2014-08-08-01-13

I finished this kit on the eighth of this month, it has just taken me a while to post. We were in the middle of our yearly yard sale. When my house gets to crowded and I am starting to have trouble finding a spot for everything I know it is time to have a sale. Obviously, this helps us clean some things out of our home that we have accumulated. As nice as it feels to get rid of some things, a yard sale is very time consuming. The great thing about any yard sale is, while its in progress I have an excuse to sit down for three days and crochet.

That brings us to our review today, the Classic Tote Bag from Annie’s Hook and Needle Club. I enjoyed this project so much that I immediately started and finished a second one. Whoever designed this bag did it in an ingenious way. The problem I always have with carrying some crochet tote bags are that the handles will sometimes stretch out. This bag was designed so that the handle is crocheted from the bottom of the bag to the top which evenly distributes the weight of the tote. Then, once you reach the top of the tote you are instructed to start crocheting with two strings of yarn to help reinforce the strength of the handles.

The kit came with two unmarked skeins of yarn, one off white and the second green; both in medium worsted weight yarn. I just need to use an F crochet hook from my personal tools and a tapestry needle to complete the Classic tote bag.

The kit also came with two patterns, one for crocheting and one for knitting. I will be working the crochet version from the kit. There is only one specialty stitch and that is the single crochet decrease (Single Crochet Decrease) making the skill level for this pattern marked easy.

There is one piece of advice I would like to caution the crocheter on. I would be sure and use stitch markers at the start of all four handles. It is very important for the success of this pattern that your front and back loop single crochet a alignment. If for any reason they do not, the outcome of the tote will not be as polished looking.

2014-08-19 09.11.06

When I finished crocheting the tote I received from the kit I went in and crocheted a second one for my own personal use. The first one was just a little larger then I wanted, as a result I went down one hook size for the second one making it a perfect fit for the back baskets of my bicycle.

I would easily rate this patten a nine, only losing one point for not being able to duplicate the yarn that came with the kit. The pattern itself was easy to read and follow and there was even a crochet pocket on the inside when I had finished. I can easily see myself making another one in the future if the circumstances arise. What perfect timing this kit was for back to school.

Until next time, keep those hooks flying.