Beads in a Basket (A Tool Review with a Sneak Peak)

I love cool little tools, so I was delighted when the lovely Joanna of Chic-a gave me a sample of this clever new product when we were at TNNA.  Called the Gadget Tray, it's a small square of oilcloth and heavy lining fabric with snaps in the corners.  Fold up the corners and secure the snaps, and you have a handy tray/shallow basket perfect for any number of crafts.  Unsnapped, it lies perfectly flat, making it easy to store away.  The Gadget Tray is available in 3 sizes (3", 4", and 5") and a number of Chic-a's signature oilcloth prints, and the smallest size has a magnet inside which will keep needles and other small metal objects in place. 

The tray came in quite handy when I was working on a beaded knitting project.  The beads were easy to access, didn't roll all over the place, and the steel crochet hook I used stayed put in the tray thanks to the magnet.

So what is this beaded knitting project, you ask?  Well, it's a sock, and that's all I'm saying for now.  Here's a little sneak peak.  Look at that wonderful bright pink yarn! (Baah Yarn La Jolla, in Flamingo Pink).  And beads!  The design is off for test knitting and photography now; watch for the pattern in a few weeks.