Hello Everyone✨
I recently embarked on an upcycling journey, one I'd love to share with you today😊.
During the first quarter of last year, I made a trending crochet halter piece which I never wore again. This crochet piece was made using four granny square stitches and a very long rope. I liked how well this piece turned out but right after I made it, the crochet piece went straight into my wardrobe.
Recently, I was picking out some of my previous crochet items to take to my new crochet studio and I came across this piece. After realizing I had outgrown the piece, an idea to upcycle it immediately came and I'd be sharing with you the process through which I turned a crochet diamond halter top into a portable hand bag.
Materials Used
🤍: Crochet diamond halter top( or granny squares)
🤍: 4.0mm crochet hook
🤍: Linen material
🤍: A pair of scissors
🤍: Needle and thread
🤍: Stitch markers
🤍: Black yarn
🤍: Darning needle
🤍: Tacking pin
Procedure
I started by gathering all the materials I'd need for the project. I initially had a different bag design in mind hence the metal bag handles in the picture but eventually, I changed my mind.
Since the halter diamond top was pretty much a square flat top turned diagonally, I folded the square in half and applied stitch markers to the bottom. The stitch markers are to signify the place I would be attaching the bag extensions.
I counted seven stitches in total and then placed the stitch marked on either side.
Next, I made a chain of seven plus one turning chain and with this chain, I made rows of single crochet stitches into the back loops only, which would serve as the bag extension.
After making the extension, I aligned it properly at the side using stitch markers and then went ahead to join them to the granny squares using single crochet stitches. I repeated this step for the other side.
Next, I made single crochet stitches round the top of the bag to make it look more defined.
After the single crochet stitches, it was time to make the bag handle. Starting from one end, I continued making single crochet stitches, back loops only till I had a handle long enough. I didn't want the handle to be too long to prevent the bag from sagging too much.
Finally, I fastened the end of the handle to the opposite side of the bag and I was pretty much done with the body of the bag.
However, granny square stitches are not the tightest of crochet stitches and to prevent things sticking out of the bag or even falling out, I decided to line the inside of the bag with a black cloth.
In my years of making crochet items, I have never done this before so this was automatically a new challenge unlocked.
I cut my black cloth into the size of the bag, sewed the sides of the cloth and then threaded my needle.
Sewing the cloth to the crochet bag was easier than I expected and in no time, I was done with it.
I like how well this bag turned out and I am absolutely happy that I was able to upcycle an item that I may never use into something that I plan on using frequently. What do you think of this upcycled crochet bag? I'd love to hear your views.
Images used belong to me and were taken using my mobile device, except stated otherwise. Thumbnail designed on canva.