You may remember this purse, which I made while on holiday over the summer (summer! Remember that?! Damn you Greenwich Mean Time, I want British Summer Time back). I sewed this sari-type lining into it a few months ago, but deleted the shot I took of it by accident before I had a chance to post it up. So here it is. Nothing else worth mentioning about it I don’t think.
The amazing Louisa Calder
I can’t keep away from Louisa Calder for long, no matter how much I may giggle at her indifference to professional finishings off and her cheerful habit of making things that any sane person would feel entirely humiliated to wear in public. On the one hand I’m bemused (and perhaps even a little exasperated) by her obsession with making everything in double crochet (US sc) no matter what, and her unfathomable need to finish everthing off in such a botched manner that it looks like she grew bored and gave it to a toddler to stitch together. On the other, I love the bright colours she uses, the way she creates neat little “bird in flight” effects and the fact that she really does go to town with the crazy designs without a care for taste. Check out these ties for starters. Can you imagine anyone actually wearing these things?! And what’s with the random way they get larger and smaller? I mean I’m pretty lax at finishing things off, but if I were to publish a book of my creations I think I might start actually finding out what this “blocking” business is all about.
Still, if I had to pick a crochet spirit guide, I think it would have to be Mrs Calder. And now I’m looking at these ties, I’m suddenly seeing the next trendy ironic Hoxton boys fashion appearing before my eyes.
Previous Louisa Calder creations: Crochet Laptop Bag| Crochet Bag | Mobile Phone Case
Crochet Cotten Purse (and Ikea box thing)
While I’m on a roll, might as well post up this cotten purse, which I made while on holiday in Cornwall. On the drive down we stopped off in a town called Okehampton. I’d been feeling a bit annoyed with my decision not to bring anything to crochet and so when I spotted a wool shop I popped in and bought some natural cotton, a size 3.5mm crochet hook and a small turquoise zip (since there wasn’t a matching zip available). Then I knocked up this amazing bit of artistry, whose purpose in life I still haven’t fully decided. I probably should have lined it, or made a little interior pocket, but as usual I can always be relied on to do the bare minimum when creating an item.
After the holiday, because I’m a masochist and wanted to ensure that all the goodness and relaxation I’d enjoyed over my break was well and truly wiped away, I took Al to Ikea to spend 5 hours walking around staring at poorly constructed flat pack items. How could I resist when I saw a selection of crochet storage box things? I purchased a four set of the knick-knack houses and now have them littered liberally about my abode. They’re made from sterner stuff than the cotton purse, but I was nevertheless pleased with their matchyness. The only bad thing is that they bring to mind that string box I started making ages ago, which is still languishing unfinished in my workbox. Maybe some day I’ll finish it off. In the meantime, you can buy a job lot from Ikea for £7...
Crochet Mobile Phone Cover
Time for another bit of Louisa Calder-inspired creativity. This time it was Al’s mother who benefitted from my crochet skillz, with this mobile (cell) phone case. I finally twigged about using trebles for the row that the pull cord goes through, and this was probably the first time I actually made a bag that didn’t have any mistakes in it.
Similar stuff:
Crochet laptop cover
Crochet Bag
Crochet Bag
Good old Louisa Calder came in handy again for this bag I made for my niece. It’s a lot smaller than the laptop case I made, but is pretty much the same sort of thing. I still hadn’t twigged about the row of trebles, though, so it’s threaded through the stitches as per last time. I really like this bag, but I actually meant it to be horribly garish again to annoy my niece (isn’t that what Aunts are for?) after she mocked my laptop bag. I was tempted not to give it to her, in fact, but since I’d left it too late to get her something she might actually like for her birthday, I had no choice but to give it to her. I stuck in a load of Burt’s Bees products to soften the blow of the ugly present. And gave her a new mobile as well, so maybe I should have kept the bag after all…
Those with a keen eye and a rapier wit will note that I’ve quite clearly missed a few stitches along the way. I’m still not quite capable of making something without mistakes. Even somethings as simple as a rectangle, double crochet bag.