It is now the latter half of August and many of the usual UK summer festivals are over, but there are still a few to go and just enough time for you to make yourself something retro to take with you. To inspire you here is my quick make festival bag:

When I was making it I thought wouldn’t it be fun if people who visit the Cheshire Fibre Festival could come wearing some festival garments or accessories.  Summer will be over by the time of CFF but we could brighten it up couldn’t we?  So are you up for it?  It could simply be a bag like this, or anything else you want to wear/make.     I’m happy to bring my bag and I may wear some flowers in my hair!

To help you – here’s my recipe for the bag.

It is made from scraps of DK yarn (Stylecraft Special DK) and based on 2 granny squares.  I made two 9 round grannies in slightly different colours, and the bag ended up approx. 24cm square excluding the pompom trim and handle.   But you can make it any size you like.  Mine used a total of 70g of yarn, but the blue edging and handle was the most – probably about 30g (but this isn’t accurate, just my guesstimate).

Abbreviations :
St (s) = stitch (es)
Sp = space
Ch = chain
Dc= double crochet
Tr = treble
Ss = slip stitch

Start with a couple of granny squares.

Then using the colour for the joining, edging and handle (blue in my case), work dc  all the way around 3 sides of the first square, I did 1dc per st or sp along the edge, and (1dc, 1ch, 1dc) in the corner sps.  Do not break the yarn but carry on and work dc similarly around 3 sides of the other granny, your grannies will be joined at one point.

Now put the grannies wrong sides together and join by working dc through both granny edges all around the 3 sides.

Do not break the yarn but make a chain the length of the handle (I did 100) and join to the other edge of the bag with a ss.

Now turn and work a round of dc all along the handle and then around the top of one side of the bag.   Do another round of dc along the handle and the same top.  Break yarn and finish off.

Rejoin yarn to the underside of the foundation ch of the handle and repeat 2 rounds of dc along this side and the other top of the bag, on the last round when you reach the centre of the top of the bag make a ch loop to fit a button – I did 8ch.

If you make a bigger bag you may want a wider handle, if so just do more rounds of dc either side of the handle.

Sew the button to the other side of the bag and make a tassel and attach to the button loop.

You could finish there but I wanted an edging all around the sides and I opted for little crochet pompoms.  You can find out how to do them here  (beware it is in US crochet terms!).   I made mine all the way around 3 sides, leaving a 3 st gap between each pompom chain.   You could just do a fringe if you  like.

If you make one, please share a photo of it.

Happy crocheting xxx