some tips for making and seaming in the side/bottom band …….. this was a bit difficult for me since I had trouble ‘reading’ my crocheting. The pattern says to repeat three rows 43 times for a total of 137 rows. I think I got pretty close to the mark, but wasn’t sure. Once you are done with the band, you are instructed to single crochet along both edges. This will give them a neater edge which is what you want since those edges will show on the right side of the finished bag.

Here’s what I did:

• Work the band until you’ve got it as close as you think you’ll need. Remember, this band needs to go down both short sides and along the bottom edge of the side panels. like this
• When you work the side edges of the band, work them in the direction of the crochet – start where you started the band and end where you ended.
• Only work one side to begin with.
• Now go about attaching this side to the first granny square side panel. Remember to begin seaming it at the beginning edge of the panel …. this way when you get to the end, if you have too much, you can easily rip, and likewise if you have too little you can add more.
• Then proceed to do the single crochet edge for the other side (this has a wrong side/right side which you will be able to tell by the raised ridge where it joins).
• Now seam the other side to the second of the granny square side panels.

now comes the part where I need to break out the sewing machine and work a lining. I have a stash of fabric from some time spent flirting with quilting and home decorating – I will have to go through it and see if there is anything I can use. I also read the directions a bit last night and it turns out they call for a zipper too. Gah!! Zippers are my sewing Mt. Everest. stay tuned for further gnashing of the teeth.

on to the pig of the day