Like this:

How it all begins

I finally finished this crocheted tote bag for my Mom-in-law.  Crocheted strips in various colours woven together and crocheted edges.  The pattern gave it a 1 in difficulty and I figured this would be easy-peasy.

The pattern called for x amount of strips in two different lengths and two strips longer for the straps.  The strips are all in half-double stitch which is nice and strong.  I noticed early on that even though I used all worsted weight yarn for each colour that a 40 stitch strip in white was not as long as the one in brown.  Hm.  I just kept going and decided to deal with it in the end.

Not even close to looking like the pattern photo.

The pattern also called for 6 horizontal strips to make up each side of the bag.  I tried that but the vertical strips wouldn’t reach far enough so I had to go with 5 strips.  Some were too long so I had to fold them in.  Some were too short so I had to sneakily reinforce them after construction.

stage one complete

I have crocheted afghans, complicated baby blankets and more scarves than I care to think about but this bag nearly did me in.  After countless nights making strips and waiting for my daughter to go to sleep so I could stitch the strips together without her running away with them (because they are hers) and breaking my back as I hovered over the coffee table stitching it all together (so the strips would stay put) I finally have it done.  It was almost 2am but I never wanted to work on it again so it was do or die for the bag.

Will my MIL like it?  If she knows what’s good for her.

DONE!

And done.

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