I made this bag for my friend with this chunky yarn - Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick And Quick - not called for by the pattern for the Fat Bottom Bag which you get in the book "Stitch and Bitch Crochet, The Happy Hooker". (It's a fabulous book with detailed, funny instructions on each stitch, gauges, yarn weights, and has many wonderful, diverse patterns in the book that would make any "Hooker" Happy. )
Back to making the bag with chunky yarn. To use the heavier weight yarn I omitted some of the middle rows the body of the bag because the result would have been too chunky to gather and look nice. Also I had to dec the amount of gathering stitches and add one extra row of gathering stitches in order for the handle flaps to fit the small handles I bought and for the dec in rows of the first piece.
Before adding the handle flaps I lined the bag with 1/4 yard of matching fabric, cutting the fabric to fit the bag while easing it inside the bag and adding a few pleats where necessary. The lining is sewn in with heavy duty thread using a blind hem stitch.
Next I added the magnetic snap closures.
I hot glued the handle flaps in place to the handles themselves in order to keep the oblong handles from sliding around and getting sideways while the bag is carried. I discovered why the pattern calls for round handles. heh, heh. Being the weirdo that I am, not liking to be told what to do I thought I would get creative and use these different handles to go with each bag's personality. Well, I should have stuck to the round handles but using the hot glue to anchor them in place, I am glad I didn't conform only to what the pattern called for. That's the rebel in me I guess.
After sewing the flaps and adding the embellishment I am done but for a cell phone pocket that I'll make out of the lining fabric. I tried to crochet one but the thick and chunky yarn wasn't suitable for making such a pocket.
And that's it. Now, if you don't already have the book, go to Amazon and order it! It's the best!
UPDATE!! I finally found the link to a blog that has a photo tutorial for lining your fat bottom bag... Here it is, it adds to this one, and this one adds to hers, so definitely check out this link if you wanna line your bag. It will save you a lot of time, believe me!
Go HERE
7 comments:
Thank you for showing how you did the lining.
You are very welcome!
What size hook did you use with the chunky yarn? I have made more than a dozen FB bags, all modifications to the pattern in the book - I have a hard time following directions! The original in the book is just too small for everyday use.
Robin
I used an "H" hook with this chunky yarn. I made a FBB a bit bigger with worsted size yarn by adding rows in the middle and stitches to each row. The only problem is that the bag tends to pull down when anything is put in it, it seems like it puts a lot of stress on the handle flaps. If making the bag bigger, I would recommend using the chunky size yarn. Good luck, Let me know what you end up doing and how it comes out. A link would be great!
I have made some pretty big FBB with #4 yarn with good results. I can't remember the original # of rows, but essentially I have just continued to increase through row 24, then made the overall row count go up to 72. At the top where it is gathered, I did the same thing the original pattern called for, just more of it to include all rows. I always line the bags and I have made straps (fabric enclosing nylon cord) to create a shoulder bag. The only problem I've encountered is when the user puts too much heavy stuff in the purse and it pulls the straps out too much. Thanks for your info. I'd like to try the chunky yarn.
Also, by experimenting, I have discovered a couple of things you might not know. One was that making the top gathering rows from a non-stretchy chenille? yarn helps a large bag. The other was that when you use cotton yarn, the normal way of weaving in ends comes apart when you do it with a purse. I have resorted to sewing the ends to the other yarn with regular needle and thread.
Thanks Robin! Great information! I may put your comments in a post dedicated to lovers of Fat Bottom Bags, if that's alright with you. I think the things you shared could be important to other FFB lovers. ? Right?
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