Seasonal Beach Bag

May 20, 2014

Hello Everyone, 

Bags, bags, bags!!! I can't make or have enough of them!  How about you?  Bags for yarn projects, bags for shopping, bags for friends...

 I actually began this gorgeous beach bag in Summer when I went for a weekend to the seaside.  This round bottomed bag is great for many reasons.  It's spacious,  easy for a beginner to make and it's a great way to practice increasing circles which comes in handy if you are a Mandala lover (see Mesmerising Mandala here  http://wildaboutyarn.blogspot.com.au/2014/03/motif-monday-again-no.html ) and  last of all, this design can be made to order - make it wider by increasing in the same manner as below or continue trebling rounds to the desired height. (Remember to adjust/purchase more of the lining to match your bag's height!)

Seasonal Beach Bag

 Finished size: 48cm long, 30cm wide

FACTS

multicoloured green - 1 ball

coral - 1 ball

green  -1 ball

white - 1 ball

Fabric - lining - 90cm wide x 45cm long

4 buttons for embellishment on bag and purse

Rope - 1metre of thick rope. (Thin rope can hurt your shoulder, even with a crocheted handle)

Tapestry needle

4mm hook

Sewing thread to match lining and bag.

Sewing needle

METHOD

NB:  Work this in a spiral using a stitch marker in the first stitch of each round.

COLOUR CHANGES: Work rounds of colour in any order.

Magic ring

1.     Tr 8 into the ring

2.     2tr in each tr, place marker (16sts)               

3.    *1tr in first tr, 2tr in next tr, repeat from * all round

4.   *1tr in each of the next 2tr, 2tr in next tr.  

Repeat from * all round

Establishing base in rounds

5.    *1tr in each of the next 3tr, 2tr in next tr.   

Repeat from * all round

6.    *1tr in each of the next 4tr, 2tr in next tr.  

Repeat from * all round

7.    *1tr in each of the next 5tr, 2tr in next tr.  

Repeat from * all round

8.    *1tr in each of the next 6tr, 2tr in next tr.  

Repeat from * all round

9..  *1tr in each of the next 7tr, 2tr in next tr. 

 Repeat from * all round

10.  Tr in each stitch all round

11.  *1tr in each of the next 8tr, 2tr in next tr.  

Repeat from * all round

12 - 34.   Tr in each stitch all round

35-44.    10 rows Double Crochet (Uk terms) ( do not turn, continue crocheting in a spiral manner and place marker on the last stitch of each row.

45,46.      2 rows of treble.  Fasten off.

LINING and HANDLE

Fold lining in half along long edge.  Stitch along the bottom and up the side with a 5mm seam.  Turn down a 2cm hem on the top edge. Leave inside out. 

* Run two gathering rows 1cm and 5 cm from the top edge of the lining.

* Place lining inside the crocheted bag,

*Draw up  the two gathering rows so the lining fits into the inside of the top of the bag.

* Hand-stitch the lining 1cm below the top of the inside of the bag with back-stitch in coordinating thread.   Use a close, whip stitch to connect lining to bag. 

Bag components

*Turn over two rows of Treble on the crocheted bag to the inside. This will cover the top of the lining.  Hand-stitch the crocheted turn-down to the lining.

   

Attach the handle to both sides of the bag using yarn and a tapestry needle.

HANDLE 

Cast on 130 ch.

1.  Tr in the 3^rd ch from hook.  Tr along entire  foundation row.  Turn

2.  3ch (does not count as a stitch), tr in each stitch

Do five rows of treble in this manner.   

Lay rope inside handle and dc two long edges together to enclose rope inside handle.

Attach handles to each side of the bag with yarn and tapestry needle.  Secure strongly. 

Mini purse

 Mini purse with zipper

A mini purse doesn't go astray for that small change. Make it large enough to put your phone in. 

Finished: 12cm high,  10cm wide

METHOD

NB:  Work this in a spiral using a stitch marker in the first stitch of each round.

Magic ring

1.     Dc 8 into the ring

2.     2dc in each dc, place marker (16sts)

3.    *1dc in first dc, 2dc in next dc, repeat from * all round

4.   *1dc in each of the next 2dc, 2dc in next dc.  Repeat from * all round

5.    *1dc in each of the next 3dc, 2dc in next dc.   Repeat from * all round

6.    *1dc in each of the next 4dc, 2dc in next dc.  Repeat from * all round

7.   Dc all round for the next 15 rows

21.  Dc in white

22, 23.  Dc all round. Fasten off.

Insert zipper by hand-stitching in back-stitch.  (Back stitch is a stretchy stitch that is great for knitted wear.)   Attach a small motif and button to the zipper.

 *******************  

Roll up your towel, push it in the Seasonal Beach bag,

 throw in some sunscreen and off to the beach we go!  R

The New Crochet Project continued....

The New PRoject. continued...

As the sun sets over the landscape here in Australia, I see some of the colours in the sky that I’ve chosen for the crochet.   This is my  ever changing view every day...I am grateful.

T.N.P.  (The New Project)  is coming along beautifully and I'm delighted with it!  I can’t wait for night to come so I can get some crochet time.  All that delicious coloured yarn and quick and easy motifs, completed while watching television with my girl, P, and the furry one, Hunni.   

 

     

The project looked something like this at the start...

 A basket of colour...

And this...  

And WHEELS of colour...The first round  of each of the three motifs

                                  The trouble is I just couldn't stop photographing them :-) 

This  project requires at least 48 motifs, three rounds of colour for each motif .   The rules for this are that there can't be two motifs with the same colourway.  I've been keeping track of what combinations I've made by sitting them in the tray in front of me.    

I've modified the Mermerising Mandala coaster design  a little so the motif isn’t too large.  (I’m not a tall person so I try to make motifs in better proportion for my size…should you like to make larger motifs, use a larger hook.  Easy!)

Number 2 Motif -  Spoked Wheel

The spoked wheel  motif...rounds 1 and 2....Tadaaaaaaaaaaa...

I'm in love with them!  The STACK of Wheels...

Onto the third motif now and about to have a coffee. Stay tuned...

Happy crocheting!

Lu x

New project!

New Project...

I'm so excited about  a new project I've started.  Yes,  I know...we all have several on the go but it's the thrill of starting something new and oh my, the colours are so glorious!  Just take a look...

All the vibrant goodness is sure to cheer you up!

I've been making motifs on Mondays for a couple of months now and although last week, I detoured from that, this project requires motifs so what better than the lovely Mesmerising Mandala coasters?

Mesmerising Mandala motif, rows 1-3.
Find it here: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mesmerising-mandala-and-coasters

I've designed two more motifs...and had a play with several others, so satisfying just sitting by the pool and making motifs.

Beginnings...

A scone with a coffee helps...

Progress so far...

Keep posted. It may take a little while and it's not a NEW idea but it's going to be lovely!

Happy crocheting or knitting,
Lu x

School Bag Buddies -  this is a stash buster.

 (Everyone will want one!)

When I first designed these, I thought they'd be great for tucking into a pocket but then I thought how cool they might be if they were attached to a bag and taken to school as a buddy, especially if  a child is feeling a bit shy or  if they're going to a new school.  Ask your child to choose a buddy that suits them best, let them select their own colours from your stash. Make it over night! It’s that easy!  Only basic skills are needed.

 Find me on Ravelry, Ludouglasdesigns and look for the buddies at:

     http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/school-bag-buddies  

Spike 

This buddy is made as a rectangle and stitched along the top and sides after it’s done. 

FACTS

*Small amounts of turquoise, red, green and orange (or colours of your choice)

 *Small amount of white and black          *Silver clip to attach to bag

*Tapestry needle          * 4mm crochet hook       *Three buttons                                                                                                            Finished size: 15cm from top of spikey hair to bottom of curly foot                                                                                                            ‘Spike’

METHOD (Spike)

With turquoise yarn, ch 23sts, turn. 

1. Dc in second chain from hook.  *Dc in the next 3sts, 3ch, dc in same place as last dc. ( this creates a tiny picot on the bottom)

Repeat from *across until last stitch.  Dc in last stitch, ch1, turn. (do not cut off turquoise yarn)

Join red yarn  

2 & 3. Dc across row, ch1, turn (change back to Turqouise on the ch1 turn, do not cut red yarn)

4 & 5.   (turquoise) Dc across row, ch1, turn.  Change back to red to Red

6-8. Repeat row 2.  Bring in green in the last stitch on the row, cut off the red. 

9-14. (green)  Continue repeating row 2.   Fasten off.

LEGS

Legs are stitched as two long foundation chains with 30ch for one, 25ch for the other. Turn at the end of each foundation ch, dc into the second chain from the hook and dc along length of leg. Fasten off.   (These will be inserted into the base before backstitching the bottom together.)

 HAIR, and stitching the body

Wrap hair yarn around three fingers for 2 inches (5cm).  (photo(i))  Slide off carefully.  Set aside.

     

Wrap hair ( photo i) 

Place right sides together (photo ii)

                

Turn right side out Photo (iii)

 Place wrong sides together with the hair tucked down inside ( leave just a small amount poking out on the wrong side  - photo ii) into the top of the head, back stitch across the top of head then stitch down the sides only. Turn right sides out through the bottom.  (photo iii)  Place bottom opening together, insert legs into base and topstitch using a backstitch to secure opening closed and to secure legs inside body.  Cut hair on the fold. Tease it out by unravelling it. 

FACE (Spike)

EYES - Stitch buttons on using sewing machine thread.

MOUTH -  white

Ch8, turn, dc in second chain from hook.                               

1. Dc across row, ch 1, turn

2. Dc across row. Fasten off.  Leave a long tail to stitch mouth to face. 

Once attached, use black yarn to backstitch teeth in place.  Use the same black yarn to make two stitches to create nose.  Lose the yarn inside the head and cut off.

Hanger

Ch 50 sts.  Dc in second ch from hook. Dc all along.  Attach to top of head securely. Hook silver clip through hanger and attach to your bag!  :-) 

___________________________________________________________________________

 

 Blinky the beandrop   

*Variegated 8ply yarn - body.  Blue for mouth.     *   4mm crochet hook

*Small amount each of black and white perle cotton or 4ply if     desired (eyes)

*Tapestry needle      *Silver clip to attach to bag

 Finished size: 12cm

METHOD                                                                 

Blinky is made in spirals. 

Magic ring. 1.  Dc 6 into ring, slst to first dc. 

(Place marker on the last stitch of each round)

2. 2dc in each dc (12sts)

3. *Dc in first stitch, 2dc in next stitch.  Repeat from * around

4. *Dc in first 2 dc of previous row 2dc in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.

5-9. Dc all round in a spiral pattern, placing marker at last stitch          

       of each round

10. *Dc in first 2 dc, dc2tog.  Repeat from * all round.

11. *Dc in next dc, dc2tog. Repeat from * all round

12. * Dc2tog all round

13.  Dc2tog all round.   Pull up the remaining stitches to close 

the opening and chain 50 stitches.  Turn, dc in second ch from hook,

 dc all the way back to Blinky’s head.                                            

Secure the thread in the head and fasten off. 

You have your hanger ready to go!!

EYE – Magic Ring in black

1.  Dc 6 into ring, slst to first dc.  Change to white on the slip stitch.

2. 2dc in each dc (12sts). Slst into the first dc.  Fasten off.

MOUTH

Backstitch a blue mouth and outline in black.

 Make the arms separately. 

 Add the arms by attaching yarn to the side of the body, chaining 30 ( or as many chain as desired), turn and dc into the 2^nd ch from the hook.  Chain all the way back to the body, secure the tail and fasten off.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Charlotte the ladybird 

 

Did you know that a group of ladybirds is called

                  ‘a loveliness of ladybirds’ ? 

I think that’s just perfect!  Charlotte is such a sweet beetle. Make your own collection of

                        loveliness!  

FACTS    

                                                                                                                     Finished size - 5.5cm long, 6cm wide                                                                  made in the spiral format

 *4ply yarn, black, red/orange/yellow

* 3mm hook

*Tapestry needle   * Silver clip to attach to bag

 UPPER BODY

1.  Dc 6 into ring, slst to first dc. (Place marker on the last stitch of each round)

2. 2dc in each dc (12sts) (Photo i)

3. *Dc in first stitch, 2dc in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  (18sts)

4. *Dc in first 2 dc of previous row 2dc in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.   (24st)

5, 6.  Dc all round. Fasten off.

LOWER BODY in black

Repeat for body ending on row 5. Do not break yarn. 

You will use this to stitch the base to the body using a tapestry needle.                           Upper body  made

                                          

                                                      

LEGS

Legs are stitched as 3 long foundation chains of 18 ch each.  Ch 18, turn at the end of each foundation ch, dc into the second chain from the hook and dc along length of leg. Fasten off.   (These will be inserted from side to side, inside the two body sections before stitching together around the side. 

                                                                                                       Legs

NOTE: Lay legs across the inside

of the body before 

stitching the bodies                                                                     (Photo i)

 together with the

WRONG sides together

               

                                                                                                       

Head cap  (photo ii)

(Attach head cap once Charlotte has been stitched together.)

Black yarn

Magic ring, dc6, slst into the first dc.                                                      

1.  2dc in each dc, slst into the first dc. (12sts)       (Photo ii)                                    

Fasten off.  Leave a  long tail to stitch the head onto the body using small anchor stitches, securing the head cap through top and bottom, and to make the eyes. 

                                                       

              

 Head cap  (left)                                                Spine and spots (right) 

 EYES: Once head cap is attached, make two French knots to make eyes in black. Sink the thread into the body and cut off.

Spots – make the spots and the spine-line with  black yarn and your tapestry needle.  Backstitch is used for the spine and the spots.

Hanger

Ch 50 sts.  Dc in second ch from hook. Dc all along.  Attach to top of head securely.   Attach silver lock.

                                                       Fly, fly ladybird. 

There!  Buddies made and ready to hang on your bag! 

Happy buddy day!

Lu 

(Please link back to my designs on Ravelry (ludouglasdesigns) or wildaboutyarn.blogspot.com.au if you use them.  You may make any to sell or to give to friends. ) 

               

                                                                                                       

Diabolo, Motif 9

         Motif Monday - Motif 9 - Diabolo

When my son, Leo, was a teenager, he was quite good at doing tricks with his diabolo, a toy with two plastic cup shaped domes on the end of string connected to a stick.  A huge variety of tricks is possible including spinning, using your body, string manipulations, hand interactions and the creating of patterns.   For some reason, this made me think of how we do crochet!     

This week’s motif  has twists and turns and hand actions using ‘string’ - YaRN!   I just love how it turned out. There are so many beautiful motifs around at the moment from the simple (like those I’ve done for Motif Monday) to very complex ones like the Love Wink does from @acreativebeing.  I just love her mandalas! 

Motif 9 will be the last motif for now, because... next week, I have another idea for you! 

Tune in next Monday to find out what it is!   :-) 

Diabolo

NB: UK terms

FACTS

8ply yarn, three colours – white, burnt orange, mustard

4mm hook

Using white, make a magic ring.

1. 16dc into the ring. Slst into the first dc.                    

2. Dc in 1^st dc, 3ch, miss 1dc, *dc in next dc, 3ch, miss 1dc** Repeat from * to ** all round.  Slst into the 1^st dc.  Fasten off.

3.  Join burnt orange with a *dc into any 3ch space, 6ch, dc in 3ch space, repeat from * all round.  Slst into the first dc.

4.  Dc in the same place as the slst.  *(htr, 5tr, htr = treble group) into the 6 ch space, dc in dc of previous row** repeat from * to ** all round. Slst into the first dc. Fasten off.

5. Join mustard with a *dc in dc of previous row, (3ch, 1tr, 5ch, 1tr) in middle tr of treble group of previous row,  3ch** repeat from * to ** all round. Slst into the first dc.  

6. Dc in every stitch all around. Slst into the first dc.  Fasten off.

Rows 1 - white, 2- burnt orange

7.  Join white with a *dc into the dc in the 3^rd ch of the 5ch space of the previous row, (ch 5 [loop] , dc) into the same dc, ch5, 4dtrcl in between the two dc  in the valley of the previous row, ch5, dc in dc of the 3^rd ch of the 5ch space, ch5, 4dtrcl, 5ch**  Repeat 3 more times, sl st into the first ch of the 5ch loop

               

Corner 5ch, (ctr, 5ch, 3tr) 5ch

8.  3ch (counts as 1tr), (2tr, 5ch, 3tr) into the 5ch loop, 5ch, dc in the tip of the 4dtrcl, dc in the next 7sts, 5ch, dc in the same place as the previous dc, dc in the next 6 sts, 5ch, *(3tr, 5ch, 3tr) , 5ch into the 5ch loop, 5ch, dc in the tip of the 4dtrcl, dc in the next 7sts, 5ch, dc in the

same place as the previous dc, dc in the next 6 sts, 5ch** repeat from * to ** two more times.  Slst into 3^rd ch of the beg 3ch.   Fasten off.

Sew in ends and block. 

Next week, since it’s school holidays here in Australia, I have a fun project to get your children (or you, if they’re not interested) crocheting. 

                                                                                                                                    Happy motif making,

Lu xxx

                                                                                          

Five questions about crochet - interview

                  Question time: five questions about crochet.

1. What is that I love about crochet? 

 Almost everything…It uses maths, language, art, craft…it’s portable and there are many projects that are achievable and fast!  When I need therapy,  :-)  I can pull out one ball of yarn and make a delightful flower coaster, or brooch, or accessory for a bag.  Even when the day is busy with  meetings or trips across the city, I can fit in a flower or a granny square in ten minutes. 

2. What do I most like to make?

I love making animals, flowers and motifs because they are complete in themselves but I wish blankets were quicker to make and that I lived in a colder climate when it was time to put them together. Australia is so hot but it’s sometimes after a winter of making motifs that a blanket is ready to be assembled but that means it’s almost summer here!  Lesson to be learned, Lu!  Join as you go where possible!

3. What is a tip I’d give a crochet beginner?

 If you can BEAR it, try to start weaving in the end AT THE TIME rather than waiting until they add up to a mess of spare parts!  Oh those ends. They are the bane of every crocheter.   2.  And get yourself into a community or crochet craft group.  Sharing is the best.         Making flowers is the easiest of pleasures...

There is much to be learned from each other and the support or others who share your love of crochet is immeasurable.

A crochet morning at Hotshotz cafe, Brisbane.  

                                                                                

4. When did I first learn to crochet?

I knitted and did embroidery from the age of 6 and 10 respectively, and in a creative, yarn-loving family, I thought it was unusual that my mother and grandmother had not learned to crochet.  I taught myself the basic stitches but always found it hard to follow the instructions in patterns, especially as I couldn’t grasp how it was supposed to look.  Seven years ago, I moved states and found a yarn group.  I took two lessons, bought a ridiculous amount of books, continue to borrow the most books on crochet from the libraries nearby.  It's a rare day that I don’t do some  crochet, even if it’s the last thing I do before nodding off to sleep.  

5. What are the benefits of crochet?

Apart from having the potential to make functional items, the process of crochet is meditative, therapeutic, rewarding.   Crochet is a stress reliever.  And most of all, crocheting is something we can do together over a cup of coffee, a delicious slice of cake and much laughter. 

Write and tell me your most favourite crochet item to make or a tip that has made crocheting easier for you.  

Happy  crocheting! Lu x