I don’t seriously ask the grocery store for my 3 cents back per bag when I bring my bags, but if they happen to notice, it’s nice. It’s been bothering me to keep using the plastic bags, which, in turn have become dirt-cheap knockoffs of previously sturdy plastic bags. Seriously, they’re so thin that they split if you look at them funny. Which means the store clerks double up the bags – sort of defeats the purpose, no?

So, I trawled Ravelry for string market bags – there are many very nice ones. The Everlasting Bagstopper caught my eye though, for its flat bottom and ultimate stretchability. Months ago, I had bought a bag of dishcloth cotton millends, which clearly was Lily Sugar’n Cream in some undisclosed colourway with the idea of making some bags “someday”. So here is my version:

I honestly couldn’t be bothered to find coordinating ribbon, so I picked up 5 stitches from the inside of the bag about 3″ in from the edge, did a few rows of garter stitch, and then started the i-cord. After I finished I did a few more rows of garter stitch on the other side and attached it to the inside of the bag. I did a LOT of sewing to secure the handle. Similarly, I reinforced my stitches on the other side where I picked up the stitches to begin with. The handles do stretch a bit, but they’re very strong. I brought it to my friend’s house when I offered to visit and do the cooking (she just had a baby, so I thought that would be nice) – she called it a magic bag from the sheer amount of food I fit in there. This thing holds a LOT. Seriously. I need more of these.

I knitted this bag along with my mother who is a bit of a novice knitter but a master crocheter. She proposed that we crochet a bag next since I am more of a advanced beginner in crochet. I crocheted quite a lot before I learned to knit. I made a few blankets, a few scarves and hats, and random whimsies. I have not abandoned crochet, but it’s true I’ve neglected it since I’ve learned to knit. I wasn’t too daunted by this challenge, but I was surprised how out of practice I was.

This is the 1 Ender Bag (Ravelry link), also chosen for its flat bottom. I admit it’s a hideous photo – I should have laid it out flat. It looks a lot better than this picture would suggest. All in all, it’s not a bad bag. It’s a great deal stiffer than the knit bag, so I think going up a hook size or two would have been better. But it’s strong as a result and would be good for heavier, bigger things like jars and tins. It was crocheted in one piece – I never had to break the yarn to attach the handles or do an edging around the top of the bag. It was quite clever like that.

So now I need more cotton. I ordered some King Tut mercerized cotton on sale from Little Knits for some variety. I’d like more of the dishcloth cotton too – it’s got more of a rustic feel to it since it’s less processed, which I like. It’s a great deal softer and more attractive than it ever looks in the skein.