I’m not sure how and when the world of crocheting started to be so popular!! But it seems to be everywhere now!! It’s great!! I spoke to two lovely people today about crocheting and another asked me to do a craft fair with my crocheting. Who’d have thought!! When I first started, I didn’t know anybody that could crochet. I had my lovely family of knitters; Mum, Grannie & Nanna. But there were no crocheters at all. I think my Gran’s sister used to crochet lace, but I didn’t get to see any of her work unfortunately. So it was all quite new to me.
A wonderful thing about crocheting, is how widespread it is. There are so many different areas for you to explore and create. To name but a few, we have keen blanket makers, toy producers and crocheted clothing. I think I’m an allrounder crocheter, as I love to do a bit of everything. But one of my main loves are mandalas.
I will never forget the first time I came across them. I remember going into our local sewing shop & seeing these beautiful crocheted mandalas on the counter. They sat there in all their glory, with their beautiful colours & different stitches. They just stood out so much and were so tactile!! Each time I went in, I was in awe of them. At the time, I was doing quite a lot of sewing & knitting – slipper socks mainly. My knitted slipper socks are my Grannie’s special pattern. I have promised her that I will keep making them for the family, as she is unable to now. Luckily everyone has a rather large supply, so I’ve got sometime yet. I wonder if I could find a way of crocheting the same pattern. I’d be so much quicker at them!! There’s a thought!!
My very first mandala. Not a bad attempt.Â
Anyways, my heart was set on crocheting one and it was only a matter of time before my dear sewing shop did a mandala workshop!! I was there, hook at the ready!! I made my first one in the two hour workshop & then came home and made another for my dear Nanna-in-law who had just moved into a home. Looking at this, I’d forgotten that I’d actually managed to add more rounds to make it bigger. Once it was finished, I waltzed round proud as punch with it & she loved it, bless her. It was on her bedside table from that day on.
My second attempt at a mandala – with some added rounds.
Overtime I have made many mandalas for some very special people! Mostly for the lovely ladies, but the men did get some for the mini cactus desk plants for Father’s Day. One Christmas, I even made Christmas mandalas with a jar of homemade chutney. There was a serious lot of ends to weave in, but worth it!! They were well received.
Christmas Mandala – perfect for that yummy chutney to sit on.
I think it’s the endless possibilities of them that I love. We did realise, that they actually make the most amazing indoor frisbees. They can move quite quickly if you give them a good flick with the wrist!!!
I did have a go at designing one myself. As the main one I have been using is from the wonderful Lucy at Attic24. It’s the one I learnt with first, so it’s the one I stuck with as I knew I could whip one up quite quickly. I liked how I can adapt it and easily add a few extra rounds to make it bigger.
Here’s one I have designed for my sister in law’s teapot. It has quite a nice wavy edge to it. Think it needs quite a bit of tweaking though, before it’s ready for you guys!! But it’s definitely on the to do list!!! My list seems to be getting longer by the minute!!!
My very own wavy mandala.
Heyho. Guessing it’s all about priorities!! Hmmm, now is it housework or crocheting today!! The big question I ask myself most days when the little man is asleep!! It’s always a tricky one!!
Being a mum of two little ones, I am constantly in need of carrying things. You would be amazed what I seem to carry in my hands. My mother-in-law described me as a pack horse the other day – I don’t think she was far off. One of my main problems is the school run. My eldest is in school, so as many of you know, the school run is an inevitable part of the day. The little man is thus taxied back and forth in either his pram or sling.
Now here comes the necessity of the bag part!! If I have the pram, not a problem I can carry a whole host of after school drinks and snacks (for some reason, she comes out of school ravenous!) and obviously some form or house key and phone. But the sling is a whole different ball game. A bag isn’t easy to carry whilst wearing a sling. So my poor son had to cope with all sorts of things stuffed into the sling. It is amazing what you can squidge in there. I managed to carry apples, flapjacks, brioches (luckily in a packet), pears, all in the layers of the sling. Not something you should do really, especially if you are trying to make a good impression with the other mums on the school gate. ‘Here’s your rather squished, but delicious brioche darling’ Haha. Not good. My daughter thought it was great, like a magic trick, but she will make light of anything. Bless her.
So my Rainbow Drop bag was born. ( I think it is actually the first thing that I have ever made for myself.) Â I knew the strap needed to fit under the sling, so needed to be quite soft. Another requirement was the opening at the top. It needed to be pretty easily accessible for a little girl’s hand, who I knew would be delving in there as soon as she was out of the classroom door. So I started to play around with some DK cotton and created my rainbow bag. It’s a very simple pattern and easy to follow. Now once my daughter saw this bag start to take shape, a little request was put in. And then all of a sudden it was a “pleeaaaassseee can I have one!!” As I am sure you guys will start to realise, my daughter loves rainbows. I think it was one of the first things she could draw. She just can’t get enough of them. Hmmm, maybe its because her mother likes them so much too – haha. You can see where PipsRainbow name came from. My daughter managed to choose her colours and a smaller rainbow bag was created. This is called the Rainbow Droplet Bag. It’s a lovely size for a little girl. She likes to carry a teddy bear in it, when we go out.
With colours, you can choose whatever combo you like. In my case it just had to be rainbow coloured. But obviously for yourself, you can make it in any which colour way you like. It might be nice with just three or four colours alternated. It is totally up to you. Now I have used Double Knit 100% Cotton with a 3mm hook. This meant it was a much tighter weave, so stronger. But you can always make it in another yarn. This pattern can easily be made in Aran weight, but it would give you a much bigger bag. Don’t forget to use a 5mm hook, if you use Aran. (You made need to use less colours for the strap of you make it in aran.)
I have written both patterns here in this post.
Supplies – For both bags
A variety of 50g DK cotton colours, 3mm crochet hook, scissors, blunt ended tapestry needle.
So here we go …
My Rainbow Bag
1 – Magic ring, chain 3. 11tr. (12)
Chain 3. (This counts as one of the 12 tr)Crochet 11 tr.Pull tail to close up magic ring.
2 – Chain 3, 2tr in next stitch, Repeat 1tr, 2tr into next stitch 5 times. Slip stitch (ss) & fasten off. (18)
3. Join colour, chain 3 (don’t forget this counts as your first treble). 1tr, 2tr into next stitch. Repeat 2tr & 2tr into next stitch 5 times, Ss & fasten off. (24)
4 – Join colour, chain 3, 2tr & 2tr into next stitch. Repeat 3tr & 2tr into next stitch. Ss & fasten off. (30)
5 – Join colour, chain 3. 3tr & 2tr into next stitch. Repeat 4tr & 2tr into next stitch 5 times. Ss & fasten off. (36)
6 – Join colour & chain 3. 4tr & 2tr into next stitch. Repeat 5tr & 2tr into next stitch. Ss & fasten off. (42)
7 – Join colour & chain 3. 5tr & 2tr into next stitch. Repeat 6tr & 2tr into next stitch. Ss & fasten off. (48)
8 – Join colour & chain 3. 6tr & 2tr into next stitch. Repeat 7tr & 2tr into next stitch. Ss & fasten off. (54)
9 – Join colour & chain 3. 7tr & then 2tr into next stitch. Repeat 8tr & 2tr into next stitch. Ss & fasten off. (60)
10 – Join colour & chain 3. 8tr & then 2tr into next stitch. Repeat 9tr & 2tr into next stitch. Ss & fasten off. (66)
11 – Join colour & chain 3. 9tr & then 2tr into next stitch. Repeat 10tr & 2tr into next stitch. Ss & fasten off. (72)
12 – 23 tr
12 – Join colour & chain 3. 10tr & then 2tr into next stitch. Repeat 11tr & 2tr into next stitch. Ss & fasten off. (78)
13 – Join colour & chain 3. 11tr & then 2tr into next stitch. Repeat 12tr & 2tr into next stitch. Ss & fasten off. (84)
14 – Join colour & chain 3. 12tr & then 2tr into next stitch. Repeat 13tr & 2tr into next stitch. Ss & fasten off. (90)
15 – Join colour & chain 3. 13tr & then 2tr into next stitch. Repeat 14tr & 2tr into next stitch. Ss & fasten off. (96)
16 – Join colour & chain 3. 14tr & then 2tr into next stitch. Repeat 15tr & 2tr into next stitch. Ss & fasten off. (102)
17 – Join colour & chain 3. 1tr into each stitch, ss & fasten off. (102)
Join colour & chain 3. Repeat 10tr & 2trtog. (2trtog – crochet 2trs together into the same stitch) Ss & fasten off. (66)
I used 6 colours for the strap, but there are 12 rows, so you could use less or more colours. I have used the same colour on either side of the strap & round the edges. This will give it a neater edge.
Join the edge colour, by slip stitching & chain 291. (Don’t forget this is just a guide as you can make the strap longer or shorter according to how many chain stitches you put in at the beginning. Now count from the beginning of the chain stitches 12 & then join this length of chain to the other side of the bag with a slip stitch.
*Attach next colour as before with a slip stitch and chain 1. Then dc 290 & slipstitch into other side as before*. Repeat ** this 10 more times. Now 1dc on either side of the strap (21 stitches) with your first edge colour. This will finish the top of the bag nicely.
Now it’s time to weave in all your ends. If you wanted to you could add a little loop with 3 of your colours plaited & a button either side of the bag. This would mean the wearer could close the top of the bag. Length of the plait would depend on the size of the button you have chosen.
Oh my, this could take a while!!!!
I hope you have enjoyed making this bag. If you have any queries, don’t hesitate to contact me. Now if you are like me and have a daughter that wants things just like her Mummy, then you may need to make a child’s size one. This is a much smaller bag and strap. Now obviously, you can change the length of the strap by either increasing or decreasing the amount of chain stitches at the beginning.
Rainbow Droplet BagÂ
Ok so let’s get started.
Mummy & Daughter!!
1 – Magic ring, chain 3. 11tr. (12)
2 – Chain 3, 2tr in next stitch, Repeat 1tr, 2tr into next stitch 5 times. Slip stitch (ss) & fasten off. (18)
3. Join colour, chain 3 (don’t forget this counts as your first treble). 1tr, 2tr into next stitch. Repeat 2tr & 2tr into next stitch 5 times, Ss & fasten off. (24)
4 – Join colour, chain 3, 2tr & 2tr into next stitch. Repeat 3tr & 2tr into next stitch. Ss & fasten off. (30)
5 – Join colour, chain 3. 3tr & 2tr into next stitch. Repeat 4tr & 2tr into next stitch 5 times. Ss & fasten off. (36)
6 – Join colour & chain 3. 4tr & 2tr into next stitch. Repeat 5tr & 2tr into next stitch. Ss & fasten off. (42)
7 – Join colour & chain 3. 5tr & 2tr into next stitch. Repeat 6tr & 2tr into next stitch. Ss & fasten off. (48)
8 – Join colour & chain 3. 6tr & 2tr into next stitch. Repeat 7tr & 2tr into next stitch. Ss & fasten off. (54)
9 & 10 – Join colour, chain 3, 1tr in each stitch. Ss & fasten off. (54)
11 – Join colour & chain 3. 7tr & then 2tr into next stitch. Repeat 8tr & 2tr into next stitch. Ss & fasten off. (60)
12 – Join colour & chain 3. 8tr & then 2tr into next stitch. Repeat 9tr & 2tr into next stitch. Ss & fasten off. (66)
13 – Join colour & chain 3. 9tr & then 2tr into next stitch. Repeat 10tr & 2tr into next stitch. Ss & fasten off. (72)
Round 14 & 15 Join colour, chain 3, 1tr in each stitch. Ss & fasten off. (72)
Round 16 – Join new yarn & chain 3. 9tr & 2trtog. Repeat 10tr then 2trtog 5 times. (2trtog – is 2 treble crochets together to make one stitch. (66)
Round 17 – 21 Join colour, chain 3, 1tr in each stitch. Ss & fasten off. (66)
Round 22 – Join new yarn & chain 3. 8tr & 2trtog. Repeat 9tr then 2trtog 5 times. (2trtog – is 2 treble crochets together to make one stitch. (60)
Round 23 – Join new yarn & chain 3. 7tr & 2trtog. Repeat 8tr then 2trtog 5 times. (2trtog – is 2 treble crochets together to make one stitch. (54)
Now it’s time to weave all the ends in with a tapestry needle.
Now for the strap.
I used 6 colours for the strap, but there are 12 rows, so you could use less or more colours. I have used the same colour on either side of the strap & round the edges. I think it’s gives more of a neater edge, but it’s up to you.
Join the edge colour, which in my case is lilac, by slip stitching & chain 231. (Don’t forget this is just a guide as you can make the strap longer or shorter according to how many chain stitches you put in at the beginning. Now count from the beginning of the chain stitches 21 & then join this length of chain to the other side of the bag with a slip stitch.
*Attach next colour as before with a slip stitch and chain 1. Then dc 230 & slipstitch into other side as before*. Repeat ** this 10 more times. Now 1dc on either side of the strap (21 stitches) with your first edge colour. This will finish the top of the bag on nicely.
Now it’s time to weave in all those lovely ends. To do this, you need to use a blunt ended tapestry needle.
Don’t forget to share your creations – I would love to see what you come up with.
