Sweet Nothings Crochet: HEXAGON BAG

HEXAGON BAG

( #Blogaday 19/365 )

I’d made this bag for a friend a long time back, and recently when we met up, she reminded me about it and showed me that she was still using it. I then realized that when I’d made this superb piece, I was not blogging about my creations.. and this one totally deserves mention.

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Materials used : Today I’ve used Vardhaman acrylic yarns, with a 4 mm crochet hook ; embroidery needle ; sewing needle ; fabric glue to seal ends ; crochet stitch markers

For Indians : You could use Red rose , 4-ply knitting cotton , or unbranded knitting cotton or White Rose or bamboo knitting cotton , Milk cotton ; Silk yarns ; Baby soft acrylic yarn , Ganga Spectrum as well as well as Oswal yarns

General yarn info : The yarn used today is not specific to this pattern.

You can use any yarn with a suitable hook to make this project to any size.

International yarns : Among the international yarns I have used in this thickness, I’d suggest Aunt Lydia Cotton 10, Aunt Lydia Bamboo-Viscose 10, DMC Petra, Sullivans knitting cotton (Australia), Milford Soft, Hilaza Rustica Eclat , Alize cotton yarn and Alize bamboo yarn , Lily Sugar n' Cream cotton yarn, Caron Simply Soft , Bernat Softee chunky.

Stitches used :

Starting slip knot : https://youtu.be/lJcqsVcs8cw

Starting slip knot 1 or the Sloppy Slip knot : This is a neat new way to start your work without a slip knot. https://youtu.be/YfC7KmGpifs

Foundation Single Crochet : fsc : To refresh your skill on the fsc, please view this video https://youtu.be/mcT85fwh4mA

Half Double Crochet : Hdc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (3 lps on hk) ;

yo, draw through all 3 lps. One hdc made.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/sDiELJdB2Dg

Chainless start for Half Double Crochet : I dislike the ch-2 start, and this is what I do to start my row of hdc. Check out the video at https://youtu.be/lWXpl1KdbZ8

What is a slip stitch : https://youtu.be/weB3QNbA8Iw

Double Crochet : dc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (3 lps on hk);

[yo, draw through 2 lps] twice. One dc made.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/xdnjB27zpYo

Chainless start for Double Crochet : I dislike the ch-2 / ch – 3 start, and this is what I do to start my row of dc.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/wskv3iTjRx0

How to add beads : https://youtu.be/EcpgMgBox8I

How to work with beads in crochet : https://youtu.be/yanbAnF_pr0

How to change colors seamlessly : https://youtu.be/fRzSBja9jno

How to carry your yarn when using two colors : https://youtu.be/NuascBU3pxQ

Abbreviations used :

dc : Double crochet rep : Repeat

ch : chain ch-sp : chain space

sp : space rep : Repeat

sk : Skip hk : Hook

yo : Yarn Over st(s) : Stitch(es)

lp(s) : loop(s)

Instructions using U.S terminology

Please note that I start all my rows with a ch 1, turning chain for ease.

Please check the top of this blog for easy video tutorials on all stitches used in today's pattern.

The original free crochet pattern for the superb bag is Rainbow Hexagon Beach Bag by Lily / Sugar’n Cream at http://www.yarnspirations.com/pattern/crochet/rainbow-hexagon-beach-bag

The original wonderful pattern calls for several shades of colour (hence the name), also a different weight of yarn, and 15 hexagons.. I used the idea for the hexagons from here, and made only 10, attaching them a little differently. The handle too is a wee bit different.

The hexagons took oh, about 15 mins each.. the attachment and figuring that out took a little longer.

Each hexagon is about 6.5” (point to point) x 5.5” (flat side to side)

The funniest thing is that I was looking for baby blankets, and chanced on this creation, and the first thought that came to my head was that one could actually adapt the bag pattern to make this blanket. How cool would that be, right? http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/L60040.html

So hope you’ll have lots of fun with these two hexagon patterns. Let’s see what you come up with.

a) How to line the bag : http://pattern-paradise.com/2014/06/12/tutorial-how-to-line-a-crocheted-bag/

b) When lining the bag use a different coloured lining (i.e not the same colour as the yarn you have used) so that the pattern shows through

c) Easiest I-cord : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_AQ9m0QeZI

d) How to attach a zipper : http://frogknitting.blogspot.se/2013/08/att-sy-i-dragkedjor-installing-zippers.html?m=1

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