Baby Gift Bag

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4192083749375628074.post-28221760778185110182007-11-19T15:07:00.000-05:002007-11-19T17:15:34.655-05:002007-11-19T17:15:34.655-05:00Baby Gift BagLast week I was busily preparing to attend a baby shower this past weekend. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_y7wDjeFDBfY/R0H3kbY0dVI/AAAAAAAAAQg/UYbwtn00PXc/s1600-h/bibs-small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_y7wDjeFDBfY/R0H3kbY0dVI/AAAAAAAAAQg/UYbwtn00PXc/s320/bibs-small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5134657255378285906" border="0" /></a> My standard gift for such events are three tea-towel bibs with ribbing at the neck. I received one years ago and loved it so much that I copied the bib to create my own pattern. As you can probably tell, they are expecting a boy. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_y7wDjeFDBfY/R0H4krY0dWI/AAAAAAAAAQo/ewnk11rZFyA/s1600-h/WashCloth-small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 169px; height: 128px;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_y7wDjeFDBfY/R0H4krY0dWI/AAAAAAAAAQo/ewnk11rZFyA/s320/WashCloth-small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5134658359184880994" border="0" /></a> I also zig-zag around the edges of the small circle that is cut out. That creates small wash cloths the baby can hold. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_y7wDjeFDBfY/R0H56bY0dXI/AAAAAAAAAQw/XnKpO7nxpNA/s1600-h/sweater-small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_y7wDjeFDBfY/R0H56bY0dXI/AAAAAAAAAQw/XnKpO7nxpNA/s320/sweater-small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5134659832358663538" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_y7wDjeFDBfY/R0H6HLY0dYI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/edZJh-paZX4/s1600-h/hat-small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 159px; height: 131px;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_y7wDjeFDBfY/R0H6HLY0dYI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/edZJh-paZX4/s320/hat-small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5134660051401995650" border="0" /></a> This time also I decided to knit a small sweater and hat to accompany the bibs. While I was finishing the hat I thought, "It's too bad that I don't have a gift bag to hold all of these items." About that time a light bulb went off in my mind and I knew what I would do -- NET a gift bag! Of course it was impossible to use one of the bags I had already designed. My brain was already creating a new pattern. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_y7wDjeFDBfY/R0H-SbY0dbI/AAAAAAAAARQ/4q52_EAspls/s1600-h/bagbottom-small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 183px; height: 187px;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_y7wDjeFDBfY/R0H-SbY0dbI/AAAAAAAAARQ/4q52_EAspls/s320/bagbottom-small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5134664642722035122" border="0" /></a> I took the concept <a href="http://lost-arts.blogspot.com/2007/09/prize-in-progress.html">Alwen</a> had used for the base of one of her net bags. However, I reversed what she did. I started from the top of the bag with the handle and ended by decreasing to form the circular (well, actually a pentagon) base for the bag. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_y7wDjeFDBfY/R0H_srY0dcI/AAAAAAAAARY/dcam9K6E40E/s1600-h/emptybag-small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_y7wDjeFDBfY/R0H_srY0dcI/AAAAAAAAARY/dcam9K6E40E/s320/emptybag-small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5134666193205228994" border="0" /></a> What really thrilled me was that the idea actually worked! The only thing I would change would be to make the handle a couple of inches longer. The ladies at the baby shower were impressed. One commented that the bag would be great for holding bath toys and another was heard to say, "... and she made everything, including the bag!" <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_y7wDjeFDBfY/R0H79bY0daI/AAAAAAAAARI/Ocs4RA27vL0/s1600-h/fullbag-small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_y7wDjeFDBfY/R0H79bY0daI/AAAAAAAAARI/Ocs4RA27vL0/s320/fullbag-small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5134662082921526690" border="0" /></a>Ritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05056182576605075636noreply@blogger.com