Crocheted Hexagon Bag

This is so close to being done! I've had to force myself to wait until tomorrow to finish it. The handle is stitched on and the lining pieces are partially stitched. I have to fit one piece inside the other, close up the last seam and then stitch it to the bag. I ended up using a gray slick shiny fabric. It will set off the black lace but won't compete with the jellybean color rose. I've never actually had to line one of these before. The other two crocheted bags I've made from this particular American School of Needlework publication were denser. They're all Irish Crochet, if you're not familiar with crocheted lace. There are five designs and it's titled "Delicate Purses" by Rita Weiss. This one is the "Hexagon Posy Pocket." Oh, still have to make the tassel too.

I'm going to make up a tatted version too, partly for the challenge of it and partly for my Lace Guild's upcoming exhibit. I hope to find a way to display/frame them inexpensively and point out the differences in tatting and crochet. So many people call lace by the wrong name, so it will serve an educational purpose too. It means I'll have to practice tatting clunies again. I finally figured it out last night after a few frustrating hours. I've made them in the past and even taught a class on them but they don't really excite me and I haven't made them since. That was in 2005! I won't allow myself to work on the tatted version until I finish this one. I did tat a center and refreshed my memory on the cluny but stitch counts have to be played with and some organizing done before I can actually tat it. I hadn't thought about the handle either. I don't think block tatting will work well for the strip. I may use something else. We'll see. I do hope I have enough of that particular ball of black thread because I lost the label and don't know what to replace it with!

After that bag, I plan to get back to my needlelace. I borrowed some books from I.O.L.I. which gives me more patterns and details to work with. I think there are two more when I return these. Okay....I should get to bed!