monk's travel satchel

[JoHunter]

Ne, what sort of stitch did you do for your swatch?  if it's stocking stitch and it's as sturdy as you say maybe you won't need to experience the horrors of 76 inches of moss stitch.  Even making it smaller I'm having to do at least 60 inches. 

[renrig210]

i used stst for my swatch and it was nice and sturdy.  I don't really mind moss, but I do usually switch to feeding with my left hand instead of throwing with my right for it.  It tends to be a touch faster to flick the yarn that way.

I probably won't do moss just because I tend to think it looks a bit crafty, but I was thinking I'd jazz it up in some way.  Haven't figured out how yet, but miles of stst(yawn) is a gaurantee that I won't finish what I start so I have to do something. 

[JoHunter]

I'm thinking of maybe doing a simple cable for the strap (the actual strap part not the sides or bottom) which would hopefully make it sturdier as well.  Do you have any pictures of your felted swatch?

[renrig210]

This is the felted swatch for the bag.  IT has a nice nubby texture even though it's St st.

[JoHunter]

Ooo, I love that colour Ne, on my monitor it looks light-pinkish or salmony.  I read on your blog you'll match it up with brown and lime green, sounds like it'll be gorgeous kind of feminine too.  The ones I've seen are a bit nuetral or masculine, makes me want to get some lovely purply or pink colours for my B colour.

[renrig210]

it's kind of an orange with a slant towards the pinky side.  Very tiger lily in color.   Pretty much anything I do is going to get a shot of orange.   

I can't wait to see more photos from everyone else!

[linsky]

Although I've got a HUGE list of things to knit over the holidays, I think I'm going to have to make one of these bags too.

I'm a little concerned about the durability of making it out of wool, or even a cotton wool blend.  Do you think using 8ply craft cotton, dyed to the colours that I want, would be more durable?

[renrig210]

well, it'll be heavier.  It will hold up well, but it's still going to not hold it's shape and small things will fall through unless you line it.  And if you are lining it anyway, your outside material doesn't matter much so it's all personal opinion at that point.

[mikan]

well, how's the knitting/swatching/felting going everyone?  I'm about 30in into the strap but certainly wish I was further!  I'm daydreaming of some embelishment ideas- maybe running stitch added along the seams or something simple but a little more than what the pattern has.  I might change the closure design some too, but we'll see...
Try as I may, my edges are somewhat inconsistant still, do you think that will be lessened once I block my pieces?  since I'll be lining it I'm considering folding one stich under on the exposed part of the strap, sewing the lining on with little stiches and then doing a decorative running or backstitch through the fabric and knitting along both edges.  any ideas on that?

[minanina]

I've almost finished the front, it's going to be a little bit smaller then it should have been, but still big enough. And since I get bored knitting the same thing over and over again I've knitted the strap. It's about 120 cm long. I'll post pictures later, the colors turned out to be really great.
Mikan, I'll change the closure design, too, but I have no idea into what. Maybe I'll add a zipper as closing or two snappers. I'm not sure. Luckily I do not have to decide it right now, it's going to take me some more time untill I'm finished with knitting. 
And I'm going to line it with some nice fabric, seewing the fabric on the bottom side of the strap making it stronger and not so stretchy, so it can carry more weight.