anatomy of a rag bag Want to see how the easy peasy crochet bag works up in rags???

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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'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.

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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!

20 rows of sc and the base is complete

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Now the 5 sc... and another turning chain

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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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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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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.

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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.

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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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.

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

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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.

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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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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?

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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?

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Remove lining and press this folded edge. Is is starting to look like a lining yet??? It should be!

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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.

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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.

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like so...

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Place lining back inside the bag for 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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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)

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Hand stitch the lining into place... using an overstitch.

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Once you have worked all the way around... you are finished!

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I've worked a few stitches here in a darker colour, to make it easier for you to see what I have done... Ideally you would use a matching colour to your bag.

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

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