Our Sun and Sand Tote [1] by Mary Jane Hall has amazing structure, which is not always easy to find in a crocheted bag pattern. The secret here vinyl tubing—readily available at most hardware stores—that has been bent and glued into a ring shape. Easy-peasy!
Mary Jane wrote up a tutorial on how to make these rings, which we didn't have room to print in the magazine, but we're happy to publish here on the blog, complete with Mary Jane's own snapshots! Hope this helps those of you itching to craft up this stunning tote...
what you’ll need
• 24 feet/732cm clear vinyl tubing; 3/8”/.9cm (outside diameter) x 1/4"/.6cm (inside diameter)
• 3 feet/91cm white poly tubing; 1/4"/.6cm (outside diameter)
• Super glue
• Scissors or craft knife
That's 3/8" (diameter) clear, vinyl tubing on the left, 1/4" (diameter) white poly tubing on the right.
For 5" Rings
Cut 3/8" diameter clear, vinyl tubing into 16 pieces, each 16 1/2”/42cm long. 14 are used for bag motifs, the other two are used for the handles.
For 4" Rings
Cut 3/8”/.9cm clear vinyl tubing into 2 pieces, each 12”/30cm long.
Tubing Inserts
Cut smaller, 1/4"/.6cm white poly tubing into 18 pieces, each 2”/5cm long. (You need one for each ring you are about to create.)
Narrower insert inside wider vinyl tube
Place tiny drop of super glue inside ends of larger vinyl tubing piece, then place a piece of smaller poly tubing into each end of larger tubing, butting ends together to form a circle. Hold ends together until glue is set. Repeat until 16 large 5”/13cm rings and 2 small 4”/10cm rings are formed.
A finished ring, ready to be crocheted around.
