Is there still time before the holidays for making handmade gifts? Of course there is! Sitting with a ball of yarn and your favorite crochet hook are the perfect antidote to holiday hysteria. Cue up a good vintage movie, make yourself a cup of tea and crochet a 1970s shoulder bag and possibly some crocheted bracelets.
Why they stopped making Aunt Lydia’s rug yarn will forever be a mystery. It’s possible that sales dropped when the 1970s ended and the fervor for crafting waned. But crafting is back, doesn’t that mean Aunt Lydia’s should make a comeback? You can find vintage skeins online, but it’s okay to substitute. Per Ravelry.com, the original fiber content was 75% rayon, 25% cotton and it’s a bulky weight. Brava Bulky by Knit Picks or Burrow Bulky from Willow Yarns seemingly would both be good substitutes. The best place for substitution answers is your local yarn shop.
Yes, you crochet a 1970s shoulder bag but it takes a little more non-crochet effort to finish. You need to add a lining and add ribbon to the straps so they don’t stretch. But for a medium amount of effort, you can create an unexpected and one-of-a-kind gift for someone else (or for yourself). A vintage lover would particularly appreciate this piece. Retro handmade bags are scarce finds on the vintage market. Most got used to oblivion and never made it to the secondhand market. And seriously, look how sassy that bag is!
The crocheted bracelets could be a hit done in ombre colors. Finding plastic bracelets that fit an adult hand could be a challenge. I submit you could also use metal bracelets. Make sure they are large enough to fit over the hand with room to spare because you are adding a layer of yarn awesomeness.
