I have been gifted or picked up several books from this series, so I decided to preview Crochet Bags!: 15 Hip Projects for Carrying Your Stuff when I realized it was available at the library. I have been participating in more swaps lately and bags seem to be a standard project.
I liked the introductions. I have been working with free patterns that assume some level of experience with bag making. Mine is all trial and mostly error. This book fills in some of the huge holes that exist for me. It introduces linings and some tips on adding details. It would have been nice to have a tutorial on working with handles since they did do such a detailed introduction to all the crochet stitches.
What I liked about the patterns were the boxed instructions. I found them easy to read and follow. I like this formatting style for patterns.
What I did not find were the bags I was seeking. While there were a couple of cute patterns, they would not work for the projects I needed. I still need to find a good tote bag book.
I've crocheted a few bags, but they were all my own designs. I used to crochet for an initiative in South Africa called Ancient Spirit, and we designed clothing, bags, beanies, hats, and shawls, to name a few. It was a great creative outlet, and I sometimes wish I had the time to start crocheting again!
ReplyDeleteI am not comfortable enough yet to work out my own patterns. Perhaps some day. That's why I do need some to learn the techniques from so I can feel more comfortable adapting patterns to make them as I want them.
ReplyDeleteI love knitted and crochet bags. Remind me of the Sak brand, only 1/3 of the cost!
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