Banna, Bags, and Snarky-ness

I should just re-name my blog something like "obsessive compulsive crafter", because it seems that I tend to obsess about different crafts every other month. Right now I'm on a bag kick (did you notice? I thought so.)

However, this bag is NOT going in my etsy store, as it is being set aside for a Christmas present. It's another felted bag of my own design. I have to say, now that this is my second felting attempt, I'm not a fan of felting. It looks okay, I suppose, but it just seems wrong to go through all that knitting to knit a HUMONGOUS bag, and then put it in the wash and shrink it. Rather like cleaning the kitchen when it's just going to get messy again . . .

I've lined it with some left-over navy blue fabric from my stash. (Yesssss, I have a fabric stash, too. Everything is neatly organized by color in plastic totes, which I obsess about too. I love plastic totes . . . I think I need a life . . . perhaps after the children are grown in 20 years. . .)

This time for the handles I used a buckle sort of thing with sewn fabric handles. I like it because it added a little hardware to an overly-fabricated bag. Banna (Breanna) obligingly posed for a modeled shot with my bag. She's such a snarky little diva. I've already told Handyman to budget extra for this one, because she's already got an addiction for shoes, purses, clothes, and talking on the phone.

Help! Anyone want to adopt her when she's a more-snarky teenager? I'll take her back afterwards.

Just kidding.

For now.

I might change my mind when I see what they've destroyed while I've been on the computer . . .

Booga Bag - Done!

I don't teach on Wednesdays, so I like to use this day to catch up on house work (ha ha, not really!) and crafting projects that require more time than the usual itty-bits I have during regular days. It's also a day for me to catch up on some much-needed rest, so I'm looking forward to a long snooze this afternoon (and the kids had BETTER be sleeping too, or I'll sell them on ebay. . .)

I finished knitting the Booga Bag a few weeks ago, but I still needed to add the handles and liner, something which required my sewing machine. Since I'm not one of those blessed few who own an entire room devoted to crafts, I have to haul my sewing machine out of the depths of the darkest closet every time I need to use it. Therefore, sewing = a pain; knitting = much less a pain.

However, today being my "free" day, I hauled out the sewing machine and managed to get through all the little bits of mending that have been listlessly languishing in the mending pile. (Hee hee, I couldn't resist the alliteration of "listlessly languishing". Very Anne of Green Gables, don't you agree?).

So, I am happy to say that my first felted project is complete. I used my smart sister's advice and reinforced the bottom with a rectangle cut from a plastic folder. It worked perfectly, and I don't have to worry about it bending or getting warped if it gets wet. Also, it was thin enough that I could actually sew it into the bottom so it won't slip around.

I then added some nifty bamboo handles that I got on clearance at JoAnn Fabrics. Hmmm, that's not a very close picture of the handles, is it? Oh well, take my word for it, they're nifty. The original pattern called for felted i-cord handles, but I don't like the look of i-cord, and I wanted something with a different texture to break up all that felting. (Okay, I just hate taking the time to knit i-cord. So what!?!).

Finally, I sewed the liner together and then sewed it to the bag. Next time I sew a liner, it will be with stiffer fabric. This stuff was too thin, I think, and it was such a pain to keep in place! I also added a little magnetic closure to the inside so that stuff won't be as prone to fall out, especially as I have a bad habit of flinging my purse in the car while I'm frantically trying to stuff the kids in their car seats.

Pattern Specifics:
Yarn: Patons SWS in Natural Geranium, 4 balls exactly
Needle Size: US 10.5
Pattern Modifications: CO 60, worked enough garter stitch rows to pick up 20 stitches along each shorter edge, and 60 along each longer edge. Then I switched to regular straight stitch and knit until I ran out of yarn.
Finished Size: 12" x 8.5" x 4.5"

Felted Camera Case

Andy told me I'd need to get a camera and suggested that I pick one up at Wal-mart. In shocked surprise, I replied, "Well, of course I'll knit one! How could you even think of putting my wonderful camera in some store-bought, monochromatic, uninteresting and completely boring camera case!" Hmph. Men.

Here's my version of a felted camera case. I am unable to knit things to felt, because to me it seems like such a waste to knit something gi-nourmous and then shrink it, especially if it's on purpose. I do admire others' felting enterprises ( such as this gorgeous Booga Bag ), but unfortunately, felting doesn't fit into my "I-want-it-done-fast-and-NOW" philosophy.

What's my solution? I get a wool sweater that I have no intention of wearing (especially as I'm allergic to wool. Why do I persist in buying myself scratchy sweaters? Who knows. . . .) then I felt it and cut it up for whatever purpose I deem worthy. A short sewing bit later, and Taa-Daaa, here's my very own felted camera case! (Ignore the dust. Dust is irrelevant. It's just the remains of my last student who refused to practice . . .)