Another Finish – Checkered Tote Bag

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This ‘Checkered Tote Bag’ was one the unfinished projects that was in my ‘Sewing Project Bag’ because it needed a lining.
I originally started this tote-bag way back in 2019 when I first got my ‘KB All-In-One’ loom. I mentioned it in a post, 3-8-2019 ‘Random 5 For Friday‘
I finished the basic body pieces by the end of March 2019, but I didn’t join all of them together. I rolled them up with the yarn, put it in a bag and stored it in a drawer. I did that because, I wanted to put zipper pockets in it and at that time, zippers were not in my skill level. I’m so thankful I’m finally able to set zippers fairly well.
Like my other tote bags:
‘It has a zipper-pocket on each side inside. One side zipper-pocket is big enough for my 8-inch kindle fire and the other side pocket is big enough for a mobile phone and some other small stuff.’ (Yep, I cut and pasted that bit from my other post. 😀 )
I put a tasseled icord closure on it. I made the icord using 2 pegs on my KB Loom. I’m using button flowers at the moment to tether it to. The flowers don’t look too bad. I might keep them or I might change them when/if I find different buttons.

Wishing you all a pleasant rest of the week.

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Project in Progress – Burgundy and Gray Tote Bag

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Here’s my crochet project in progress. It’s going to be a bit bigger than my other 2 totes. I’m using 2 strands of yarn. I got bored with the 2 strands of gray color yarn. I changed the second strand to burgundy instead of continue using the second strand of gray.
Not sure how it will look when it’s finished, but I’m liking the colors together. So, we shall see.

Wishing you all a terrific Thursday
and a great rest of the week.

 

Sylphs at play

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August 7, 2023, there was a wave of really heavy thunderstorms. They helped cool the evening temperatures down quite nicely. We sat out on our back porch and enjoyed the cooler evening.  We watched butterflies and birds feeding on our storm damaged garden. The damaged garden isn’t a loss for us. We stopped gardening a couple weeks ago when a Mama doe and her fawn ran through the yard. After our harvest, we give the last part of the gardening season to the deer and other critters. Especially the Mama does for the extra nourishment to feed their fawns.
We didn’t see any deer, but the clouds were putting on a show. We enjoy cloud watching (and happily enjoy our pareidolia.)
I told my husband “Look the sylphs are at play.” I pointed to the sky, “That one favors a pac-man about to eat a bird.” 🤣
My husband smiled and agreed. 😊

Wishing you all a whimsical rest of the week.

*Just a note: A sylph is an elemental spirit of the air as described by Paracelsus in the 16th century.

Another finish – Bright Tote Bag Lining

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2013-brighttote
I’ve finished another project from my sewing project bag. I made a new liner for a tote bag that I made back in 2013. This Bright Tote Bag was the first big loom knit project I made. I used a Martha Stewart knitting loom. I single-crochet-chained every inch of yarn I used. It took a long while, but it was really enjoyable and worth the effort. Making this tote bag project helped me better my loom knitting skills.
The stitch pattern is what I call a ‘basket-weave’. I’ve heard it called a tile stitch and a cobblestone stitch. Doesn’t matter what it’s called, it was a fun stitch to do. I think it looks pretty good for my no-pattern first attempt at a loom knit project.
I’ve always liked the look and colors of this tote. I’m happy with the beads and oblong toggle button, both of which I sculpted out of polymer clay.
However, I never liked my open-pocket lining (lower left side of the collage-photo). Since I’ve figured out the method for setting zippers in the pockets in linings, I decided it was time to replace the lining in my old Bright Tote Bag.
It has a zipper-pocket on each side inside.
One side zipper-pocket is big enough for my 8-inch kindle fire and the other side pocket is big enough for a mobile phone and some other small stuff.
I’m ever so much happier with my old Bright Tote Bag now.

Wishing everyone a happy week of sunshine and smiles.

Finished Friday – C2C Crochet Beige Tote

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I’ve finished another project from my sewing project bag. The sewing part of this project was a learning experience. I figured out techniques that I can use in future projects.beigetote-kI crocheted a tote bag, although I suppose it could be considered a handbag.
I crocheted the c2c (corner-to-corner) stitch pattern using 2 strands of 4 weight yarn, to make it sturdier to hopefully give it a long life.
My plans for this bag changed, as I went along. For the straps, I originally was going to use loom knitted icords.
By the time I finished the body of it, I changed my mind and chose to crochet wide straps using c2c. I made one long strap and looped it around the body front to back and hand stitched it together. It was half finished in the above picture.
I decided to set zippers in the pockets. It was risky for me, since I’m not very skilled at zipper setting. However, I figured out a way to set the zipper that turned out pretty decent.
The bag lining has two pockets; one pocket is deep enough for my 8 inch kindle fire and the other pocket is a good size for a mobile phone with room for other things like a comb and stuff.
I’m surprised the lining turned out as well as it did.
I used the blanket stitch to hand-sew the lining in the tote. It’s not perfect, but it’s quite okay for me.
All along, I played with the idea of either a simple flap closure or a zipper on the top. Well, I figured I’m this far into it, might as well go for it. It took me a few days to figure out how to set the zipper in the top that required only my limited skilled.
I crocheted 2 strips and hand-sewed one on each side of the zipper and then I crocheted it to my tote.
Tah-Dah! The zipper looks okay and works great.

Here’s wishing you all a weekend
full of fun and happiness.