Lace Doily Crochet Bag

I don't like Mondays, especially this one. DH is leaving again, which also brings the baking streak to an end, which is good for all of us. Besides cooking and baking and ironing, I still found time to knit, but crochet even more. There's a line up for FO's to be shown, but my latest FO is jumping the line, just because I'm so happy about it!



I saw this bag Birgit made from some cotton yarn. I remembered having some of this yarn in my stash, but a different colorway. I was going to make a shawl with it, but the idea of a bag was more tempting. I've got the yarn from Melanie. She's got more colorways to choose from now than back when I ordered my yarn. Still I like this one a lot, it reminds me of faded Jeans.



While looking for something in the closet, I found those bamboo handles I bought at a going out of business sale back when. I think I had a fabric bag in mind for those.

I like how single crochet looks as a fabric the best and it's more stable as well. I'm regretting that I used dc for the base, it's way more stretchy. Also I had the bright idea to make a bobble round after the base was finished and before the main body started, should have ripped it out again, but it's too late now. Since there was no pattern to follow it's a wonder it turned out the way it did. I had some trouble with the lining (at the bottom). I sewed it on by hand, which I love to do. Sewing by hand is the second most relaxing thing to do, besides knitting socks.
I inserted a stiff base, for which I made a fabric pouch where I inserted it. I can take it out if I want to, the bag would be a lot more floppy, but at the moment I'm O.K. with how it looks.



Sewing on the handles turned out just right. I had to redo the flap which goes over the bamboo a couple of times, the first time it was not wide enough.

Before lining and putting on the handles it was screaming for embellishments. At first I thought crocheting flowers, but I'm really not THAT kind of girl. I find them cute, yes, nice too, but I would not like to walk around with a bag like that.
I was thinking of some patchwork, playing with fabric, which was more like something I would do. In the end I was excited to be able to combine my love of knitting lace with crochet, and some sewing.

The doily pattern can be found in the book " Knitted Lace" by Sonja Esbensen and Anna Rasmussen. It's design "Kaya" on page 45. I also love it when I get to make things out of books I own!
I've used Royal Classic Crochet Thread size 10 with 1.5mm needles!!! That was the first time I used needles so thin. The beginning was a big PIA! After a few tries I grabbed a crochet hook and cast on this way. It's only 6 stitches in the beginning! Anyway I did it, although I lost track of where the round began, when I did the final three crochet rounds, I just couldn't see it. Now, that it's on the bag it's very obvious, but oh well.



What else can I say about my bag? As soon as it was done, I was itching to start another one. I still have some of this yarn left. I might get to it soon, but for now, I'm working on the second sock of a twisted stitch pair (slow going), and I don't know if I've mentioned it here, I've cast on for a cardi for myself. It's the garter yoke cardi, which I made for Hannah already. It's slow going too. But that's for another post.
Besides that, I'm waiting for another pattern of Bea's to test knit her new socks. I've already picked out the yarn I'm going to use.