Shaving sari silk... (sunburst sling bag done!)

Sunburst Sling Bag finished
Medium size
Started: April 25, 2006
Finished: July 2, 2006
Sari Silk from Yarn Place, 3 - 8 oz balls
Addi US 8 (5mm) and 10.5 for binding off bag edges

What a difference a pair of scissors makes! You know you're in trouble when it takes longer to shave a bag than to seam it. (You didn't know you could get dating advice here, did you?)

I took a pair of scissors to the bag, clipping the stray "silk" strands and vacuuming the bag and the table as I went along. I like it much better now (you can see the old hairy closeups here). I can even see the garter ridges, and the pattern itself.


You can see a bit of "before & after" action-- I hadn't taken the scissors to the bag strap yet, just the panel.

I really like the pattern from JustOneMoreRow.com -- its really smart. I'd like to knit this again in some orange banana silk, or something. I don't even like bags :) It is a quick knit (even though it took me months to complete!), and uses short rows without wraps (I just can't hang with short row wraps). I followed the pattern exactly as written without any trouble, though the strap my be a few ridges longer than written, I lost track. I did use a US 10.5 needle to pick up and bind off the bag's edges though-- trying to bind off loosely in sari silk is hard and when I did it the 1st one on the US 8's I used for the body and strap, the panel edge was way too tight and curled inward.

This sari silk, like I said... not feeling the love. It isn't super twisty like some, it didn't shed, only about one break in the yarn per ball (not in the same color sequence, but who cares for this type of yarn)... but the hairiness is just a big turnoff. I hate that I had to take a pair of scissors to it. It was a good deal though ($18 on sale), and cleaned up well. Another "brand" from another vendor would be my first choice for knitting this pattern in sari silk, though.



I took this last nite after "shaving" one side panel. As I gathered it up to throw away, I was reminded of a boyfriend... we were making out, he jumped up and shaved off his beard, and we made out again-- so I could tell the difference. His beard in his hand looked like this (just a little less mardi gras). I prefered the beard though ;)

I decided to follow all yalls sage advice and not use an iron on interfacing. I decided to not line it at all, though I may end up regretting it (I know). I don't plan on carrying anything heavy in it at all-- maybe a book, socks in progress, random toys and baby cups, so I'm not worried that much about the stretch. The design of the pattern also should help alleivate stretching out; the knitting from the nexus instead of a horizontal or vertical base will help that, I'm sure.


Previous Posts on Sunburst Sling Bag (by Just One More Row) in sari silk:
April 24, 2006
April 25, 2006
April 29, 2006
June 29, 2006

***

For those of yall who thought I was joking about starting knitting with my Dye O Rama yarn from Adrienne right away...



Cloverleaf Socks (PDF!)
Started: July 1, 2006
US 1's dpns (2.25mm)

A very fun pattern. I am knitting cuff down (obviously) so I could put on a fold over picot edge on top... loving that on top of the yarn and how there's a secret stripe on the inside of the leg where the edge was folded over.

Have a great day!