The first crochet project I completed - ever.

This tiny little crochet bag was completed about one week after my Mum first showed me how to crochet. It took me ages and I found I couldn't stop myself from working on it whenever I had a spare moment. It was mean to be a grocery shopping bag, so I expected it to be much bigger... you may have guessed that. :-)

I really didn't want to make frilly little doilies or anything like that - I really wanted my crochet to be useful. You see, I don't particularly like ornaments or decorations (or 'dust-gatherers' as I sometimes call them!). I much prefer to think that the thing that I'm making will have a function; there seems to be a point in doing the work, then.

And I thought a string shopping bag was just the thing - practical, easily transportable, enviro-friendly, a quick project, a potential gift for basically everyone I know (for who wouldn't want or need a string bag at some point?).

So with this thought in mind, I googled "crochet bag patterns" and was stunned to find thousands out there (again, Never Knew). The one I finally settled on - I think - was this one. It looks quite large in the picture. :-)




Well, it was a learning experience, anyway. My daughter enjoys adding accessories to her outfits and has been seen on more than one occasion walking around the house using this as a head scarf. :-)

(She likes to get creative with her headbands and clips!)

So, here are the details:

Project: Crochet String Bag - attempt number one
Pattern: can be found online at Melinama's blog "Pratie Place" and also online here.
Yarn: okay, this is probably one of the reasons it's small: crochet cotton, 4 ply
Hook: can't remember, probably 4mm as I think it was all I owned at the time!
Dimensions: approx. 17 cm wide (at the widest point), 16 cm high (not including handles)
But in the photo below, you can see it stretches a bit... but not to any real practical purposes.

Date completed: early October, 2009
Reflections: not bad for a first project. Would like to try other pattens, other yarns, and larger hooks in future! I have my eye on these two patterns: one from The Purl Bee and the other from Laughing Purple Goldfish Designs.

Perhaps I'll find more success with those.

Til next time,
Caz :-)