Wednesday, August 24, 2005

More cell phone bags



My project du jour...cell phone bags! Sorry for the crappy picture but it was taken with my phone. I have made about 10 of these so far. It's a great use of scrap yarn, especially those odds and ends of fun fur and eyelash that I couldn't bear to throw away yet didn't have enough of to do anything with...or so I thought! The bag is of my own design and like the crocheted version, the strap buttons to the inside of the bag so that I can hang it from my purse strap or a belt loop, etc. When buttoned, the strap also hangs nicely from my wrist or I can carry it like a mini purse. It can accommodate not only my phone but my ID and some cash. I decided not to put a closure on the top of the bag to facilitate easy accessibility. The dimensions are 3 inches wide by 5 inches tall. It is knit with double strands of Red Heart worsted weight on size 11 needles and has a Bernat Boa and Lion Brand Fun Fur trim. I made a slightly larger one for a friend who likes to spend time in the casinos. She told me that it was perfect for carrying her phone and other essentials. She wore it on her wrist and didn't have to bring her large purse with her. I showed my friend, Steph, how to make them, which is better to me than writing a pattern because I suck at that! I also showed her how to make the crocheted version that appeared in the previous post. She likes the crocheted one and I prefer the knitted one. We're both happy!

The crocheted one that I felted didn't come out to my liking. I might just try to felt it one more time as I could still see the stitches. I have also started another one to felt but this one is knitted. All I have to do is finish the i-cord on that one. Pictures to follow.

Sunday, August 14, 2005

Camouflage cell phone bag

Gina bought Devan a pair of camouflage flip flops from Footworks at The District @ Green Valley Ranch. They had pink details and were quite comfortable. I have been thinking about those slippers or "slippahs" as we call them in Hawaii, and remembered some camo yarn and pink fun fur that I just happened to have in my stash. Here is the end result of my efforts today, a cell phone bag. I wonder if Devan will like it.


In case anyone is interested, one end of the strap buttons on the inside of the bag so that you could either loop it around your wrist or around the handles of your purse so that it hangs on the outside of your purse...no more digging around trying to find your phone before it stops ringing! Cool, huh? I'm currently working on another one made with scraps of 100% wool trimmed with fun fur that I plan to felt. I didn't like my first two attempts at felting crocheted items. I much prefer to felt knitted items but I'm a faster crocheter and can tweak crocheted ideas easier than knitted ones.

By request, here is the un-pattern since I suck at pattern writing:

I didn't have a pattern. Just did it on-the-fly like I usually do with crocheted projects. Basically, this is what I did:

I think I used a size G or H (my favorite sizes) and worsted weight Red Heart

Start with a chain that will equal the width of your bag. Single crochet in the 2nd chain and ea chain across. Then, working into the back of the chain, sc across to where you first started. You don't have to join, but instead you can continue working around and around (in either sc or hdc) until you get the bag as tall as you'd like. You should end on one side of the bag so that you can continue with the strap from this point. To be honest, I'm not sure how I made the strap. It was about 4 sts that I joined into a ring and just kept crocheting around and around until it was the length that I wanted. I decreased the 4 sts down to 1 st and made a short chain for a buttonhole loop. Attach the other end to one side of the bag, sew a button onto the inside of the opposite side. I added the fun fur after the bag was complete by starting 2 rows down and, using 2 strands together (each end of the ball) I crocheted around the post of the stitch until I reached the top of the bag. Cut yarn and weave in ends.

What I'm reading/listening to now

I'm back from vacation...time to post!

I have enjoyed the past several days visiting with my sister, Gina and her daughter, Devan. They haven't been here since Gina's wedding three years ago. They used to live here nine years ago but moved back to Hawaii when Gina began nursing school. I forgot just how much I missed Gina until she left yesterday. We are thisclose and it hurts to live so far from eachother.

We did a lot of shopping (of course) and went on a little excursion to
Bonnie Springs, which, back in the 50's was a little place for the entertainers on the Las Vegas Strip to go for relaxation. Now it's just a mock ghost town and petting zoo with actors performing a hanging and shoot-out. Here is a picture of Gina (L) and Devan (R) at Bonnie Springs.

Saturday, August 06, 2005

Mom's Birthday/Chris' Pre-K Graduation

Here are two of my beautiful sisters and our Mom on her birthday in May. L to R: Joslyn, Gina & Mom. Gina is currently visiting me and brought these pictures with her. Oh yeah, I got my laptop back from Gateway and so far everything is working just fine. Cross your fingers!


Here is my baby, Christoper at his Pre-Kindergarten graduation from La Petite Academy. He is so excited to start Kindergarten in the fall.

2 Socks on Magic Loop

I've done many socks on the magic loop but never both at the same time. I know some people have started them both at the same time but I just couldn't get the hang of it. I actually had to go out and buy another set of Addis so I could start them both separately and alternate between the two. After getting a few inches done, I decided to put them both on the same 40" needle and complete them at the same time. No more worrying that they will turn out the same length. No more SSS (2nd sock syndrome).


Since I like to watch TV while knitting, I thought it was a good idea to put stitch markers between the socks to remind me to drop the yarn from sock #1 and pick up the yarn for sock #2.


This is my new project bag that I got for $12 with a 40% off coupon at Michael's. It's really cute. The inside of the bag is divided into two sections. Attached to the center divider is a flap with an eyelet that you can thread your yarn through. The sections are deep and large enough so that you can hold a skein of yarn and put your small project into the other section. There is also a pocket in the front for supplies and there are elastic loops inside to hold my straight needles.