny yarn. And check in with us on the official KAL forum. See you there!

Kathleen Cubley is the editor of Knitting Daily. Kathleen's Knit-Along We're knitting the Sleeveless Tuxedo Shirt. Come knit with us! More Knitting Daily •  Blogs •  Galleries •  Knitting Daily TV •  Free Patterns •  Join Knitting Daily •  Share Your Comments

If you are planning on going to the Farmer's Market this summer, don't forget your knitted bags! Create one (or all) of these great market accessories and be ready to shop!   Rutabaga Shopping Bag by Chrissy Gardiner A stretchy knitted shoulder bag makes a happy vegetable sack. A biasing mesh pattern is used to create a lacy and expandable fabric. Learn more. Sassy Sacks by Dawn Brocco Made from mercerized cotton, they are strong enough to endure heavy use at the beach or market. The base and handles are worked in single crochet for firmness and the body is worked in knitted lace for suitable stretch. Learn more. Kalahari Tote by Vivian Hoxbro Vivian Hoxbro's Kalahari Tote holds market shopping, books, knitting, and more. Knitted in the round with mitered squares, the felted Shetland-style wool is strong enough to carry the heaviest loads. Learn more. Polka Dot Bag by Kristin Nicholas Stitches are picked up around a garter-stitch base and worked in the round from the bottom up, then the bag is felted in the washer to form a thick, sturdy fabric. Learn more. Floral Gathering Sac by Pam Allen Inspired by a class she took from Katharine Cobey on knitting a "foraging bag," Pam Allen designed this ample sac with two shades of hand-dyed yarn and an intarsia pattern inspired by a floral motif she found in a book on Turkish rugs. Learn more. Bridgetown Belt-Bag by Laura Irwin This designer lives in the city, where she commutes to work by bike. She needed a convenient carryall for her wallet and keys while riding, so she fashioned this stylish remix of the fanny pack. Learn more. Shop More Great Knitting Patterns!