Eclectic Grannie

As promised in my last post, I have something finished to show you this time.  But, let us start at the beginning....

I mentioned leafing through my Pinterest pages and finding an Inspiring Photo.  This is the photo...

Isn't it lovely?  I must admit I never would have given this bag a second look going by the Ravelry picture alone, but clever Cecile of Electic Gipsyland has totally transformed it into something really unique and eye catching.

Originally thought it'd be great to make this bag in a bright, happy, riot of colour but when I found the photo again something else suggested itself to me.  I knew I had a few half balls of DK left from other projects in some lovely colours which had worked pretty well together and I'd been wanted to use them up on something.  So I raided the rest of my DK stash to find some other colours to add to the eclectic mix and then I got really excited.

This was exactly what I needed to kick start me off again, some different colours to work with, to combine and to drool over.  Fab!

The bag starts off making a really quite sizeable granny square, 30 rounds to be exact, which is quite huge.  I only dared go to 28 rounds because I didn't want to run out of my yarn left-overs.

I can't tell you how much I wish I had enough yarn to make this into a blanket though.  It would make such a beautifully grannie-ish granny blanket.  All random colours, slightly mismatched and the rusty brown really does it for me - quintessential grannie in my opinion!

Alas, I did not have enough yarn and this was destined for other things, so I started to think about.... Embelishment!  (Worth the capital letter I think.)

Thanks so awesome Cecile, I knew I wanted flowers, and dangley bits and lace to be very much a part of things.  I wanted a kind of 'flowers in the hair' bohemian gipsy type look.  Hence I went for yarny braids* with flowers on the end and lots of straggley, dangley hangy bits!

*I know, being an English, British and citizen of the UK I should say 'plaits' and not braids, but somehow braids sounds more.... flowers in the hair-ish to me.

I love those hangy bits, I really do.  I love that photo.  I love the braids (whoops, I did it again) of yarn all jumbled in together too.

I added lace round the edges

The most suitable lining I could find

And just a couple of flowers on the back to keep things more simple that side

And the bag was complete

I didn't know exactly how this one was going to turn out until it was done, but it was one of those times where the ideas just suggested themselves as I went along.  I'm searching for a less poncy term and can't find one, but it was kind of an 'organic' project I guess.

But, I like it and I've had a couple of lovely compliments on it too while parading out and about with it, which makes me very happy indeed!

S x

Edited to add (24th March 2012):  

Sorry everyone, I forgot to make clear what pattern I used.  It was this one by Pierrot Yarns.  Also, I used DK yarn rather than 4ply and used a mixture of wool, blends, acrylic, whatever really!

Further Edited to add (21st June 2012):  
The pattern and tutorial for the little flowers I made and used on this bag are now availble if you'd like them:

Mix and Match Flowers Written Pattern Download

Mix and Match Flowers Photo Tutorial

♥