Another Downton-related post!

And yes, this is the weakest of connections, but I still wanted to include it.  I had fun playing with some new knitting accessories recently, and since I used them for the first time on the Downton KAL, I feel that I can include it all together.  Besides, it's my blog.  I'll post what I want :)

First up, some new stitch markers.  One set of lobster claw ones (the watermelons) and one set of beaded drops (the purple and orange - surprisingly cute $1 beads from Wal-Mart!).  Nothing much more to say, really.  I just wanted to show them off  :)

 

The other new stitch markers are simple rings.  I found a bag of assorted colored jump rings at a big box-type craft store (Michael's or Hobby Lobby, can't remember which).  Too much fun to pass up.  So, using simple silver beads (most of them are spacer beads), I made a sizable number of simple larger stitch markers.  Just opened the rings and added the silver accent over the opening. They are light and pretty snagless, both very important when working with any knitting, but especially when using the larger needles that these fit.  You definitely want lightweight stitch markers on projects like that!  And c'mon - hot pink!

 

The last new accessory is a new knitting bag set.  These are clearance too, for a bonus. I got the idea during the yarn crawl back in October.  I noticed a lot of very cute small project bags, and started making mental notes.  I didn't want to pay $25 for a basic drawstring bag, after all.  One style that I noticed added a grommet hole to their bags, to pass the yarn through.  YarnPop is the brand I saw, but upon looking for their website, I also found other brands and etsy sellers who used the same idea.  You pass the yarn through the opening, so that the skein stays in the bag, nice and clean, while you work on the project outside of the bag.  Helps keep the yarn clean, the skein from unraveling like crazy all over the place, and other nice perks.  I really liked the idea, but as I mentioned, paying $20 and up for a drawstring bag with a grommet just seemed excessive.

I had leftover grommets from adding one to my wallet (where I clip my carabiner with my keys).  Those grommets come in large packs, lemme tell you!  I needed one for my wallet, but they come in packs of about a dozen!  So, I had plenty to experiment with in creating a project bag.  All I needed was the cute bag! 

I found the bag I liked at Old Navy.  A clearance lunch bag, as a matter of fact.  $2.50!  So much easier on the wallet than $25.  Yes, it is a Velcro closure, but it's easy to feed the yarn through so that the Velcro won't catch.  And as a special plus?  There was a pencil case in matching material!  Can we say notions pouch?

To make my lunch bag into a project pouch, I added two grommet holes near the top, between the Velcro squares. The yarn can be fed through very easily, and if the grommets are installed properly (follow the directions on the package!), then the holes are pretty snag-free.  When you load everything back into bag, the flap of the lunch bag protects the yarn coming from the grommet and passing back into the bag.  Ta-da -  everything stays nice and neat!

So, there you go! A very simple alternative to fancy-shmancy store-bought bags.  To summarize:

1. Find a bag you like.
2. Purchase a set of grommets (or use some from your craft stash).  You can find these at most big-box craft or sewing stores.
3. Mark where you want your yarn holes to be.  You don't want them too close to any Velcro or zippers on the bag, to cut down on any snagging.  Also, it's nice to have the yarn protected when you're not using it, there there are any flaps to take advantage of.
4. Cut the bag at the marks, if necessary, to start the hole.  You probably will, if there's much thickness to the material - the grommets just don't punch through thick materials.
5. Follow the directions to install the grommets.  Hammer, hard surface, etc.  Nothing too complicated.
6. Enjoy!