Sunday 15 September 2013

The case for the defence....

After some years of good and decent service, my craft tote broke.  Really broke.  The carry handles made of webbing split, and not long after, the telescopic handle went too. Sheared right off. Just too much use I guess.  Well, over use.  
So after a short period of thinking I could manage with a not very good repair, and then a long period of denial about needing one at all, I determined a couple of things.  I couldn't afford a new craft tote.  And I couldn't go without something to tote my craft about.  I need to tote stuff three times a month.  Twice to workshops, which involves plastic baskets filled with supplies that need to be kept upright, card stock that needs to be uncreased on arrival.  You get it. And then there's crop.  Which involves toting almost everything I own, so I won't list it.   So you see, despite my need, the sixty pounds plus price of a decent sized wheeled craft tote seemed luxurious for something that sits and gathers dust for the equivalent of 3 weeks a month.  So I cast about a bit and finally accepted the suggestion from Shopkeeper Gal that I should look at a shopping trolly.  I know.  Took me a while to swallow all the granny jokes and get on with the research, I can tell you.  I discovered that I was desperately over loading my craft tote in terms of ideal weight.  And that a shopping trolley may not have a dozen pockets but is engineered to hold far more in terms of weight than a tote.  I discovered too that the wheel assembly of a craft tote and a shopping trolley is very different.  Big wheels, further apart on a trolley.  This reduces the possibility of the thing tipping over on cornering.  I laughed at this. And recall how often I'd nearly broken my wrist when my tote went off the rails whilst I was cornering, hurrying, going up and down kerbs. It isn't any wonder the telescopic handle finally snapped.


Finally though, it was the shocking prices that really caught my interest.  After all, you can get over most things if your pride and street cred are at stake, huh.  But no.  I felt I had no choice.  So this is my new tote.  It was £14.99 and holds as much as my old tote, but in a different stacking format.  It corners like it's on rails and is ridiculously manoeuvrable.  I don't love it, of course...particularly after Miss Dunnit, on first sight of it, asked me if I'd lost my mind. There are a couple of practical problems that I have to address; the 'bag' is only secured to the trolley with velcro at the top (truly, it gets worse and worse for the street cred, huh!) -  it actually needs to be take-off-the-trolley-able, so I need to think about that. And it needs a similar anchor at the bottom..just in case it decides to slide a bit whilst cornering....but otherwise, so far, so good.  The little shelf part of the trolley folds flat too, so it takes up much less space than the old tote did. Overall then, it's a positive experience for me.
But I do understand if you don't want to go anywhere with me that involves actually walking from A to B with our craft stuff.  I'm slowly getting over it.  

29 comments:

Helen said...

Well M'Lud, it's like this... Mrs D has joined the Grannie brigade.... but it wasn't her fault, she had to cart her craft stash around with her so she needed something to cart it in...
You wait, you'll be taking it shopping next.... Hope you get along fine with your trolley! ROFL, thanks for making me smile!

Fiona@Staring at the Sea said...

I may be joining you soon! I need something too as I have farther to walk to my new class venue and can't park outside and just dump boxes from the car into the foyer. I got a rolling cart thingy but it is open to the elements and will be no use when the weather sets in!

Andrea said...

lol ....im sure once you have sorted the anchoring issues and used it a few times it will become your new best friend.. love the spots very trendy..I mean now... its not trendy to say trendy apparently !.. a granny wouldn't have spots !! have fab week enjoy andrea x

fairy thoughts said...

OMG! you'll be wearing purple next and you know what they say about that!
janet

Belinda Basson said...

I love the pink spots! I would buy one in a flash if they were so stylish over here! then we could go screaming round corners together! I can picture us already...

voodoo vixen said...

You and Chris can take your trolleys out together... yeah, when I arrived in Oz my darling husband had turned into an old granny! the apartment he rented in the centre of Brisbane meant he had to walk to the supermarket and he though this was the solution to carrying the shopping bags back!! Of course, yours is much cooler looking with the colour and spots whilst his is black. He has said I can borrow it... so far I have declined....

Monica said...

A kids little red wagon might be a better choice or a strong man!

Anonymous said...

I think its a beauty, I would use it but I must admit the red wagon or the strong man are good ideas as well

Annie said...

If it does the job then why not I say.....old age comes to us all :-)
Hugs,
Annie x

Squirrel x said...

Oh trust me hun, me and Trevor (the Trolly) have been many miles together, he's managed the stairs at railway stations, cobblestones, kerbs - ok, he looks crap, but we are still together, lol! Hugs Sxx

scrappymo! said...

It serves a purpose and doesn't look that bad! The polka dots look good!

Di said...

OMG Julia - I howled with laughter! Who's the person who totally cringes when LLJ or myself whips out our nylon folding shopping bags? Is this the slippery slope?

Mind you, it's rather smart I must admit :)

Fancy a cup of Horlicks?

Hugs, Di xx

RosA said...

Hmm, I think it looks FINE! Kind of stylish, in a shopping trolley sort of way. I really can't see a problem. And you had to think laterally, which is admirable :)
I have a cheapish, black, general craft tote thingy. I felt rather a fraud when I bought it because I would be lucky to go to a class or workshop two or three times a year! But it makes me feel very organised, which is, of course, nothing more than an illusion :)

Karen Petitt said...

I think it's fab! But I purchased a brown and pink craft tote for a lot more than that and it is heavy. Heavy before anything gets put into it let alone once it has stuff in it. And it uses a lot of floor space too. I would buy one like that if I needed one again, love the spots too hugs Karen

KatzElbows said...

If its any consolation, I got my first trolley when I was 28. I was living in New York and it just made sense, what with going everywhere by subway and having to go to the launderette to do my shopping, etc... Plus I know lots of actually old people with trolleys who are cooler than I've ever been.

Good luck with Spot!
love Rachel

Queenie Jeannie said...

I think it's super cute!!! I don't get why anyone would make fun of you. When we moved to Germany, one of the first things I bought was one of these from IKEA!!! Love mine!

misteejay said...

I think wheeled totes are way too expensive and any alternative has got to be far more robust than many of the currently available totes. I think 'Spot' looks great and if he does the job - who cares if he is a trolley not a tote.

May the two of you have many happy years whizzing round corners.

Toni xx

Kate said...

I've got one for lugging all my crafts stuff around in too! All the yummy mummies have them at school and trundle off to the market after drop off on a Tuesday. You just need to pimp it up a bit!!!

~Kate~

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Here's the thing. I'm all about function. And I have NO idea what a trolley is, since apparently we don't have them in the US. If we do, I haven't heard of them. So, I would be HONORED to walk with you and your very colorful trolley. It's the functionality that counts for what it lacks in style. Besides, the colors ROCK!!

Carmen said...

My Craig would be proud of you - he has no qualms whatsoever about toting one down the pet shop to pick up a sack of bird feed or two. He used to try and be all manly and hump them on his shoulder but he's getting on a bit now (quick check over my shoulder to make sure he doesn't see me typing that!) his (actually - his Mum's) is a sturdy metal cage design that the bag sits inside.

Laura said...

I think the polka dots help. Maybe some layered and inked fabric flowers made with the Tim Holtz Tattered Florals die could gussy it up a bit?

Karen said...

Oh bless, when are the tartan slippers coming then? Honest, if it's easier to use, then don't worry. I used a trolley that delivery men use to pick up a duvet the other day. When needs must, you just have to go with the flow! I'm sure it'll all work out fine, now do you need a rug made to go over those lovely tartan slippers at all...?!?!?! Joking of course! Karen x

505whimsygirl said...

Hi Julia,

I think your trolley looks quite stylish! I especially like the little metal "kick stand." I had a trolley that I bought in British Columbia one time. It came in quite handy and was well used. I didn't have the kick stand thing, though, and kept falling over like a drunk sailor.

Hugs,
Kay

Rita said...

I say use whatever works for you and to heck with 'em! Give them something to laugh about and you laugh, too--all the while taking corners like a speed racer! :)

BJ said...

I think these crafty suppliers are making a meal of us and your new trolly is BRILLIANT. Love the spotty design and you can always alter it. BJ

Princess Judy Palmer said...

I think it is a very nice trolly and much more fashionable than the American version which is just a mesh cage attached to wheels. Besides you aren't excessive until you are rolling two of them behind you!

Kyla said...

Welcome to the gang!! I've been using one of these for a couple of years (much easier for carrying the wine and Gin from the shop!!) but never thought of using it for my craft stash!! Doh!
kyla

sara j said...

Too funny. Once this summer I was at our local outdoor market talking to a woman from whom I was buying lilies - who was of a certain age - and she had taken her mother's sun glasses - the kind that are really more of a shade that you just pop on over your glasses - and had taken to wearing them quite a bit. She said her son was totally embarrassed, and we figured that was just about right. Function is a good thing. Cornering like it was on rails is not to be sneered at!

Candace said...

If your new Granny Trolley does what you need it to do then that can only be a positive. It amazes me how rubbish craft totes are at doing what they are supposed to do; carry stash. I have yet to find one that is sturdy enough for the job which is not on really when you consider the cost of them.