Dotted
The crochet bag is almost finished. I just need to crochet around one particular edge, weave in ends and then add lining. I have found some fab lining material, but more on that in a second.
I had completely forgotten how wrecked my hands become when crocheting with cotton. I grew up using cheap cotton and I had assumed that the cheap cotton was to blame for my aching hands. For this bag I am using Roman Pima Cotton, a very luxurious cotton that I'm loving to bits, but my hands are still utterly wrecked - particularly my thumbs. I'm used to being able to knit for hours on end, but I cannot work on this project for more than ninety minutes before I'm in pain.
Worrying.
I had planned a few more crocheted bags, but I think I shall be postponing these projects until my hands are much better. I wonder what I'm doing wrong? Hmm.
But back to this particular crochet bag. I was beyond thrilled when I found the perfect lining material in the Amy Butler fabric range. Just look at it - isn't it just perfect?! Of course I cannot work the lining until I have finished the bag properly, woven in ends, steam-blocked it, cleared the dining table, and unpacked my old sewing machine that I'm not entirely sure actually works and .. did I mention that I have fever, a sore throat and earache? Yeah, I should possibly focus on getting over this mini-flu (or whatever infection it is I'm fighting), but I'm just so darn excited about getting this project finished*. Uhmm..
(* somewhere my 15-year-old self is looking aghast and cringing at my enthusiasm).
So, well, I'm trying to nap as much as I possibly can (and I'm revisiting an old favourite read which I actually haven't read in about twenty years - more on this in a later entry) and I'm also having slightly feverish dreams about my next few projects.
But isn't that fabric just fabulous?! Sigh.
July 14th, 2010 - 15:15
That fabric is so perfect for the yarn! Wow!
I can’t work with any kind of cotton at all, for any length of time. It absolutely wrecks my arms. Cotton doesn’t have any stretch to it at all, no elasticity. I doubt you’re doing anything wrong, it’s just the nature of the beast.
July 14th, 2010 - 15:26
Hmm, very good point. I have just been knitting with Rowan Fine Milk Cotton, though, and have no problems with my hands which made me think that maybe my crochet technique is slightly wrong. Or maybe my hypermobile joints + crochet = bad combo? Hmm. Things to ponder.
July 14th, 2010 - 15:55
Very pretty fabric. You’d think it was made for that bag.
July 14th, 2010 - 16:29
I’m having problems with my hands and I’ve been knitting with cotton recently. The lack of elasticity in the yarn really makes my hands and arms hurt. It’s important to take regular breaks to stretch your hands and arms too. Lovely fabric!
July 14th, 2010 - 17:23
Cotton isn’t my favourite fibre to work with, it’s not very forgiving.
But how perfect is that fabric!
July 14th, 2010 - 18:41
That fabric could’ve been made for that bag, and the bag itself looks great worked up. I don’t know about you but crochet hurts my hands much more than knitting, and cotton hurts my hands much more than other fibres, it’s not a good combination for me, although a crocheted cotton bag is a beautiful thing. Hope you’re over your bad dose soon. x K
July 14th, 2010 - 19:16
The bag is lovely!
I’ve been crocheting a lot lately and I really enjoy it, but my hand hurts a lot – I’ve only ever used the one type of yarn [which is cotton] but I think for me it has more to do with the action itself and how I hold the needle.
July 15th, 2010 - 02:42
That’s a wonderful bag. I’m not much of a crocheter, but I like that bag enough to think about picking it up again.