Button Up Purse

Am designing away here! What do you think of this little crochet number?

 

Button up Purse

Beginner/Easy Intermediate

Materials

50g Aran weight yarn (80-100m approx.) I used Adriafil Stella Jacq (100m per 50g ball)

3.5mm crochet hook

2 buttons 10-15mm

Measurements 10 cm high x 8 cm wide x 8 cm deep

Notes

Magic loop or chain circle to start, instructions are given for both. There should be enough yarn left over to chain a strap or an inner division if desired. Work is carried out in rounds, with the end of the round slip-stitched to the beg chain.

Abbreviations

BEG – beginning: CH – chain; DC – double crochet; HTR – half treble; RD – round; SS – slip stitch; ST(s) – stitch(es)

Starting the purse:

EITHER:            chain 4, ss into first ch to close loop

OR:      magic loop

THEN:  ch1, 5dc into loop. Join to ch1 with a ss.

Rd 1:    ch1, 1dc into same space, 2dc into every dc to end (12 sts) ss to ch1.

Rd 2:    ch1, 1dc into same space, *1dc, 2dc into next st; repeat from * to last st, 1dc, ss to beg ch      (18 sts)           

Rd 3:    ch1, 1dc into same space, *2 dc, 2dc into next st; repeat from * to last 2 sts, 2dc, ss to beg ch (24 sts)

Rd 4:    ch1, 1dc into same space, *3dc, 2dc into next st; repeat from * to last 3 sts, 3dc. Ss to beg ch

            (30 sts)

Rd 5-8: Continue in this way, increasing as set until work reaches a round of 54 sts.

Shape Base:

Rd 9:    ch1, 1dc into each back loop only of previous round, ss to beg ch (54 sts)

Rd 10: ch1, dc into each st, ss to beg ch (54 sts)

Rd 11-25:        As Rd 10.

Create buttonholes:

Rd 26:             ch2, htr into next st, ch1, 5htr, ch1, 10htr, ch1, 5htr, ch1, 5htr, ch1, 18htr, ch1, htr3, ss to beg ch (54 sts)

Rd 27-28:        ch1, dc to end, ss to beg ch (54 sts)

Shape flap (worked back and forth):

Rd 29:             Turn work, ss 7, ch1, dc 15 (16 sts)

Rd 30:             Turn, ch1, dc15 (16 sts)

Rd last 2 rounds 3 more times.

Rd 37:             ch2, htr2, ch1, htr8, ch1, htr3, turn

Rd 38-41:        ch1, dc to end (16 sts)

Rd 42:             ss1, ch1, dc12, ss2, fasten off.

To make up:

Sew in ends.

With front of purse facing, count 5 htr in from the ch sp to the left of the flap, and place button here*.

*To sew button, fasten yarn to fabric, pinch thumb and finger between fabric and button, and use this gap as the measurement from the button to the fabric – the space is needed to cope with the folds of fabric when the purse sides are concertina’d together

Repeat with other button on other side of flap.

Fold fabric and close using ch sp as buttonholes until button appears on front of purse. Fold over flap and button closed.

Distracted by other things

Its the school summer holidays here in Scotland. My attention is being distracted and diverted by my wee one (who is growing like a mushroom) and a couple of customer orders - one you've seen bits of and another one that appeared yesterday (fab!). Also by some knitting I have been cracking on with. I've read tonnes of books too, and watched loads of films - and generally been not posting anything really. Sorry about that. 

But I do have a load of stuff to show you!

I finished my Louisa Harding shawl, and I love it! Here's a close up of the rows:

And a weird pic of the shawl while its blocking - the pink towel doesnt really go, does it? 

 

I made another one in some old Shilasdair angora mix in a slate-blue, which I LOOOOVE but I cant show you as its a Christmas present. Pattern is Imagine When by Joji Locatelli on ravelry. Colourful yarn above is Louisa Harding Amitola. 

 -0-

I finished the non-custom quilt top too :)

Summer sun! A real novelty in our part of the world :) Finished top size 77" x 63" for a single bed. My second version is darker and richer, more autumnal. Pics of that later :)

My little helper :)

And I've watched Kenny (brilliant) Titan AE (ok) Avengers Assemble (again - love) Xmen Days of Future Past (swoon!) among others...

I've read soooooo many books, cant even think of a favourite....

Am working on another shawl, No Fuss shade loving Shawl using Auracania Ranco in the blue green shade, knitting up very nicely. TV knitting. 

And am working on a cardi for the shop using Debbie Bliss Juliet, a lovely cotton mix marl in the denim blue shade.  

And a pair of socks for the wee one in Opal yarn using these little beauties :

KnitPro Cubics - square needles!

Awesome. And I tidied my sewing room, hoovered up about a thousand threads and folded looooads of fabric. Ahhhhhh!.

Hope you're all enjoying the summer :)



 

Continued progress - and other things as well

A latest photo shoot of the commission. Am loving working with these colours. Its the great thing about making things for other people - you get to try out loads of different colourways for things, that you may not have thought to put together yourself. Very stimulating! All pics can be embiggened by clicking on them :)

 

The pic above is the almost finalised layout, depending on instruction from the customer. It'll finish at approx 63" x 77" which is an ideal size for a single bed, or twin as you say over the pond. Blocks are 7" finished. Border round each square is 1" finished.

 

This one is a detail of some of the fabrics used. As usual, the photos don't capture the movement of the fabric in reality and the richness of the browns and golds. 

I've also been busy with some crochet. The cream borders round my crochet granny squares are coming along, although its a bit ... boring ... so I have been tempted by other things....

A wee bit of this:

In a Noro Cash Island yarn - sooooo lovely to work with!

And I was tempted by this cheeky little number when I saw it on the Woolly Brew website:

Its the lovely and deceptively simple Imagine When from Ravelry. I decided to go with the Louisa Harding yarn that Woolly Brew used for the colour changes: Amitola, shade 109 Salsa, which is quite bright, but I think the Scottish winter can take a bit of cheering up :)

Well, I'd better get on with something crafty.... X

Commission in progress :)

Here's a wee sneak peek of the commission quilt I'm working on at the minute....

Client wanted a modern style in blue, black, white, grey, brown and gold. I think this is working out ok. Trying to think how to quilt it - am wondering about a grid effect? The way the top is coming together I'll be having to decide v soon!

LOVE chain piecing :D

Swoon blocks - surfing the Zeitgeist...

I know, everyone in the WORLD has made these, and I am just getting to grips with my first few blocks. 

But that's ok. I like taking time over something, getting my head around it, deciding what I like and what I dont like. 

So here are some Swoon blocks, making me almost half way through the top:

I'm using a dark teal for the background, a fabric I bought a few yards of ages ago and this is finally the right project for it. A few FQ of rich reds, ambers, forest greens, browns and navy. 
Its a surprise for my folks, I know my stepmum really likes these autumnal colours so I hope they like it when I eventually finish it. Its their anniversary in June, but if its not finished then, I'll definitely have it done by Christmas.

4 down, 5 to go then!

Crochet Away!

Hallo peeps. I've been busy crocheting over the past wee while, something to pick up and put down while sitting by the fire - for some reason I don't feel like going upstairs to my sewing room when there's a roaring fire in the living room - can't think why...

This was my pile earlier on:

Its been sitting under the light, above my basket of yarns so I can pick up and put down when I feel like it. I started with a circle, and went from there into a granny square, trial and error really, and I liked the first one so much I stuck with it for another 29 squares :) I'm sashing them with cream by crocheting another 5 rounds around each square, so the finished size will be 10" across. (Inspiration here)
Here's most of the squares:

 

 

I loved making them all, and every one I finished was my favourite :) I decided to stick at 30 squares and see how the sashing went. I'm currently on my 4th sashing so once I've made a few more I'll post them up, see how they're going.

Attic24, you have a lot to answer for! :)

In praise of the internet

Hallo. Apologies for the lack of blog posts on here lately. At the moment I am stuffed to the gunwales with snot, with throbbing sinuses and a rumbling toothache thrown in to boot.

Part of the joys of being diabetic, I reckon. Your immune system is shot to hell, because Diabetes type 1 (which is what I have) is caused when your body attacks itself and knackers your pancreas, so no more insulin, hello injections for ever.

 

Which is fine, except my immune system likes to keep itself amused by throwing huge viruses at me every so often. Hence my overwhelming tissue usage and my amazing ability to power a wind turbine with my sneezes.

Nice.

Oh, and a filling needed replaced the other week, got replaced, grumbled ever since, and there is now extended root treatment in my near future. And I hate going to the dentist. (shudder)

Ha! If only....

But, I am powering away on the mitre blanket, seeing as I am mostly anchored to the couch. Have got 6 blocks by 7 blocks done and working in the 7th row. Still looking good, and its keeping my lap toasty warm as I knit.

And thank you everyone in blogland for continuing to post beautiful pictures of your work, and thank you lovely bloggers like Crazy Mom Quilts for giving people a showcase to let them be admired. Yay for the internet when you feel rubbish!

Much snottery love to all xxxxx

Return of the Native

Been a quiet holiday for the blog, but I have been beavering away between family outings and driving miles around Scotland for holiday purposes.

M.M.B.A... AHEM, I mean, scenery...

I decided to take a couple of sock wool projects away with me. One was a Christmas present for a friend, so am not putting a pic up on the blog (just in case) but the other is a mitre blanket, and it goes something like this:

Various 4 ply (well, 3-4 ply really) sock yarn oddments, 3mm needles (yup, thats a tiny UK size 11 right there) and a basic mitre pattern which knits each square on as you go along. Totally addictive and great holiday knitting :)

Every other row is decreased by two, so as you get nearer to the finish, the rows are shorter and quicker - its like a race with yourself! And then you have to start another one, and then just do a couple of rows, and then another couple to see what the next stripe is, and then, and then...its 2 in the morning....

Let me know if you want the pattern, and I can rough out a copy :) I have done one already, but I cant seem to find a pic on the laptop - remind me to take a pic of that tomorrow and post it up!

When we came back home on Saturday from our holiday, I flew upstairs to my sewing room, possibly even barricading the door behind me, in case small whiny children appeared. Managed to crank out a couple of cushion fronts which are in the process of being quilted.

This log cabin came about from the centre square - couldnt find a place for a wee charm square and thought it would make a perfect centre. Looks like eyes peering out to me :) Photography shocking, colours bright and orange-yellow in real life.

this was taken in good light. Camera phone not liking, it must be a summer palette :)

Colours even more washed out in this one, but it looks fab really. Or at least it did until l tried grid quilting it. It seems that the walking foot is pressing down too heavily on the fabrics so they bunch up and pucker as you stitch towards the end of the squares where they join the next square. Short of getting a new machine, any hints or ideas as to how to stop this happening? Any and every comment gratefully received!

Hope you are all having a lovely crafty summer - and in fact you are, blogland is, as usual, filled with lovely things :D

XXX

Work In Progress

Friday Finish - only 2 days late! :D

I know, I know, bit of a cheek really :D but I have been looking after a sick almost 6-year old, so couldn't really get anything done before now. She's a lot better, started arguing back today after a day of being sick (Friday) and a day of lying on the couch shattered (Saturday). Poor wee soul. Kids are at their most forlorn when they're ill.

Anyway.

I've been a busy bee today - the long weekend has been a fantastic aid to sewing. And the sun has meant a request for a sun hat for said almost 6 year old.
Thanks to Riley Blake and April Cobb, I have a fantastic pattern to work from. Kt chose the colours, and off I went...

First I fused interfacing to the fabric, and then cut out some shapes:

Two fabrics, as the hat is reversible. Three pieces for the brim, three for the sides and one piece for the crown from each fabric, and interfacing ironed behind each bit.

Quarter inch seams used to sew the pieces together, then topsewn with an eighth seam to secure. You can see that on the back of the red spot. Then comes the hard part - sewing the round shapes together. Not v good at this, but got better with practice - black one is better than the red one I did first :)

Spot the deliberate mistake? Yes, I had to unpin this one ... Just as well my hubby spotted this!

I put the two hat pieces together WS out and sewed them round the brim. All the curved seams and the brim were 1/2 inch, cut down to 1/4 to reduce bulk with notches cut into them to ease the curves.
Leave a 3" gap, turn right sides out, and topstitch around the edge. Et Voila!

One reversible hat. It's a teeny bit big, but better that than the alternative! Took me a few hours over the day but I am really pleased with how it turned out. I love the colours she chose too, they look amazing together. I'd like to say she gets it from me, but I reckon the wee smasher has her own style. I'd love to show you her modelling prowess but she was in a foul mood by the time I'd finished so this is the best shot I have:

 Hehehe :D

A welcome return to productivity

Thanks to Crazy Mom I have a couple of yay finishes to show you :)

The first I have already mentioned here and am chuffed to bits about it. Really couldn't have been much easier (unfortunately I never took pics of the process - my all-singing, all-dancing phone is still new and I have yet to realise I have joined the modern generation that can take pics whenever they choose)

but I can show you the finished object and describe it to you! TADA!!!

This lovely looking item was covered in a stained ratty floral horror up till yesterday. I took the old cover off, pinned it to the new fabric and cut around it, and took the old gathering string off it to use on my new cover.
I then cheerfully rolled up the old cover and binned the bugger :D
Then I double folded the edges of the new fabric, keeping the gathering string inside the fold so I could sew it into the new hem and use it to gather the new fabric.
Worked like a charm :D
Here's a close up - cant remember who the manufactures is, but isnt it sweet?

So now I have a lovely new cover - and I found an excuse to use it.

Because I have ANOTHER finish!

This wee charmer is another cushion for my cousin, knitted in Rowan Kid Classis, Rowan Tapestry and backed with the same cord fabric I used for the first one:

Finished size about 18 inches square. Second use of buttonholes, I think these are slightly better than the first ones, although again not quite in a line. Better every time though :D
The stitch pattern is from one of my stitch books, 4 rows with two slip stitch rows, and another 4 rows with the slip stitch slightly offset, giving a wave effect. I used three colours, so every 12 rows another slight change. Here's Johnny! a close-up - 

The Tapestry is variegated, so adds another dimension to the pattern. I'm v pleased with it, and also with sewing it to the backing.
I used a 1/2 " seam and a walking foot and chugged my way through. Worked out pretty well. Am liking this experimenting!

You'll get a peek at my sewing room soon :D

PS It will never again be as tidy as it is in the photos....