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anatomy of a rag bag

Want to see how the easy peasy crochet bag works up in rags???

I've cut my fabric into half inch strips using this method, and used an 8mm crochet hook.

Because the fabric does not 'give' in the same way which yarns do, there is a tendency to work

with too much tension... which results in painful wrists. My recommendation is that you focus on

keeping your tension loose. Relax your grip. Perhaps even change your technique a little. For

example, I would usually grip the hook in a 'pen-like' manner... but when working with rags I

switch to a 'knife-like' grip. You just need to experiment a little to find what works for you.

This will be a multi-coloured bag, to use up some of my oddments of rags. When changing

colours you can use this method to join in the next 'yarn'.

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I'm starting with this assortment of rags. I have 10 different prints here.

Here's the 5 starting chain, plus a turning chain for luck!

Now the 5 sc... and another turning chain

20 rows of sc and the base is complete

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Starting round of sc along the sides of the rectangle

Keep spiralling around in sc.

15 rounds of sc and the body is complete

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Time to choose a colour for the trim. I like to pick one of the colours in the bag to accentuate. In

this case I would choose either the green, blue or red. The green will be too gaudy for my taste...

a little in the bag is fine, but I don't want to make it more of a feature. Blue is not a bad choice,

but a bit too subdued. I'm liking the red.

Picot trim in red using a 4.0mm hook and thick cotton.

Choosing a colour for the handles. Nothing too bright, I'm going to go with navy.

3 starting chain, plus a turning chain for luck...

3sc plus another turning chain... repeat until desired length

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then make another exactly the same

Add some colour.

Attach handles to bag.

Pop in the lining... tutorial here

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I've added an old clip-on earring as a removable embellishment, and the job is done!

simple lining tutorial

You must line your bags...

Seriously.

Even if it is only a very simple lining (like mine) You have put all that wonderful creative energy

into crafting the outside of the bag... it really would be a shame not to finish the job. The bag will

look better... feel better... and be so much more practical... if it has been lined.

Click here to see the pattern for the easy peasy crochet bag.

Here's the thing. I am NOT particularly skilled at sewing. In fact, that's quite the understatement!

Sewing is just not one of those tasks I have enjoyed enough to learn how to do properly. I'm

always so impatient with it.

So if I can line my bags... so can you!

I choose to make the lining by machine, and then attach it to the bag by hand. I you don't have

access to a machine you could work the entire lining by hand. There's not much sewing required.

I will step you through my easy peasy process. I'm sure there are fancier techniques around, but I

NEED SIMPLE for this. Here we go...

Fold your lining fabric in half, and lie the bag on top. The bottom of the bag should lie along the

fold of the fabric.

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Trim the fabric to size... allowing approximately 1cm excess on each side, and a couple of cms

excess across the top of the bag.

(If you want to get all 'fancy pants' and add a pocket... which I am NOT doing here... now is the

time!)

Mark two straight lines on the fabric, indicating the widest point of the bag.

Then seam along these lines. You now have a 2D bag. The next step is to give it some depth.

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Turn the lining upside down, and stand it up (like a hat) See those points which stick out at the

top?

Fold them in towards the centre. They should look like two small triangles pointing to one

another. Can you see that we are creating a 'rectangular' shaped base?

Aim to make this 'rectangle' the same dimension as the base of your bag. Place the lining inside

the bag to check the fit.

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Once you are happy with the fit, remove the lining and iron a fold along the four sides of the

base... and a fold running from each corner of the base upwards. Sounds complicated, but it's not.

You are just ironing the lining into a 3D shape.

Try the lining inside the bag again. This time you need to fold down the top edge, so that it sits

just inside the top of the crochet bag.

Remove lining and press this folded edge.

Is is starting to look like a lining yet??? It should be!

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Go back to those triangles we folded at the base and remove the pins. We are going to sew along

the fold (as indicated in the photo by the crochet hook)

like so...

Place lining back inside the bagfor the final time and pin into place. I find it easiest to pin the

corners into place first, and then the sides.

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Don't worry if it looks a little higgildy piggildy like mine does! It will settle with use.