Handbags – Gracious Rain

July 31, 2013April 8, 2014

One Very New Trick

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I have seen so many crochet projects, over the years, that have been intriguing to me for one reason or another, but nothing like changing colors on the same row. I was certain that there was some kind of magic to it, a secret, perhaps that has been ferreted away by grandmothers throughout the whole history of crocheting…stuff.

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So, when I found this pattern for a lovely Chevron handbag that was too dang cute to resist, I figured now must positively be the time.

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Then, checking in my closet yarn stash, I found that I had EXACTLY the right amounts of EXACTLY the right colors of yarn. The stars were alining just as they should! So, I started one evening and discovered to my utter astonishment, that it was…easy. Oh, happy day~ oh, happy da-ay!

I believe I am now officially addicted.

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So, if you’re calling, or coming over or looking for me or wishing I’d answer my email or the phone or the door or make my way to the surface or call the mothership or come up for air…

I make no promises.

This old dog has learned a new trick.

And I’m pretty darn happy about it.

I’ll send up a flare when I’m finished.

Watch for it.

February 16, 2011February 16, 2011

Razzleberry Camo

Hey–check out the new Bag-Bag that I’ve only been working on for TWO WHOLE YEARS!!

Finally-finally it’s finished and ready for the Shop.

The Razzleberry Camo is thicker and more sturdy than is looks because of the type of shopping bags that went into making it. It’s quite likely, that this one will be a one-of-a-kind, simply because it was dang hard to make–and took forever. It’s made up of plenty of hot pink bags, some baby pink bags, maroon bags with some glitzy silver bags–scattered throughout.

Trust me when I say–the rosy diva look will be big this spring!

November 9, 2010October 23, 2021

Gathering Color

The incredible colors of Autumn are all around us now…at last…at last.

I’ve been working on a few new colors of my own these days. Fascinating to think that all those little specks have a story of their own.

Taking bags to make…more bags does seem like a funny thing to do–if you think hard about it.

So I don’t.

It just feels good to take something that filled a purpose…

and give it another one. Only this time, it’s purpose will be much less fleeting–and be useful for years to come. And if it turns out beautiful and fun as well–that’s a big plus.

New, fun colors coming up in the shop–very soon!

January 27, 2010January 21, 2022

Grocery Bag “Yarn”

When people see the handbags some of us carry around they never believe that we’ve made them from regular grocery bags.

I bet I’ve been asked about 65,000 times in the last few years–“How can you possibly crochet with a grocery bag?”

Consequently, this story has been told quite a bit, but never here on the blog. So, for those of you who’d like to know—this is how you do it.

Take one innocent looking grocery–the thin, noisy kind–and smooth it out flat.

Fold it in half lengthwise and smooth out again.

Fold in half again, and smooth out.

Cut off the bottom seam, and the handles at the top.

Fold in half again.

Cut the strip into 1 inch pieces…

until you’ve cut the whole strip.

Open up the loops…

Remember making rubberband chains when you were a kid?

Well, it’s like that.

Pull one loop through the other until…

they knot together. Do this over and over and over until you’re sitting in a big pile of grocery bag yarn. Stuff it all into a bag and then–when you’re in the mood you can crochet with it–