I’ve been looking for the ideal sock knitting bag for a while now. I had a vague list of requirements in the back of my head. The bag needed to be just the right size, attractive enough to carry around no matter where I went, rigid enough to not fall over when set down, I should be able to carry it ‘hands free’ if needed without it spinning around (as a drawstring bag does), and it should be a reasonable price.

While I was in Canberra I spotted a bag in the window of a shop called Inspirations. Unfortunately the shop was closed at the time. I went back the next day, but it was a Saturday and it had closed a mere half and hour before. But I noted the opening hours and finally on the Sunday I got there when the shop was open and examined it closely.

I liked it so much, I bought my hostess one as well.

It’s not quite perfect. My sock needles don’t fit but I’m satisfied that, in their plastic protector, they’ll be fine poking out the top. I had to unpick the velcro fastening because it was tearing at the silk lining and replace it with a press stud. But otherwise the bag works very well. I can hook the loop over my wrist and both hands are free to open doors, dig something out of my handbag, or knit.

It’s been carrying the William Street socks about since I bought it. Last night I finished the first one:

Halfway through the foot I had my doubts about this pattern. The cables are very bulky and require a bit of wrestling to complete. But once I’d finished a heel and tried it on I felt the sock love, and that propelled me on to finish it and cast on the second.

I’ve learned some unexpected things with this pattern. It uses a cast on technique for the toe-up toe that I’ve never encountered, but which omits the need to knit into the back of stitches. The way the short rows of the heel are done is nothing like the wrapping technique I first learned, or even the reverse wrapping used on the Cat Bhordi socks I frogged. I like the former but I’m not sure about the latter.

My second ball of Crystal Palace Panda Cotton arrived yesterday, so my next destination this morning is Knitty, to decide on a sock pattern.