New bag, but nowhere to go!

Over the last week I have discovered that crocheting while on long video conferences helps me stare at the screen less. I can still completely engage with the discussion, but my eyes don't get as tired. Mum taught me to knit and crochet as a child, and I have done it on and off since, mostly off - but on frequently enough that I have all the kit required, which is important in our strange times. I started off with plain squares, which will make a blanket at some point, but fancied something a little more interesting, so had a look through a book I have, and saw a pattern for this bag, which looked like fun, but I would need more wool. I remembered that I have a bag of wool that I brought here after mum died, so dug it out and found not just wool, but also lots of squares she had done too - more than enough for the bag, and a lot of time saved! So over the weekend I joined the 13 squares - using one long row of crochet. I was very pleased not to have to cut the wool and start somewhere else! I only put two in the wrong place and had to pull the stitches out and redo those bits. I then made a lining using fabric I had lying around, I'm not sure if it was mine originally or mum's, but it served the purpose well and was sewn into the bag. Next thing was to crochet the strap, sew it onto the bag (should technically have used rings, but I didn't have any) put on a button and finish the edging round the flap to create a button hole. Job done! It won't hold anything heavy, but I am rather pleased with it. Sadly the only time I am out with a bag these days it's pannier bags and a freezer bag for a supermarket trip! It's not just a project achieved, it's a lovely reminder of my mum too. She'd have been proud of this.