3.CR OCHET THE “GROMMETS.”
The grommets are made using a much finer
gold string. Each has about a ½" open circle inside.
I used a very tiny hook and chained 10 stitches,
joined them, and did a single crochet (sc) inside
the circle until it felt right.
I made 4 of them and stitched 2 sets (one in the
front, one in the back) at each corner. The quilted
pattern of the body uses triple crochet stitches
(tc), so there’s an openness to it, and I could find
a “hole” easily.
4.MA KE THE STRAP. Voilà! That’s pretty much it! I added buttons at the
Using a technique from my 70s crochet book end, but didn’t necessarily need them. I want to put
on how to make a belt tie for a caftan (awesome!), in a brown lining with perhaps a zipper to really fin-I figured out how to make a relatively supple, solid, ish it off and make it functional. The laciness of the
not too thick, and not too skinny strap. The strap is “quilted” pattern means there are lots of holes for
first worked in brown yarn, and then embroidered small things to fall out of (goodbye lipstick!), which
with a single mustard thread at the end. isn’t so great. Hence, a lining is needed.
To make the strap: Chain using 2 brown yarns at I wear this purse out into the world and it never
the same time (for double thickness), making it the fails to either confuse or amaze people, depending
final length of the strap. Mine is 40" total. The strap on how they feel about counterfeiting, or their idea
is adjustable, and can be worn as shorter double of the “proper” place of craft. I have dreams of an
straps or a longer single strap, depending on how army of crocheters putting busy hands toward
you adjust them through the grommets. crafting their hearts’ desires, and both laughing at
and paying homage to the “high-end” fashion world!
Guide one end of your chain through one set of grom- Viva la révolution!
mets on one side, and then through the second set of
grommets (you’ll have to figure out this sequence so
that it works like it does in the picture on page 58). FINISH X
Join together the chain ends in some manner so
they are permanently looped through the bag.
Slip stitch through each single chain, still using 2
yarns at once, going around the loop until you come
back to your start. This makes the strap thicker and
less flimsy to hold.
Stephanie Syjuco is a San Francisco visual artist whose
Use a yarn needle to thread a long length of mustard work deals with black markets, counterfeiting, and cultural
copies. She runs the recycled clothing line Anti-Factory
yarn. I had to embroider the yarn around the strap ( anti-factory.com) and teaches at the California College of
twice to achieve the effect I wanted. the Arts. stephaniesyjuco.com
