Fi Fi Meets The Klips

October 6, 2008 by Terrye 1 Comment

This weekend I had the chance to use and abuse 2 pretty cool products.

First, the Fi Fi Bag. Here’s what the site says:

Carry Fi Fi one day and you will be hooked for life. Fill it with your knitting and tools, throw it in you bigger bag, and you´re ready for everything. Not knitting today? Simply leave your clutch at home. No muss, no fuss: beats a Ziploc any day! Fi Fi is an essential addition to every knitter´s tool stash.

Leather-alternative vinyl exterior: easy to clean, waterproof, and durable
Olive green nylon interior: wipe-clean, bright, easy on your eyes
Flap closure: keeps your knitting safe, dry, and portable
Lots of pockets: 12 interior pockets keep you organized on the go
Elastic loop: thread in your circular needles for easy access
Handy hook: snap over your working yarn for tangle-free knitting, or clip in your scissors or stitch counter
Easily fits double pointed or circular needles
Fits your current knitting magazines
Perfect for Travel
Dimensions: 12¨ X 5.5¨ X 4¨

Here’s what Terrye says: WOW! I just love this bag, it’s soft, and elegant and just the perfect size for, well, all of the above. It easily carried all of my yarn, plus “finished pieces of project” plus accessories and pattern with no effort, I love how you can just take it with out, or take it out of your everyday bag.

And, you know what else I put in it? KnitKlips! To finish my Sunrise Circle Jacket of course.

At first glance, and when first starting to use these I wondered why, when dollar store hair clips were available, would I buy these, but then the magic happened.

There’s only one spike, rather than several teeth meshing together. They’re big enough to be easy to use and they hold fast even when trying on your garments. They don’t snag on your knitting.

I was sold about 30 seconds after using these. Definitely worth the cost it almost makes finishing your projects as much fun as knitting them!

So, now that Sunrise Circle is completed, well except for the very cool buttons I got at the Fiber Festival, I’m not liking it. Actually, laying on the counter, it’s gorgeous, if I do say do myself, however when I put it on… not so much. Guess I don’t look as much like the model as I would like to believe!

Maybe one of my willowy daughters will get an early birthday present….

Comments

Elizabeth says
October 6, 2008 at 1:22 pm
I have the FiFi, and I love it. I live in Bellingham, WA, where the bags are made. They have a little storefront where they sell items made by local crafters–including some local yarn. I saw the FiFi in the window and thought it was a nifty little purse. I was even happier when I saw it was a nifty little knitting bag–and I had been looking for one. They have one that is a size smaller (good for those who knit socks or scarves) and one that is larger. Right now I am making a baby blanket, and it easily fits in the FiFi.

Have you read?

Book Review: Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit & Crochet Blankets

Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four.

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

Comments

Have you read?

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