Nemia
An old thread but why open a new one when there are so many good old ones...?
I have been in a frenzy of tarot bag crocheting lately. I had already quite a lot of hand made bags but health problems forced me to slow down on other things lately, and I have taken up my hook again. So here are some basic tips if you want to try it yourself.
While sewn tarot bags are in my eyes the most beautiful, and tins most practical, I can't sew and lately haven't done any tins. But I can give some tips for people who want to start a crochet bag.
I must say that I always start out somehow and make the things up while I'm going - which is why some bags turn out really crooked and others turn out nice.
You have to decide whether you want a drawstring bag or a flap bag because that choice will influence the chain length you start out with.
It's very easy to take a deck out of a flap bag - but it falls out more easily, too. I can't always be bothered with buttons and button holes (although they're really easy to do in crochet), so if you make a longer flap, the bag will hold up nicely. Sometimes I just wrap a rubber band around (decorated with a crochet flower).
Drawstring bags can either be closed with a knot or a bead you pull tight. I use either crochet chains or self made cords as drawstrings.
I like the bag a bit loose around the bag since I also stuff in the lwb, notes, crystals etc, but a snug little bag is better for carrying the deck around. So keep the deck at hand and measure deck and chain against each other.
I like to experiment with other shapes, too, like loose or tight wraps.
Sometimes, I use leftover granny squares or even crochet such squares from scratch to use as flaps.
Some bags are kept very simple, others are decorated, just as I feel it's nicest.
These bags are small projects and thus a great opportunity to try new stitches. I have used grit stitch, waffle stitch, V dc and V hdc stitches, blanket stitch, suzette stitch, ripple stitch, shell stitch, linked treble stitch, I can't even remember the many stitches I tried! There are such wonderful websites nowadays where you can see how it's done. It's great fun and much less intimidating to make a little bag than starting a ripple or waffle stitch blanket. If you gain or lose some stitches on the way, well, then the bag turns out a bit wonky, who cares?
Sometimes, a nice edge will salvage the wonkiness - edges are quite easy to do, too.
I have a darning needle that's very practical for sewing the whole thing together (a wrap is fine without sewing) and hiding loose ends. Don't forget to put the whole thing "the wrong way around" and turn it afterwards to hide the seams. (I forget that sometimes...).
You can always add something later, I often take out my old bags and add a little button or medaillon or semi precious stone or some beads...
I found it's a great part of the ritual of "making a deck mine". I keep the boxes in a big box because they get shabby so quickly when they're used permanently, and I don't want to throw them away (they're often quite beautiful and sometimes I use them for some medaillon making or a collage). I keep also the extra cards with the boxes.
But for everyday use, I transfer the decks with their lwbs to these little bags.
Chunky yarns and thicker needles give you more voluminous bags which protect the deck well but they can turn out a bit stiff. Thinner yarns and needles take longer time to work with and make thinner bags but often look more intricate and are more flexible.
I like to work with self striping or ombre yarn. Even a simple grit or shell stitch looks so great with yarn that changes its colour.
I have used cotton, acrylic, wool and angora yarns, they all have their advantages and disadvantages. It's a matter of trial and error and personal preference.
So if you still have some crochet hooks somewhere, you may wish to buy a skein of wool or yarn that harmonizes with your deck, and try it.
I have been in a frenzy of tarot bag crocheting lately. I had already quite a lot of hand made bags but health problems forced me to slow down on other things lately, and I have taken up my hook again. So here are some basic tips if you want to try it yourself.
While sewn tarot bags are in my eyes the most beautiful, and tins most practical, I can't sew and lately haven't done any tins. But I can give some tips for people who want to start a crochet bag.
I must say that I always start out somehow and make the things up while I'm going - which is why some bags turn out really crooked and others turn out nice.
You have to decide whether you want a drawstring bag or a flap bag because that choice will influence the chain length you start out with.
It's very easy to take a deck out of a flap bag - but it falls out more easily, too. I can't always be bothered with buttons and button holes (although they're really easy to do in crochet), so if you make a longer flap, the bag will hold up nicely. Sometimes I just wrap a rubber band around (decorated with a crochet flower).
Drawstring bags can either be closed with a knot or a bead you pull tight. I use either crochet chains or self made cords as drawstrings.
I like the bag a bit loose around the bag since I also stuff in the lwb, notes, crystals etc, but a snug little bag is better for carrying the deck around. So keep the deck at hand and measure deck and chain against each other.
I like to experiment with other shapes, too, like loose or tight wraps.
Sometimes, I use leftover granny squares or even crochet such squares from scratch to use as flaps.
Some bags are kept very simple, others are decorated, just as I feel it's nicest.
These bags are small projects and thus a great opportunity to try new stitches. I have used grit stitch, waffle stitch, V dc and V hdc stitches, blanket stitch, suzette stitch, ripple stitch, shell stitch, linked treble stitch, I can't even remember the many stitches I tried! There are such wonderful websites nowadays where you can see how it's done. It's great fun and much less intimidating to make a little bag than starting a ripple or waffle stitch blanket. If you gain or lose some stitches on the way, well, then the bag turns out a bit wonky, who cares?
Sometimes, a nice edge will salvage the wonkiness - edges are quite easy to do, too.
I have a darning needle that's very practical for sewing the whole thing together (a wrap is fine without sewing) and hiding loose ends. Don't forget to put the whole thing "the wrong way around" and turn it afterwards to hide the seams. (I forget that sometimes...).
You can always add something later, I often take out my old bags and add a little button or medaillon or semi precious stone or some beads...
I found it's a great part of the ritual of "making a deck mine". I keep the boxes in a big box because they get shabby so quickly when they're used permanently, and I don't want to throw them away (they're often quite beautiful and sometimes I use them for some medaillon making or a collage). I keep also the extra cards with the boxes.
But for everyday use, I transfer the decks with their lwbs to these little bags.
Chunky yarns and thicker needles give you more voluminous bags which protect the deck well but they can turn out a bit stiff. Thinner yarns and needles take longer time to work with and make thinner bags but often look more intricate and are more flexible.
I like to work with self striping or ombre yarn. Even a simple grit or shell stitch looks so great with yarn that changes its colour.
I have used cotton, acrylic, wool and angora yarns, they all have their advantages and disadvantages. It's a matter of trial and error and personal preference.
So if you still have some crochet hooks somewhere, you may wish to buy a skein of wool or yarn that harmonizes with your deck, and try it.
