and other craft related stuff

Finally! After almost a year, I managed to finish the crochet part of my Hexagon vintage-feel bag. I say crochet work, as the bag still needs to be lined, but as I have no idea how to do that myself, I’ll first need to find someone to help me with that. And I also have to sew on a button to keep the flap closed.
But back to the bag.

Doesn’t it look marvellous? I’m so in love with this bag now. It was well worth the year and the cursing (yes, there has been cursing), to get this baby finished, because it turned out SMASHING, even if I do say so myself

In the end, I only needed 27 hexagons, instead of the foreseen 30. The flap could only be made with 3 hexagons, instead of 6.
The bottom of the bag was perfect after the second try. I also made two bottoms, crocheted those together and then crocheted them in the bag. Now the bottom is thicker and sturdier.
Because of the bottom, I decided to do the same for the handle. I made one handle completely in dark blue. For the second, inner handle, I feared I wouldn’t have enough blue left, so I opted to use all colours in the bag. I felt like I was crocheting the French flag

After I finished attaching the handle, I came to the shocking realization that I still wouldn’t have enough blue left to do a border around the top. CHUCK! I knew this yarncolour wasn’t sold anymore in the shop, so I panicked. I couldn’t be doing the border in another colour! It would look weird, IMO…
I asked around on Ravelry and on the Amigurumi forum for people who had some of this yarn in there stash to please contact me. I didn’t have much hope though… And while I awaited any response, I had an epiphany.

I was wearing this scarf I made a while ago, and it occurred to me that the dark blue cotton used in the shawl is practically the exact same shade as dark blue acrylic used in the bag. I tried it out, first in artificial light, and then the difference was hardly distinguishable (even with the two different kinds of yarn!). I waited to see it in real daylight before making my final conclusion and – EUREKA! – it was a perfect match! Phew!

Left: the very last of the blue acrylic. Not nearly enough for a border.
Right: Miraculously matching cotton yarn.

With the cotton I made a border of single crochet, around the top of the bag, the handle and the flap. And then a final border in reverse single crochet. And FINISHED!

Wow, I never thought I’d finish this bag, after the starting and stopping, and starting and stopping again, and then picking it up again… I thought it would be just one of those projects that keep following you around.
I think one of the reasons I had such little stamina in continuing this bag,was that I really didn’t think I would be able to do it and if I did, it would just be a disappointment. But hey, I really surprised myself
It’s actually the first big project I made without blindly following a pattern. Now, isn’t that something to be proud of

Anywho, I imagine that with the button and lining, the bag will be even more exquisite.
The lining will be a true challenge for me. I want the lining to give the bag a more permanent shape. I also want the lining to close at the top with a zipper and perhaps include one or two pockets on the inside.
I have one person in mind, who I hope can help me (fingers crossed), but I’ll first need to get my hands on some decent fabric.
I surfed Etsy for this, and my eye fell on this fetching fabric. Totally fits the bag.

Unfortunately, I feel that the fabric cost plus the shipping costs, make for an expensive piece of fabric: $15.5 or €11.19 for 147 cm x 49 cm, of which I don’t even know will be enough.
Is that expensive? Or am I seeing this wrong?
How can I find out how much lining fabric I would need? What do I measure exactly?
Anyone who can help me with these questions, please let me know!

Well, if and when I manage to get any lining in this bag, you guys will certainly hear about it

Cheers,
Charlotte