‘Mud pie’ string bag

The string bag that I was working on here had aspects of 'mud pie'  from its inception,  due to the liveliness of the hemp and the loose veil stitch and the handle in Tunisian crochet which was leaving one edge quite jaunty.

So it was a natural to pick up and work upon on my birthday, recently,  the perfect day in the year that invites and encourages celebration of self (and of mother!).

A 'mud pie' project;  a 'mud pie' attitude;  a 'mud pie' result :  incredibly satisfying. 

Anything goes.  There is no right or wrong way.  The body is allowed freedom to feel more than think.  Fostered by the "it's my birthday – I can do what I wish" comfort.

The handles got attached almost with eyes averted – actually, with eyes mostly averted – because with the loose stitch on the body of the bag it would have been very picky to try to line everything up.  The fingers did it.   One side attached longer.  Since I was joining with a single crochet stitch I pulled it back out (if it was a sewn stitch that needed to be unsewn I likely would have left the varied length)  and bunched it up a bit to fit.

When it was done I did not weave in the ends.  They may get tucked into the bag but maybe with knots here and there.

When it was done I had the feeling one gets after making mud pies in the garden from the earth and water and  a few stones or twigs for texture and flavour, then formed into shapes and put on a piece of board or a flat rock and left until dry in the sun and the wind.  As I did many times as a child and a summer or two ago.

The added element was that, while the mud pies could not be eaten,  the bag could certainly be used.  And it has been.  Contentedly.