My Large Crocheted Rag Bag

I so enjoyed working with the crochet rags, that even before I had finished this project, I was planning my next one.

Here is the finished bag, I wanted a big bag, but it turned out bigger than I expected. I have woven a line of beads directly below the plain pink crochet line. The beads consist of cats eye's, painted glass and a cracked glass heart.

Below is the first doona cover I cut into strips. Tutorial here.



This is the second colour of choice, just as I had cut both ends of the cover off, my daughter came down the stairs and yelled to me that this was her doona cover. Woop's. My reply was that she must also have the pillow cases then.


This is my second colour choice and the last of my old doona covers.


So after I had cut strips from about a third of each of the covers, this is how much I have to work with so far, I had to cut more later.


The bag made up reasonably quick. On the final 2 rows of the bag and around the bag handles, I used a light weight cord, that I single crocheted over, to give the upper part of the bag more strength.



I measured and marked where my handles would be made.


Now it was on to lining the bag. I used laughing purples simple bag lining technique.

I was a little apprehensive about the lining, so I would refer back to laughingpurples blog.

I wanted a divider in my big bag, so guess who I went to for help?
Yes laughingpurple


Now I did this all on my own. A pocket for my hooks.


Making the pocket. I really had to think about what I was doing here, ironing really helps to give you a sewing seam.


So I'm feeling pretty good at this stage, pockets in and hooks fit.


Then I was brought down to earth, I had sewed the pocket upside down and onto the bottom of the lining, so I had to unpick it, ugh.

Now it is the right way up and I decided to face the pocket with the reverse side facing outwards, to keep the over flaps from the folds on the inside of the pocket.



It actually looks great and the liner fits perfect!



This is just to give you an idea of the size of the bag.



And another look inside.


This is what I picked up at the op shop for 50 cents a pair, there are 3 pairs here and they are now cut up and ready to go for my next project. I love crochet rags, it's so much fun.




And just a few hours later and almost finished, the little rag bag.

They seem to be multiplying

Tips for working with rags.

Stash Buster

Referring back to my scrumbling/freeform crchet project, I've decided to turn it into a stash buster project as well. I have the scumbled piece hanging over the back of my rocker and because it was not a large piece, it was for ever creeping off the rocker and I was for ever putting it back. I've also had these small bit's of yarn left over from many things that I have made. Whilst watching an antique show a beautiful quilting piece was shown and it was made from left over pieces of the royal family's dresses that had been hand made. That is when the idea came to me. What better way to remember a lovely piece of yarn used, or a favourite item made. So I am adding the left over yarns to the original piece and I do this when I am brain dead and do not want to concentrate too much on any one thing. I am also using a variety of crochet stitches to keep it a free form project. I will also add those odd bit's that did not make the cut, flower's, beginning's of some thing's etc.

This the first piece

Now it has grown more and stay's put
Now that it has grown, I'm actually using it more, it keeps my legs warm when sitting on the rocker.

Just a bit about my day

Today I went for a browse in the local op shop's, I was hoping to find some pillow case's and maybe a doona cover to cut up for rag crochet, the one's I did find were too stiff, so I came away without any (I do have some at home to use as yet), but I did find some little treasure's all for a $1 each, 3 balls of yarn , 2 packet's of sequence's, some nice cords and tassels, a belt and a grassed weaved edging, I am considering using this and the lovely belt for an edging around a rag bag.

My grandson Cooper loves to watch Toy Story, so I snapped up these slippers for him for $1, aren't they cute.
The post man came today also with my book's I ordered from Amazon about a week ago (quick), I still have another to come. They were both worth the buy, for under $20 a book.

I found these picture's on the internet, so you can have a preview of their content's.

Sensual Crochet Pattern Book

I love the one pictured below

This holiday pattern book is so cool, I can't wait for christmas!

Chunky Beret and Three Season's Beret Pattern

I like this style beret that I have been making, so I thought I would write up the pattern to share, it's one of many style's I've managed to come up with, but time does not prevail to write them all to share. Slowly does it and I may have more patterns to post.

I have written this beret pattern with 2 set's of instruction's.

One being for a thicker yarn, which is nice and warm for winter wear and the other is with a thinner yarn that can be worn for three season's.

Do not be afraid to adjust this pattern as AU Yarn is quite different yarn to the US and UK, AU can be much thinner which can require you to increase more.

Below is the three season's beret

 

The Chunky Winter Beret

Visual placement for the optional circular attachment


Chickie's Beret

Cat’s, Chunky Winter Beret

Directions given for Small, Medium and Large size beret
(Size is altered when making the band section)

Materials used.
AU: 12 ply yarn, 6.00mm hook. US: Worsted weight J/10 hook
Amount of yarn used 100 gm’s

Crochet terms written in US terms.

Special stitches used.
FPDC
Instructions: yo, insert hook behind post of stitch (from front to back), yo, pull through, bring up even with last stitch completed, yo, pull through 2 loops, (2 loops on hook), yo, pull through rem 2 lps to complete stitch

BPDC
Instructions: yo, insert hook behind post of stitch (from back to front), yo, pull through, bring up even with last stitch completed, yo, pull through 2 loops, (2 loops on hook), yo, pull through rem 2 lps to complete stitch

Decreasing with a BPDC
Using the instructions, work through 2 dc’s at once


Note 1:
The first ch 2 of every round is not counted as a stitch, to join rounds you will sl st into the ch 2 as if you were doing a front post st, *come from behind and into the gap between the chain 2 and the very first fpdc and make a sl st, then ch 2 to begin the next round*

Note 2:
You will be working the dc into the gaps between each fpdc and the dc, not into the eye of the dc

Begin
Ch 3, work 14 dc into the 3rd ch from hook, sl st into the beginning ch 2 to join (see note 1.) (14 dc and 1 ch 2)
Row 1. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, work 2 dc in the gap between the 2nd dc just worked and the next dc un worked,* repeat to end finishing off with 1 dc in the gap between the last dc worked and the ch 2 joining st, sl st to join (see note 1.)
(14 fpdc and 14dc)

Row 2. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, work 1 dc in the next 3 gaps*, repeat to end, sl st to join (14 fpdc and 21 dc)

Row 3. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, work 1 dc in the next 4 gaps*, repeat to end, sl st to join (14 fpdc and 28 dc)

Row 4. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, work 1 dc in the next 5 gaps*, repeat to end, sl st to join (14 fpdc and 35 dc)

Row 5. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, work 1 dc in the next 6 gaps*, repeat to end, sl st to join (14 fpdc and 42 dc)

Row 6. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, work 1 dc in the next 7 gaps*, repeat to end, sl st to join (14 fpdc and 49 dc)

Row 7. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, work 1 dc in the next 8 gaps*, repeat to end, sl st to join (14 fpdc and 56 dc)

Row 8. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, work 1 dc in the next 9 gaps*, repeat to end, sl st to join (14 fpdc and 63 dc)

Stop increasing

Row 9. repeat row 8, leaving the last gap un worked (14 fpdc and 63 dc)

Start decreasing
(Decreasing is accomplished by skipping the first and last gaps between the fpdc’s)

Row 10. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, skip first gap, work 1 dc in the next 8 gaps, skip last gap*, repeat to end, sl st to join (14 fpdc and 56 dc)

Row 11. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, skip first gap, work 1 dc in the next 7 gaps, skip last gap*, repeat to end, sl st to join (14 fpdc and 49 dc)

Row 12. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, skip first gap, work 1 dc in the next 6 gaps, skip last gap*, repeat to end, sl st to join (14 fpdc and 42 dc)

Row 13. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, skip first gap, work 1 dc in the next 5 gaps, skip last gap*, repeat to end, sl st to join (14 fpdc and 35 dc)

Band

Row 14. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, bpdc next 2 dc together 2 times, bpdc next dc*, repeat to end, sl st to join (14 fpdc and 35 bpdc)
(for a larger hat stop decreasing here and work one row of 2 fpdc and 3 bpdc, fin off)

Row 15. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, bpdc next 2 dc together, bpdc next st* repeat to end, sl st to join (14 fpdc and 2 bpdc)

Row 16. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, work 1 bpdc in the next 2 st’s* repeat to end, sl st to join
(for an even smaller hat repeat row 16, fin off)

Cat’s, Three Season’s Beret

Directions given for Small, Medium and Large size beret
(size is altered when making the band section)

Materials used.
AU: 8 ply yarn, 5.00mm hook. US: Light Worsted H/8 hook
Amount of yarn used 50 gm’s

Crochet terms written in US terms.

Special stitches used.
FPDC
Instructions: yo, insert hook behind post of stitch (from front to back), yo, pull through, bring up even with last stitch completed, yo, pull through 2 loops, (2 loops on hook), yo, pull through rem 2 lps to complete stitch

BPDC
Instructions: yo, insert hook behind post of stitch (from back to front), yo, pull through, bring up even with last stitch completed, yo, pull through 2 loops, (2 loops on hook), yo, pull through rem 2 lps to complete stitch

Decreasing with a BPDC
Using the instructions, work through 2 dc’s at once


Note 1:
The first ch 2 of every round is not counted as a stitch, to join rounds you will sl st into the ch 2 as if you were doing a front post st, *come from behind and into the gap between the chain 2 and the very first fpdc and make a sl st, then ch 2 to begin the next round*

Note 2:
You will be working the dc into the gaps between each fpdc and the dc, not into the eye of the dc

Begin
Ch 3, work 14 dc into the 3rd ch from hook, sl st into the beginning ch 2 to join (see note 1.) (14 dc and 1 ch 2)
Row 1 Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, work 2 dc in the gap between the 2nd dc just worked and the next dc un worked,* repeat to end finishing off with 1 dc in the gap between the last dc worked and the ch 2 joining st, sl st to join (see note 1.)
(14 fpdc and 14dc)

Row 2. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, work 1 dc in the next 3 gaps*, repeat to end, sl st to join (14 fpdc and 21 dc)

Row 3. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, work 1 dc in the next 4 gaps*, repeat to end, sl st to join (14 fpdc and 28 dc)

Row 4. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, work 1 dc in the next 5 gaps*, repeat to end, sl st to join (14 fpdc and 35 dc)

Row 5. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, work 1 dc in the next 6 gaps*, repeat to end, sl st to join (14 fpdc and 42 dc)

Row 6. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, work 1 dc in the next 7 gaps*, repeat to end, sl st to join (14 fpdc and 49 dc)

Row 7. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, work 1 dc in the next 8 gaps*, repeat to end, sl st to join (14 fpdc and 56 dc)

Row 8. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, work 1 dc in the next 9 gaps*, repeat to end, sl st to join (14 fpdc and 63 dc)

Row 9. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, work 1 dc in the next 10 gaps*, repeat to end, sl st to join (14 fpdc and 70 dc)

Row 10. repeat row 9, leaving the last gap un worked (14 fpdc and 70 dc)

Start decreasing
(Decreasing is accomplished by skipping the first and last gaps between the fpdc’s)

Row 11. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, skip first gap, work 1 dc in the next 9 gaps, skip last gap*, repeat to end, sl st to join (14 fpdc and 63 dc)

Row 12. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, skip first gap, work 1 dc in the next 8 gaps, skip last gap*, repeat to end, sl st to join (14 fpdc and 56 dc)

Row 13. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, skip first gap, work 1 dc in the next 7 gaps, skip last gap*, repeat to end, sl st to join (14 fpdc and 49 dc)


Band

Row 14. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, bpdc next 2 dc together, bpdc next 3dc bpdc next 2 dc together*, repeat to end, sl st to join (14 fpdc and 35 bpdc)
(For larger size stop decreasing here and work 2 more rows of *2 fpdc, and 5 bpdc* around, fin)

Row 15. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, bpdc next 2 st’s together, bpdc next 1dc bpdc next 2 st’s together*, repeat to end, sl st to join (14 fpdc and 21 bpdc)

Row 16. Ch 2, *work 1 fpdc in the next 2 st’s, work 1 bpdc in the next 3 st’s*, repeat to end, sl st to join (14 fpdc and 21 bpdc)
Row 17. repeat row 16 and finish off

For a smaller hat work one more row as above

Instructions for small circular attachment for the top of the beret (optional)

Ch 2,
Row 1. work 6 sc into the second ch from the hook, do not join (6 sc)
Row 2. work 2 sc in each sc around, do not join (12 sc)
Row 3. *work 1 sc into the next sc, work 2 sc in the next sc* repeat to end, do not join (18 sc)
Decrease
Row 4. *work 1 sc in the next sc, sc the next 2 sc’s together* repeat to end, do not join (12 sc)
Row 5. *sc the next 2 sc’s together* repeat to end and join leaving a long tail for sewing. (6 sc)

Flatten the circle and sew to top of the beret.

Here is some feed back on the three seasons beret.

Thanks Chickie Magoo.

I absolutely love it and for me, 13 sts for the last inc was perfect, that made a couple extra rows for the decrease too and it all worked out great. I love how it fits and how it sits on my head...it's fairly heavy because I used Cleckheaton Country 8ply pure wool but it feels yummy and springy and I'm well pleased. Thanks for a great pattern!

This is Chickie's Beret.

I must say she does lovely crochet, thanks for letting me use your picture's Chickie

© Cathy Wood 2008