My shopping bags

So here you see the first shopping bag I made. I used KnitPicks pattern "Mary's Summer Bag", I used Bernat Handicrafter in over the rainbow and Sugar n Cream in white.

It is a good bag. I really do use this when we go grocery shopping, I am always amazed at how much I can get in it. The clerks at the store are usually pretty surprised as well.

Now keeping all that in mind I knew that I could make it better. I don't really like the fact that it doesn't have handles, or that it has a draw string. I felt that it was to tall and not wide enough. So a decided to play around until I came up with something I love.

So this is what I came up with. I used the same basic pattern as before but I made the base bigger, increased the sides to a size I liked, used double strand for the whole bag, and added two small handles. I used Sugar n Cream in key lime pie and Sugar n Cream in white.

I have no idea how much yarn I actually used on either bag since I used the jumbo skeins, something like 12 or 14 oz each skein, and the white came from a cone.

I can't wait to go grocery shopping tomorrow night. I think I have a winner with this one. It has the same open weave as the other but with it being shorter and wider it should work better for us, just have to go shopping to find out.