An Awesome Cabled bag from Garnstudio!

[peachtastic]

i saw this bag on garnstudio a few weeks ago and just had to start it!!  i've only gotten a few rows done however; we just had finals and the beginning of a new semester, and things have been pretty hectic.  Plus the fact that three out of my four classes require weekly current events.  T_T  i'm gonna die.  i definetely hope to post the finished product, though, sometime before april.   

[madamq]

OKAY!! So I have about a million questions!
I've spent the past .. I don't know... 4 hours reading this entire post and trying to decipher this pattern.. it's like jibberish to me

I'm originally a crocheter.. so knitting is a bit awkward for me.

First off.. I am very happy that people were able to factor out the ridiculous decreasing!! I think i'm going with: (k2tog, k3tog 14 times) repeat 5 times from Nashira (thank you very much!!)

Secondly.. what on earth does *kfb,kfbf, rep from * mean?!?!?!
I'm hoping the KFB mean knit, then purl all in the same stitch? hopefully!
I am not a very good knitter.. But I would love to have this bag!!

and Third: How do you do the cables?! I read on the previous posts in that you have to leave 3 stitches out? I've never done cables before.. How exactly do you do that? do you need cable needles to make this?
I also read in the one of the previous post that there is like 10 stitches involved in the whole cable-making across.. (now I feel like a complete idiot for asking all these questions but..) SOMEONE HELP!! 

And to everyone who has posted a bag on this post.. they are all so beautiful! Everyone is so very talented! I hope I can make one..... someday.. *sigh* lol

[Tephra]

Secondly.. what on earth does *kfb,kfbf, rep from * mean?!?!?!
I'm hoping the KFB mean knit, then purl all in the same stitch? hopefully!
I am not a very good knitter.. But I would love to have this bag!!

Kfb is "knit front and back", so you knit into the front of the stitch as normal but don't take the stitch off the left needle, then knit into the back of the stitch and take the stitch off the left needle. Kfbf just adds another knit into the front of the stitch before taking it off the left needle. It's similar to knitting and purling in the same stitch but because knitting into the back twists the stitch it doesn't make as big a hole in the fabric as a purl would, and it avoids the purl bumps.

and Third: How do you do the cables?! I read on the previous posts in that you have to leave 3 stitches out? I've never done cables before.. How exactly do you do that? do you need cable needles to make this?
I also read in the one of the previous post that there is like 10 stitches involved in the whole cable-making across.. (now I feel like a complete idiot for asking all these questions but..) SOMEONE HELP!! 

You don't need a cable needle, though some people find them easier to work with. There are a couple ways to do cables without a cable needle, one reorders the stitches before knitting any of them and the other slips some, knits some, and then reorders and knits the slipped ones. There is a video for the second one and if you tend to knit tight it's probably the better choice since slipping the stitches adds a bit of slack in your yarn and insures you don't cable too tightly.

[madamq]

Thanks bunches Tephra! I felt like a complete idiot because I've never done cables before and I'm afraid I'll just mess it up 

I have a few more questions.. for anyone who will answer lol...
What size circs did most people end up using.. I'm partial to 8-10... and I'm wanting to order Addi's which I found out were both really good and crazy expensive, so I wanna know the exact size I need first

And second.. from looking at the pattern and having someone dummy it down for me It says you have to do the cable on like the 4th row.. so you cable on that row and then go through to row 7.. then, do you cable again or do you just start all over with row 1 and cable when you get to row 4 again?

Sorry I'm asking some pretty newb questions... I'm sure it will be pretty self-explanatory after I start working on it.. I'm ordering my needles as soon as I get the size I need 

[cristinaisamazing]

i love you for asking these questions, 'cause they're the same ones i need to know, but probably wouldn't think to ask lol

[Tephra]

The pattern calls for bulky yarn on size 8 (5mm) needles. Since it's a bag the gauge isn't critical so the needle size should be determined by your yarn. The yarn used in the pattern is normally knit on size 11 (8mm) needles so you want to use a needle smaller than what your yarn label suggests. Note that as written the fabric will be really dense and probably wouldn't require a lining, if you plan to line your bag you don't need to have the fabric so tight.

As for the cable, you knit the complete chart and then just start the chart over again. So you actually cable on every 7th row.

[madamq]

oh.. every seventh row.. gotcha! thanks!

and I meant what size length cables did people use.. like 24" or bigger? (sorry, wasn't clear on that) 

[Tephra]

oh.. every seventh row.. gotcha! thanks!

and I meant what size length cables did people use.. like 24" or bigger? (sorry, wasn't clear on that) 

Ah, well I, being poor, tend to get long needles (usually 47") so I can use the magic loop technique for small projects like hats but still have a needle long enough to knit a shawl  or 3XL sweater.

[madamq]

I was thinking of getting these:
http://www.amazon.com/Addi-Turbo-Circular-32-5mm/dp/B002QFYHYC/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=ITQMUPLHGUS0J&colid=3MI2PBAU4QN6O

or these:
http://www.amazon.com/Addi-Turbo-Circular-Knitting-Needles/dp/B002VCQFY0/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=IEJTZD2MRK393&colid=3MI2PBAU4QN6O

They're stupid expensive, but i have heard nothing but good review.. so THEY BETTER BE AWESOME!!! 

[Tephra]

I was thinking of getting these:
http://www.amazon.com/Addi-Turbo-Circular-32-5mm/dp/B002QFYHYC/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=ITQMUPLHGUS0J&colid=3MI2PBAU4QN6O

or these:
http://www.amazon.com/Addi-Turbo-Circular-Knitting-Needles/dp/B002VCQFY0/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=IEJTZD2MRK393&colid=3MI2PBAU4QN6O

They're stupid expensive, but i have heard nothing but good review.. so THEY BETTER BE AWESOME!!! 

I'd go with the 40" out of this two, though I have never knitted with Addi needles. I'm a firm KnitPicks fan. I have their nickel plated Options interchangeables and fixed needles and love them for being pointy and slippery (which seems to be what people like Addis for as well) and not that expensive.