Trish Knits.com

Tag: bags

  • It’s an Addiction, I’m Tellin’ Ya!

    Namaste Laguna Bag, Turquoise


    I shoulda’ known something was up when the Namaste Executive Bags began disappearing a couple of months ago. I thought to myself, I had better grab one, now. So I did. Like an idiot. If only I had waited another month. How was I to know they were coming out with something even better?

    Introducing, my Namaste Cali Collection Laguna Bag! I loved my Executive, for about a minute, until I tried to jam my WIP afghan into it. It just didn’t really fit. I don’t know if it’s because this bag is softer, or what, but it holds the afghan, and my obnoxious, oversized wallet with shoulder strap, with actual room to spare. There’s even a zipper pouch in the middle — woo hoo! It’s big enough to hold all of my knitting notions. And they’re not going to fall out like they would have out of the inside pockets of the Executive. That one only has elastic on the pockets. (Yes, the Executive has a SIDE that is zippered, but that is where, presumably, one would put one’s wallet and personal stuff. My notions were in the other pockets and were constantly falling out because the bag wouldn’t close because my project was too big for it.) And it has a shoulder strap. So I can hang it on the back of my chair if I need to.

    Did I mention that the afghan fits inside, AND it still closes? A bag big enough for this had eluded me.


    Namaste Laguna Bag, with stuff inside

    Here’s a photo with my afghan tucked inside and my obnoxiously large wallet peeking out on the other side. No, it’s not even completely full. I am suitably impressed. Finding a bag big enough to hold my stuff has been a big challenge.


    Namaste Laguna Bag, closeup of magnet closure

    And here’s a closeup of the magnet closures. When the bag isn’t quite full, the top of the bag sort of folds over on itself. If it’s quite full, it is more completely upright, as shown in the first picture. Yes, even with the afghan inside, the top of my bag still folds over. I only propped it up for the picture.

    I think I am in bag lust! Help me!!

    And as if this day could NOT get any better, my Spring ’08 issue of Interweave Knits arrived today. Is this Nirvana?


    Namaste Laguna Bag, dimmer light and truer color

    Ok, last one! This photo was shot in dimmer light and is probably more true to the color of the bag. Thanks to the folks on Ravelry for asking!

  • Worms, Anyone??

    worm binder, front cover

    Ok, this is going to sound crazy, but on the Knit Picks discussion board on Ravelry, folks started talking about finding a better way to store their Harmony needles. Someone mentioned that they found a “worm binder” at Wally World and that it was a perfect fit. Now, I don’t go browsing the fishin’ pole section every day, in fact, never, so I had never even heard of one of these marvelous contraptions. Yesterday, I braved a throng of tween girls at the new Hannah Montana movie, and it just so happens that at this mall where my favorite theater is, there is an Outdoor World store, that includes a Bass Pro Shop. Lo and behold, there they were! But alas, the one I found in the store, and bought fairly immediately, is not available online — yes it is, here’s the link: Extreme Worm Binder (Mine is the “medium” size.). The bag is made of some sort of waterproof fabric, and includes lots of little ziploc bags (for fishing tackle) inside. The outside has a zipper pocket, and because the bag itself is soft sided, it is really very roomy.


    worm binder, inside, showing zipper pockets on inside front cover

    Here is a view of the inside front cover, showing two zipper pockets. They are the perfect size for my needle sizer, scissors, or whatever else I need to carry.


    worm binder, inside, showing zipper pockets on inside back cover

    And here is the inside back cover, which has quite a few small pockets, perfect for end buttons, stitch markers, the little “key” thingys that help tighten the needles, etc.


    worm binder, back cover

    And this is the back cover, which has a mesh pocket with a velcro tab for holding it closed. Overall, this bag is great! All of my needles fit in there, which is more than I can say for the bag that came with my Harmony set. (Ok, there’s enough room for one pair of each of the interchangeable tips in the bag that the set comes with, plus you can throw cables and stuff in the center section, but then where would I put my fixed circulars that are sized 0 to 3? especially since the 1’s and 2’s have two sizes each, and the needle sizer doesn’t have holes for each of these. I would have a devil of a time telling them apart. PLUS, I have multiple pairs of tips for my favorite sizes, and now they will all fit in the ziploc bag things. It’s great that I can keep all of my needles together.

    So, I highly recommend a fishing worm binder (also called a tackle binder or a bait binder) as wonderful knitting needle storage. I should have gotten more than one. The only thing is I hope I can somehow remove the Bass Pro patch off the front and replace it with something a little more “girly”…. My dad would be rolling his eyes at me if he could see this!

  • Knot Much Knitting…

    Ok so I’ve grown really slack about knitting this week. I think I’m just bored, bored BORED! with the never ending baby blanket project. I’m already thinking of other things I could be working on, and well, isn’t that just WRONG? I need to finish my blanket!

    Curvaceous Cables by Dawn Brocco

    So I’ve been thinking… I really need to make some sort of pull rope on the door to my new office. One of the things I have trouble with is closing a door behind me as I leave a room… when I turn around to pull a door shut invariably the door will hit my casters and I can’t get a good grip on the door handle. So, I was thinking back to the early 70s when I was a kid and everybody’s mother had Macramé plant hangers in their kitchens… thinking that I need some sort of ornamental rope on my doorknob.

    Then I got to thinking about a book I bought by Dawn Brocco last year — Curavaceous Cables Collection. Instead of tying knots with rope I could instead knit something. Perhaps I will give this a try! And, in doing so, it will whet my appetite again for knitting, since I love cables so much, and it should be a fairly quick project. I’ll have to dig that book out tonight and give it a try…


    The Bag Debate

    Purple Knitters Satchel by Jordana Paige

    Lately I’ve been thinking lots about how much I miss my grapey-colored Knitter’s Satchel by Jordana Paige. This photo is from 2006. I still have the bag, but it had a rather unfortunate clash with my wheels one day, and the metal frame that the clasp is on got severely bent. My DH did try to fix it, but it goes together too awkwardly and just isn’t the same! One of the things I liked best about it, aside from the color, was that fabulous clicky clasp like on my grandmother’s chic 1960s handbags.

    So here’s the thing. Should I replace it? I desperately want to, but it is expensive, and well, I just don’t know if I can justify it. Sigh.


    Knitting While Listening…

    Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Audiobook
    Ok, so I have Harry Potter fever, just like the rest of the world. I’ve been reading the book, yes, but while at work, or knitting, or whatever, I have also been listening to the audiobook edition of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Love it! Jim Dale as usual is doing a great job. I wish audiobooks were not so expensive! I’d own a lot of them!

    Discovered a podcast this week that I am absolutely loving! It’s Lime and Violet. I had tried to avoid this one before, but it is hysterically funny! If you haven’t listened yet, give it a try.

    Also, yay! I got an email from Brenda Dayne of Cast On today and she said there WILL be a podcast this weekend. Be sure to look for it!