Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 65

Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 65

Eureka! This is the final blog for this project. It has taken me far longer than I thought due to ill health. I am so happy that now I can move on to other projects.

Press Stud Leaves

I Sewed the Leaves above the Pocket. It took a while to get them placed. I needed to Cover enough of the Rat without messing up the way I had arranged the Leaves to compliment the rest of the Bags Colours.

I have matched up the Press Studs Sewn on the Pocket with the Leaves and Sewn on the other Halves. This was far trickier. I needed to Sew them on firmly but without coming through the other side.

Hidden Rat

As you can see in the above photograph, I managed to avoid Sewing through the Leaves. To make it easier I had used Thread rather than Wool. Since it was underneath, I did not chop and change Colours but used a simple Beige Colour.

Finished Front

Voila! One Autumn Cape Bag Front Side completely Finished.

Finished Back

Here is the Back. I love the little Rat Tail tantalisingly poking out from underneath the Leaves. I took it out yesterday for a test run and it worked beautifully.

It was a very long project but I am very happy with the result.

Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 64

Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 64

I finally feel like I am getting to see the light at the end of the Tunnel

Sew Pair

Naturally, all the Pins came out of the Leaves so I had to sort them all out again. Starting at one End I began to Sew a Pair of Leaves together. I did this by Partially Overlapping. I then Sewed with Yellow Wool down the Inner Edge of the Yellow Leaf.

All Sewn

As you can imagine it has taken quite a while to Sew All of the leaves together. I kept having to Swap Coloured Wool.

Curled Top

One of the main problems with Stocking Stitch is it tends to Curl. I am going to have to do something with the Top of the Pocket. It not only looks bad but also is slightly obscuring the Rat’s Ears.

Fold and Sew

I have Folded and Sewn the Top with a Backstitch. I am going to go across again with a Tacking Stitch to bring it together more.

Press Stud Pocket

I have a small collection of Press Studs. I selected the best size and Sewed them on to the Pocket. I put three on so as to spread the wear on the Top when Opening.

Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 60

 Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 60

I have finished the main Embroidery. I now can move on to the next part.

Add Detail

 

I have decided to tackle the Legs Area first. I need to Add Detail to both the Legs and Feet to make them more defined.

Ears

 

From the Bottom to the Top of the Pocket. Here I can give definition to the Ears. After that, I will have to fill them in at some point.

Whiskers

 

A Rat would not be a Rat if it did not have Whiskers. I decided that three on each Side of the Nose looked about the right amount.

Extra Detail

 

Time to Add a little Extra Detail. I want to the Outline the Breast area to give the Rat more Depth. I may want to give it some more Colour too. I will have a think and decide later.

Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 59

Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 59

Now the Pocket is Cast Off I can start Embroidering the Details.

Tidy the Grey

 

Before I can start adding Detail, I need to do the usual boring Tidying up. I begin Sewing in the loose Ends. Some of the Ends are long enough to Straighten Up some of the Grey Outline.

Eye

 

I have added the Eye. This is so I can use it as an Anchor Point. If I know where the Eye is, I can better work out where to place the rest of the Embellishments.

If you look carefully at the above photograph near the Eye, you might spot a divot in the Nose. It is the result of changing a round drawing to a chart. I have to change it back again.

Secure Tail

 

I Secure the Wool for the Tail at the back. I have chosen a Dark Grey colour. I will be doing a small part of the Tail before I continue with the Light Grey.

Add Legs

 

I have Embroidered enough of the Tail to work out how far it will go down the Pocket. I can now add the Legs knowing that they will not be interfered with by the Tail.

Rat Tail

 

That is the Tail finished. I have also been around and completed the Outline of the Light Grey.

Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 58

 Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 58

I have reached the part where I need to start really concentrating.

Begin Grey

I Begin to add the Grey Wool that will form the Basis for the Rat.

Shorten Rat

As soon as I started to add the Grey Wool, I could see that the Pattern needed to be Altered. I am having to Remove a good five Stitches from the Chart. I note this in Ink so I will not make a mistake in Counting.

More Shortening

After Removing five Stitches towards the Rear of the Rat, I realise that I am also going to have to Remove some towards the Head. Again, I highlight this in Ink.

It is getting very complicated to keep track of the number of Stitches to be Knitted in which Colour. I may have to do some adjusting by eye as well as using the Chart.

Cast Off Pocket

I have finally managed to finish the Chart and Cast off the Pocket. How well I have done will be discovered when I start adding the details.

Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 57

 Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 57

Now I have Picked Up all the Stitches I can begin Knitting.

First Row

 

Knitting the First Row was difficult as the Stitches were very Tight. I found that sometimes I had to Tug to get the Needle through.

Loose Yarn

All that Tugging has loosened some of the Yarn that was Sewn in. If I do not sort this, first it is possible that it will Unravel.

Colour Rat

As I am Knitting, I am Colouring in the Rows on my Rat Chart. It does not really matter what Colour I use as long as I can see what I have already done.

Rat Bottom

In the above photograph, you can see how the Knitting Compares to the Bottom of the Rat Chart. In addition, if you look carefully you will observe a curious Fan Shape where I Picked Up. This is a problem I will have to sort out later.

Green Cut Out

After Checking my Knitting against the Chart, I have decided that as it stands the Pocket will be too High. Therefore, I am Cutting Out some Rows. I have highlighted this in Green.

Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 55

Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 55

On to the next design.

Original Concept

After searching for lots of pictures, I ended up Drawing something that I do believe looks like a Rat. This is my Original Concept. It will take several stages for it to become usable.

Rough Rat

Next, I transfer my Rat onto Graph Paper. This never seems to look as good as the Original.

Cubed Rat

Once I have Drawn my Rough Rat I then have to alter the Rounded Lines into Squared ones. I have Cubed my Rat Drawing. This stage always reminds me of Picasso.

By the Numbers

Now my Rat is Cubed I can do the next part, which is adding the Numbers to my Chart. This is so I know how many Stitches and Rows I will be doing.

If you notice in the above photograph I haven’t Cubed the Ears, Legs or Tail. This is because they will Embroidered on after Knitting.

Humpback Rat

After counting, I have found that the Rat is far too big for what I need. Therefore, I have reduced its size. Unfortunately, this has Squashed it so much the Rat now looks like it has a Camels Hump.

The thing to remember is that this is a Rough Chart. Unlike Cross-Stitch where you can copy the Pattern, exactly Knitting has different sized Stitches and therefore a certain amount of adjusting has to be done whilst Knitting.