WIP: Knitters' Handy Carry-All Post #2

It doesn't look as floppy as it did last time. Since my last post on this I have sewn the lining pockets, finished knitting the inside and bottom of the bag, sewn the pocket linings in, and did most of the assembly. The interfacing is in place, but I still have to sew around the bottom edge to hold it in place.
I still have a button to sew on and the handles to knit and assemble.

Here's a peak at the inside!

Knitting Tools

I've been listening to some KnitPicks podcasts that I'd missed while working on my Knitting Carry All Bag. I listened to episode 124, and yes, I just noticed that it was from December. It was a really cool topic though, what tools they have in their knitting bags.

I usually don't have as many knitting projects going at once as they do, but I do like to always take something to knit with me. I though I'd share what notions and tools I like to have in my bag. I like to have everything for the project I'm working on but not too much extra. Stitch markers tend to be on an as needed basis. If I'm in a pinch I can always use a bit of scrap yarn.

THE LIST

• crochet hook
• yarn needle
• scissors or dental floss
• bit of scrap yarn
• pen
• note paper
• tape measurer

That's pretty much it. My needle gauge may occasionally jump in the bag, but that would be if I'm trying to start a project on the go and I'm grabbing for needles as I head out. The dental floss is really for the dental floss cutter, it works well for cutting yarn if you're going someplace you can't bring scissors. For my latest project my sewing kit jumped in there too! I sewed all the pocket linings in on my last trip, 2.5 during the car ride and the last bit after we got there.

Monday April 12 Etsy Bloggers Blog Carnival Newness!!!

After patiently waiting my turn, I'm excited to host this week's blog carnival!
The two topic choices are:
1) Spring is a time for new things and growth. Tell us about a new item and what inspired you to create it.
or
2) Easter is April 4, what family traditions do you do for Easter?

Welcome to the April 12th 2010 edition of EtsyBloggers

Blog Carnival!

dizzydragonflies presents Dyeing for Spring posted at dizzydragonflies.

Odin presents Blog Carnival March 2010: Spring Fling posted at Odin's Bead Hall.

Trina Baker presents Etsy Blog Carnival « posted at gallery32, saying, "Thanks for hosting this months carnival!"

ImagineMDD presents Swoon, I'll Catch You: A necklace for springtime or anytime posted at ImagineMDD, saying, "hope this is the right place :-)"

Edi presents April Blog Carnival-New Listing!!! posted at Memories for Life Scrapbooks.

Alicia Mae presents New things and growth - an EtsyBloggers carnival posted at Crafts and Cooking.

TiLTcreations presents Etsybloggers Carnival: New Things posted at Crafts, kids, home and life.

Patch First Shop presents New items for Spring.. posted at PatchFirstShop.

BunnyKissd presents BlogCarnival: Easter Tradition posted at Diary of a Crazy Rabbit Lady, Too.

UberArt presents Grand ReOpening of UberArt! posted at UberArt Shop.

storybeader presents Etsybloggers Carnival - April 9, 2010 posted at Stroll Through Storyland.

Rainy presents Spring Time - April 9th Blog Carnival posted at RainyDayArt.

Spring Time - April 9th Blog Carnival

This is a new crochet scarf of mine made with a variety of hand spun and high quality yarns.

I was inspired by some of my hand spun yarns of which I didn't have all that much yardage. For some of the yarns I had enough for only one row. I wanted to make a really long scarf with length wise stripes to really highlight each yarn. I may have gotten a little carried away on the length as it is 9.8 feet, but it can be worn folded in half and still hangs down to the legs.

The main inspiration was the soy silk and alpaca yarns in row 3 and 5. I liked going through my hand spun stash to find yarn to match.

The first row and all the purple and gray rows are merino mill spun yarn.
The second row and the two other green and lighter green rows are also merino mill spun yarn.
The third row is a hand spun soy silk yarn.
The fifth row is hand spun with dark gray alpaca.
Row 8 is hand spun with bluefaced leicester wool.
Row 10 is hand spun with a hand dyed merino wool.
Row 13 is hand spun with a 70% merino, 30% tencel blend.
Row 14 is hand spun with a heather gray wool, the same yarn that I knit my fist pair of socks with. (Yarn from the same batch, I still have my socks!)

Work In Progress: Knitters' Handy Carry-All from Knit Picks

I've been knitting away at my new bag. The first picture here is of the outside of the bag. It looks sloppy now, but will be much more sturdy and happy looking when I have the interfacing in. The second picture shows what will be the pattern pocket. I like the idea of using fabric to line the pockets. It will just make the bag that that much longer to make. I'm excited to actually finish it. The instructions are pretty thorough, except for the part about making the welt needle holder pockets.

Reading the instructions again I think I see what the author intended with using two needle sets for the welt pockets. I don't have a second set that size, and I didn't get why the instructions said to use the second set when I started knitting the welts. I just kept going on my one circular needle. When I finished the welt and went to reattach the 15 stitches, I ended up with a hole at the back of the work. I sewed the first one closed but came up with a better way for the rest of the welts. I picked up stitches from the beginning of the welt and knit them together with the end of the welt stitches. I think the end result is the same as if you left the 15 stitches on the needle to start with.

Here you can see the difference between sewing the welt closed or picking up stitches to knit it closed. The bottom one is sewing and the top two are knitting it closed. The knit ones look much neater.
This is me, showing you what I did. That light green stitch on the left needle is the stitch I'm picking up from the beginning of the welt. Then I knit those stitches (light green from the body and dark green from the welt) together.
While the sewn welt isn't as neat at the knit ones, it is only noticeable from the wrong side, which will be inside the bag facing the interfacing when complete, so only I (and you blog readers) will know its there.

More Mugness

I really liked the mug decorating challenge, and when I bought my mug to decorate I really bought 4 because it was a really good sale. One of the first things I thought of to write on a mug was "We gotta go to the crappy town where I'm a hero", by Wash in Firefly (Jaynestown episode). A close runner up was "This must be what going insane feels like" by Simon when the towns people start singing their Jayne song!

Since I made a Wash mug I had to put another good Wash quote on the other side! "What can it be? We're all doomed! Who's flying this thing? Oh right, that would be me, uh back to work."
No power in the verse can stop me.

March 15 Blog Carnival is Published

Here's a blog carnival with a variety of topics: Spring, Women's History Month, Nutrition Month, and Irish American Heritage Month:
http://madebymelissa.blogspot.com/2010/03/march-15-etsybloggers-blog-carnival.html

Finished Item Cabled Purple Scarflette

This item was first seen in this post. I really like that yarn, and those buttons! The buttons are from Ginpins. I'm telling you because she's super cool, but if you buy buttons let me get some too!
That post was back in January! I can't believe it took me two months to finish this!!! I tend to have multiple projects going at the same time, so that should make it not sound so bad. It did seem like it was taking extra long because of the small gauge.