knitting is a hereditary disease

A major repair challenge

Posted on 03/31/2008 by Barb | Comments (2)
Filed under : Knitting

Looking through back issues of various knitting magazines I came across a lovely bag I will make one day. The pattern is called "Vina Bag" and was written by Lucinda Guy. It's gorgeous. I saw it in Rowan Magazine 39.

Why not make it now? Well ... the colors and basic style reminded me that I already have a lovely bag. In the "needs fixing" bin.

I wish I could direct you to the pattern for this bag. I did this project maybe three years ago. I looked for the magazine it was published in last night but couldn't find it. I do know it's called “Snapper” and was written by Jeanette Trotman ... and I believe it was published in a Rowan magazine. I had made some modifications to her pattern: I customized the side panels, and made a full lining for it, added zippered pockets and a top zipper. But basically my bag looks very similar to her original pattern. And I love it.

Unfortunately, though, I loved the bag so much I consistently overloaded it, and eventually a thread in one of the handles broke. And of course it's fraying out.

I didn't see an obvious fix for the frayed handle, and decided I'd rather have one sturdy strap than two narrow ones. So yesterday I took it all apart. My plan is to use what was originally the side panels for a single wider handle to replace the double handles. I’ll try kitchener the two side panels together to get a long enough strap. Once I have the handle replaced, I’ll resize the lining so it fits the bag sans side panels, and sew it back in.