I've had this idea for a new bag rattling around in my mind for what seems like an age now. Inside that very messy (but quite fantastical) tangled place that is my Creative Mind, it gets mighty crowded with ideas, designs and inspiration, and sometimes it can take a while for a project to actually work it's way out and come to life. But when it finally does begin to happen, and happens just exactly as I imagined it in my mind, it truly makes for one of my greatest Excitements in life.
I'm using my ever-faithful stash of Rowan Handknit DK Cotton for this bag, worked on a 4mm hook. It's a yarn that I never, ever tire of using :: it's soft but not floppy, and most importantly the colours are fantastic and it always gives me a huge buzz combining them. My Hexie Blanket is made in this yarn, as are several of my cushion covers, my heart bunting, my advent garland, my jam jar covers....like I say, I never tire of using it.
I think I've got about twelve colours going on in this bag, working them up in random stripes of half-treble crochet (half double crochet for those of you in the US). I like working this stitch :: it makes quite a firm texture, but is still quite quick to produce lovely, colourful, stripy results.
This is a design for an across-the-body type bag, a practical bag that can be slung across my green Boden coat and used every day. It'll probably not come as a surprise to you to know that I am not a handbaggy type person, never have been. I currently have a small, very battered and cheap fake-leather handbag that I use every day, and that's an across-the-body style with a long strap. It's on it's last legs mind you, is all frayed and tattered and quite disgustingly shabby (not in an attractive way), so desperately needs replacing. Even J has asked me to get rid of it, and I figure that if he notices how bad it looks, then it really must be Very Bad Indeed.
I like an across-the-body style bag as I can sling it across myself and more or less forget it's there. It leaves my hands free and I don't have to fret about the possibility of putting it down and forgetting about it. And for scatterbrains like me, this is a Most Important consideration for an everyday bag.
The above photo shows where I'm currently at with my baggy WiP...I've made the front and back pieces, and the looooooooooong strap which will connect them together....
....can you get an idea of how it's going to come together? The strap has been made in a big loop and will form the bottom and sides of the bag, as well as the handle. The back piece comes right up and over to make a flap which'll be fastened at the front with a loop and pretty button.
I can tell you that there's also going to be quite a bit of Additional Embellishment on the front of this bag in the form of flowers, leaves and buttons.
Oh yes, as lovely as the stripes are, I think Stripes-with-Flowers make for something extra super-duper special.
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ps over in Flickrville, I've created a little Gallery containing some of my favourite inspirational crochet bags...do go take a look.
pps there's also a group pool specifically for Crochet Bags...don't ya just adore Flickr??! xx

