I just finished blocking this doily and will send it off to my mom in the morning. She asked me to make her a set of blue doilies for the end tables in her living room. This was a fun and thankfully, easy pattern to do for my first thread crochet work.
The details: Petite Pineapple Doily
One of the reasons I liked this bag design was the clever use of 1/4 inch dowels in the top edge, making for a nice stiff opening. But once I tried it out, this is what happened! I decided that would drive me crazy.
My solution was to sew the dowels inside the lining. No more poking dowels and I'm happy to use the bag.
To attach the handles I used handle straps and tabs from Tall Poppy, large rapid rivets from Tandy, along with a rivet setter. A hammer, tapestry needle, and small scissors were also used.
I prepped a hole for the rivet post with the tapestry needle. I also made a tiny snip in the lining to poke the post rivet through.
The post then was easily pushed through the back to the outside of the bag.
The handle strap ring was joined with the tab and the rivet cap was placed on top of the post.
The last step was placing the rivet setter on top of the cap and tapping it with the hammer to fasten the rivet. This is done on a hard, flat surface. The setter is rounded on one end so the dome of the cap doesn't get smashed.
The rest of the rivets were attached to the straps and bag. Easy!
And lastly, a shot of the finished bag at night. My camera hasn't been working so a proper photo in natural lighting will have to wait until I can borrow a camera. I'm very pleased with how it turned out. It took me awhile to find handles the length and style I wanted. I'm glad I waited until I found what I wanted.
Here's the results. I'm thinking of using these for the background of a hooked rug stool.
I also whipped the top seam edges open to provide a bit more room when using the bag.
To sew up the side seams I first used a ladder stitch with a single strand of yarn. I covered this construction stitch up with a whip stitch using 2 yarn strands.
While I was sewing it up, I thought of another way to sew a hooked bag together. I'll have to try it on the next bag I make. Stay tuned for Part 2, putting in the lining and adding the handles.
The FO in the photo: a drawstring bag. I used the bikini bag pattern in "The Happy Hooker" book but changed the strap and added balls to the drawstrings. The yarn is Louet Avalan, linen and wool. Oh, and I'm wearing a crochet bracelet with little corkscrews. It also works as a necklace. I used pearl cotton I had in my embroidery tin.
And I had enough yarn left to crochet this neckwarmer! It's not a pattern - just alternated single and double crochet stitches.
Yeah, it's been a couple weeks since I posted. No excuse really, although my camera seemed to have gotten the flu and refused to take any decent pictures. It did cooperate today. I made this bag from Interweave Crochet Spring '06. But I'm not a big tassle fan so I'm going to do some other sort of embellishment. Here's where you can vote again today (or for the first time if you didn't have primaries today). Please give me your opinions and suggestions!
Other updates: my hooked bag is waiting for its handles to arrive in the mail and the spokes stool is about halfway done but looking different from my original vision. More photos soon if my camera decides it wants to be helpful.
I finally got around to sewing up the flowers and vines pn embroidery. Now instead of using a plastic bag I have a pouch for carrying around current crochet projects.
August has been full of a variety of small projects. Here's a sampling of some of them. "Zinni" is my first attempt at crocheting a Amigurumi toy. She was alot of fun to crochet, but less fun to sew together.
I crocheted a little (about 3x4) jewelry pouch for my mom to give her a yarn sample for some doilies she wants me to make for her. The very nice yarn is Jaeger Aqua, a mercerized cotton, and the color is water.
A long time ago I had gotten some Manos del Uruguay yarn for a rug hooking project. I decided to crochet a ruffle scarf with it. I think it'll make a festive scarf for the holidays.
And I started an easy, casual shawl. I'm really liking the pattern and the color of the wool, a soft Berroco Ultra Alpaca. The fabric in the background is going to be the lining for the hooked circle handbag. Have a nice weekend - hard to believe August is almost gone!
The evenings and early mornings have been cool enough to hook and get the circles handbag done. It still needs to be steamed, and then sewn together and a lining put in. I haven't decided on a lining fabric yet or the type of handles or strap I want to use. I've been browsing online at M-J Trim, UMX, Tandy, Joann's, etc. Here's a picture of how it'll look when it's put together. It'll be about 11.5x7.5 inches, with a 2 in bottom.
And here's a close up!
Now I'm off to play tennis. It's a beautiful day!
A quick picture while I'm pinning down the bamboo scarf. Woolcott Yarns in Cambridge is having a sale tomorrow so I'm browsing my potential patterns in preparation. More tomorrow!
The last time I was at Windsor Button I saw a pretty crochet scarf on display made with Bamboo. You got the pattern when you purchased a skein - so I couldn't pass it up. Here it is in progress. It'll be a nice scarf for all seasons. I like how the color makes it look a bit nature-inspired.
Summer Coasters! My sister, Bonnie, gave me some KnitPicks Shine Sport yarn to try out. It's incredibly pleasant to crochet with, and so soft. These coasters are the results-perfect for resting a beer on during this summer heat.
Last Sunday I went to Plum Island and Newburyport so I made a stop at the Wenham Museum to see this hooked rug exhibit. Alot of nice rugs with summery themes, and a wide range of styles. If you're in the North Shore area, check it out. I really liked seeing the late 1800's stamping blocks by Philena Moxley that are also on display. She's the great grandmother of the woman who now owns Green Mountain Rugs in Vermont-rug hooking passed down through the generations.
Oh, I visited the Fiber Art Center in Amherst (see sidebar) also and saw the Dutch Fiber Artists show on view until the end of the month. I liked the spiderweb-like wall installations by Marain Bijlenga, who uses horsehair, thread, and fabric and paper remnants, and the paper jewelry by Nel Lins.
Bobbles sure are alot of fun to crochet. This little bag is from the One Skein book. I used Louet Merlin Avalon, a merino/linen wool, as suggested in the book. The bobbles and wool give it a great texture. I was hesitant about sewing in the zipper, but for the first time doing it, I'm happy with the results. I can't wait to use it!
