Bron's Blog II

Pillow Talk

There ended up to be quite a bit more knitting to this pillow than I'd originally thought. But here it is - finally!

The back:

And a close-up of the side join:

The garter stripe you see on the back was my addition - I thought it would tie in the top flap with the rest of the pillow. Besides - I just got tired of cabling. ::wink::

Stats:

Pattern - "Beachcombing" from Inspired Cable Knits.
Needles - size 7 KP Options.
Yarn - Primarily Pakucho cotton, the aqua stripe is Katia Pisco.
Buttons - Shell from my stash.
Changes - I added the garter stripe on the back and I did find myself meandering a bit with the cables. It's very easy to go your own way with the pattern and kind of fun too.

Final thoughts: This is very earthy, very organic, and I like it a lot. The knitting was easy (although there seemed to be an inordinate amount of it!), which lends itself well to a bit of Zen contemplation as you work. One caveat: The pillow form I had here at the house is too poofy for the pillow, so I'll probably end up replacing it at a later date.

Yeah - I'm satisfied. ::Grin:::

A Little Of This, A Little Of That

Yesterday, I was notified by email that the sweater pattern I'd been waiting for, Simple Knitted Bodice (by Glampyre) was finally available for purchase through Stitch Diva, I immediately grabbed a copy & will print it out today to peruse at my leisure. The construction is interesting - top down - and I really love those lace inserts! I'll be doing the long-sleeved version. :)

I also got a good look at the Fall Interweave preview yesterday. Check out the Wanderlust Hoodie. See the cabling? Got it firmly in mind? Now take a look at this sweater I knit from Vogue last year. Deja vu all over again, eh? Of course, it has to be the same designer, I was just too lazy to hunt through my Vogues to double-check. I really like the pattern done on a larger scale, but since I've already been there & done that, I'll probably take a pass on Wanderlust. Bummer!

To file under: Holy Cow! Yesterday, 5 skeins of Vanilla Cotton Ease sold on eBay for $46.30 plus around $6.50 to ship. Damn! That's over $10.50/skein. And to think, I balked at buying those "Learn to Knit" kits with only one skein of Vanilla CE for $6.00 at Tuesday Morning. Silly me!

On to progress. Beachcombing:

Although I think I'll rename it, "Desert Sands."

Here's two knits with one pic - Fishtail and Scoop Du Jour:

Obviously I'm still at the "let's knit a little bit on everything" stage so there isn't progress by leaps & bounds. Sometime in the next couple of days I'll pick one to concentrate on & get down to it. ::Grin::

I really, really, really want to start on this sweater I showed you yesterday:

But I want to finish one knit other knit project before I do.

Ah, well - anticipation is good, right? ::grin::

Today is the last day of the summer program for the kids. Enrollment for pre-registered students is the 3rd, then it's a week and a half of desperately trying to pretend our vacation isn't coming to an end before poof! It does. Sigh.

Have a great weekend!

So, What About Sandra?

Who out there has knit patterns from Sandra? Do you get a subscription? Buy it at your LYS? In your opinion, is it worth the $$?

I'm just starting to pay attention to Sandra (yes, I'm slow - please don't laugh ::wink::) and lots of patterns look intriguing. It's interesting, though, that I don't really hear much about Sandra "must-knits" in blogland. Of course, I only read about 120 blogs regularly out of the thousands available. I'm probably just not reading the right ones!

I picked up a couple of issues from One Fine Yarn (which, I'll say again, is a wonderful on-line shop) and found several very real possibilites. From the most recent issue (July/August 2006) and the reason I purchased the magazine:

I think it's the coolest thing ever. I love the smocking in particular. I've been wanting to try my hand at it & this looks like the perfect pattern. I've never put a zipper in a handknit before either so this would be a two birds with one stone project. Seriously - it's moving right up my "to-do" list to the top three. I'm even thinking Bubblegum Cotton Ease - what a surprise, eh?

Here's another bit of pink prettiness:

Love the lace panel on the front. I even have a pink camisole that I could wear underneath. And, lo and behold, some Strawberry Cream CE that would fit the bill. :::Grin:::

From Sandra June, 2005, I found:

That's another CE candidate - I really like the lines on this one.

Here's a possibility for my Elann Esprit - instead of Knitty's Tempting II (for the KAL over at Sexy Knitters - see link on my sidebar):

But it's best saved until I've lost another 15 or so pounds. ::wink:: But I do like that neckline much better than Tempting II's and it's much easier to knit!

This is probably too Haight Ashbury even for this Hippie wannabe:

But I love the sleeve detail:

I need to file that idea away for future reference. :)

Yes - of course I ordered more Cotton Ease when I was told about Smiley's sale (see link to Smiley's waaaaay down on my sidebar 'cause I'm being lazy with linkage today) but I didn't get enough to make minimum, so I added some other yarn to make this:

I've had this pattern leaflet forever. In fact, I think I've mentioned this project here once before. (Leisure Arts Leaflet 2194 if anyone is interested.) But I've moved this to the front burner - as soon as my yarn arrives, I'll start. I ordered Lily Elite Cotton in Moss. I choose the color mainly because I don't have a green sweater other than the "Audrey" bulky one I just finished. I threw away the green lacey cardi I made a couple of years ago - the yarn was so ancient it was starting to break and besides, I just didn't like it any more! This is a pattern from the early 90's, but it's very "me" and I think I'll get a lot of use out of it. After all, I'm all about funky lace!

I've made progress on several projects - details next time!

Hold On To Your Hats

This is the post wherein I don't talk about starting another sweater.

Oops! Steady on...I know it's a shock ... push back from the computer & put your head between your legs. Take some deep breaths. The vertigo will pass.

There! Better now? ::grin::

Thanks for all the comments on Stacy yesterday. I promise to reserve judgment until after a good washing (and stretching) and until the temps drop below 80. So I'll check back in 'round about September, ok? :)

A couple of days ago my plea for some sage green Pakucho cotton was answered by Jillian. She happened to have a bit over 50g in her stash which she popped in the mail:

It's just a bit, but it was plenty for me to use with my pillow. It just goes to show that with stashes, every little bit counts, eh? One knitter's leftovers are another knitter's treasure & all that jazz. Thanks again, Jillian! Here's what you enabled me to start:

This is the first 34 row pattern repeat completed. I decided to go ahead & use my Katia Pisco Aqua as one of the stripes - the contrast isn't too sharp and it rather looks like a stream running through the sand dunes, doesn't it? Here's a close-up:

When I started this yesterday I was surprised how meditative this knitting is because I'm usually not one to knit for knitting's sake. As I've said before, I want the product, not the process. But this pillow is different and I find I'm enjoying it. As Fiona Ellis says in her "mindfulness pointer" for this pattern: "Let the knitting flow and be mindful of the patterns you are creating, like those raked in the sand of a Zen garden." She encourages the knitter to deviate from her set pattern and see where the knitting takes you. Very interesting.

I'm enjoying her pattern too - very simple to follow and easy to knit. Now I'm looking forward to making a larger project from Inspired Cable Knits very soon.

Needle Note: I'm again using my size 7 Options and am totally loving the "cabling with cotton" experience. The pointy tips make crossing cables easy peasy and the sometimes sticky Pakucho is gliding wonderfully. I twist & turn my needles quite a bit when cabling and the tips are still firmly attached to the cords. They've passed another Bron test with flying colors. ::Grin::

These needles aren't perfect for everyone - I've read complaints about their weight, the needles unscrewing, etc. - but they're certainly a dream come true for me. (See - the company should pay me for endorsements like this! ha!)

It's been hot enough to melt wax outside, so I decided to do the same inside and try out my new Pourette molds. Here's a two-toned tapered candle that's complete with a bit of lavender essential oil inside:

FYI: In order to speed up the wax-setting process for the first color I pour, I put ice cubes in my water bath. Depending on the size of the mold, I'm ready to pour the second layer within 20 to 40 minutes. That way I don't have to spend quite so much time in the kitchen, keeping the second layer of wax melted while waiting for the first to set!

Here is my pride & joy:

Forgive the wax bits & seams - I took these pics before I completed smoothing down the edges.

I wanted my gargoyle to look like he was made from stone and I really think I achieved that. It looks exactly like the "Mexican Onyx" statues we used to buy on trips down to Mexico. (I think they were actually carved agate.) I used two colors - sand and smoke. I think I'll go a bit darker with my next one but stay with a two-toned look. Of course Dylan wants one all in black to "guard his room" so I'll need to pour that one soon too. :::wink:::

I'm really getting excited about making candles as Xmas gifts. Of course, not everyone would want a gargoyle as a present, so I'm off again to Pourette to order a few more molds. At around $4 a mold, they give a lot of bang for little bucks!

Stay cool!

Well....Crap.

Gee - that title can refer to lots of things. Hehe. Right now, it's referring to Stacy (sorry dear):

(Although it's very cool how Stacy matches that skirt, eh? I hadn't realized until I happened to be wearing the skirt while finishing the top!)

OK - other than making me look like a tank, the reason I say "crap" is ...well...

Hold on to your seats, I'm about to pontificate about crocheted wearables. Strong opinions ahead, read at your discretion.

When Doug came home and I showed him Stacy, he picked it up & said, "Hey - this feels like..what's it called...the stuff knights wear...chain mail!" And therein he hit the nail on the head.

This is just over the "too-heavy-to-wear-as-a-crocheted-top" line. We all know that line is there, it's just that many crocheters live in denial and refuse to admit it.

One of the criticisms I hear from die-hard knitters "against" crochet is that most crocheted wearables resemble rugs...or hot pads...or chain mail. ::wink:: You know what? Depending on the yarn used, that's an extremely valid criticism.

May the gods save me from tank tops made from Red Heart and a size H hook.

I have often said that crochet meant to be worn as a top (no-sleeves, short-sleeves, camis) can NOT be made with anything over a dk weight yarn. If you go bigger, unless it's an incredibly slinky, ribbony, melt-through-your-fingers, $35.00-per-skein-on-sale yarn, you're going to end up with a couple of pieces of cardboard to wear. No drape, no fit, no pizazz.

This much is true, too: A yarn that is too heavy for a crocheted top will be just fine knitted.

Hey - don't shoot the messenger, ok? Ya'll know it's true! No matter what the yarn, as long as it's the same type, stockinette/garter knitting will produce a finer, drapier fabric than single crochet. Always.

And that's not bad! Knitters-Against-Crochet use this fact as a mega weapon in their arsenal but it's not a valid argument at all. Once you understand that crochet wearables need a lighter hand, then it's all good. :) You can save the bulkier yarns & larger hooks for hoodies & cardis & coats, and break out your size C & D hooks for the camis & halters & tees. :)

So - back to Stacy. You might notice that the neckline is a little higher than it's supposed to be. Here it is when I'd finished according to the directions:

It looks exactly like the picture in the book, but I knew it was going to be a little too wide across the shoulders for me. I hate the feeling that one or both sleeves are going to fall at any minute. So I went back and did 4 more rounds at the top, decreasing at each side of the 4 raglan seams (8 times per row) and ended up with what you see in the top pic. Perfect...if the top was light enough to wear!

Ok...ok...maybe I'll feel differently in a couple of months when it's not so dang hot outside & I'm not sweating buckets just pulling the thing over my head. Maybe. I'll at least agree to pack it away & reserve my absolute final judgment until ...say....October.

Stats:

Pattern - "Stacy" from Cool Crochet
Yarn - Classic Elite's "Flash" in Crocus - 9 skeins.
Hook - G
Changes - The neckline, that's it. I crocheted the 39" size and it came out right on spec.

Final thoughts: "Flash" is a worsted weight yarn & I really should've known better. A little bit of that crocheter's denial was alive & well Albuquerque. Sigh. But the model in the book looked so happy, so carefree, so cool - I deluded myself into thinking I'd look just like her. We've all been there & we all know how that particular fantasy ends up! hehe

Final, final thought: Maybe I've exaggerated how bad this looks to make a point. It probably isn't as awful as "crap." Maybe "vaguely disappointed???"

Final, final, final thought: I mentioned that I made this top before - about two years ago - and never wore it. Now that this Stacy is done, I seem to remember that I pronounced the last one "too heavy to wear." Sigh - Now I can add selective memory to my crocheter's denial. I'm batting 1000.

Next time: The kindness of knitting buds, the start of something beautiful, and candle-mania.

As The Days Grow Short 'Til School Begins....

....I'm knitting & crocheting as fast as I can. I decided to concentrate on "Stacy" this weekend and I managed to get the front & back done. (They aren't two different colors - it's just the bad lighting last night):

I'll have this finished today - the sleeves won't take me too long. :)

Interesting note: I made this pattern two years ago and crocheted the 48" size. This time, I'm making the 39". What a difference time and a little will power make, eh?

In case you were burning with curiosity, I decided on the Dusty Lavender. To make my $40.00 free shipping, I included the little size tags for the Options line and another cord - the longest one this time. Oh yeah - and size 6 needle tips.  That should complete what I consider my set. ::grin::

Because..would you believe...I picked up Scoop Du Jour the other day (Cotton Ease on size 8 Denises) and after knitting Ballet Cami on the Options needles, the Denises felt....sticky. You know..kinda slow. I never would've thought I'd be saying that out loud on this blog.

I feel like I'm cheating on my wife (poor Denise!) with an Options hooker. Sigh.

Yeah - I feel guilty, but I'm still waiting until I get my replacement size 8 Options needle to knit any more on Scoop. The speed is just so....seductive. I can't help myself.::wink::

Also, please join me in sending fast knitting mojo toward Alexandra and this sweater. She needs to finish so I can get my grubby little hands on that pattern. (I need that pattern!)

Knit like the wind, Alexandra!!!

Finally, I don't know why you had kids, but I had mine to provide a little slave labor. Here are my two after diligently scrubbing my filthy car:

Happy Monday!

Did You Ever Hate A Fiber

...with every fiber of your being?

That's where I am with Classic Elite's Zelda:

It's a combination of the wool/linen scratching my hands and the thick/thin thing that's driving me insane. I can't even glance up from my hands in case I miss a thread-like stitch:

And this is just the back! When I contemplate finishing this, then knitting two fronts & two sleeves, I want to run screaming into the night. Remember how I bitched & moaned about making this for my Bio-Mom? How I hated knitting every single stitch of that mohair? (Psssst....she hasn't worn it once! She says mohair tends to be to hot for NM weather. Aaaargh!) Well, even though this is another project for my Bio-Mom and even though I freakin' offered it to her, I've decided to swallow my guilt & scrap it. This yarn is going on eBay and I'm going to make/buy her something else for her B-day. It's just not worth putting myself through the torture, you know? I'd like to think I'm maturing a bit - being able to say "no" in my crafting once in awhile.

What about you? Any yarns that you absolutely abhor?

This, however....this makes me very, very happy:

This is the Katia Idea Jeans I purchased awhile back to make this pattern. I started it yesterday and found I really didn't like the lace pattern at all once I started knitting it. (It's too bad they don't offer close-ups, eh?) So I decided to use one of my favorites, Horseshoe or Fishtail lace:

This will be another sweater of rectangles but there will be bead involvement. Lots of beads. I'm thinking at the lace points, around the neck line & on the ties. I really like how fast this is going and how the ombre is playing out. And hey - it's another purple project for July! I'm really doing great with Project Spectrum. ::wink::

I finished my jet necklace:

I included hematite beads from a necklace Doug bought me years ago but I never wore. I figure now I can use the beads in different projects and enjoy them, rather than have the necklace sit, gathering dust. The jet & hematite are both incredibly grounding - I get a good feeling when wearing it.

We're off to see "RV" at the dollar movies today - we need to enjoy what's left of our summer. Both the boys AND I go back to school in 3 short weeks!

Heads up: Knit Picks is having a "yard sale."  Damn - I'm tempted to buy enough of the Main Line for a cardi - as long as the wool isn't against my skin it'll be fine and that price is really tempting!!!

 

Alexandra, You Rock

Once I split for the back & front, Ballet Camisole went very, very quickly:

I did make a couple of changes when I got to the neck line. One, I obviously didn't gather the front. I fully intended to, but when I test-gathered I realized it was a little too revealing & I'd intended for this to be work-wearable. But then, I didn't want to have just a plain tank! I decided to add wee chain loops for the barest hint of a ruffle:

Plus it make a nice finish to the edges. (Obviously, my knit-in-the-round/knit-flat gauge issues evened out on their own. You really can't tell where I switched styles on the front - whew! Obviously, I need to practice some things a bit more, eh?)

Here's a shot of the waist shaping:

Today Ballet Cami gets blocked a bit, then she's ready to go!

On to the stats:

Pattern - Ballet Camisole I pretty much knit this as written, although I used a size 7 needle (which is what the Saucy ball band called for) so I knit a size smaller (the 38) to get where I wanted to be. A couple inches of negative ease is written into the pattern, so you need to take that into consideration too before changing sizes/gauges. I really don't futz with Alexandra's patterns - she's already done all the futzing herself. ;) Good job, Alexandra!

Yarn - Reynolds "Saucy" - 3 1/4 skeins in a dusty rose. As cottons go, this is more unforgiving than most. In fact, for the first time ever, my hands ached a bit after knitting long periods with this stuff. Obviously, cotton blends have spoiled me. It's been awhile since I've knit with 100% cotton. Even then, the 100% cottons I've used generally don't have this stiff, rope-like construction. Jill  - it wasn't you - it was the yarn! I doubt I'll ever use it again.

Needles - This was my first full project using KP's Options line and they performed perfectly. They didn't unscrew from the joins (although remember - you HAVE to use the key to tighten the needle tips on the cords! Otherwise, just like the Boye interchangeables, they'll come apart!) and my knitting fairly flew on the their Addi-like finish. The sharp points are to-die-for. It made picking up stitches, twisting them, knitting them together, etc. a breeze. As I said before, I still push the tips when I knit a stitch, but the sharpness doesn't bother my fingertips at all. I'm still getting used to the longer needle length after using my Denises for so long. I'm used to being able to "palm" the needle - have it hit right in them middle - and the Options are longer. But that's minor & just a personal preference so I'll adjust. ::wink:: The squishy, thin cords are perfection. Sigh. :)

I did miss being able to add cords, slide my knitting over & immediately have it on a stitch holder, but maybe someday those precious cord connectors will be manufactured.

Final thoughts: I can still gather the front later on if I choose. In fact, after I lose another 20 or so pounds, it might be just the ticket to keeping this wearable. I'm thinking the little edging makes this look very camisole-y and sewing little pink pearl buttons down the front might add to the look. Kind of like a real Victorian cami. What do you all think?

Edited to add: If you DO order KP's Options line, make sure that you try screwing on every needle to the cord. After reading about one person's problems (the hole in the needle was too big) I tried mine and sure enough, the size 8 needle's hole was too small to screw onto the cord. I just called Knit Picks and they're sending a replacement out today.

A Good Mail Day & Project Talk

I also had a good day at the Optometrist's. I was fitted for and wore contacts yesterday for the first time in 15 years and it was a good thing. Peripheral vision? Check. Mid-range/Computer screen vision restored? Check. A really, really weird feeling not to have glasses perched on nose? Double check.

My kids have never seen me for any period of time without glasses - they are really freaked. I had contacts when Doug & I first met, but went to glasses when the babies came so he'll need to get used to the new look too. My first stop when I left the Dr.'s was B&N to pick up a pair of reading glasses, 'cause I really do miss my bifocals, even though they were the lowest strength available.

Since I have one nearsighted & one farsighted eye the Dr. was talking about just correcting my farsighted eye & leaving the other alone for monovision - where one eye sees far away & the other close up. I'm sure it works just fine, but I decided that correcting both & having reading glasses were the way to go for me. :)

I was home in time to get package from the mailman. I'm SO going to pour a gargoyle candle over the weekend:

I have two shades of gray wax coloring and two shades of brown, so I'll try for a mottled effect. I really liked these two new molds too:

I'm going to make lots of skulls for Halloween and that tapered pyramid will make a great gift. :)

I also received this from Jennifer:

I purchased the 20 skeins of vanilla Pakucho she had and she included lovely knitter's cards in the package. Thanks, Jennifer! She's off right now for two weeks in the UK - lucky, lucky Jennifer!

I'm excited because now I think I have enough cotton to make my pillow. Here are the shades:

I don't think I'll ever find the Pakucho in sage green, so I'm putting in aqua Katia Pisco that's leftover from my tank. It's a little bright, but (I hope!) close enough to get a pillow somewhat like the one in Inspired Cable Knits. I'll cast on for it as soon as Ballet Cami is complete.

Here's yesterday's progress:

I'm a couple of inches into the back and was reminded (rather obviously) why I'm not a big fan of knitting in the round. Although I pride myself on even, gauge-defying knitting, I, like a lot of knitters, knit much differently in the round than flat. It's pretty obvious in this pic:

Those purling rows really tighten up my knitting - and even it up too! ha! It'll be ok once it's washed & everything settles, but such a big difference still bugs the hell out of me. Sigh. Of course, knitting top down raglans avoids this issue so maybe when it comes to knitting in the round, I'll stick to that style.

Last, but not least, Nat pointed out yesterday that the knitting basket fix I was describing sounded like when Australians call a laundry hamper! Well.....duh! The light bulb came on. They call them that here too and I'm being silly for trying to reinvent the wheel. I'm going to search for a new knitting basket soon - probably in the laundry basket aisle! It'll certainly save me a lot of work. Thanks, Nat!

Um...Ya Know...Stuff!

Sometimes the eloquence of my blog titles amazes even me. ::wink::

*** The boys caught nary a fish. In fact, no-one in the group of 15 or so managed to bring home a prize. Dylan said it might've had something to do with the kids continually shouting across the pond. "Hey! Dude! Check out this frog!" "Yo! I got a bite!!" Talk about scaring the fish away! Dylan said he & Colin were quiet, but it didn't help in the general din.

     Eh - they'll learn. Evidently they DID learn a lot about snagged lines, lost hooks/bobbers/sinkers, and how to re-tie all of them back on the line. hehehe Dylan alone lost 5 bobbers and countless hooks.

***Today I'm getting my contacts! Woohoo! I can't wait. I'm hoping they're in stock & I can just walk out of the office with lenses in my eyes & bitchin' sunglasses on my face. The pair of sunglasses I really, really wanted is at the Dr.'s office and cost....wait for it.....$188.00. Ahem. Probably NOT going to get them, but they are the coolest things EVER! My Bio-Mom just bought a $300 pair of Versace sunglasses....the urge must run in the family. hehe

***I found a pretty cool way to lower my calories & be sure of the amount I'm eating. Believe it or not, the diet that came with my Ab Lounge is balanced, healthy and comes in one week increments from 1200 calories/day all the way up to 2000/day. I'm starting my first week with 1600 (to ease back in without starving!) then I'll do 1500, then 1400. That's probably as low as I'll go since I'm exercising so much & so often. I'll check back in after a month. :)

***Ever graceful, I managed to spill Diet Pepsi in my knitting basket last night. Luckily for me, it could've been much worse. As it was, the only casualty was several yards of the Saucy I'm using for Ballet Cami. I cut the soaked bit out & that was that. The rest of my projects were spared save for a splash here & there. I put everything out on the couch to dry over night. However, when pulling everything out of my Krate King to clean it, I realized just how filthy the thing was. All the little pockets on the sides were filled with dust & dog hair. Yuck! I didn't use the pockets for anything, but still! Until I figure something out, my projects will be housed in just the "Krate":

What I want is something this size with a lid - so dust & dog hair don't accumulate. I don't even need pockets, since I have a notions holder. I'm thinking I should cover this with quilted fabric & cover a piece of thin plywood for the lid. I could do a couple of straps at the side for hinges & be good to go. :)

***I did a really dumb thing when I started "Stacy." In fact, I don't think I've ever done it before, so it's a new level in dumbness. I looked at the pattern, decided on the size, then blithely proceeded to crochet the next size down. I was almost to the armhole decreases when I figured out what I'd done. (All along I'd thought it was looking awfully small!) Sooooo....Stacy is being re-crocheted in the correct size now, directly from the old piece. New project on the bottom, old one on the top:

Yeah - you can see there's a wee size difference. (Sheesh!)

***On the other hand, Ballet Cami is proceeding nicely. Here she is at 13":

What can I say? I want to wear this with my pink sunglasses so I'm highly motivated. ::Grin::: I've one more increase round left, then it's another inch until I split for the front & back. This has been a great pattern so far - fast & fun to knit.

I'll give some of the credit to those Knit Picks Options too. After knitting a considerable bit on very unforgiving (read: tough & stringy) yarn, I want all those needle tip "pushers" out there to take heart: the sharp tips to NOT continue to hurt your fingers. In fact, I just noticed it the first few rounds - after that, your fingertips get used to it and you're fine. I read that a few people taught themselves not to push in reaction to the tips and that's great if you want to do that. But if you're a die-hard push-the-tip-through-the-stitch gal like myself don't worry - you don't have to change. :)

I ordered the final few needle tips & cords I wanted so I should be good to go. I need to find something to hold them, though...something better than a Zip Lock baggie. Since it's back to school, I'll probably go the easy route & get those little zippered bags.

Then again....I could just sew something....elastic to hold the needle tips, pockets for the cords. Hmmmmmm....