Like most yarn crafters, I usually have a few projects going on at the same time. I try to keep it to a minimum, but I have learned there are actually some good reasons, other than just getting bored with a project and having to put it down for awhile, to have multiple projects in the works. For example, say you hear that someone you know is going to have a baby soon. Ah, no worries because you are always working on a baby afghan in some simple stitch like granny square. This is one of those no-brainer projects you can pick up and work on no matter how late in the evening it is or how tired you are from work.

Another good reason to have a few projects going on is that it eases up on the joint pain. If I do too much crochet, I pay for it with joint pain and numbness in my fingers. In comes the wonderful knitting loom! It totally switches the way my hands are working, and so I try to move back and forth between crochet and loom knitting regularly to help keep my hands happy.

Then, of course, you need a small project that is very portable for those times you take a trip or have to wait in a doctor’s office. Baby hats and fingerless gloves are good choices for this.

Now that I established that there are reasons to have multiple projects going on, in comes the need for multiple yarn-friendly project bags. When my mom and sisters recently went on a cruise to the Bahamas, this is one of the things I asked them to bring back for me. I’m sort of bag and purse addict any way, but I realize I really do use them all. My criteria for project bags is first no Velcro. Yarn and Velcro do not work together, and I don’t think I need to explain why. For me, another super important part of a project bag is a zipper closure because I have 4 cats, and one in particular, loves to get into any bag she can find. The only thing stopping her is a good zipper. Finally, though this is not 100% required, an inside pocket to hold items like measuring tape, folding scissors, and stitch markers is very handy.

My mom and sisters did great with their assignment, and below are pictures of the two bags they brought me.

This bag is adorable, and has the zipper at the top plus a flip over snap closure too. As you can see, it is already at work storing some yarn for me. This is a great size for baby afghan projects.

How hippy-dippy cool is this bag? Seriously? I love it! Though one reason they bought it for me, other than they knew it screams “Tammy,” is they thought it was locally made. They asked the vendor who confirmed it too. Well, of course, it wasn’t. It’s got a tag inside that says something like “made in India.” This also has a zipper top and an inside pocket. A loom fits perfectly in it, and I have to admit that I like using it for a purse too. I’m planning a short day trip soon and will use this as my purse slash small portable project bag.

While there are some project bags made specifically for knitting and crochet, they can be on the pricey side. A good purse or bag can work just as well as long as it fills some basic criteria, so this is a possible idea to add to your personal gift list in case family and friends ask about what you’d like this holiday season.