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Archive entry for August 2016

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August 2016

Bags for Beach or Festivals

FestivalBagII.jpg

Summer season bags in crochet this time - for beach - or for festivals if you want the full seventies vibe. Easy to make using a single basic granny square motif.

Instructions.

The bags are made up by joining a number of the same basic "granny square" motif. If you are feeling adventurous you could make up your own version of the squares to approximately the same size or you could use a variety of colours (in the "granny square" tradition) to use up wool oddments.

Motif

With Gold (G) make 4 ch, join into ring with slip stitch (ss).

1st round: in G, 3 ch, 11 tr into ring. [12 sts]
2nd round: in Red (R), join with ss to top of ch, (3 ch, 2 tr, 1 ch, 3 tr), all in next stitch, miss 2 stitches, * (3 tr, 1 ch, 3 tr,) all in next stitch, miss 2 stitches, repeat from * 3 times; join with ss to top of ch
3rd round: in Cream (C), 3 ch, 2 tr, in space between last tr and ch of previous round, (3 tr, 1 ch, 3 tr) all in next ch sp, * 3 tr in sp between 2 groups, (3 tr, 1 ch, 3 tr) all in next ch sp, repeat from * 3 times; join with ss to top of ch
Fasten off.


Handbag

Make 10 motifs.
Join motifs as follows: wrong sides to inside, place 2 motifs together.
With C, make loop round hook (as if starting a chain), insert hook through corner ch sp of each motif and draw loop through, then draw
loop through loop on hook (this fastens the yarn to the work). Insert hook through both loops of next stitch of each motif and draw loop through, (this joins the motifs together), and draw the loop through
loop on hook, (this completes the join - you are essentially slip stitching the motifs together).
Continue in this way, ending at ch sp at opposite corner.
Fasten off.

Join remaining motifs in the same way, thus having 5 strips made of 2 motifs each

Now make a square by joining 2 strips together using the slip stitch technique as before. Make another square the same.
You now have two squares made up of 4 motifs and one oblong made up of 2 motifs.

Handbag - main part

[Editor's note: In this section you make diagonal edgings for each side of the square sections of the bag. You end up with another square with the original 4 motifs set "on point" as you can see in the photo.]

With right side facing and Gold (G), join yarn to corner ch sp of one of the squares, and work along first side edge as follows :
1st row: in G, 3 ch, 2 tr in corner ch sp, (3 tr in sp between next 2 groups) twice, 3 tr in centre of joining row, (3 tr in sp between next 2 groups) twice, 3 tr in corner ch sp [7 groups].
Turn, 1 ss in each of last 3 tr of previous row.

2nd row: in Red (R), 3 ch, 2 tr in 1st sp between first 2 groups, 3 tr in
each following sp [6 groups].
Turn, 1 ss in each of last 3 tr of previous row.

3rd row: in Cream (C), as 2nd row [5 groups].

Alternating colours as before, work 4 more rows, thus ending 3 ch 2 tr in G worked in sp between 2 groups. [1 group].
Fasten off.

Joining yarn to corner ch sp already used, work along 2nd and 3rd sides of square in the same way, then work along 4th side starting
and ending with corner ch sp already used.

Work the other main part in the same way on the second 4-motif square.

Handbag - flap

[Editor's note: At this point you might think "flap" is an instruction - but it isn't - it' just the description of the piece you are making next. The instruction is "just keep calm and carry on". Crochet is always more difficult to read from a pattern than it is to actually do it.]

With right side facing and G, join yarn to corner ch sp at long side of remaining oblong strip and work as follows:

1st round: in G, 3 ch 2 tr in corner ch sp, (3 tr in sp between next 2 groups) twice; 3 tr in centre of joining row; (3 tr in sp between
next 2 groups) twice, 3 tr 1 ch 3 tr in next corner ch sp, (3 tr in sp between next 2 groups) twice, 3 tr 1 ch 3 tr in next corner ch sp Continue in this way all round strip, ending 3 tr 1 ch, in 1st corner ch sp again. Join with ss to top of ch at the beginning of the round.
2nd round: in R, 3 ch 2 tr in corner ch sp, then - as you did in 1st round - 3 tr in each sp between 2 groups, 3 tr 1 ch 3 tr in each corner ch sp, ending 3 tr 1 ch in 1st corner ch sp again. Join with ss to top
of ch at beginning of round.
3rd round: in C as 2nd round.
Fasten off.

Handbag - gusset

With G, make 10 ch

1st row: 1 tr in 4th ch from hook, 1 tr in each following ch
Turn with 3 ch.
2nd row: miss 1st stitch, 1 tr in each following stitch Turn with 3 ch
[ 8 stitches, including turning ch of previous row which counts as 1 tr].

Repeat 2nd row until strip measures 24 inches (61 cm).
Fasten off.

Handbag - to make up

Using a warm iron and damp cloth, press parts lightly on wrong side.
Cut lining as for 2 squares and gusset, allowing ½ inch (1 cm) extra all round for turnings.
Pin gusset round 3 sides of each square; sew in position by stitching tip of each group of main part to edges of gusset .
Sew flap to remaining side of 1 square.
Using G, work 1 row dc, along 3 free sides of flap, working 3 dc in each corner and making a 10 ch loop at each end of long side approximately 2 inches (5 cm) in from the edge - these are the button loops (see photo).

Make twisted cord from 18 strands of remaining yarn, each strand 100 inches (254 cm) long (or however long you want the shoulder strap to be), and attach to top of gusset at each side of bag.

Join lining and place inside bag with seams to inside, turn in raw edges at top and inside flap, and slip hem neatly in position.

Sew on buttons.


Beach bag

Make 55 motifs.
Joining motifs as for handbag, making 11 strips of 5 motifs each

Beach bag - back

Join 6 strips together, thus having an oblong.

Point: With right side facing and using G, join yarn to corner ch sp of oblong and work along 1 short edge as follows:

1st row: in G, 3 ch 2 tr in corner ch sp, * (3 tr in sp between next 2 groups) twice, 3 tr in centre of joining row; repeat from * ending 3 tr in corner ch sp [16 groups].
Turn, ss in each of last 3 tr of previous row.
2nd row: in R, 3 ch 2 tr in sp, between first 2 groups, 3 tr in each following sp [15 groups].
Turn, ss in each of last 3 tr of previous row.
3rd row: in C , as 2nd row [14 groups].

Alternating colours as before, work 13 more rows, thus ending 3 ch 2 tr in G, worked in sp between 2 groups. [1 group].
Fasten off.

Beach bag - flap

Working along opposite edge of oblong, work as for point.
In make a 10 ch loop into centre of last group (button loop).
Fasten off.

Beach bag - front

Join 5 strips together, thus making a square.
Work as for back, making one point for bottom of bag and omitting flap.

Beach bag - to make up

Press as for handbag.

Cut lining as for front and back, allowing ½ inch (1 cm) extra for turnings.
Place back and front together from points upwards, with wrong sides to inside. Using C, work joining row up one side, then work in
dc up side of extra motif of back.
Join second side in the same way.
Work 1 row dc along upper edge of front.
Fasten off.

Using a flat-stitch seam, join points by catching together tips of each group.

Make twisted cord as for handbag and attach to sides.
Line as for handbag.

Using 18 strands of remaining yarn, each strand 12 inches (30 cm) long, make tassel and attach to point.

Sew on button to match loop.

Materials

The yarn is an Aran or worsted weight in balls of 50g.

Handbag:
1 ball each in three colours: Cream, Lipstick Red, and Harvest Gold.
2 buttons.
½ yard lining fabric.

Beach bag:
4 in Cream, 3 in Lipstick Red and 2 in Harvest Gold.
1 buttons.
1 yard lining fabric.

One No 8 (4mm) crochet hook.

Tension

One motif measures approximately
2¾ x 2¾ inches,
(7cm x 7cm)

Size matters

Hand bag:
About 8 inches (20cm) square.

Beach bag:
About 14 inches (36cm) wide and 20 inches (51cm) high.

Crochet abbreviations:

ch: chain
dc: double crochet
tr: treble
ss: slip stitch
sp: space

Remember these are English crochet instructions where dc is equivalent to US single crochet - see "Terminology" in the side bar.

A Word on the Wool

The original yarn was Patons Capstan - an Aran weight yarn knitting to a tension of 18 sts to 4 inches. No clues as to the yardage but it was a fairly dense pure wool so I would not expect it to have a long yardage.

Disclaimer
(well...almost)

In transposing any pattern it is always a risk that errors will be introduced, in spite of dedicated proof reading.
If you have any problems with this pattern, please and I will try and assist.

© Christina Coutts 2007

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