Bagalong plans…

Since I made my first crochet bag, the retro granny stash bag just over a year ago, crochet bags have become a bit of an addiction. Last year, I think I made 20 in total. Yes, 20. Even I have trouble believing that but the main driving force for my bag adventures is now the lovely members of the Bagalong with Crafternoon Treats Facebook group, who are just as enthusiastic and obsessed and always thirsty for more crochet bags to make. So, Bagalong plans are afoot!

How it all began…

I started the group last June, on a bit of a whim, I have to admit. I thought it would run for a couple of months and once everyone interested in the retro granny stash bag had made one, it would fizzle out. I enjoyed making variations on the pattern with the giant seaside stash bag and the small project bag and loved chatting in the group but didn’t expect the interest in the group to last. How wrong could I have been?

In July we made the fat bottomed bag to honour the late Marinke Slump (Wink) who had died at the end of June. Then we tackled a granny envelope bag, I made an Attic24 harmony squares bag, we made a cluster bag using Claire’s pattern from Australia. I had a go at a tapestry bag with one of the group members from Greece (still to be refined and made into a bag pattern), and the group numbers grew. The bag for October, the rainbow tote also featured in the Stylecraft blog tour.

We are now approaching 4000 members worldwide! The time has come for me to get my act together and start doing some serious Bagalong plans for bags that we can make in the coming months.

I’ve been quiet the last couple of weeks but working hard on new designs, researching patterns that will be suitable for the group and talking to yarn companies about the possibility of discount codes, competitions and wider crochet-alongs. Even colour packs are on the horizon.

Everyone seems to be happy with a new idea for a bag each month, so I am thinking along those lines, although some months I think there might be two bags coming up. As has always been the case for the group, there is no obligation to join in and no pressure to join in at any given time, or to work to any schedule. Crochet bags are fun and I will continue to add pages and links to my blog and to really work on an easier to explore Bagalong section on the blog. That way new members can quickly find the information they need on previous and current bags, and choose their projects to suit their own interests and skill levels.

We tackled a very difficult bag in January and only a few of us have attempted it. I’ve still to finish my cottage bag, but I will as time allows and once the next few bags have been sorted.

Bagalong plans for February: raising money for cancer care and heart disease

The bag for February is going to be a bit different. Its the evening bag that I made for a Love Crochet blog in early December that many of you liked but had no time before Christmas to even think about making.  Love Crochet agreed that after 6 weeks I could publish a detailed pattern. They kindly supplied the yarns and paid me a small fee for the blog so I thought this would be a perfect pattern to do as a charity fundraiser.

The bag pattern and tutorial will be published on Craftsy and Revelry and will cost £1.00 ($1.50) to buy. Half of the income from the pattern will be going to Marie Curie Cancer Care for the whole of 2016. I’ll add the money to the Crafternoon Treats Just Giving page at the end of each month.

A second pattern for an asymmetric love heart will be published on Monday. This will also be £1.00 ($1.50) and half the income from those pattern sales in February will be donated to the British Heart Foundation, who are raising awareness of heart disease this month. They, like other heart charities are supporting National Wear Red Day, which is February 5th in the UK and USA this year.

If you make the heart in red, you can display it on February 5th, either on your bag as a charm, or as a brooch or pendant.

After Paypal and Ravelry fees, there will be a few pence left over and I will save that to fund new bag projects for later in the year.

Bagalong plans for March

I can’t say much about these projects at the moment but I can tell you there will be two bags for March and very exciting they are too. Completely different, one a new design from me at Crafternoon Treats and the other by an amazing blogger who I have admired for the last few years. Watch this space!

Bagalong plans for April

This is a another new design and we will be joined by some other lovely people who will be making it too. So exciting!!!!

Come and join in!

New members are always welcome. We are a closed group only to prevent spam – just request to join and you will be added quickly. Remember that time zones differ around the world though, so please wait 24 hours before you contact us if you haven’t had your request approved. And if you have your own Bagalong plans and suggestions, please let us know. I’ll be thinking of new bags beyond April very soon and always appreciate new ideas 🙂