Bagged it!

Hi There,

I have finally finished my crocheted craft bag which I have been making in order to avoid working on the pink cot blanket (it is becoming a cursed project!)

Overall it was a nice project to make.  The large granny squares were quite therapeutic. Sometimes it is quite nice to crochet with very little thought.











I found the bag idea from Ali Campbell via Slugs on the Refrigerator.  I thought this would make a great crochet bag as the bag I was using was a little on the small side.

Old crochet bag

And boring...I needed some colour.

So I collected up all my scrap colours of yarn and went for it.  Happily crocheting squares until I had them all.  I was tempted to continue on and make a blanket.  I was having soo much fun.  But no I stopped myself and stuck to the plan.

Such pretty colours

Once the squares were crocheted together I crocheted the handles.  I made them a lot longer and wider than the pattern as they were going to have to carry a big load of yarn and hooks.  I attached them then decided to add flowers to hide where the straps joined.  I got a little carried away.  And even now it is finished I am thinking it may need more.  I will mull this over.

Now the tricky part.  What to line my new yummy bag with?  After spending an hour in Spotlight, (my favourite craft, fabric and stuff shop) I found it.  Nice and bright, just the way I like it.

Inner 

I think making the inner bag was the hardest part of the whole project.  The first one I made was too small then the second was too big until I realised that my measurements were right with the first, I just needed to squish the yarn of the bag to fit the inner bag.

I hope this is making sense.

I then added a zip so I wouldn't lose any of my crafty creations.  Now, I am still a novice when it comes to sewing in a zip.  But I am pleased with the results.  Just one thing I should have thought about though is the colour of the thread I used.  I should have used pink to match the zip not white.  My Mum would have a fit if she saw the state of my zip sewing.  Oh well...

Pocket

Once the zip was in, I stitched the inner bag to the outer on the sewing machine.  I know...I was taking a MASSIVE risk.  I was worried the machine would hook up with the wool and make a complete mess of it all and my lovely crocheting would be ruined.  But I went slowly and amazingly it worked.  Holy Moly it worked!

And after a little bit of hand stitching behind the flowers my scrummy, very colourful large crochet craft bag was DONE!!

And that is about it I think.  I have used it a few times and LOVE IT!!  It is very large but that is good because I never travel light!

It makes me smile every time I use it too.  It is just so bright and HAPPY!

I hope you have been inspired to maybe have a go at making your own crochet craft bag.  You won't regret it.  Let me know how you go.

Lxx