Thursday, April 28, 2011

The Flower Garden Purse Pt 4

Technique: Crochet

Materials:
8 ply yarn in various colours;
blue and green for the bag
3 complimentary colours for the flowers
4mm hook
tapestry needle

The original pattern for this purse appeared in Crochet World Magazine 2007. I'm sure I'd get in trouble for republishing the pattern here, but I can take you through what I did step by step.

If you would like the original pattern I can highly recommend subscribing to Crochet World. It is $16 per year for a digital subscription, and that instantly gives you access to several years worth of back issues. Fantastic Value.

OK onto the instructions, and mine differ somewhat to the original. The instructions are part of an ongoing project, see the related posts below if you have come across them in the incorrect order:

Part 1, The Flowers
Part 2, The Bag
Part 3, The Liner
Part 4, Construction (you are here!)

In total you will be constructing:
12 flowers
1 bag body
1 bag insert/liner
2 straps

Let's make our straps and then put it all together!

The straps are made from a chain of blue and a chain of green twisted together. You want a nice lengthy piece of chain, around 200-250 stitches long. Hold the chains together and knot each end. Get a volunteer (or a hook) to hold one end, while you hold the other. Put a pencil through your end holding the length fairly taut twist, twist, twist! You will know when it's tight enough when you slacken the tension a little and you can see it's starting to twist back on itself. When it reaches that stage bring the two tied ends together and allow it to twist back on itself, and tie off.


Do this twice, so you have two handles. Honestly it sounds a lot more complicated than it actually is!

Pin your flowers into place on the outer bag so you get a good spacing. I had three large flowers across each side at the top and three across each side at the lower edge. Once you have the spacing you are happy with, stitch them into place.



Closeup of Flowers
Closeup of the flowers, stems and leaves.


Using green yarn, create stems and leaves for each flower.

Slip the liner into place and slip stitch across the top of the bag with blue yarn.



Bag Components
Bag, liner and handles ready to be assembled.


Slip the ends of the cords through the decorative finish and fasten off.



Handle
Slip the end of the cord that does not have a knot through a loop on the right hand side of the bag, pull it through...




Handle
Slip it through a hook on the left hand side of the bag and knot.  Voila!  A handle.


Stand back and admire!

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