I've been looking for a knitting bag for a while now. Can you help weigh in on my ideas?
I had already been kinda looking when Sock Summit came around, so that was a good chance to scope things out. I came away with a little more knowledge, and a great project bag from JessaLu. I also have several smaller project bags from Ravelry (one I purchased, one was from the meetup). These are all great for taking for something small to work on, or to tuck into a bigger bag to bring when going elsewhere.
But I still need a real bag, a sturdy something I can carry multiple projects and all the other things I like having with me on a Knitting night, or even on a flight. Coming up soon, we'll take a 10-day trip to CA, and I want something that can always be close at hand. I've been using a free-with-purchase bag from Bath and Body Works, and it works, but it's getting worn out. Plus, it's very summery, with pink and orange stripes: I think it was meant to be a beach bag. I also have a laptop bag from when I was working, but it's heavy even when it doesn't have anything in it, so that's cumbersome.
Must have: a good shape. Sturdy. Fairly lightweight. Should have: Velcro is bad on yarn. Pretty color. A way to wear across the body as well as over one shoulder. Would like: a coordinating small bag or wallet. Lots of pockets. A place for my water bottle?
Here's a few I've looked at so far:
Queen Bee
The Trucker bag in Jade is a favorite. I saw them at the Sock Summit, but they didn't have this model available yet. I like how sturdy they feel, and when I put it on across my body, it felt nice to carry. I'm unsure if it will be as "pocket-y" as I see in other knitting bags. The coordinating wallets are adorable. I love the stitching and how unique they are. And they get huge bonus points for being made locally, in Portland.
Namaste
Well known as super knitting bags, the Laguna bag in Eggplant (or Hollywood Pink) is the known commodity. I've gotten to hold my friend Eileen's, and it's sturdy. The shape of the Laguna is a little wider than the Queen Bee, and the pockets look handy. There's a strap for going across the body. I like that it has metal feet, those seem nice. I am concerned if this will be too nice for me. I tend to be a little hard on bags I love, because I want to take them everywhere. The Hollywood Pink is tempting, but I really think a purple bag would suit me well and be less obtrusive. Plus, the accessories are stunning, mini clutches and buddy cases. I could order from theloopyewe and support them.
Lexie Barnes
People rave about these bags, and the patterns of fabric that come out each new batch. This is the Lady B in Deliliah. I haven't seen as many pictures of the inside of these bags. There's other bags from LB that are also nice - one that's billed as a diaper bag might actually fit more things including a water bottle. The fabric is pretty, but perhaps not as much me? I'd like to be able to physically touch one to know more.
TotalTote from Knit Picks
I'd probably get the TotalTote in Chocolate. This is an interesting shape and possibly lighter than the others. The harder walls look like they would hold up to a lot. But it's smallish, and wouldn't work as well for holding all my stuff on a trip.
So with all that in mind, do you have any suggestions for me? I think I'm really wavering between the local/unique feel of Queen Bee and the super-pockets of the Namaste. Feel free to reply here or on facebook.
This is the coolest thing ever! Amy (@amysnotdeadyet) turned me into a cartoon! I'm a little weeble version of me. I thought it would be lots of fun, so we did a trade - a cartoon for a shawl. I made her a soft cotton version of the Wren Shawl in a beautiful purple-blackberry color.
