And Now for a Little Jewelry and a Bag

Next up from Fleurs et L'eau - a bag for most any occasion and a little summer bling.

I love bags. Along with shoes, I could have a different one to coordinate with every outfit of every day.  The Melina Clutch was one of the first patterns I ever wrote, and bags continue to animate my designs. For this collection, the Anyone for a Stroll? Bag has a sassy shape that's just big enough for holding the stuff necessary for well-prepared day trips, yet compact enough to easily carry while walking. I used thick 'n thin yarn which, when paired with a just-slightly-smaller-than-recommended hook size, yields a wonderfully stiff fabric. If there's some uneven handspun lying around, this is the perfect project for it.

Additionally, one could just stop once the crocheting is complete and go directly to button and handles, but I've lined my sample. There's something about great lining fabric peeking out from a bag that just makes the accessory.

I have also designed my first jewelry pieces in this collection - the Constellation Bracelet and Earrings. It could be easy for me to also become a jewelry junkie, so this blingy foray could potentially be sooooo bad. Much like the Le Bateau shawl, this design came to me in large part last summer. I had a sample all worked up ... and then started to tinker. Thank goodness for patient testers, although I am thrilled with the outcome; the delay was well worth it. I'm equally thrilled with the response to this pattern - I wasn't, quite frankly, expecting it - but I'll take it, thank you very much!