And item #2 in my Scraptastic Summer Series!!
See THIS POST for more information and to get all the pattern links in one place as I finish them.
So, let’s get to it!!
First, the boring bits:
This pattern is intended for personal use only. This pattern -and all my patterns- are offered for free or a small fee to help support my family so please do not redistribute, sell, copy or use them in any way not in accordance with fairness.
You may sell products made from this pattern, but please give me credit as the designer. Please do not use my photos as your own work, but you may use my photos to reference back to my blog, Etsy, Pinterest, IG or FB, but please link back to me.
If you find any problems with this pattern, please let me know and if you have any problems with any of it feel free to message me and ask for support.
Kristi Bergin-Smith and The Burgundy Basket, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to me, Kristi Bergin-Smith and The Burgundy Basket with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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Stitches Guide: *US Terms apply
Chain: Ch
Stitch: St
Single Crochet: SC
Inc Sc or Inc or 2sc: make two single crochet stitches in the same stitch as indicated
Sc Dec: single decrease or single crochet two together.
Hdc: half double crochet
BLO: back loop only/ FLO: front loop only
To start, I have THE PAID PDF pattern listed in both my ETSY SHOP and my RAVELRY for those that like to support the makers. I offer a lot more photos in my paid patterns than I do on my blog and I keep my pattern cost very low. For this pattern in particular, it is made in a way where the joining of the two parts inside contains a photo-heavy tutorial that IS NOT ON MY BLOG. The PAID 11-page PDF has almost 30 photos to help get the join of the inner pocket lined up and attached to the outside edge correctly. I just can’t put all of those photos here on my blog. If you need help, I recommend the PDF – it is only $1.99 – way cheaper than a Starbucks.
Materials: This pattern is written as a scrappy yarn project, but you can use any yarns you have for this as long as you keep the overall weight of the yarns being held together the same. Gauge is not critical exactly, but you do want consistency throughout. For example, if you start with 2 strands of #4 yarn and one strand of fun fur or sock yarn, don’t switch in the project to 2 strands of #5 yarn and a strand of #3. Naturally, if you are using materials very different from mine, you will end up with a different size bag.
Ugly Yarns: This is the perfect project for ugly, old yarns! When you hold them together sometimes you get something very nice at the end.
Whatever you decide to use, stick with that same weight throughout the entire project. You can see in the photo above, the yarns that I grouped together as possibilities for this bag. Given what I had in this pile to work with, I chose to hold 3 strands of 4-ply worsted weight yarn together and later after the bottom and inside pocket was made, I added a fun, skinny yarn with little “balls” all over it. It didn’t add anything to what I was already holding so my hook size stayed the same. You will be crocheting all the strands together, so the next thing to do is find the size crochet hook that works for the yarns you are holding together.
For a project like this, I do believe all your yarn should be washable.
Crochet Hooks: You will probably need to try a few sizes to get the one that is right for your yarn.
What I mean by “right” is that you want to be able to easily crochet all the strands without fighting them, but you also want to create a nice, tight fabric – not stiff like a basket, but tight. This may take you working up a small chain and making a few rows of single crochet to get a feel of the right hook for you.
For this pocketbook and the yarns that I chose, the hook that worked best for me was my size K/6.5mm hook.
A note on yarns: If you have crocheted for a while, you will know that not all #4 worsted weight yarns are the same. For example, Red Heart Super Saver works up very different than Caron Simply Soft, but they are both listed as #4 weight yarn. Consider this as you work and try to be consistent on your yarn changes. For example, don’t start with 2 strands of RHSS and then change those out for Caron Simply Soft or your bag will be smaller in some places than others. You can absolutely use them together in this project, but be consistent – if you start with a strand of RHSS and Caron Simply Soft – as you run out of one type, join the same type.
I also usually start with my smallest balls and move up in size as I go. For some reason this makes me feel like I am really using up my stash. As you end one strand of yarn, join in another. I join a new strand by finishing the last part of my crochet stitch with my new yarn and then making a knot in the two tails and then I just crochet over my tails. Of course, you may have your favorite way of joining a new strand that works best for you.
Additional materials: I used some metal rings to attach a purse strap from a thrift store purse. Thrifting purses is a great way to get cool purse straps and hardware. You can even find some that have clips that you just clip on. I also used a 2.5” button to secure the front flap.
These are the large hooks that I use. I love them as much as my Clover hooks. The only issue that I have had with them, but I use them A LOT! – is that the size has smudged off the handle grip, but they work just as fabulous as my expensive Clover set.
I have also ordered this set and love it! – and it comes with everything you need to get started:
If you don’t have access to the kind of stores where you can purchase a thick adjustable purse strap to match your purse – in my earlier MESSENGER BAG pattern, I used a thick, adjustable strap like this one and it comes in many colors.
PATTERN NOTE: There will need to be some trust here for my numbers below. If you have ever worked a pattern in the round – as this is – you know there is a “slant” to crochet. I have adjusted the increases on each side to shift them as they slant. For this bag, I am working IN THE ROUND and I am adding the increases to the sides of the bottom of the bag. Some of the numbers below might look off and not symmetrical, but have some trust and it will all work out.
A note on working in the round: while working in the round you DO NOT join and chain up. This prevents a joining seam. You just continue to work in a continuous manner. If you need to know where you specifically start and stop each row, I encourage you to use a stitch marker. For a project like this, I don’t count rows at all. I just continue to work until I am done and then end on one of the sides. You can lay your bag down and flatten it out to see that it is even if you prefer. I am a pretty random crocheter on a project like this and use these types of projects to free myself from counting and specifics – AFTER THE BOTTOM ROWS that is. You will need to count and be specific on the bottom oval so PLEASE USE A STITCH MARKER.
Pattern Writing NOTE:
If I write “3sc” it means place 3 single crochet stitches in the next stitch, but if I write “sc 3” that means to single crochet one in each of the next 3.
This purse with my gauge measures about 18” wide and 12” tall.
Holding all of your strands, Chain 31.
Make 2sc in the 2nd chain from the hook, sc 28, 3sc in the last chain.
Now, turn upside down so that you are working on the opposite side of those stitches. (You are crocheting on the bottom side of your starting chain.)
Skipping the chain with the 3sc on the side, sc 28 and sc in the last chain with your first 2sc. *This last sc makes up the 3sc on this side of the bottom. The next stitch (the first one you did on this round is the middle crochet stitch of this 3sc set). You may want to place your marker here in the middle stitch or on the last stitch you made. I encourage it – this is where working in the continuous round is different. You will NOT join here with a slip stitch to the first sc or chain up. Your NEXT stitch will simply be worked directly into the first sc from this round. These next photos are not from this bag, but a similar project. Replace your stitch marker after each round until you are done with the bottom increases.
Round 2: put 3sc in the middle stitch, sc 30, 3sc, sc 31
Round 3: 3sc in the middle stitch, sc 32, 3sc, sc 33
Round 4: 3sc in the middle stitch, sc 34, 3sc, sc 33 (this is not a typo) *you are going to be changing the increase pattern on the ends now.
After you do your sc 33 from above, you should have 2 sc until the end of round or your marker – put 2sc in each of these last two stitches of Round 4. Place 1 sc in the center stitch and make 2sc in each of the next 2 stitches to start Round 5.
**now, you will be working the next round in the FRONT LOOP ONLY (FLO) on the bottom. This is where your “pocket” on the inside will be attached later.
FLO all the way around on this round: Sc 32, 2sc in each of the next 2, sc in the middle stitch from the 3sc below, 2 sc in each of the next 2, sc 32. You should now be back to the start *where the 2sc sets are.
FLO: 2sc, sc, 2sc, sc 2
*Now, go back to crocheting in BOTH LOOPS: 2sc, sc, 2sc, sc 32, 2sc, sc, 2sc, sc 3, 2sc, sc, 2sc, sc 32.
Last Round: sc 2, 2sc, sc, 2sc, sc 5, 2sc, sc, 2sc, sc 33, 2sc, sc, 2sc, sc 5, 2sc, sc, 2sc, sc 35 *if you want to keep a marker on this side so that you know this is the side that you should end on when you get to the top, that is perfectly fine. *you can Steam Block the bottom if you need*
Now, you have a choice. You can keep going and work up the sides for the outside of the bag without cutting your yarn – or, you can cut your yarn here (pull the tails all the way through or secure them how you choose) and do the inside pocket and then come back and pick up where you ended for the outside of the bag. I think it is easier to do the inside pocket first so that you don’t have to turn the rest of the heavy sides inside out later. So, if that is what you want to do – find the empty loops from where you worked in the FLO and attach your yarn to one of the sides of the bag. You can see in this photo the empty loops. They are the inside of the bag.
I chose to use ONLY 2 STRANDS for the inside pocket of my bag and went down to my size J/6mm hook. I also chose two strands of a yarn that I had full skeins of so that I would not have any color changes or yarn to add in the center pocket. This was just a personal choice, but you can definitely keep the scrap yarn join going on the inside too.
After attaching your yarn, sc around in each open loop. Sc around to the height that you prefer. It will start to resemble a “cup and saucer” – I worked my example until it was about 10” high and for me that equaled 34 rows.
Once you are done with the center pocket, finish off your yarn and pick up where you left off on the bottom of the bag. For me, that also meant going back to my larger hook and 3 strands of yarn. You may want to place a stitch marker where you picked back up if you need to know the exact count and end in the same place as you start.
At this point you are just going to crochet with no increases. I don’t even count at this point – I just go! Just keep adding new yarns as you run out and weave in those ends while you work. Remember, if you are ending one weight of yarn, join in the same weight as you go.
I added a fun yarn after I was a few rows up the sides of the outside of my bag for texture.
See how this is going:
Keep crocheting until your outside reaches the same height as your inside. You probably want to open the bottom and sit it on a flat surface to measure this. If you have done like I have done and used only 2 strands for the inside, but 3 on the outside, you won’t be able to go by just how many rows you have because working 2 strands is a smaller stitch that working 3 strands – so, even though I had 34 rows for the inside pocket, I didn’t have that many for the outside. Work until the two are even:
This next part might be confusing without photos, so in my PAID PDF I HAVE A LOT of pictures to help you get everything lined up. Don’t cut your yarn because you have a few more rows to do:
The first step is to find/mark the 6 stitches on the sides of the inside pocket of your bag. Now you want to use this to line up the stiches with those that correspond to them on the outside of your bag. You also want to check to see that you have the same number of open stitches on each side of your bag and in the middle of the front and back so that everything is centered.
See how my hook is now going through the corresponding stiches that are going to get crocheted together?
So, now what I recommend is that you use some yarn and your needle to light “stitch” the stiches together that will be crocheted together so you can make sure everything is even and lined up on both sides.
Once all your stitches are lined up and you know what stitches you will be crocheting together and your sides have the same number of stitches free on each end, it is time to crochet the last two rounds.
Pick your yarn back up and now start to crochet around. You will be crocheting through the two layers of the inside pocket and the outside of your bag – BUT, you are only crocheting those 6 stitches on each side together. ALL the rest of the stitches on the outside of the bag are not connected to the inside pocket.
Once you are finished, this is what you should now have:
See how you have made cool divided “pockets” on the inside?
I have added a little tab to close up the pocketbook.
To do that find the center part of the BACK of your bag and decide how wide you want your tab and count evenly on each side of the center and attach your yarn. I chose to do 6 stitches on mine. (For this part I have also chosen to use two strands and my size J/6mm hook) and after attaching made mine 10 rows long. This is just sc across with a chain 1 and turn for the length you want. Your button hole size will be determined by the size of your button, but on the last row make a chain a little shorter than what you think your button needs because it will stretch after you make the edging. Once you are done, cut your yarn and reattach it on the side of your tab (with the right side facing you) and hdc around the tab evenly and in the button hole. I had 8 chains, but ended up with 12 hdc in my button hole to fill that space and make it look full and nice. Play with this and adjust as needed for your button. You can also just sc in the button hole if you prefer.
If you are going to do this next step, you may want to skip attaching any buttons or rings just yet:
I find this next part very important if you are using old stash yarn and assorted yarns like I am.
Wash your bag. I use an agitator free washing machine on gentle/delicate with a gentle detergent and wash. After washing lay flat to dry on a towel and block if needed. You can shape your bag now if you have any places that need adjusted. This is very important to me. I often get giant bags of yarn in estate sales and yard sales and thrift stores and sometimes I am even given big bags from friends. I have no idea how these yarns lived their lives and having them be clean before someone ends up with this bag is important to me. So, this part is up to you, but I highly encourage it if you are unsure about the life of your yarn of how they will all wash together.
After my bag was dry, I sewed on two metal rings for the strap and my button. I actually used these two rings from a belt that I got at a thrift store. I chose to sew them where the two pieces meet on the inside so that the purse strap wasn’t on the outer edge of the bag.
Adding the rings and straps will be up to you. You may prefer to do a different type of strap. I started with these thrift store finds ->
After making my strap, I chose to cut up the rest of the purse and make a wallet/pouch and an inside pocket, but you may not be into sewing – this is of course optional.
Thank you for choosing my pattern. XOXO, Kristi at The Burgundy Basket.
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