Totoro Bag

One day I was innocently browsing etsy (yeah, thats how it always starts, right?) when I came across this adorable totoro crochet backpack pattern from Hello Happy. I will admit to drooling a bit and searching to see if she sold finished items. She did, but they were way out of my price range--but I could afford her pattern.

I really really wanted my very own totoro carrying device! But I am a beginner at crochet, and this pattern was marked intermediate and it uses the magic loop and crochet in the round and requires knowledge of amigurumi methods. And I know nothing of any of those things. What are these things? I don't know, and my brain apparently didn't care, because I bought the pattern anyway. Because Totoro. And backpack. Need I say more? Well, I googled everything I wasn't familiar with and went slow and redid parts and learned a lot. Oh, and I ended up making mine into a side bag.

Anyway, I love love love my totoro bag times a million red hot suns! Squee! Also, Hello Happy is my new favorite crochet pattern maker because her steps were clear and very easy to follow even for me, a beginner.

Now if you will excuse me I'm going to dance in the woods with my new bag.