Somewhere to put my crap!

- What do you got in that purse of yours? Rocks?

- Oh no, bricks. I've been paving my garden...

Roger and Anita - 101 Dalmatians (1996)

My purse was dying. Look at that poor thing...

Those handles were a few more tugs away from unraveling into oblivion! This just wouldn't do. Buying a new purse wouldn't do either. You can only replace a handmade purse with another handmade purse. It's a rule... that I just made up.

I decided to improve on this purse with my next one. I wanted something a little smaller so it doesn't get so full of stuff. Also pockets! I can never find my phone or a pen in my purse. Something had to be done about that.

I just winged the pattern for the knitting portion. The base is just standard garter stitch. I worked it until it looked right and then picked up stitches all around it on my circulars and just worked my way up.

The handles just involved binding off stitches and then on the next row casting on more and knitting until they were big enough.

EASY PEASY !

But then I had to line it... Ugh.

I am a terrible seamstress. TERRIBLE. I can do it but it's messy and rushed and I get so frustrated and sweaty. Obviously it's worth it in the end, but still. UGH!

I used the ever amazing Futuregirl tutorial for a bag liner. It says for a crocheted bag (she made it for her Starling Bag) but it works great in my knit one too. As you can see this bag is pretty much a knit Starling. I figured that was fine since the bag I was replacing was my original Starling bag I made almost 4 years ago. That bad boy has been through a lot.

Anyways... the lining. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, honestly.

This portion will hold my phone and ipod. My ipod is cozy at home, my phone is taking photos.

PENS! I'll also shove needles in there a lot, I'm sure. I'll probably forget them too and stab myself when I reach in for something. That'll be fun!

Here it is all cozy in it's new home! The fabric is just stuff from Joann's. The yarn is from our LYS. It was a funky yarn that was super cheap and I couldn't resist it. It'll make a good purse as it won't show dirt at all! Time to swing it around at somebody.

>_>