The Nantucket Bagg Co. LLC

Hi, 

 Just back from TNNA, the National Needle Arts association trade show in San Diego.  Wonderful yarns are certainly inspiring knitters and crocheters these days.  The Nantucket Diddy Bagg is great for organizing your needle “stash.”  Most of the time people are thinking yarn when they talk about stash but we have found a lot of knitters and crocheters who are looking to organize their needle and hook stash. 

Our canvas #711 bag has 36 pockets with several of the pockets originally designed to hold screwdrivers.  Well, these pockets are perfect for knitting needles.  The lower row of pockets is perfect for sets of double pointed needles, crochet hooks, small scissors, cable holders, hook and needle sizers, tape measures, pens, etc, while the taller pockers are great for the long needles, instructions, larger scissors, rulers, etc.

Tonight I was going to upload my first image to the blog.  Unfortunately, I will have to talk with WordPress tomorrow.  I am looking the tech war tonight.

BUT, I did have a great surprise today when I came across the great link today on Paintworks magazine.     http://www.paintworksmag.com/savvystudio/index.shtml

Thank you Paintworks for a great review.  Glad to know the painters are as happy with this bag as woodworkers and knitters!!  

Jo

HI, 

 We would like to thank all of you that are now using your Nantucket Diddy Bagg!  We keep finding people choosing our five in one bagg for different uses.  Most recently we have had home health care workers, community service workers, and CPR trainers purchase the bags for professional use.

We would love to hear from those of you who are using the bag and we will begin including your responses to in our blog.  Send photos as well. 

We are working on new colors for the summer of 2009 and would love to hear what colors you would like.

Merry Christmas and we look forward to working with you in the New Year. 

Charlie, Jedd, and Jo

Hello,

Directions for tonight. 

Set up your empty #711 Nantucket Diddy Bagg with the pockets on the outside. 

 Wrap a twelve pound turkey in a double layer of plastic bags and place in center pocketof the bag, cover with a hand towel.  Place six Russet baking potatoes inside, nestled around the inside edge of the bag.  Layer with one small turnip, a bag of frozen peas, candied sweet rolls still in the roll from the dairy counter, small jars of olives, sweet gerkins, and boiled onions, and cranberry sauce fixins: one orange, pound of cranberries, and cup of sugar in zip lock sandwich bag. Cover with a dish towel.  Place six plates over the towel.

This takes care of the inside of the tote bag.

Now you have 36 pockets on the outside. 

In the largest pocket put two pot holders and in the one next to it put six napkins.  Silverware will fit in the pockets to the right of the zipper, serving spoons and ladels in the next few pockets.   Peel six large carrots, wrap in Saran wrap or aluminum foil, then place them in one of the top row pockets.  Locate one skinny serving dish narrow enough to fit in one of the remaining pockets, I had some that were cut class but have seen them for olives and pickles that are about the size of a banana sliced in half.

I think that you could probably find a few more things to fit in the pockets…. 

so let us know what else you would put in and…………

What would you do it this now that it is all packed and ready to go??????????????

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Charlie, Jedd, and Jo

The Nantucket Diddy Bagg goes traveling, scrapbooking, and on many other journeys.  Originally designed as a carpenter’s tool bag, The Nantucket bag is extraordinarily versatile and we are exploring new markets as individuals let us know how they are using the organizers. 

Recently we had a call from the Miami airport and the man said, “I am heading for South America and I have my Diddy Bag with me.  I just wanted to let you know it is the best traveling bag I have ever had, I take it with me on every trip. It fits perfectly under the airplane seat and I have everything organized at my fingertips.”  (He makes at least two trips a year and has had a bag for four years.) 

I, Jo, have several set up for varying uses and two of them are for traveling bags.  One is my office bag with laptop in just a pouch, notebook and calendar that I can’t live without and pockets with a set of office supplies.  I have been working between Portland, Maine; Bridgeport, CT; Nantucket, MA; Washington, DC; and Richmond, VA for three years and on the road full time for the last year.  My office traveling bag can be opened up  and there is my desktop, complete with computer.  Unfortunately, my printer travels seperately but joins in nicely. 

Since I am on the road, the second organizer, tote, bag, or whatever you want to call it, is my travelling bathroom.  Larger items, hairbrush, mini hair dryer, lint roller, manicure set, shampoo and conditioner fit into the pockets, my evening read (paperback size) fits in the largest low pocket and small organizer pouches contain medicines, toiletries, cleaners, and makeup.  My toothbrush has its own cover and rides solo in a low narrow pocket.  Because I am a crafter, there are always sets of my favorite crochet hooks and one set of knitting needles included.  Naturally there are bags set up for crocheting as well but I am always calmer when I have my favorite hooks easily accessible.  A small zipper bag holds a couple skeins of yarn. 

So,  we had been invited to show at a Scrapbook Expo and after repeated professions that scrapbookers love the bag, we decided to go ahead and do it, coming right up December 5 and 6 in Tampa, Florida.  We wrestled with the fact that our bag is not big enough to carry the standard 12 x 12 scrapbook, so I called the promoters at the Expo.  Lorraine filled me in on the details!  Scrapbookers need more than one BAG!  They use many totes, some the exact size for the books and papers, some go for the 8.5 x 11 books and that fits perfectly in our bag BUT she uses the bag for her tools.  So, off I go to the local craft store to check out the scrapbooking section.  I have done some scrapbooking but it was with Creative Memories and most of their products are tailored to their totes and organizers - so here I am.  Well, first, some fun little scissors, they filled three of the small pockets, a few strips of stickers filled another, the wavy strips of metal for tearing your papers took up a bit more space, a set of colorer acid free pens took up a wider pocket, and before I knew it… a filled scrapbooking bag.  Using the larger bag, our # 711, I put in some 12 x 12 paper and am going to spend some time with family over Thanksgiving Weekend scrapbooking.  After several years of talking about downsizing for Christmas, we decided to three years ago.  We share scrapbook pages ( two double sided pages minimum.  Whenever the largest group is together, either Christmas Eve or morning, instead of opening presents (of course there are grandchildren and there are still a few presents) we, who have traveled from 200 to 900 miles to be together, share our year.  It is quite a delight and we are sharing in ways that we have not before.  We circulate, all informally but this is how is worked out, only one set of pages at a time and the scrapper that did those pages shares thier year with the rest of the family.  It is a real treat and a significant savings for young families traveling home. 

We would love to hear how you are using your Nantucket Bag.  Write us a comment or email us, include photos and we will include them here.  We are just getting active on the blog and would love to share your ideas. 

Check back with us for learning more about bag uses.  The woodcarver story, the knitters, plumbers, painters, and the artist in Montana.

Jo Eaton

Hi, 

 I forgot to mention a few things like, this weekend we are at Stitches East at the Baltimore Convention Center.  Fri, Sat, 10-6, Sun 10-4.

Also, we have an endlessly growing list of what people use the Nantucket Diddy Bag for.   See if you can add a few ideas.

Carpenter’s Tool Bag (original idea), boat tote, picnic bag (open up some pockets to make room for wine and silverware, rigger’s bag, knitting bag, sewing or quilting tote, diaper bag, beach bag, woodcarver’s organizer, artist’s tote for plein air painting or simply studio storage, wall hanging storage unit for tools, gardener’s bag, travel bag.  Some folks have multiples, house, garage, boat, and travel.

Hi, 

The Nantucket Diddy Bagg was designed as a carpenter’s tool bagg with 36 pockets for tools, well - we found another group that loves it as well.  Knitters!  The tight pockets designed to hold the tools tightly are perfect for knitting needles, rulers, and other craft tools.  Our smaller bag has 30 pockets and is a bit smaller, three inches less in circumference and one inch shorter.  It also is a bit lighter weight, 1.5 pounds versus 2.2 pounds.  Both bags are large enough to hold sweater projects and one-third of an afghan or many socks or hats.  I personally crochet hats and often have 3-5 hats in progress in a bag at one time.

If you have one of our bags, we’d love to hear how you are using them.  Send along a photo!  Jo

Hi, Jo the crocheter here - aka - business manager.  Jedd will be found in Rockland, Maine this weekend at the Maine Boats, Homes, and Harbors Show running Friday through Saturday on the waterfront.   He is really looking forward to the show, he has found that Mainer’s really appreciate our baggs - for the boats, home, and of course now, knitting.  Who would have thought that after many years of development as a tool bag for carpenters, plumbers, painters, gardeners, etc - that suddenly the knitters would find us.  We now attend several of the major knitting shows with the tool bag as a knitting bag.  Thank you knitters and crocheters for a great response.  The bag is also finding its way into other areas as well, scrapbookers, artists, rubber stampers, etc in the arts and crafts world are putting it to use as well. 

But, most recently, when using it as a travel bag, I was stopped coming through security.  As they got ready to empty the bagg, I asked them to wait, tipped it on its side, unzipped it and stepped back, they ruffled through the bag and ZIPPED IT BACK UP WITHOUT TAKING EVERYTHING OUT!  Now I don’t know about you, but as a crocheter carrying many assorted tools when traveling, I have found it difficult to get through security on the first screening.  So, this was pretty exciting.  They never have a problem once they would unpack my bags before, but then I would be still standing repacking when I should be headed for the plane.

Well, there is a lot to cover here. . .
First, I want to let everyone know that we are incredibly excited about the new site, but all should know that it took a lot longer to launch and correct problems on the site than we had expected. Too many stories to cover in one night’s blog but I will at least gic=ve a shot at recapping the year:
Although I took a hiatus at the begginning of the year, we jumped into the show season in Boston for the Mass Hort Society’s Flower Show. Then to Baltimore, MD for the Strictly Sail-sponsored Sailfest at the Boat Show in late January. From there it has been–at least for me–Baltimore, Chicago Strictly Sail, a short notice QVC appearance at their studio in Pennsylvania, Los Angeles for the Barkleigh PetQuest Dog Grooming Show in Bubank, a late entry to the Craft and Hobbies Association show in Anaheim, a stellar appearance at the Strictly Sail Show in Miami, then back to our new opperation center in Black Rock, Ct, before hitting the Maine Boat Builder’s Show in Portland (which by the way was an AMAZING Show), another QVC appearance, then another trip out West.
Logistics on this recent round were absolutly insane; I just pride myself on the phenomenology that goes with Nantucket Bagg hitting the ENTIRE Country with an enthusiasm and fervor that goes unmatched. I drove, yes drove, out West with the best flash baggs in the nation, and a couple of banners to do (just for me) a Rockabilly Convention in Vegas, then, our now-annual appearance at the biggest sailboat show on the West Coast–Pacific Sailboat Show at Jack London Square in Oakland, CA, The Woodworkers Show in willey Puyallup, WA (I swear, If those guys call it the Seattle Woodworkers Show again, I’m not going!) Rested in Bellingham, Wa, flew out to Reno, Nevada for the National Art Materials Trade Association Trade Show, where the Diddy Bagg became “The Award Winning”. That’s right, we won the highly-touted Judge’s Special Recognition Award!!! The best news is that I was able to pick up 18 individual puchase orders for about 30 stores, from Punta Gorda, Fla to Houston, University Of Texas-Austin, a formidable independant fine-art store in LA, along with a sizeable order to nine stores in Canada (which I will be getting out tomorrow). Thank you so much everybody.
After that I had to drive back to Connecticut. But not before hitting Charleston, SC for their now harbor-wide HarborFest! It was another excellent show/first time appearance–great folks, good times, sweet wooden boats. I had a great reception and was gratefull to be put up by one of the organizers of the event–’thanks Bennett’. ‘Stopped in to see our good friend Ella Vickers at Ella Vickers Recycled Sailcloth Collection at her studio. Tell ya what, folks, she is the BEST in the business. Her bags are so fresh, beatiful lines, and stout, check her line out today!
I had two days in Black Rock with Jo Eaton (our new business consultant) and diddy bagg-doyen, my Father–Charlie Cirgliano, before we decided to drop everything and head out for the Memorial Day weekend. Jo headed South to see family and friends in the Chesapeak (sp) Basin and the Cirigliani decided to head up to Nantucket. We dropped the van off on Friday afternoon i Hyannis, hit Spanky’s for some (mediocre) Calamari and Cocktails (great Margarita) before catching the six-o’clock Hy-Line High-speed Ferry to “Tha Rock”. For those who don’t remember, this weekend in Hyannis and Nantucket is the annual Figawi weekend, full of libation–hey, even when it’s not foggy, sailors are still askin’ ‘Where the Figawi?”, where I got to spend time with family and work on The Nantucket Joinery, which, by the way, is the asset that has been financing this entire project. Big News Soon!!! and– Thanks for the support throught these past few years, we are always humbled when we hear how much you folks that have given the bagg a chance, appreciate it.
Props and Introductions:
Thanks to Malcolm Brooks at malcolmdesigns.com for helping to push this web-project through, and being a faithful (and loyal) web designer. Malcolm represent ‘more than a few’ major Nantucket businesses on Tha Web, and produces in-house culinary programs for local television on the Island.
Our new West Coast salesman Cameron “Bud Lee” Bennett. Bud “jumped ito the frying pan” for me in Chicago when I had 2 1/2 days notice to show up at QVC, and nearly set a new one-day record selling 84 baggs in 8 hours in Chicago–(we may have to reevaluate that, Bud, much as I would hate to admit it.) Introduced to me by my loving uncle, Mike Cirigliano, Bud is an awesome native-Indianan cum-movie director, who has decided to thow his weight in on this project. Thanks Bud–He’s in Dana Point, CA this weekend doing the boat festival, please go out and see him.
Next, Jo Eaton at norepeatsfiberworks.com who is probably (in my year-and-a-half on the circuit) the most creative crocheters I have ever met. Yeah, well that is just a start–Jo has a background in Grantwriting AND small business consultation. We hit it off instantly at the Boston Flower Show, (even after we showed up late and took back the the ten feet the Show had given her thinking we were a no-show.) Jo is perfect for my father and I-she can sit through ten unfinnished sentences and still manage to bring us back to the point–Thanks Jo!
More soon!