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designed by Mary E. Nolfi

TECHNIQUE USED: Crochet

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Purse measures approximately 12"/30.5 cm wide (at widest point) x 9"/23 cm high x 5"/12.5 cm deep (at deepest point)

MATERIALS

Caron International's Simply Soft Heather

(100% acrylic; 5 oz/141.8 g, 250 yds/228 m skein):

#9505 Plum Heather (A), 10 oz
Caron International's Simply Soft 

(100% acrylic; 6 oz/170 g, 315 yds/288 m skein):

#9742 Grey Heather (B), 12 oz

#9738 Violet (C), 6 oz

One crochet hook size US I-9 (5.5 mm), or size to obtain gauge

1 large button (for front closure)

4 D-rings—3/4"/19 mm diameter (for bag straps and handles)

Craft felt—1/2 yd/0.5 m (for lining)

Sewing needle and matching thread

Yarn needle

GAUGE

In pattern, holding 2 strands of yarn together and using I-9 (5.5 mm) hook, 16 sts and 17 rows = 4"/10 cm.

STITCHES USED

Chain (ch)

Single crochet (sc)

Slip stitch (slip st)

SPECIAL TERMS

FPdc: Front-post double crochet: (RS)Yarn over, insert hook from right-hand side of stitch to WS of piece, return to RS at left-hand side of stitch indicated, yarn over and draw up a loop, complete as double crochet. In this project, FPdc are worked in stitches 2 rows below current row, skip the corresponding stitch in the current row.

sc2tog: Single crochet 2 together – Insert hook in next stitch, yarn over and draw up a loop, (2 loops on hook), insert hook in next stitch, yarn over and draw up a loop, yarn over and draw through all 3 loops on hook.

NOTES

1. Bag is worked holding 2 strands of yarn together throughout.

2.To change color, work last stitch of old color to last yarn over, yarn over with new color to complete the stitch. Carry colors not in use loosely along edge of work.

BODY (front and back)

Holding 2 strands of A together, chain 37.

Row 1: Sc in second ch from hook and in each remaining ch across, turn—36 sc.

Row 2 (WS): Ch 1, sc in each st across; change to 2 strands of B in last st, turn.

Row 3: With B, ch 1, sc in first st, FPdc in next sc 2 rows below (in Row 1), *sc in next 2 sts, FPdc in next sc 2 rows below; repeat from * to last st, sc in last st, turn—24 sc and 12 FPdc.

Row 4: Ch 1, sc in each st across; change to 2 strands of A in last st, turn.

Row 5: With A, repeat Rows 3.

Row 6 (increase row): Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc in each st to last st, 2 sc in last st; change to 2 strands of B in last st, turn—38 sc.

Row 7: With B, ch 1, sc in first 2 sts, FPdc in next st 2 rows below, *sc in next 2 sts, FPdc in next st 2 rows below; repeat from * to last 2 sts, sc in last 2 sts, turn—26 sc and 12 FPdc.

Row 8: Ch 1, sc in each st across; change to 2 strands of A in last st, turn.

Rows 9–13: Continuing to alternate A and B every other row, repeat Rows 7 and 8 twice, then repeat Row 7 once more.

Row 14 (increase row): With A, repeat Row 6; change to 2 strands of B in last st—40 sc.

Row 15: With B, ch 1, FPdc in first st 2 rows below, *sc in next 2 sts, FPdc in next st; repeat from * to last 3 sts, sc in next 2 sts; work FPdc in last st 2 rows below until only 2 loops remain on hook, insert hook in last st of Row 14, yarn over and draw through st and loops on hook to anchor last FPdc to end of row, turn.

Row 16: Ch 1, sc in each st across; change to 2 strands of A in last st, turn.

Rows 17–21: Continuing to alternate A and B every other row, repeat Rows 15 and 16 twice, then repeat Row 15 once more.

Row 22 (increase row): With A, repeat Row 6; change to 2 strands of B in last st—42 sc.

Rows 23–57: Continuing to alternate A and B every other row, repeat Rows 3 and 4 seventeen times, then repeat Row 3 once more.

Row 58 (decrease row): With A, ch 1, sc2tog, sc in each remaining st to last 2 sts, sc2tog; change to 2 strands of B in last st, turn—40 sc.

Rows 59–65: Continuing to alternate A and B every other row, repeat Rows 15 and 16 three times, then repeat Row 15 once more.

Row 66: With A, repeat Row 58; change to 2 strands of B in last st—38 sc.

Row 67–73: Continuing to alternate A and B every other row, repeat Rows 7 and 8 three times, then repeat Row 7 once more.

Row 74: With A, repeat Row 58; change to 2 strands of B in last st—36 sc.

Rows 75–82: Continuing to alternate A and B every other row, repeat Rows 3 and 4 four times.

Fasten off.

GUSSET (make 2)

Holding 2 strands of A together, chain 9.

Row 1: Sc in second ch from hook and in each remaining ch across, turn—8 sc.

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in each st across; change to 2 strands of B in last st, turn.

Row 3: With B, ch 1, sc in each st across, turn.

Row 4 (increase row): Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc in each st to last st, 2 sc in last st; change to 2 strands of A in last st, turn—10 sc.

Rows 5–9: Continuing to alternate A and B every other row, ch 1, sc in each st across, turn.

Row 10 (increase row): With A, repeat Row 4; change to 2 strands of B in last st, turn—12 sc.

Rows 11–13: Continuing to alternate A and B every other row, ch 1, sc in each st across, turn.

Row 14 (increase row): With A, repeat Row 4; change to 2 strands of B in last st, turn—14 sc.

Rows 15–18: Repeat Rows 11–14—16 sc.

Rows 19–22: Repeat Rows 11–14—18 sc.

Rows 23–29: Continuing to alternate A and B every other row, ch 1, sc in each st across, turn.

Row 30 (decrease row): With A, ch 1, sc2tog, sc in each remaining st to last 2 sts, sc2tog; change to 2 strands of B in last st, turn—16 sc.

Row 31: With B, ch 1, sc in each st across, turn.

Row 32 (decrease row): With B, ch 1, sc2tog, sc in each remaining st to last 2 sts, sc2tog; change to 2 strands of A in last st, turn—14 sc.

Row 33: With A, ch 1, sc in each st across, turn.

Row 34 (decrease row): With A, ch 1, sc2tog, sc in each remaining st to last 2 sts, sc2tog; change to 2 strands of B in last st, turn—12 sc.

Rows 35 and 36: Repeat Rows 31 and 32—10 sc.

Fasten off.

FINISHING

Using yarn needle, weave in all ends.

Lining

Place all bag pieces on felt and trace around the pieces. Cut out the felt pieces, cutting the felt 1/4"/0.5 cm smaller (all the way around) than the purse pieces. Using sewing needle and matching thread, whipstitch linings to WS of pieces.

Gusset Edging

With RS facing, join 2 strands of C with slip st in top corner of one gusset to work along side edge.

Row 1 (RS): Ch 1, working along side edge, sc in end of each row; pivot to work along opposite side of foundation ch, sc in each ch across; pivot to work along opposite side edge, sc in end of each row, turn—82 sc.

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in first 20 sts, *sc2tog, sc in next 2 sts; repeat from * 3 more times, sc in next 10 sts (along bottom of gusset), **sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog; repeat from ** 3 more times, sc in last 20 sts—74 sc. Fasten off.

Repeat edging around second gusset.

Body Side Edging

With RS facing, join 2 strands of C with slip st in top corner of body to work along one side edge.

Row 1: Ch 1, working along side edge, sc in end of each row, turn—82 sc.

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in first 20 sts, *sc2tog, sc in next 2 sts; repeat from * 3 more times, sc in next 10 sts, **sc2tog, sc in next 2 sts; repeat from ** 3 more times, sc in last 20 sts—74 sc. Fasten off.

Repeat side edging along opposite side edge of body; do not fasten off.

Assembly

With RS facing, hold side edges of body and one gusset together, with top edges even.

Row 1: Inserting hook through back loops of gusset and front loops of body at same time (working through both thicknesses), sc in each edging st around gusset and edge of body to opposite upper corner—74 sc. Fasten off.

Repeat to join second gusset to opposite side of body; do not fasten off.

Top Edging and Closure

Round 1: Work sc evenly spaced around top edge of purse, pinching in each gusset (pinch towards inside of purse); join with slip st in first sc.

Round 2: Ch 1, slip st in each st to center back of purse; make closure at center back, as follows: ch 12, slip st in 10th ch from hook, sc in last 2 ch, working along opposite side of ch-12, slip st in base of each sc and in each ch around, slip st in last 2 sc; continuing around top of purse, slip st in each remaining st around; join with slip st in first st. Fasten off.

Sew large button to top center of front of purse opposite closure.

Handle/Strap (make 4)

Holding 2 strands of C together, chain 92.

Row 1: Working in back loops only, slip st in second ch from hook and in each remaining ch across, turn—91 slip sts.

Rows 2–4: Working in back loops only, ch 1, slip st in each st across, turn.

Row 5: Pivot to work along ends of rows, ch 1, work 3 sc in ends of rows; ch 1, slip st in each ch along opposite side of foundation ch.

Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing.

Loop both ends of two straps through D-rings (one D-ring per end). Using yarn needle and yarn tails, sew ends to back of straps. Wrap straps around body of purse, approximately 1"/2.5cm from each end of purse and with D-rings at top edges of purse. Sew the straps to body of purse using small whip stitches. Loop ends of remaining two handles through same D-rings, and sew ends to back of handle. Use photograph as guide for placement of straps.

Weave in any remaining ends.