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Too Much Fabric, not enough Time

I received a message asking if I can make bigger bags. My brain starts bubbling like champagne just poured into a flute. Oh I like challenges! The criteria was that the bag needs to be large enough to hold 12" size 15 knitting needles. My brain added a few more criteria: More Pockets and More Sturdier Drawstring. So this is what I came up with:

The bag is made out of a jungle print cotton and a dark green satin interior. I noggled my brain for a bit on the pocket closure. It obviously needed one, but I didn't want to use velcro. I have a bag I carry projects in from time to time that once was a diaper bag. It has a velcro closure and it keeps catching all my yarn on it. So I settled for a button. Harder to open/close, but it won't snag your stuff.


I was ticked off when I put a pair of needles in the slots. I thought the needles I was using were 12". They were sticking out of the top of the bag and I didn't like it. BUT, I measured my needles, and they were over 13" long. WHEW. But I'm not in love with the design. I can't put my finger on it, but I'm not in love with it. I like MY big project bag. I fiddled around with a different design about two weeks ago with some leftover fabric in my chest. This is what that looks like:



The funny thing about this one is that I actually wanted the pocket on the inside of the bag. But the bag looked better with it on the outside. This holds my mystery stole project and everything needed to keep knitting it.

The bag holds a lot, actually: That's my knitting, the lifeline material, gum (which keeps you from snarling at everyone when you screw up) the pattern, a knife to cut stuff with and pins to block it. What does that stole look like so far ?


You will notice that the top is much lighter than the bottom. That is because I did not match my yarns. I had a beautiful cream cashmere selected for this stole. Yeah, well the cashmere didn't want to be a stole. I frogged that sucker 3 times. The gray handspun didn't want to be a stole either, that was frogged twice. The pink was frogged to lifelines about 3 times. Lifelines are saviours, but can be tricky if you frog down to them and then try to pick up the stitches while being tired. If you miss a stitch, it can cause headaches.


I'm being pickier about the smaller project bags. I wanted to put two pockets into them from before, but I thought it would make my cost/investment in them too much for customers. They're not going to buy them if they are too much $$. But my stubborness is winning. I want them like I want them. So I'm fiddling with two pockets.


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