I Have a New Bag and a Second Grader

Poops has yet another brand new bag! I'm becoming the Imelda Marcos of handknit totes, I swear.



This one is made from more of my own handspun. The roving came from Sheep Shed Studios and they are mill ends from the Brown Sheep company. The yarn is a heavy worsted to bulky weight. I made the bag to tote around my music binder. It fits perfectly, as you can see. It is also big enough to carry just about anything else I feel the need to lug around. Like some knitting. Which also goes to choir practice with me.
The stitch I used is called a diagonal demi-brioche stitch.
This one is lined as well, and this time I lined the lining too. (That means there's a layer of medium weight interfacing between the cotton lining and the plastic canvas that gives structure to the bag. I didn't make any inside pockets on this one. The handles are pleather from Joanns and are identical to the ones on the Ruby bag, just black instead of tan. I stitched them to the canvas before lining them.
I'm pleased with it.


I've started knitting another Noro bag yesterday as well. The response to the purse I made for myself was encouraging, so I'm thinking I'll make couple for my etsy shop and see what happens.


Worse case scenario: I'll have bags to match every outfit, need, and mood.

In other Poops Family News, Bug started school yesterday. She's officially a second-grader. Her two best friends are in her class this year, as is one girl from her CCD class and a couple of kids she was with in kindergarten. The day went well. She had a great time and was all jazzed up when she got off the bus.



But poor thing, last night was a different story. She went to bed as usual, and DH comes down and says "Ugh, Bug needs you. She's crying about Cozy." Cozy is Bobo's blankie that she sleeps with and hauls around the house. It used to be one of about five different crib blankets I used on both girls, only Bo got attached to this one for some reason.


I go up and Bug's in bed all weepy and I ask her what's wrong. And she gave me a litany of worries, concerns, and all around Bad Things. Free-floating anxiety and stress all over the place.

I talked with her. I listened to her stresses. I tried to get her to go to a happy place, and things were stressful there, so we abandoned that tack too. We said our prayers. It helped a bit.

Finally, I dug out a blanket that one of our customers crocheted for her as a new baby gift. It's a light green afghan and she was never particularly attached to it, or any other thing for that matter. But I snuggled it in beside her in bed and told her if she wanted that to be her "cozy" for the night, that it was okay. And that she was just tired and stressed, and if she just needed a good cry before bed, that was okay too. I told her that I cry sometimes when I'm tired and stressed, and it helps.


I didn't hear a peep after that, so I guess she was okay. And this morning she bounded out of bed ready for Day Two, so all will be fine, I'm thinking.