Kato Drawstring Bag | Foods | Fabrics Hand-Selected in Japan!

The Essentials:

• Japanese fabric hand-selected from Kyoto, Osaka, or Tokyo 
• Genuine leather carry handle
• Genuine leather drawstring
• Five interior slip pockets
• D-rings for cross-body strap (optional add-on)
• Canadian-sourced hardware, canvas, and interior fabrics 
• Handmade in Cochrane, Alberta, Canada
• 100% cotton or 85/15% cotton/linen exterior top; 100% cotton canvas bottom; interior 100% cotton
• Exterior Japanese fabric has been interfaced for some body

Sweet Fruits Pink Strawberries on Warm Ivory: What is better than a bit juicy strawberry that you can bite into like a peach? That's what this print reminds me of, along with the warmth as, of course, you've just picked that juicy strawberry off the vine of your strawberry plant that has been sitting in the hot summer sun all day. 

All details are black: leather wristlet, leather drawstring, d-ring tabs, d-rings, and cotton canvas base. Upper exterior is 100% cotton. Interior is white with delicate floral detail and pockets are made from multicolour square confetti on white.

Itty Bitty Strawberries on Light Blue: As awesome as those big juicy strawberries are, the itty bitty wild strawberries you'll find along a hiking trail at least tie or may even be better than their big container counterparts. These tiny strawberries remind me of those finds. The fabric is lightweight and has an amazingly smooth finish.

Wristlet and drawstring are black leather; d-ring tabs are pink and hold gunmetal d-rings. Exterior upper is 100% cotton and the base is black cotton canvas; interior is white with delicate floral detail and pockets are made from multicolour square confetti on white.

Itty Bitty Strawberries on Light Grey: This print is sibling to the light blue itty bitty strawberries, so we'l repeat the description! 

As awesome as those big juicy strawberries are, the itty bitty wild strawberries you'll find along a hiking trail at least tie or may even be better than their big container counterparts. These tiny strawberries remind me of those finds. The fabric is lightweight and has an amazingly smooth finish.

Wristlet and drawstring are black leather; d-ring tabs are light grey and hold gunmetal d-rings. Exterior upper is 100% cotton and the base is charcoal cotton canvas; interior is white with delicate floral detail and pockets are made from multicolour square confetti on white.

Strawberries on the Vine on Dusty Pink: These are the strawberries you're headed out into your outdoor space to pick. They are fresh on the vine and waiting to be plucked and enjoyed. The red of the strawberries is wonderfully offset by the dusty pink background on this bag. Strawberry flowers and vines create a vibrancy that contrast the strawberry red beautifully.

The upper exterior is 85/15% cotton/linen and the bottom is 100% cotton canvas in charcoal. Warm brown leather handle and leather drawstring complement the warm dusty pink. D-ring tabs are red with bronze d-rings. Interior is beige with delicate floral detail and pockets are white with multicolour square confetti.

Strawberries on the Vine on Unbleached Linen: I always buy multiple colour ways of the same print when they are available (and I can't decide, usually). Nothing much different to say than what I already did about the strawberries on dusty pink, these strawberries pop in a different way from the unbleached cotton/linen background. A little bit heavier weight fabric leads a different tactile experience than the quilt cottons of the other bags.

The upper exterior is 85/15% cotton/linen and the bottom is 100% cotton canvas in charcoal. Warm brown leather handle and leather drawstring complement the warm dusty pink. D-ring tabs are red with bronze d-rings. Interior is beige with delicate floral detail and pockets are white with multicolour square confetti.

Japanese Retro Cafe Drinks on Pink: This print echoes those days of Ghibli movies and Sailor Moon - the ice clinking in the melon soda as the glass sweats onto the table. A soft pink and light handed outlining of the drinks adds a near surreality to this print which gives it a bittersweet nostalgia. 

Upper exterior is 100% cotton and charcoal cotton canvas base. Warm brown leather for wristlet handle and drawstring. Bright yellow d-ring tabs hold gunmetal d-rings. Interior is white with delicate floral detail and pockets are white with multicolour square confetti. 

Pink Strawberries on Printed Light Blue Denim: These strawberries are just marching across this fabric, uniform and ready to impress. A printed denim twill adds contrast to this print and brings interest to what could become a very regimented print otherwise.

100% cotton upper with black canvas base. Pink d-ring tabs with gunmetal d-rings; black leather wristlet and drawstring. Interior is white with delicate floral detail and solid bright blue pockets.

Due to the leather, spot clean only, air dry.

Approximately 13.5 x 10 x 5” (34.2 x 25.4 x 12.7cm)

The short version of the Why Japan? Story:

I like cats. Japan has good cat fabric, and I have a history with Japan because I was an exchange student there. So, I go to Japan to buy my fabrics because it is cheaper and more effective than trying to source them in Canada in less than wholesale amounts.

The Long Version of the Why Japan? Story:

Ever since I was young, I have wanted to be an entrepreneur. It’s true! I would make and “sell” bracelets when I was 5-7, dreaming about owning a shop to sell my wares. Or I wanted to be an author/illustrator. Creativity has always been key for me!

I have been a knitter since 2007. I learnt in university, took it with me on my exchange to Japan, and then continued to develop my skills when I returned by knitting through most of my classes. If I was knitting, I was paying attention. If I was doodling, nothing was getting retained. Then, when I started my 9-5, I carried it along for any chance to knit on transit or my lunch break. I began to walk and knit…and that’s when I started making project bags!

I pride myself on making all my bag styles transportable, so you can carry your knitting everywhere with you! Whether it’s a strap wrist, shoulder straps, or carabiner hook, I’ve got you covered!

Now, why Japanese fabrics? Well, remember that little note about my Japanese exchange? Here’s where that ties in! When I began making project bags, I was one of only a few project bag makers inAlberta. But then more people joined me and I started looking for a way to make my bags unique, since there are only so many ways to fold fabric and still have it work as a bag! I was already using Nekozuki in my name (Nekozuki is cat lover in Japanese), and so I looked to Japan for cute cat fabrics (which were hard to find in Canada). I found Etsy sellers, and imported from then to start. But then my husband and I went to Japan for his first trip in 2016. I said “We should look at the cost of buying fabric in Japan and bringing it back with us.” - since purchasing it with the middle man up charge was not going to be sustainable and I don’t use it in such a quantity to justify wholesale bolts. Lo and behold, it was cheaper for me to go to Japan, buy the fabric, and then return to Canada with it! It also meant I could return to Japan (the horrors!). So now I exclusively use Japanese fabrics for my exterior fabrics (with the exception of any bags with canvas, like the Kato Drawstring bag). The feel for a lot of the fabric is often nicer than North American fabrics - both in weight, texture, and hand feel. I know purchasing fabrics online is hard! It’s another reason I go to Japan for the fabrics. But, please rest assured that if you purchase a bag from me, you are receiving fabrics that are hand-selected as they are for a reason!

Does this mean my Canadian suppliers are out of the loop? No! In fact, the only thing I source from outside Canada besides fabric has been a recent addition, and that is the leather cording for the drawstrings in the Kato bag. So hardware, thread, interior cottons, and leather all come from Canadian suppliers. And the cording comes from a small business in the US!

Overwhelmed with trying to make a decision about what bag you want to purchase? This guide is here to help! It has approximate amounts yarn you can fit into a bag, along with suggested projects so you can choose the bag for you and your knitting/crocheting life! If you ever have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me through the contact form! I'll respond within 24-48 business hours. 

Cake Cozy Designed to keep yarn from one cake of fingering-weight yarn from tangling in your bag. Specifically designed for when you don’t want to carry a project bag, this would also be a fantastic way to keep multiple skeins wrangled in a larger bag. Made from Knot Bag scraps!

Triangle Pouch A single-skein bag that is set up to knit socks, one skein hats, or other similar projects! Will also hold circular needles with some wrangling. 

Small Box Bag Up to 300g of fingering-weight yarn, 200g of worsted weight yarn, 100g of bulky+ weight yarn

Can also be used as a make up or toiletries bag, toy bag for the kids’ car toys, or as a shaving kit bag!

Large Box Bag

Up to 500g of DK to worsted-weight yarn, 300g of bulky-weight yarn

Big Bag

Up to 700g of bulky+ weight yarn, 900g of worsted-weight yarn

Suggested Projects: Blankets, large & bulky sweaters, and all those WIPs kicked out of smaller project bags so one can start the next best project! 

Can also be used for a tote bag!

The Disclaimers:

Colours may differ between monitors and devices

Listing is for bag only

Bags are shipped from Alberta, Canada. International purchasers are responsible for any customs and duties applied in their own country.