This adorable bag sold for $145 at Crochetville's 2007 auction! Features include a hook holder, yarn eyelets, and accessories pockets.

MC: 3 skeins (765 yd) Bernat® Soft Bouclé or 5/bulky weight yarn
CC: 1 skein (255 yd) Bernat® Soft Bouclé or 5/bulky weight yarn
Size J-10 (6.0 mm) crochet hook or size to obtain gauge
1 yd 1” wide grosgrain ribbon
1/2 yd fabric in coordinating color for lining
3 3/16” eyelets
Stitch markers
Yarn needle
Sewing thread in coordinating color
Sewing needle

12" wide x 10" high x 4" deep

None given.

Some sewing skill also required.

http://www.crochetkitten.com/files/The_Crocheter_s_Messenger.pdf

Whipped up in the knick o' time for a teacher gift. Liked it so much I made a mess of notes so I could recreate it. Be kind it's my first written out pattern.

Both quick and easy peasy.

Here's what you'll need:
3 skeins of Paton's SWS
US K-ish crochet hook...mine is bamboo and not the standard, but as you're felting it anyway, gauge is not critical.
tapestry/yarn needle

lingerie bag

ivory liquid dish soap

washing machine with lots of hot water

doh! forgot to measure.

uh, does it matter if you're felting it anyway?

It took me a bit longer as I was figuring it out as I went along, but I
have to think you could whip this out in an evening, felt it before bed
and have it dry and ready to go the next day.
This
bag is worked in the round, starting with an oval to form the base of
the bag by working down one side of a chain and back on the other,
increasing each round to your desired size, then decreasing to bring
the sides up and angle them in. Once the decreases are done, you work
even rounds until shaping the handles. I started working spiral at that
point, but I would recommend not. Once it was felted, that part of the
bag seemed to twist a bit which made shaping more challenging than it
had to be. My guess is that by finishing off each round and chaining up
to start a new one that wouldn't happen. I used half double crochet
hoping for a nice, dense fabric after felting and that is just what
resulted.

Abbreviations
hdc = half double crochet
sl st = slip stitch
ch = chain
hdc2tog = half double crochet 2 stitches together

Ah, the sack dress. You remember them. Those baggy shapeless, sleeveless sacks with straight sides that dove to the floor – and just about everyone wore one with a white t-shirt. If you were feeling kind of sexy, yours might have had strings that tied in the back. Ten years ago it was a wardrobe staple. Now it’s a “What was I thinking and why is it still in my closet?” Somehow this dress escaped my last closet purge. Call it the allure of linen. I could donate this dress to charity, but why not give it a second chance as my new spring purse?

• MC: One long, straight sack dress. 20” wide x 45” long (armpit to hem measurement) or about 1 1/4 yds. of 42” wide fabric, which will yield approximately 110 yds of 1/2” fabric yarn. Look for mid-weight cotton or cotton blends. This dress was a 50% cotton/50% linen blend.
• CC1: One silk or satin slip or blouse for lining, or about 1/2 yd of lining fabric.
• US P / 10.0 mm crochet hook
• Yarn needle
• Seam ripper
• Cutting implements to cut up the dress (scissors and a ruler or a rotary cutter, plastic ruler and cutting mat with a grid)
• Scissors
• Washable marking pen/pencil (a regular #2 pencil may also work, for darker fabrics use 1/4” paper tape)
• Pins
• Sewing thread to match the lining and sack fabric
• Sharp sewing needle
• Sewing Machine (optional)
• Iron (optional)

9” wide x 6.5” high x 4.5” deep

7 dc / 4.5 rows = 4”

The raw edges of the strips will fray. This can be very messy when you are working on your sack. If you do not want a frayed look to your sack or you do not want to deal with the mess, you will need to use 5 yds. of fabric cut into 2” strips. Sew each strip together. Press the strip in half and then fold and press each raw edge to the center press line. Using a bias tape maker can help you do this faster. Roll into a ball.

Beginning ch 2 counts as 1st dc.

The body of the sack is worked in the round; use a stitch marker in the first stitch of each round and do not turn at the end of each round.

The flap and strap of the sack are worked in rows. Turn at the end of each row.

Dress Prep

1. Remove the seams, hem and facings of the dress using a seam ripper. Use an iron to press out any creases.
2. Using your cutting implements, cut the front and back of the dress into 1/2” strips from the hem to the shoulders.
3. To join the strips of fabric using one of the following methods:
1. Sew the strips together on a sewing machine. Roll into a ball.
2. Cut a small vertical slit into each end of every strip. Insert strip B 1” into a slit in strip A. Pull the long tail of strip B through the slit of strip B. Pull tight and repeat (see photo). Roll into a ball.

When I was in high school, a push for environmental awareness was sparked by concern over the ozone layer. The US government managed to ban CFCs during this time and recycling programs sprouted up in towns all over the country. And then, well, some other crisis caught the media’s attention and it seems like over the last 15 years, the nation took the proverbial “one step back” after its “two steps forward.”

As attention turns once more en masse to the protection of the environment, it’s important to remember that arguably the most important of the “3 Rs” is not “recycle,” but “reduce.” When we keep resources out of the consumption cycle all together, we don’t have to worry about reusing or recycling them.

It’s with that in mind that I created this mesh tote, suitable for getting groceries home from the store and reducing the need to use store-provided bags. Reusable for years to come, you will prevent the need to recycle many shopping bags over the lifespan of the tote. And, in case you are somewhat of a shopaholic, the base of the bag is a filet-crochet rendering of the Reduction symbol to remind you to consider whether you really need something before you put it in the bag. (If you don’t want to lecture yourself while shopping, I’ve included a blank graph, too, so you can design your own bag bottom.)

The bag has a pocket on the front that can hold your keys and wallet while you shop. When you get home, you can fold the bag up and invert the pocket over it to store the bag until you need it again. (It reduces in size, too!) Also, the mesh construction of the bag makes it perfect for trips to the beach. Stow it in another bag and take it out when you are leaving to pack up sandy clothes, towels and seashells.

Want to increase your earth-friendly impact? Poke around in a thrift store for the ever-present wayward balls of crochet cotton and use those instead of buying new. See if you have some buttons lying around the house either on old clothes that are too damaged to be donated or from the replacement buttons that come with some shirts. The sample bag was made entirely out of thrift-store finds and cost less than $2 in materials. I love when good for the earth is good for your pocketbook, too!

• Copious amounts of scrap crochet cotton in size 10 (to be used double-stranded throughout), size 3, or size 5. Sample used the following:
• MC: Coats & Clark South Maid (100% mercerized cotton, 400 yds per ball), White, 2 balls required
• CC1 Coats & Clark Royale Classic Crochet Cotton (100% mercerized cotton, 350 yards per ball), 401-Orchid Pink, 2 balls required
• CC2: Small amount of size 10 mercerized cotton in brown (about 30-40 yards)
• US E / 3.5mm crochet hook
• Yarn needle
• 4 split ring stitch markers
• 4 half-inch buttons
• Straight pins

18”w x 4.5”d x 15”h (measurements given are taken when the bag is relaxed and exclude the handles)

19 dc / 9.5 rows = 4 inches

While gauge is technically unimportant in a bag such as this, it can have an effect on the size of buttons you can use to secure the pocket flap. So, if you don’t take time to check your gauge, be aware that you may need slightly larger or smaller buttons. And, of course, be sure to work at a consistent gauge throughout.

Any time there is a color change noted in the pattern (or, indeed, anywhere you like) you can switch from using double stranded size 10 crochet cotton to a single strand of size 3 or size 5. The bag was designed to use scraps of crochet cotton, so feel free to get creative. The only suggestion is to use one yarn continuously through the mesh portion of the bag, as it is harder to securely weave in ends over the mesh stitches.

Special Stitch Patterns:

dc2tog (decrease): Yo, insert hook in stitch, yo and pull up a loop, yo, pull through 2 loops on hook, yo, insert hook into specified stitch, yo and pull up a loop, yo, pull through 2 loops on hook, yo and pull through all 3 loops on hook.

dc3tog (double decrease): Yo, insert hook in stitch, yo and pull up a loop, yo, pull through 2 loops on hook, yo, insert hook into specified stitch, yo and pull up a loop, yo, pull through 2 loops on hook, yo, insert hook into specified stitch, yo and pull up a loop, yo, pull through 2 loops on hook, yo and pull through all 4 loops on hook.

Note: When working the Motif Pocket, dc2tog and dc3tog are referred to as clusters.

Working a filet crochet chart: Think of each vertical line as one stitch and each block as two stitches. You will always work a dc for a vertical line. A block that is filled in is worked as 1 dc in each of the next 2 stitches. An empty block is worked by chaining two and skipping the next two stitches. To turn, ch 2 (counts as first dc). There's a good tutorial here.

SAVE YOUR SCRAPS!

I've said this before, and I'll say it again: I have a little problem. Unless it's only a few inches long, I cannot throw yarn away. I even bought a bag of scrap yarn and odd balls from a thrift store once! This isn't really a bad thing. I don't like to waste yarn and my efforts to work through my stash of scraps have resulted in many creative ideas, patterns (many of which are on this site), and interesting FOs.

I am not alone in my efforts to use oddments and odd balls -- one may draw inspiration from the Odd Balls Knitting and Crocheting Flickr group.

I never had a hot water bottle until I moved to Glasgow, and now I wish I'd started using one before. I like to keep the heat off at night to save energy, but even under piles of blankets I am always a bit chilly when I first go to bed. A hot water bottle is a great way to keep cozy and warm -- I even like to use mine to keep my toes warm when I'm sitting at my desk at home. The thing is, if you want your hot water bottle to stay warm all night, you have to use really hot water, but then the hot water bottle is too hot to cuddle. That's why you need a hot water bottle cozy.  

I designed two versions. One is Fair Isle-inspired and is worked in the round using the tapestry crochet technique for part of it. The other is a patchwork cozy and is worked flat.

If you don't like the anchor chart provided, find a knitting or crochet chart and work from that. But c'mon, I had to use a nautical theme for my hot water bottle. I just couldn't help myself!

If you don't have a hot water bottle, you can use this pattern to make a bag or a pillow cover instead. Or not. Either way, I'm right. Just don't throw away your scraps!

• Approximately 400 yards (370 m) scrap yarn is enough for either cozy (this is a generous estimation, you might not need that much). Worsted or aran weight is recommended for the pattern -- for thinner yarns, try using two complimentary strands at once; for thicker yarns, I recommend making the cozy a few stitches narrower and a few rows shorter to ensure a proper fit.
• US G/7 (4.50 mm) hook or size needed to obtain gauge
• Yarn needle
• Stitch Marker

Will fit standard size hot water bottle, 8" x 11" (20 cm x 28 cm), not including the 'neck.' The Patchwork Cozy, 10" x 11" (25 cm x 28 cm), is a bit roomier than The Anchor Cozy, 8.5" x 11.5" (22 cm x 29 cm).

The Patchwork Cozy: 16 sts x 17 rows of sc in the round = 4" (10 cm)

The Anchor Cozy: 15 sts x 16 rows of sc in the round = 4" (10 cm)

Pick colors that go together -- your project may be a real eyesore if you use colors or color combinations that don't work well together.

When working color changes from the anchor chart, I find it looks best to change color mid-stitch. For a single crochet stitch, the final yo and draw-through is done with the new color. Additionally, while working with one color, 'carry' the other by crocheting over it. This color-changing technique is known as tapestry crochet and is explained by Carol Ventura. (Ed. note: Also see Carol's Get Your Ducks in a Row pattern from this issue.)

Although I designated the colors for the anchor chart as MC (the background color) and CC (the anchor color), feel free to change either color as often as you'd like. For ideas and inspiration, I like to look at knitted Fair Isle pieces because they have marvelous color combinations and often change color every few rows.  

Also, please note that when working tapestry crochet in the round from the anchor chart, as well as any knitting chart, the finished work will turn out looking slightly italicized, or on a slant. This is normal and is due to crochet stitches being slightly off-set from round to round.  

You may wish to carry a yarn throughout The Anchor Cozy so that the thickness and drape is the same throughout. If you do not wish to carry a yarn throughout the pattern, you may wish to switch to lighter weight yarns, such as DK or sport weight yarns, when working the tapestry crochet section from the anchor chart.

The Patchwork Cozy

Big Squares (make 4, using any colors or combo of colors you like)

Ch 17, turn.  

Rain is almost constant during the winter in the Pacific Northwest, and though most people who live here refuse to use an umbrella on a daily basis, there are times we have no choice. Last Christmas Eve was one of those times on Vancouver Island, BC: my husband and I were visiting Butchart Gardens’ light displays in the middle of a storm that knocked power out to 10,000 people on the other side of the island. After we had our walk in the pouring rain, we stopped in the café for some hot chocolate; as we waited in line to order I watched my umbrella leak all over the floor. I had terrible visions of people walking by and slipping on the water and breaking their tailbones or something. So these Tunisian crochet umbrella covers were borne on the way home that night.  

These brolly covers (brolly is Aussie slang for umbrella) are perfect to take with you on your commute, and when you’re finished you can slip your umbrella inside and the cotton will absorb the drips. Perfect for spring showers!

• Lily Sugar ‘n Cream (worsted weight cotton, 805 yards per 454 grams), 1 skein each of black, light brown, yellow, light blue, dark blue, pink, purple, red
• US F (3.75mm) Tunisian crochet hook
• US F (3.75mm) crochet hook (for base circle & top edge)
• Yarn needle

Cover A fits compact, folding umbrellas that are 11” long when closed.

Cover B fits golf umbrellas that are 37” long when closed.

8 Tss / 6 rows = 1.5 inches

Measure your umbrella before beginning.  You may wish to add or omit a few rows to the top of the cover so it will fit your umbrella better.

If your golf umbrella has a very pointy end, you may want to cut a circle of felt from an old felting swatch (recycle!) or crochet a second circle to attach to the inside bottom of the tube so the pointy end of the umbrella can't poke through.

Special Stitch Pattern

Tunisian Simple Stitch (Tss): See the great tutorial here.

Always change color on a forward pass for this project. You can let the unused color run behind your work, or for spaces where you will carry the yarn for more than an inch or two, make a few small balls of yarn for each color and use them instead.

On a return pass that uses more than one color, the second loop from the end of your hook is the color you want to pull through the two loops.

To increase at the beginning of a forward pass, insert your hook between the first and second stitches and draw up a loop,insert your hook in the second stitch as usual and draw up a loop.  Continue as normal. To increase at the end of a forward pass, insert your hook between the second-to-last and last stitches and draw up a loop, insert your hook in the last stitch as usual and draw up a loop. Continue as normal.

Cover A: Compact Umbrella

With yellow cotton and regular hook, work 6 sc into magic loop and pull loop closed.

I’m a painfully slow knitter, but I love the look and texture of knitted fabric. Crocheted slip stitch does a bang-up job mimicking a knitted fabric, with the added advantage of super-strong construction - perfect for purses!

A great yarn for this type of experiment is Lion Brand’s BIG, or Big Prints. I’ve swatched the heck out of this stuff, and it normally doesn’t cooperate well with crochet. Unless you want a nobbly-looking hat, of course. In slip stitch, though, the colors look great and the texture is much more appetizing.

For this purse, use a HUGE size S hook, grab the rope-like yarn, and purge all your frustrations as you wrestle each slip stitch into place. The result is a happy purse, and perhaps slightly sore fingers.

• 3 hanks Lion Brand Big or Big Prints (A), OR pliable rope, roving yarn, or any type of super-super-bulky yarn. The green purse I made with only one hank of Amazon, but pink hanks (in the Grand Canyon colorway) have half as much yardage in them. Boo!
• 1 skein Moda Dea Wild to match (B), or matching color worsted weight yarn for the top panels of the purse, handle attachment, and closure. The pink purse uses 1 skein Cascade “Luna” cotton yarn.
• Optional scrap yarn for crochet flower embellishments. I used scrap cashmere chunky yarn for the green purse.
• Size S (19.0mm) for purse body
• Size H/8 (5.0 mm) for the rest of the purse
• Large-eye yarn needle
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors

Gauge is not crucial for this pattern. If you crochet tightly, make an effort to loosen up your stitches a little for this project. Slip stitch is extremely dense and will give your hands a workout.

When weaving in big yarn ends, unravel the yarn into its individual strands and then weave in, instead of trying to weave in a big honking end all at once (see photo, above right).

Purse handle