I’ve been coveting Paton’s SWS since it started showing up in stores. It feels nice, there’s pretty colors, and it felts.

I’m very much an anti-bag crafter. When I started knitting, I really didn’t see any great desire to make any. I don’t use them often, etc. Of course, there’s always the possibility of gifting them. So I was ok with starting an intarsia bag to use as intarsia practice, with the added benefit that felting (another aspect of this craft that I was also pretty sure I wouldn’t touch with an 11 foot pole) it would insure that it wouldn’t fall apart and I could hide mistakes. And the bag with the denim yarn gave me an excuse to play with a fun yarn. But for the most part, I’ve been avoiding knitting any sort of bag.

Insert Chris’ Kureyon Chan pattern here, with a bit of forgotten inspiration from Susan.

wandering the hallowed halls of the big box craft store sometime before the new year, the sudden inspiration hits to buy a ball and whip up a K-Chan. of course, I’ve been resisting this temptation as best I can, what with the final of the gift knits and another bag looming over my head (it’s in progress, more about that later).

alas, I caved on Saturday. I cast on in the morning and just kept knitting. it was difficult to stop and take breaks for food and other necessities. and by evening, I had a bag. I even enjoyed the i-cord straps (which is not my usual i-cord experience. and I’ve never made i-cord that long, let alone making 3 of them that length. and to find it enjoyable? this is miracle yarn, I’m telling you). I didn’t felt it yet though.

the verdict. I think the SWS is my new ‘crack’ yarn. I’m envisioning making everything from it now. which seems a bit impractical. but I’m really wishing they made it in solids too, so I could do one of those ‘fake isle’ things.

how obsessed am I? I stopped at big box craft store on the way home last night and bought two more skeins to remake the above mentioned bag. I had started it in the Paton’s Wool in Palais (one of the new multis in red, blue, purple & brown). and the colors pooled in ways that I think are horrid. so last night I pulled the needles out and cast on anew in the SWS. and while the stripes are much narrower, it still looks good. and I am happy. and I hope my swap pal will like it - it looks good so far, so I’m pretty sure she will. (pattern for this one is in One Skein Wonders - it’s the bag pattern in the center right after the picture section. no felting required.)