The front and back cover display all the bag patterns in color. The instructional portion inside is black and white.

A few historical facts are included about miser bags along with an interesting introduction as to how the this purse book originated. The authors state the patterns in this book are original designs and antique bags were their inspiration. Gwen Blakely Kinsler is the founder of the Crochet Guild of America.

You need to have mastered basic crochet stitches to make the beginner projects and be comfortable with crochet terminology and various stitches before making the more complex patterns. Stitch abbreviations and terms are listed along with other general instructions.

Bead crochet is incorporated into some of the designs and instructions are included for pre-stringing and crocheting with beads. Of course, beads can be added to any crochet pattern, so you could add bead crochet to the rest of the patterns as well. Beads listed for projects are size 11/0.

The bag shapes range from rectangular to square and round. Each pattern includes materials required, stitches used, gauge and the finished size. The bag sizes runs from about 3" x 3" to 3’ x 5" depending on pattern and material used.

Although Boye steel crochet hooks are specifically listed as the tools for each pattern, I see no reason why you could not use steel crochet hooks from other manufacturers as long as they are the same size.

Keeping with the miser concept in one particular category, all the bags have several chains as the closure and are finished off with a finger ring or strap.

I crocheted "Kate," the last pattern in the book, added double the amount of shells on the outside and then added single bead crochet stitches to the edge of each shell. For beaders, more beads are better. I used size 9/0 antique cut bronze metallic beads to give it a rustic look.. It also puffed out the shells because they were larger beads. I am thinking of making one of the bags using silk twist and size 22/0 beads, it would definitely be smaller, maybe an earring? Perhaps I will make two different bags in thin thread and small beads so each ear will display a unique bag.