Bag is finally complete
I'm really proud of this. It's the first thing I've ever crocheted using a pattern.
That being said, I doubt seriously that I'd make it again. The body of the bag is all chain stitch, which I don't enjoy doing. For me, the worst part of any crochet project is making the starting chain, and this ended up being a project that was almost entirely chain! I didn't realize that when I started.
I used three rolls of Lily Sugar 'n Cream in Potpourri. Here's the pattern. I pretty much ignored their strap directions and did my own thing.
It was an educational project. In addition to making my first pattern, I also learned how to do a slip stitch and how to weave in ends.
I plan to use it as a book bag. Indeed, the "carrot" I used as incentive near the end when I was tired of the project (the handle was a pain because I had to turn every 13 stitches and it kept getting all twisted up) was that I couldn't go to the library to get a book until I completed the bag to use as a carrier. :)
Now I need to figure out what to make next. I have stashed yarn for a scarf, a baby blanket, a throw, and a big blanket. Only the last is without a pattern, which I'm kind of leaning toward after doing something as structured as this, but the big blanket is a huge project. Still, the yarn for it is a lovely shade of blue (Caron's Perfect Match in Cape Cod). I ought to do either the scarf (a gift) or the baby blanket. If I'm smart, I'll make two baby blankets just to have one on hand as a gift for those arrivals that get announced too late for me to make one from scratch in time.
Decisions, decisions. I really do enjoy it, and I truly appreciate my co-worker teaching me ... I just wish I had more time to do it!
That being said, I doubt seriously that I'd make it again. The body of the bag is all chain stitch, which I don't enjoy doing. For me, the worst part of any crochet project is making the starting chain, and this ended up being a project that was almost entirely chain! I didn't realize that when I started.
I used three rolls of Lily Sugar 'n Cream in Potpourri. Here's the pattern. I pretty much ignored their strap directions and did my own thing.
It was an educational project. In addition to making my first pattern, I also learned how to do a slip stitch and how to weave in ends.
I plan to use it as a book bag. Indeed, the "carrot" I used as incentive near the end when I was tired of the project (the handle was a pain because I had to turn every 13 stitches and it kept getting all twisted up) was that I couldn't go to the library to get a book until I completed the bag to use as a carrier. :)
Now I need to figure out what to make next. I have stashed yarn for a scarf, a baby blanket, a throw, and a big blanket. Only the last is without a pattern, which I'm kind of leaning toward after doing something as structured as this, but the big blanket is a huge project. Still, the yarn for it is a lovely shade of blue (Caron's Perfect Match in Cape Cod). I ought to do either the scarf (a gift) or the baby blanket. If I'm smart, I'll make two baby blankets just to have one on hand as a gift for those arrivals that get announced too late for me to make one from scratch in time.
Decisions, decisions. I really do enjoy it, and I truly appreciate my co-worker teaching me ... I just wish I had more time to do it!