well the crochet went pretty well, all finished last night. the pattern was very very simple, i had to adjust it for a finer guage yarn/smaller hook and basically kept going until it looked the right kind of size. i also lengthened the handles so they’d go happily over my shoulder, which took more adjusting to get the curve right. they look a little ungainly at the inbetween length they turned out, but they’re supremely practical.

the stripes are because i wasn’t sure i’d have enough of the blue so i went back to the pdsa shop and got a couple of balls of ecru stuff that seemed a good co-ordinate. i had to double up the yarn as it was a far bit finer than the blue. i lined it with a piece of cotton kimono i got off ebay a while back.

it was supposed to become a dress for madam, but i was supposed to win another co-ordinating piece to go with and i didn’t. so i was left with a piece that was too small to be much use for anything else. i was a bit worried that the indigo blue/white wouldn’t be a close enough match for the navy blue/ecru (pix brightened due to flash) but i think it works fine. the kimono fabric was a dream to work with, very tightly woven and non-ravelly. it was slightly trickier to busk the lining than i’d expected, and i only remembered half way through that i’d wanted to add a couple of pockets. they should prolly have a bit of velcro to hold them shut, but if i’m using the bag it’s so stuffed with stuff that gaping isn’t too much of a problem.

i was a bit nervous about how much weight the bag would take and whether the handles would stretch but it’s survived its first day loaded with typical toddler baggage entirely unscathed. i love the style, it’s much more practical than i expected, i’m sedate enough on the move that it doesn’t need any fastening (the top of the bag closes together when it’s carried) and then when you stop it opens right out so you can find and get to everything really easily. and i just love the feel of a wool (well, ish) bag tucked under my arm, it’s all cwtshi and cosy.

this worked out as a super mega bargain if you don’t count the cost of the hook (£1) or the lining (which was essentially free as i bought it long enough ago that i don’t remember what it cost :P). it was £1.20 in total for the yarn and i still have nearly all the ecru and half a ball of the blue left. not sure how it works out in hours but it was all done and dusted in under a day and a half.