Free Pattern Friday: LB Evans Yoga Mat Bag!

Happy Friday Y'all,
I mentioned before that I write another knit blog which is connected to Knitting and Yoga Adventures, a group I go on an annual retreat with to Monhegan Island, Maine. Knit designer Lisa Evans (who goes by the design name LB Evans) is in charge of the retreat. We were talking recently about knit project ideas and blog post ideas and I asked her if she had a pattern for a yoga mat bag. That's something I've been wanting to make for a while.

Lisa didn't have a pattern at the time, so she started to design one. The first pattern she posted, she later corrected, as it was much bigger than it needed to be. I really liked the whole first post, second post thing because I often knit by the seat of my pants and have to figure it out as I go. I'll start something, revise midstream, or even sometimes turn one project into something else entirely. So it was fun observing Lisa's process in real time. And I even took her original pattern and, with some hints from her about how she was contemplating revising it, I started in on the project and managed to get it going even before we posted the correct instructions.

Lisa decided she wanted to incorporate lace into her yoga mat bag. I enjoyed taking a lace class, and I like the idea of one day really mastering lace. But for this project, I wanted something very meditative, something that didn't require me having to refer to the pattern constantly. So I decided to just knit mine in the round and to accomplish a sense of fanciness not through lace but through-- does this surprise anyone?-- the wonders of Noro. Yep, I'm jamming on the mat bag with Noro Blossom, which is a gorgeous wool/kid mohair/silk/nylon blend. It's colorful, variegated, and promises to be sturdy. I am having so much fun with this project.

If you'd like to join me for a little informal knit-a-long, you can find the pattern for LB Evans Yoga Mat Bag here. While you're at that site, you can also scroll down and see the original pattern if you, too, are into designing and want to check out the process. I sure love process.

And if you want to use the same yarn I'm using, please note that Noro Blossomis on sale for 40% off right now as it is being discontinued. So you better go get some now.

Happy weekend,
Spike