I almost managed to finish my Dao Lam inspired crochet hobo bag without making any new purchases.

Almost, but not quite.

I had everything needed with one exception: some sturdy rings to use in attaching the handle.

So I trundled over to the nearest Walmart to look over the crafting supplies to see if there was something — anything — that I could use to be the vehicle by which the strap could be joined to the purse.

As luck would have it, I found exactly what I needed:

While had originally thought I would used the dark pink rings, once I had them at home and could see them with the purse, I opted to use the green:

I started by crocheting a tab six rows long and five stitches wide. Next, I wrapped the tab over and around one of the rings, and secured it using an awkward but effective method of slip stitching:

Then I secured the second ring:

With that done, I sewed the two pieces of a snap in place for the closure:

My hobo-bag-to-be with all of the hardware attached:

With all of the sewing done and the hardware attached, I set out to complete the last task: securing the braided strap to the split rings. Here is a detail of the strap attached to the split ring:

and here is a photo of the practically perfect bag when it was completed:

To make this bag, I had to overcome my reluctance to do hand sewing. My sewing stitches are not as neat, even, and well practiced as my crochet stitches, so it is not easy for me to work up the same enthusiasm for sewing that I have for crochet.

I am also sometimes beset by the notion that the flaws of my projects are the most outstanding (read: noticeable) features of my work.

In reality, I know that is not true, but sometimes the picky perfectionist in me allows fear to trump reason. At times like that, I find it helps to grab one of my practically perfect bags, sally forth into the world, and ignore that voice with the talent for finding the cloud in every silver or, as in this case, repurposed lining.