Woof and Welcome, I hope by now your backpack is coming along nicely. In the last lesson we started the actual crocheting of the backpack. In this lesson we’re going to focus on the middle to the end, including sewing it into a bag… but not including the backpack straps. Ambitious, I know, but let’s see how we go!

When I last left you we were working towards Row 17. I’m there now! Here’s how it looks

The next row is a little different. It starts out the same, with 2 turning ch and a hdc, but then instead of making mesh we’re going to put a hdc in the sc and 2hdc into the space like this

And then we just keep on going that way till the end of the row.

The row after that is plain hdc, as are the next 4, and you can do that standing on your head by now I’m sure!

But make sure you count them carefully. If you look at the picture can you see that every second row of hdc produces a ridge? Also check that the wool ball end is on the same side as the end attached to the first chain, this means it is an odd numbered row.

From here we repeat row 4 like this

Then we repeat row 5 like this

And then you continue to do more Row 5s until we reach the end of row 37. But please remember not only to count your rows but also your mesh spaces across. There should be 10.

As you can see here I forgot to count my spaces and wound up with too many. Ooops.The problem starts around row 5 of mesh on the right.  There is no solution but to unravel the rows back to the mistake and start again!

So I did, and this time I got it right!

For Row 38 we repeat Row 18 which is the row we began with in this tutorial- a hdc into each stitch, and 2hdc into each space.

Then it is time for eyelets like we did in the last tutorial… you should have 8. Then for our last row do hdcs, putting one in each stitch and 2 in each eyelet like this.

See how it looks now?

Finish off leaving the thread long enough to reach at least ¾ of the way down. the crochet.

And now it is time to sew! Firstly we’ll fold the bag in half, so you can see how it fits together.

Now what you need to do is line up the two edges – a top and a bottom – like this to sew together and make the top rim of the bag.

Then we sew it – under and over – into each side in turn like this.

Keep going until you get to the top. Then weave the needle through the fabric one way then back the other way to secure the end, and you’re done with that side.

Woof done!

Sew up the other side the same way. If you don’t have enough thread to make it to the end don’t worry. Just finish off as you did above, secure the beginning of a new thread in the same way and carry on sewing!

Now you have the bag! Next lesson is the final lesson where we turn it into a backpack. Happy crocheting and sewing, see you then!

Woof!

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