Wednesday, October 11, 2006

The KIPer bag

OK, Pam, this is the bag system, which I got from KnitPicks:

From KnitPicks: KIPer Bag

I got the whole set, so I’ve got everything from that ‘carry-on’ sized thing to the cut little ‘normal human being’ handbag size. The smallest-but-one is the actual purse, with slots for credit cards and zippered bill holder and such; the smallest one is where I’ve tucked my tape measure, stitch markers, band-aids and hand lotion and so forth.

When you trade project bags, you simply take the purse part off the project bag and snap it to the front of the project bag, grab that smallest thing for your notions, and you’re set. And if, for example, you’re going to lunch with coworkers and don’t want to take the whole tote? Just take the purse off the project bag and viola – a clutch! (Or you can attach that honkin’ huge strap to the wee little purse and look extra fashion-impaired.)

I do love it. I’ve got a sock in the smallest one, the remainder of the yarn for Boo Bug’s sweater in the next size up, and then that great big one is the one I used yesterday because I could put my laptop (in protective padding sheathe), and my Covey planner, and the yarn and needles and other mayhem for Danger Mouse’s sweater in it.

Sweeeeeeeet. It’s too big for real life, actually (unless you’re most of the way through an afghan or something) – but for this purpose it was perfect.

I’ve got a slightly defective latch on this big bag; it gives way under even slight pressure. All the project bags will let go of the purse if you give it a really hard tug, but on this big bag, one of the latches gives up the moment any pressure is put on it at all. While the other latch and two magnetic clasps held the purse on…well. I’m paranoid about such things. Because it would be totally just my luck to get off the train, be halfway to the bus and only then realize that my purse was still on the @*^&@ train…now chugging contentedly onward to Points South.

So I took apart one of those beefy binder clips and passed the metal handle through the hole in the clasp on the inside of the purse. Worked like a charm. It worked so well that, being paranoid, I might just use it all the time on all the latches. Even though it does take a really determined tug to get the purse off without opening it and lifting them.

Paranoia: It’s a way of life!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've looked at that system in the catalog, but I was afraid that they would separate, too. How big IS the biggest one, anyway?

Mother of Chaos said...

The biggest one is the size of a LARGE laptop case, or a normal-sized carry-on bag. The kind that fit snugly into those little 'put your carry on in here to see if it meets our regulations' boxes at the airport.