Head in the sand

How do you know that knitting has taken over your life?

1. You overhear this new game:

Miss 8 (holding her knitting): Hi, I'm Leslie, also known as udont-call-me-les. 

Miss 5 (sitting beside her sister, holding her orange finger-knitting): Hi, I'm Laura, also known as Lala.

Miss 8: Welcome to the Knitgirllls!

2. On holiday your daughter's new friend points out that you are knitting next to the pool and your daughter tells her: "Yeah, she's knitting. That's pretty much all she does."

How do you know that knitting has attacked?

1. You are addicted to knitting podcasts like The Knitmore Girls and say things like "knitting attacks" (I guess that is probably an answer to 1. Oh well.)

2. You have not one, not two, but THREE nearly-but-not-quite finished women's cardigans that you've unpicked more than you've actually knit and they're making you go nuts...

So, what do you do?

You deny you have a problem. You embrace knitting and all it's lovely accessories, dust off your sewing machine, and make a bunch of new sweater-sized project bags in which to hide your cardigans and any other ambitious projects you've cast on in your frenzied stint of startitis at the beginning of the summer. Phew!

First, I made a funky denim box bag using my tutorial. Don't you just love the wee girls on the zip pull? You can do it too - just find a cute ribbon and loop it through the end of the zipper.

Next I made a pretty raspberry gingham, lined drawstring bag using this great tutorial. (Note, mine is 14' / 35.5cm tall, a lot larger than the example in the tutorial)

Then I varied it a little by leaving out the extra fabric at the top. I just love this vintage-inspired gingham and lemon print :)

And, lastly, I designed my own drawstring bag. This one is also lined but has a round bottom so that it sits really nicely. I originally bought this green monkey stretch knit to make pj's for the kids, but had to pinch some for this bag. Cute huh?

It's lovely to be back! Autumn is truly upon us here in the UK and I've got lots to share with you... in the meantime.... back to those jolly cardigans...