My latest projects....

(Forewarning, the blogger won't allow me to do recognizable paragraphs today, so I'm going to bullet-point this post so it's easier to read, hopefully.)

1. Well, here are some examples of my latest projects.... Cotton net grocery sacks. The pill bottle gives a bit of size reference, in case somebody's curious of how big they are.
2. A couple of weeks ago it was announced on the radio that a couple of our state legislator's are looking to put a $.15-a-bag tax on plastic grocery sacks. (Both to increase revenue for the state, and to "encourage" people to Bring-Your-Own-Bags when grocery shopping.) I'd gotten 6 of these type bags made for myself, starting with a vastly different pattern with my first bag, then changing things till I've come up with a completely different pattern all my own (though it's a basic net, I didn't copy from anybody else, and how I do the strap/handle is different from any other patterns I've seen). By the time I got to my 6th bag and was getting started on DD's swim bag, I'd come up with a definite prototype, which is what I used in making these 3 bags (and the 4th that I just finished yesterday, that's not shown here).
3. Anyway, I figured that I'm not going to be the ONLY one in my area who'll be wanting reusable bags instead of paying a bag tax, so I decided to make a bunch of these to sell. As I was making the yellow & white one, a coworker expressed an interest in the bags, but said she likes red. Which is why I've got that brilliant red one made. So I'm hoping that when she sees it today, she'll go ahead & buy it from me. Several other coworkers have also expressed an interest in these, as have a few of my fellow jurors. My origional intent was to make several to take with me to a locally owned & operated gift shop just a couple of miles from my house, and see if the 0wner would be interested in selling these in her shop. I'm going to ask at least $20 for them, though that price may be adjusted a bit depending on the consignment percentage the gift-shop owner wants per bag. I'm willing to go as high as $25, but not any higher. I think that $20 is about as high as most people are going to want to spend.
4. It takes about 8 oz of cotton dishcloth yarn, of which brand I've been using the Lily Sugar & Cream. That means at least 3 balls of yarn (for solid colored bags), 4 balls of yarn in the verigated or ombre colors. And at $1.89 per bag, I can't make the bags for much less than 8 bucks in materials. Most people price their handicrafts at approx. 3 times the cost of materials, which would bring these bags up to almost $24 per bag. As I said, I don't think I'll sell as many if I charge more than $20 a bag, so as long as I get at least twice the cost of materials, per bag, I think I can work that way. And maybe I'll find people that'll buy them without having to go through selling on consignment. Seeing as I use several myself, if I have a supply of them on hand to sell, I may be able to just sell them to interested individuals as I'm out and about around town. We'll see.
5. And seeing as their cotton bags, they're very washable. Except for that red one up there (which I'm going to advise the buyer to wash seperately with cool water the first time or two, to avoid bleeding onto other items), one can simply toss them into the washer & drier with one's towels or jeans & they wash up beautifully. Technically crocheted (or knitted) items are supposed to be blocked while wet & dried flat, but these are the sort of thing where you just scrunch them up in your purse or jacket pocket till they're needed anyway.
6. I figured that by making DD a swim bag in this pattern, she'll be able to simply come home from the pool, take her shampoo & brush out, and toss the whole darn bag into the wash, suit & towel & all. She seems to have a hard time remembering to either take things out of the bag or to bother to toss her swim things in the washer at all. This bypasses a step by allowing her to just toss the entire thing into the wash.
7. Anyway, I figured that it's been a while since I've shown off some of my crocheted goodies. So there ya are.... Some examples of what I've been working on lately.
8. Have a Blessed Day!