FO: Ms. Poppins

AKA, Mom’s incredibly late birthday present. Well, I’m finally getting around to telling you about it. I started working on the pattern for the Ms. Poppins bag nearly 6 months before her birthday and finished about a month late. Yay me! But I had reasons! She told me to make this for her “when I got good enough” just as I was starting to knit. Well, the whole thing is in stockinette, so I could do that. I was so excited to get started. I bought my first skeins of “fancy” yarn at the first yarn shop I’d ever been to. I also had my first round of sticker shock there too, but that’s to be expected. Then, in the height of my exuberance, I cast on! Mesmerized by pretty, pretty yarn and the feeling of accomplishment at tackling a bag so soon after learning a new craft, I slowly became aware of the honking huge ache in my hands. Dude, this crap was heavy and I was using the only pair of 10.5s I had: two long straight needles. I didn’t know any better. Plus, the thrill of stockinette soon turned to complete, mind-numbing boredom. It was then that love turned to hate and doomed this snappy little bag to a lifetime of backseats and sideways glances. Then I realized that it was going to be late. Crap. In my haste, I bought a pair of circs to ease the pain in my hands and grudgingly knit away.

But! I did get to make my own purse handles! I got excited about the idea of making them and had a plan and everything! That took just over a day and I think they turned out pretty well.

Since I’m such an awesome daughter, not only did I tell my mom that it was going to be late, I also declared I wasn’t going to finish it. I thought it would be better for her to finish it to her own tastes. This was the honest reason though obviously tinged by hatred! and laziness. So happy birthday, mom. Here’s your assemble-your-own-purse kit. Complete with extra yarn so you can finish it yourself, purse handles, a cooler than shit button, and a tin of breath mints. Pattern? Oh, I’ll get that send that to you soon. Really. Only I didn’t and she had to search for it herself.

I promise she loves me. That’s the only reason she hasn’t throttled me yet. And to prove her love, she even wrote me a guest post! So here, in her own words, you can read about the second half of this poor purse’s life.

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My #2 daughter surprised me with a package in the mail last week. It was the finished, knitted parts to a bag I had asked her to  make me when I first found out she was learning to knit.

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I was so excited when I saw it! I LOVE IT. I don’t know what yarn she used but it was a perfect choice.* Color and weight. I had wanted something heavy because I’m extremely hard on everything I own- especially handbags and the color– well, I’m a “fall” gal…. any shade, every shade.

(Bag Parts)hahaha sounds like bagpipes! 

So, yesterday I finally finished a crochet project I’d been working on and pulled out all the materials I needed to get started finishing my Ms Poppins bag.

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Luckily, I had some brown, heavy weight fabric in the ole stash bin for my lining. I took my bag measurements, cut out the lining along with a pocket and got to sewing. I had the lining finished in about 10-15 min. THEN, I actually took the time to block the bag piece! When it was ready, I whip stitched the sides together, inserted the lining and hand sewed that down.

She (#2) had given me a bit of extra yarn, so I found my center and crocheted a loop for the beautiful button that she’d included in my package. Then I sewed on the button and handles and WALAA– my finished “surprise” bag. 

I love how it turned out and will use it FOREVER.  The only thing I would change if I got another one for summer use (hint, hint) is that I’d read the online pattern finishing instructions first.  I didn’t follow theirs but who cares! I love my new bag. Thank you so much “Blue”. It’s a wonderful gift and I know how long and hard you worked on it. You must really love me!   Well, DITTO.

* I held together a strand of Lamb’s Pride Wool in Espresso and a strand of Berroco Foliage.

Make sure to check out my mom’s blog full of her own crafty adventures at M’Lady’s Ponderings.