This is our A-Luoi tool case.
The fabric is woven by women in the A-Luoi tribe in the central highlands of Vietnam, a 3 hour drive from the old capital city of Hue.
Sharon met some of the weavers at a TrAIDe fair sponsored by the French government, and loved the intricate patterns in their weaving. The white beads are woven in on the weft strings, resulting in the beautiful fabric you see here.
Traditionally, this fabric has been used for daily wear, but will probably become more for ceremonial wear as tourism increases and there are fewer weavers. The A-Luoi tool case is another product in Lantern Moon’s Heritage Textiles Program. Creating a market for this weaving means that a traditional handcraft will not be lost. This allows the weavers to stay in their communities, passing their skills on to the next generation.
Would you like this tool case? We’re giving one away, along with the iconic Lantern Moon fan.
Just leave a comment below, telling me what you’d keep in your A-Luoi case. Contest closes on Wednesday, August 18, at 5 p.m. PDT. I’ll draw a winner with the random number generator on Thursday.
Good luck!
Hmmmm, maybe some knitted wit pencils would be cute. Or some of my ebony dpn. Oh, a LM tape measure and cable needle!
I would put my crochet hooks in it!
Wow! I would put assorted types of needles and beads in the bag.
I would put my knitting tools in, such as markers, scissors, crochet hook, needles, etc
My mom passed away very suddenly last year. I would keep her/now my precious needles inside my tool kit. <3
I would keep all of my small tools in it including my LM repair hook.
I think that I would keep a set of #2 DPN and an emergency sock pattern with some cool yarn and keep it in the car so that if I find myself somewhere where I have time to kill I will always have something to do!!
I would keep my essentials in it, scissors, sewing kit, tape measure, folding hairbrush, lipstick, first aid kit, nail file and a few precious photographs, then pop it in my handbag
love it–I’d keep my knitting tool essentials in it: stitch marker case, crochet hook, scissors, tape measure, a set of DPNs.
I love it, I would put my sock knitting requirements in it.
[...] the way, I’m having a little giveaway on the Lantern Moon blog. Go check it [...]
I would keep all the small tools for whatever project I was currently working on. Scissors, tape measure. crochet hook for dropped stitches (I NEVER need that ;-D ) row counter and probably some scratch paper and pen.
What beautiful bags! Thank you for sharing the photos of them in process of being made.
I would put my knitting notions in one.
OOhh I would love that case. And the weaving those women do is just gorgeous! What would I put in it? Well, my DPNs, tapestry needle, stitch markers, measuring tape and all my other knitting essentials.
It’s lovely! Either my traveling watercolor set and paraphernalia or knitting/crocheting needles.
I have a perfectly ordinary zipper case for my tools – small scissors, measuring tape, small crochet hook, ring markers, etc – but I’d drop that baby in a heartbeat if I won this one!
That bag would be the perfect repository for my grandmother’s handwork tools.
glad you mentioned the beads – I hadn’t realized the white spots were beads. Lovely, simply lovely!
It’s gorgeous! I would use it to hold my darning needles, a crochet hook, folding scissors, stitch markers, lip balm, lotion, and dental floss.
I’d keep a sock project in there if it’s big enough! If not, then I’d put all my little notions in it. Stitch markers, scissors, tape measure, highlighter tape, crochet hook, etc. All the things I leave at home when I go to my LYS for knit night! I know my knitting friends would appreciate it if I didn’t ask to borrow their scissors/ tape measure/needle gauge!
I would definitely keep my DPNs and crochet hooks in it. =)
I like to have a bag for every pair of socks that I am knitting – usually 3 or 4. However, this is so beautiful, I might keep essentials in my purse, lipstick, etc. so I can whip it out and show the world.
What a wonderful FairTrade Support program and keeping an old craft alive! I’d keep my handiwork needles, sewing and knitting notions, etc., in this beautiful A-Luoi.
Since I’ve rarely won anything (never online), I’d love to buy on. Is this available online?
Yes, it’s available on line (although currently backordered). You can see it at:
http://www.lanternmoon.com/AluoiToolCase.asp
I would put my crochet hooks in it. I carry one or two in my knitting essential bag, but it would be nice to have a bag just for the crochet hooks rather than in a drawer in my craft area.
I would put my folding scissors, crochet hook for picking up lost stitches, cake tape measure, an emery board for nail emergencies (don’t want a snag on my knitting), stitch markers, gauge measure and a Kashi Bar. I think all that would fit. It’s beautiful and a lot nicer than what I’m using now.
I would carry a sock project, spare dpns, tape measure, and scissors. The bag is beautiful! Thanks for the giveaway!
‘strickbomb’ paraphernalia – scissors and cable ties, tape measure, needles, even my little camera for taking photographic evidence would fit in there.
Beautiful fabric! I’d store my dpns inside a case like that and never again worry about one falling out and getting lost.
Lovely bag and a great business model. I would keep my latest sock design in this bag and treasure the inspiration the work of these women would give me.
Beautiful! This would be perfect for my small knitting essentials.
I would keep all my crochet hooks in it, they’re currently running around the bottom of a drawer; would be nice to be able to find them all!
Sewsable on Rav
Beautiful bag. I think I would use it for all of my knitting tools and stitch markers that I need to find a place for so I don’t keep loosing them in the couch.
I’d replace my current knitting tools bag (which is hot pink and so NOT me)! so scissors, stitchmarkers, crochet hook, needle gauge, pen & pencil, etc.
Gorgeous! It is so important to support culturally special fabrics from around the world. This is beautiful. I’d love to keep my knitting tools in it – but then it would be hidden in my knitting bag, so I’d probably keep my special writing tools in it so I would keep it out on my desk.
Love this so much!
i would use this for all my crochet hooks..the mess is really getting out of hand..beautiful product btw…i love hand woven items!!
Knitting or crafting is the obvious choice, but as a traveler, I see this as a great bag for the needed on-airplane supplies such as hand sanitizer, lotion, brush, eyedrops, lipstick, and nail file.
Guess I would need two! One for craft supplies, one for personal.
I love the photos. The mats are beautiful, too. The bag looks perfect for holding all the “Extra” stuff for knitting- scissors, tape measure, hooks, …
I would keep my collection of stitch markers in it!!!
They do such beautiful work. What a great prize.
Love the fabric. It would be a lovely addition of my tool bags or could be used as a small clutch when a big purse won’t do.
Well the first thing in there would be my little black sheep. After that probably some crochet hooks and a stitch counter!
Love the bag and Love the idea of keeping that tradition alive and allowing those women to be able to stay in their communities and still make a living. :0) I would fill it with my favorite black sheep tape measure and all my little knitting knick knacks.
I would carry just the essentials. the bag is simple and so to should its contents be, scissors, needle, tape measure.
thanks
Lovely Bag! The beads are gorgeous! I’d use it to carry my spinning tools… WPI gauge, orifice hook, ruler, wheel findings, etc.
Thanks for the giveaway!
Clearly, this is designed for the needles that are currently residing underneath the chair cushion, the stitch counters that are everywhere, the scissors that are never where I can find them when I need them and the tape measures that are tangled in a heap on the living room table. As for the fan – it is currently not necessary, as unlike everywhere else in Canada and most of the States, we have been having distinctly unsummerlike weather – foggy and 10 degrees this morning when I was out for my run.
I would carry my bamboo dpns in the bag along with some stitch markers and measuring tape.
The question is, what wouldn’t I be able to keep in it! Lovely!
I would use it as a small clutch purse when I don’t want to carry a large hand bag. Otherwise I would keep my present project and keep in car to work on at lunch.
I just loved the story of the Vietnamese women! I also would love to keep my crochet needles, scissors, measuring tape, etc. but I think what would be the highlight of all that would be to be able to share this story about these brave women and the smiling kids! So beautiful to have something so well-made and it would certainly be treasured. Not only one more case! xoxo Ieda