04 March 2006
Look what I made:
Click the image to enlarge. It's my new crochet caddy! A little bag I can slip inside my bigger bag when I need to travel around with hooks and a ball of wool.
The top is a simple patchwork (er, stripes) of those prints I'd chosen, quilted to some thin cotton batting. Once I quilted it with a little free-form leaf action, I washed it in the sink and threw it in the dryer for some excellent quiltiness. The front of the caddy (under the top flap) is the piece of felted crochet, and the back is made of the prints again. I didn't quilt the back or even reinforce it with interfacing, which is the one thing I'd change if I could do this over again.
A close up of the fabric-covered button and the quilting. I'm really not very good with binding edges with bias tape. For this bag, I sewed it by machine to the outside of the bag and then hand stitched it into place on the inside of the bag (like you're supposed to do with quilt binding). I didn't take any photos of the inside, though, so you can't see my lovely hand stitches. Which is just as well, because I was lying just then when I called them lovely.
Because the front of the caddy is crochet, and therefore pretty thick, there's less room inside that you'd think. I put in some pockets for hooks and things, but it's pretty simple otherwise.
In other news, I just discovered Mirror Mirror, which is just about the prettiest little on-line boutique. I bought a few things made by Karin Eriksson, who my internet pal Cally had posted about a couple days ago. Karin makes very beautiful ceramics, and a couple of her pieces will soon be living here, while there may or may not be a little treat headed Cally's direction.
So! Rob and I are going to look for dinosaurs today at the Natural History Museum, and tomorrow it's time that living in Docklands finally pays off -- the start of the London Book Fair at ExCel.
i love it!!
posted by rachel at March 4, 2006 02:15 PM
Simple? For me is very difficult!Congatulation, i love it!
posted by Anabel at March 4, 2006 03:17 PM
what a great idea!
posted by Gisela at March 4, 2006 03:42 PM
Ooohhh, frostyaquamarine and brown are my favourite colours right now. Excellent choice of fabric!
posted by andrea from the fishbowl at March 4, 2006 04:51 PM
Neat bag! I like the fabrics together and the little handle is cute. Great job!
posted by Robin at March 4, 2006 10:10 PM
Stunning....! I love it!
posted by brenda at March 5, 2006 02:12 AM
That turned out beautifully! I love your fabric selections and great job on the quilting!
posted by joleen at March 5, 2006 05:53 AM
beautiful! what does it look like on the inside?
posted by kathi at March 5, 2006 06:11 PM
What a sterling idea! I adore the colours.
posted by Leisl at March 5, 2006 09:38 PM
Super ace! Love the colours and the button. Crafty goodness indeed.
posted by Shannon at March 5, 2006 10:36 PM
Oh I love your bag....super nice colors. Nice job!
I just got the *Living etc.* mag too...it really IS great ;o)
posted by Kristina at March 5, 2006 10:54 PM
It's beautiful!
posted by emma at March 6, 2006 03:56 PM
Whoa, that's amazing.
posted by Gina at March 6, 2006 10:48 PM
beautiful colors and work, anna!
posted by lisa at March 7, 2006 06:58 AM
Pah, I tell you what though, I've got that spotty silk nightie they're selling on that site and it's rotten - it split all along the seams under the bust in several places.
They have got lots of lovely things though. I think your crochet bag is gorrrrgeous, too.
posted by Kitty Jimjams at March 7, 2006 09:40 AM
So cute! Love the fabric choices and fabric covered button!
posted by Bee at March 10, 2006 11:00 PM