Pattern Review: Sensu Fan Market Tote

Time for something a little different! I'd like to share my thoughts on some patterns I've come across, and now seems like as good a time as any, as I've just finished a project. I had a few hundred yards of beige cotton yarn left over from a larger project, and I was on the hunt for something to do with it. The pattern I settled on was the Sensu Fan Market Tote from The Lavender Chair. Here's my version:

Cotton yarn isn't great for hats and scarves since it's not very warm, but it works well for bags and summery items, and the stitch definition you can get with smooth cotton yarn really makes stitches with interesting texture pop. This tote had a great fan-shaped stitch decorating the center, which was perfect for the yarn. It was quick to work up, too, and with the roughly worsted weight yarn I used, the bag is big enough to hold sunscreen, sunglasses, and whatever else you'd need for a day at the beach.

However, there are a few things I didn't like so much. First of all, because the fan stitch in the center is downright lacy, there are big holes that your belongings could fall out of. I'm going to line the bag with some plain white fabric to solve the problem. It'll have the added bonus of putting a nice solid background on the fan stitches, making them pop even more!

(The role of white fabric is being played by a pillow case until I can get to the fabric store for some muslin or other woven cotton)

Secondly, if you followed the link, you'll notice that the original pattern included a strap, and mine clearly does not. Part of the reason for that was that I was running out of yarn, but it was also an intentional choice. The thing about crocheted fabric is that it has quite a bit of stretch to it (much like a knitted fabric). If you put a weight at the end of the fabric -- say the weight of a full tote bag -- the strap is bound to stretch and sag and generally be uncomfortable. The yarn choice helps mitigate some of the stretch (cotton is less elastic than wool), but I wanted something sturdier to put on my shoulder. Since I was already going to sew in a lining, I decided that I would just get a woven strap to sew on as well.

So there you have it. Overall, the Sensu Fan Market Tote is a great little pattern for an intermediate crocheter. It's perfect if you have a few hundred yards of cotton that you've been saving for a rainy day. The flaws in the design might make it impractical to use as-is, but they can be fixed with a few extra supplies from a craft store and a bit of sewing knowledge. Try it out sometime!