Fee-Fi-F.O. Friday



My Winter Ice Bag

I am so thrilled with myself. I have slayed the hand-sewing giant, and have two new bags to show for my efforts.

Both bags were started last October or so. The knitting went fairly quickly – both are the same pattern, the Silver Lining bag, from Lion Brand Yarn’s Just Bags book. However, I let both sit in the process pile, while other more enticing projects took precedence because I knew I would need to sew. Ugh.

Then, inspiration in the form of a finish challenge appeared from the Ravelry Twist Collective group. A little less than two weeks to get any project(s) of one’s choice finished. It was just what I needed to screw up the courage to face the sewing monster.

It took me long intervals of hand-sewing over a solid three days to get these two bags completed. The Winter Ice Bag was first, and took the first day. It’s smaller (I modified the pattern slightly) and

only needed one lining to be prepped and then sewn to the knitted rectangular body of the bag. Once that was accomplished, I added the handles and snap, and eureka!

The Green over Blue Bag, however, was another matter. Not only is it bigger, but I also wanted to line the knit strap (yet another modification to the pattern, since I couldn’t find suede bag handles) so that I would avoid the stretch that occurs with all unlined knit bag straps. It was a fiddly, painstaking process, which was further disrupted by constantly snapping thread. Note to self: time to buy new stronger thread, pronto.

Nevertheless, determination and sheer stubbornness won the day – and bag number 3 for the year was completed on January 31, right on time for the Twist Collective Finish Fest deadline. And, I crafted from my shelf, since I've had this book since  the 2009 Stitches West event. 

Self-satisfied smiling ensues.

I am pretty proud of these bags. I don’t need to climb no stinkin’ beanstalk – I’ll just display my riches every time I use these bags – because I know what I’ve accomplished.

Accessorize on … and all that.


My Green Over Blue bag