FO Fridays: Taska

Taska This knit purse was a stashbusting project from yarn from the first sweater I ever made: Aftur (Ravelry link). I had several left over balls from the main sweater and the fair isle. The designer probably foresaw this and designed this companion purse to go with it. Taska It is doubtful that I will use it often because I tend to like bigger bags. I don’t really wear the sweater often either, but only for outdoors activities such as skating and hiking which I don’t very often in general. I love this sweater though. It is very itchy so I always have to wear turtleneck underneath it, but it is very warm and it almost feels like I am wearing protective chain mail with it on. I love lopi wool.

Taska, started September 10th, finished October 3rd 2012. Ravelry Project Page
Pattern: Taska by Védís Jónsdóttir from Ístex Lopi No. 25 Ravelry Pattern Page
Size: Blocked W 9.5″/25cm x H 10.5″/28cm
Yarn: Ístex Létt-Lopi. Leftovers from my Aftur sweater. Here the original amounts I started with, and all leftovers from the original 12 bought for the sweater, save the last brown one. I only used up the brown and the orange one. Still have a fair amount of the others left:

  • Oatmeal: 32g+34g
  • Black Heather: 21g
  • White: 35g
  • Mustard: 41g
  • Crimson Red: 42g
  • Orange: 48g – Even though I had a full skein of this, ran out of this in the lining and had to finish with the Mustard.
  • Brown: 23g – I had little of the the black to start off, but I used leftover brown (23 g) from another lopi project to replace it. I also used this brown for the strap.

Needles: HiyaHiya #7/4.5mm and #6/4.0mm 40″/100cm metal circulars. The latter only for the strap. Also a 4.0mm crochet hook for the loop.
Modifications & Notes:

  • Judy’s Magic Cast-On for the start so I wouldn’t need to sew the bottom closed
  • Used a tutorial for the crochet loop tutorial. I am not a good crocheter so I did my best and it’s not neat, but it’s rather sturdy.
  • Slipped first stitch of every row the strap. Knit until I ran out of yarn which was around 115cm.
  • Blocked the strap and the bag before sewing them and the button on.
  • The strap is too long though, I would make it about 30cm shorter for someone of average height. I sewed it deep down into the bag for the result.

Tools/Notions: One button.
Cost of Project: Whatever the small fraction from the original 12 skeins I bought from the sweater ($65CAD) + the brown + the button.
Would I knit it again? No, but I do like this pattern as a stashbuster.

Have a good weekend! For more FOs, go to Tami’s Amis.

6 thoughts on “FO Fridays: Taska

  • Chris

    Love the colors! And it makes a perfect match to your sweater. Great for those times you need a small bag to carry a few items.

    Reply
    • athena (Post author)

      Hi Chris! My wallet is almost the same height at this bag. I don’t usually carry very few things; I always liked to be prepared. Thanks for the comment!

      Reply
  • SweetPotato

    The sweater and the bag are just gorgeous! I LOVE the design and the colors! It’s a shame that you won’t wear them both more. Really beautiful color work.

    Reply
    • athena (Post author)

      Hello SweetPotato! Thank you! I really wish I could, but the yarn is really itchy and really hot so not something I can wear all the time or even indoors. I agree that I love the design. I really like colour work and stranding so the Icelandic patterns are wonderful for that. Have a good weekend!

      Reply
    • athena (Post author)

      Hi Rachel! I have a pretty high tolerance for itchy yarn, and a lot of times, itchy yarn means it’s more durable, soft and less pilly than something like merino. I don’t use it often, but I really like working with itchy yarn too! The point is, I don’t even warm a lot of my sweaters every day either. I have many of them, and a lot of them are so warm (which is good), that I only wear them a few times per year which is standard for a lot of sweaters though. Thanks for commenting! Have a good day!

      Reply

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