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.

Bead tapestry crochet and bead spinners were made for each other! Since tapestry crochet is done with a minimum of two threads, each thread may be strung with a single bead color. Only the color that is needed at the time is crocheted to form the motif while the other thread is carried. The bead falls to the back of the stitch and the colored threads contribute to the pattern and the substantial fabric that provides the basket’s structure. This flexible medium offers fantastic design potential since the design is not locked in – colors can be changed at any point!

• MC: Coats and Clark Aunt Lydia’s Fashion Crochet Thread size 3 (cotton, 150 yds / 137 meters per ball) 1 Plum ball required
• CC1: Coats and Clark Aunt Lydia’s Fashion Crochet Thread size 3 (cotton, 150 yds / 137 meters per ball) 1 Bridal White ball required
• CC2: Coats and Clark Aunt Lydia’s Fashion Crochet Thread size 3 (cotton, 150 yds / 137 meters per ball) 1 Warm Blue ball required
• CC3: Coats and Clark Aunt Lydia’s Fashion Crochet Thread size 3 (cotton, 150 yds / 137 meters per ball) 1 Maize ball required
• US Steel crochet hook size 1 (2.25 mm)
• Fire Mountain Gems #8 seed beads, 1098 Light Amethyst required
• Fire Mountain Gems #8 seed beads, 900 Clear required
• Fire Mountain Gems #8 seed beads, 1440 Light Blue required
• Fire Mountain Gems #8 seed beads, 468 Amber required
• Fire Mountain Gems beading needles, 4 heavy twisted wire beading needles required
• Stitch marker

4¾” (12.07 cm) diameter by 4” (10 cm) high

32 stitches / 32 rows = 4 inches (10 cm)

This basket is worked as a spiral, not in concentric rings, so do not join rounds. To keep track of where each round ends, slip a stitch marker into the top of the last st of the round. Remove the marker from the st and slip it into the new last st at the end of each round.

When changing from one color to another in sc, the final yo and draw-through is done with the second color. Additionally, one yarn is "carried" while the other is being crocheted. This technique, which should be applied throughout this pattern, is known as the tapestry crochet stitch and is illustrated in detail here.

To do a bead tapestry crochet st, insert the hook, slide a bead down next to the crochet hook and project, then continue crocheting the stitch, capturing the bead, which will fall to the back of the st. This stitch is referred to as "bead sc" throughout the pattern.  

Either by hand or with a bead spinner, string all the Light Amethyst beads onto MC, the Clear beads onto CC1, the Light Blue beads onto CC2, and the Amber beads onto CC3. Push the beads down, leaving yard-long pieces without beads on the threads.

Pattern

Wi

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 have a hard time passing up wool and cashmere sweaters when I find them at thrift stores. I appreciate quality yarn in pretty colors, but I don’t always approve of a thrift store sweater’s style. When a nice sweater fits perfectly but doesn’t suit my taste, I feel compelled to set it free from life as a helpless victim of outdated fashion. This sweater entered the world with a stifling, high collar that made my neck feel trapped. With my crochet hook and some scissors, I set it free!

• 1 ball of size 10 crochet cotton to match your sweater however you want
• US size D/3 - 3.25mm hook
• Small felting needle
• Piece of styrofoam to needle felt into (at least 2” thick)
• Fabric scissors
• Marking implement (such as fabric chalk)
• Sewing needle

Custom.

The size of the crocheted collar and cuffs for your sweater will vary depending on the sweater you choose to embellish. Although gauge is not important for this project, I have included the measurements of my own sweater. It didn’t leave the thrift store with tags so I don’t know exactly how large it is, but I’m guessing it is a size small. My finished collar is 1 1/2” tall by 13” wide when lying flat. The finished cuffs each measure 5” long, 6” wide at the widest edge and 3 3/4” wide at the narrowest point. The gauge of my work is 4” = 30 sc wide, (14) 3-ch mesh arc stitches wide and 22 mesh arc stitches tall.

Any sweater can be modified using this pattern. If you use a fine knit wool sweater you can needle felt the cut edges to prevent fraying. Needle felting is a dry felting process that adheres the fibers of wool together with a sharp barbed tool. Some links with more information about needle felting:

• http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=51271.0
• http://www.gfwsheep.com/needlefelting/needlefelt1.html

Collar

Prepare collar for crocheting

Spread the sweater out flat with the front facing up.

The simple shell-stitch is one of my favorite crochet designs. The combination of dc and sc, plus a few slip-stitches here and there, make it the perfect next step for a beginner who wants something more elegant and interesting than your basic sc or dc rounds, but doesn’t have the skills or confidence yet to tackle a more elaborate pattern. Not only that, but shell-stitch certainly is not lost on the more advanced hooker: it provides a fast-finished, low-concentration alternative to the more pithy patterns available, and still turns out a really pleasing finished product. That is why, when I was busy turning out caps to sell at the Relay for Life, I turned to Google in search of a pretty shell-stitch hat. Surprisingly, I couldn’t find one, so I set forth to make my own. My goal was to create a fast hat pattern that was made of soft yarn with no seams, so I chose a simple worsted kitchen cotton and a large hook. I was so delighted with the finished results, I began experimenting with other yarns and slight alterations in the pattern and came up with two very satisfactory designs: a warm/cool-weather style and a cold-weather style.

Belliveau Cove (white):

• Brown Sheep Company, Lamb’s Pride Bulky (100% wool; 125 yds / per 4 oz.), Color M10, 1 skein
• US size K / 6.50mm hook
• Yarn needle

Gulf Shores (blue):

• Lily, Sugar and Cream (100% cotton; 125 yds / per 4 oz.), Color Delft Blue, 1 skein
• US size J / 6.00mm hook
• Yarn needle

Approx. 23" circumference.

Belliveau Cove: 12 sts x 5 1/3 rounds of dc = 4" (10 cm)

Gulf Shores: 16 sts x 8 rounds of dc = 4" (10 cm) 

With a chill in the air, all of my Northern friends begin pulling wool from their stash and get to work on their dreamy projects. They are about to start the season of yarn - in fact 3 glorious seasons of yarn. Their projects are designed to make you feel warm and cozy on those chilly, breezy days. No yarn is too heavy or too warm for my Northern Friends.

Here in the South, it’s still 85 degrees. It’s hot. Real hot. Damn hot. The thought of wool would make your skin itch, crawl, and walk away if it could. The air conditioning is on full-blast and the ice is still melting in the lemonade. Fall is just another extension of summer here. Cotton is a Southerner’s best friend when you insist on using hooks in this heat.

And yet here is a simple pattern we can both agree on. Different fibers for our different locations keep us hooking along together, unified in crochet. A felted wool scarf to keep out those blustery fall breezes in the North and a cool cotton scarf to help us pretend that it really is Fall in the South.

North:

• Patons Classic Merino Wool (100% wool; 223 yards / 204 meters per 100 grams / 3.5 oz.), Old Gold (#204), Paprika (#238), Burgundy (#208), Leaf Green (#240), 1 skein of each
• K hook / 6.5 mm
• Yarn needle
• Zippered pillowcase or a regular pillowcase and strong rubber band
• 1/2 cup baking sod
• Dish soap, just a squirt
• Old jeans and/or tennis shoes
• A top-loading clothes washer
• Four old towels

South:

• Lily Sugar ‘n Cream (100% cotton; 120 yards / 110 meters per 70.9 grams/2.5 oz.), Ecru (#4), Warm Brown (#1130), Hot Green (#1712), Rose Pink (#46), 1 ball of each
• H hook / 5.0 mm
• Yarn needle

North: 90”/228 cm before felting; 78”/198 cm after felting. Your scarf may be a little longer or shorter, depending on your washer and the duration of felting time.

South: 81”/206 cm

North: each motif = 4"/10cm in diameter

South: each motif = 3.25"/8.25cm in diameter 

Motifs are worked in the round. Do not turn rows.

This lacy summer skirt was inspired by a gorgeous vintage bedspread pattern. I would never have the patience to crochet hundreds of tiny little squares out of thread to make an entire bedspread, so I designed this skirt as a way to capture the beauty of those patterns in a less painful project. Granted, this is still not a project most could do in a weekend, say, but as you complete each square you get a little thrill of accomplishment to string you along. With a slip or hand-sewn liner, you can wear this beautiful skirt anywhere, or pull it on over your bathing suit for a sexy cover up. Either way, you'll look gorgeous on those hot summer nights.

• Approximately 6 (7, 8, 9) 123yds (112m) / 50g balls sport weight cotton. I used Paton's Bumblebee 100% cotton, Apple Blossom.
• 3.75mm (US F-5) crochet hook
• Yarn needle
• Pre-made slip, or ½ yd (46cm) white cotton fabric and 1 yd (91cm) elastic for lining

small (med, large, x-large)

Hips: 38” (40”, 42”, 44”) [96.5cm (1.02m, 1.07m, 1.12m)]

Length: top of zig zag - 19” (20”, 21”, 22”) [48.3cm (50.8cm, 53.3cm, 55.9cm)], bottom of zig zag - 24” (25”, 26”, 27”) [61.0cm (63.5cm, 66.0cm, 68.6cm)]

Ed. note: See comments at the bottom of this page for tips on how to adjust the pattern for smaller sizes.

Daisy Square: 12 st = 4” (10cm)

Stretchy Square: 7 patterns and 12 rows = 4” (10cm)

Edging patterns present us with the opportunity to transform a garment into something unique and extraordinary. The crocheter is free to decide how edgings will be placed when they are completed. It's fun to piece the elements together and watch them slowly grow into a lacy texture, like stars appearing in an evening sky.
    
I’ve always loved fancy lace edgings. I have updated the classic white cotton T-shirt by adding a lacy collar and bottom trim. The circle motifs recreate this shirt as more delicate, hip and beautiful. I named this the Galaxy Top because its crocheted motifs remind me of a cluster of stars.  

Crochet thread is a great material to work with. It’s inexpensive. It’s small and easy to stuff into your travel bag. It will sometimes even get you a “wow” from someone observing how tiny your project is. Keep in mind that delicate crochet is also incredibly time consuming and will require some patience.

• Mercerized cotton crochet thread, size 10. I used 1 ball in white made by Coats & Clark (325 yds / 297 meters).
• 3.25mm (size D-3) hook
• Fabric scissors
• Sewing needle that fits your cotton crochet thread
• Cotton T-shirt. It should be 100% cotton in order for it to have the same washing properties as your cotton crochet thread. Make sure it’s a T-shirt you like and that it's in good enough condition to justify spending a lot of time making pretty.  
• Straight pins
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Dress form for shaping.  (This is not absolutely necessary, but definitely helpful. I am thankful that I bought mine last summer at a yard sale!)
• Iron (optional)

I used a Medium T-shirt (size 10 from H&M).

Motif measurements are:

Small:  1 ½” (approx. 38mm)
Medium: 1 ¾” (approx. 44mm)
Large:  2” (approx. 51mm)

Gauge is not critical for this pattern. Sizing will vary with the size of your T-shirt. You will use the top half of your shirt as a template for your motifs. For smaller and larger T-shirts just adjust the amount of space between motifs.

A note of caution for beginners: This shirt is made by connecting circle motifs to the body of an existing shirt. There is a freeform aspect to connecting the motifs.

Washing instructions: This garment should be hand washed and dried flat.

Special Stitch:

Overcast stitch: Working over the edge of your shirt, insert threaded sewing needle into fabric and bring back through to the front. Keep the height of your stitches consistent and the tension even as you work your way around the shirt.

Circle Motifs

The top part of the shirt requires 40 rings: 23 small, 11 medium, and 6 large. The bottom trim of the shirt requires 20 rings: 13 small, 5 medium, and 2 large.

Every year since I learned to crochet, I've made at least one of these bags, and although I'm always promising myself it will be the last one I make, I end up giving it to one of my friends (usually my sister, who must have a huge collection by now) and crocheting another one the next time I'm about to go traveling.

There are two bags in this pattern, the shoulder sling and the passport bag. The shoulder sling is one of those toss-everything-in-and-rummage-for-it-later bags, while the passport bag is designed to hold, well, a passport, travel documents, postcards, writing utensils, and maybe something small, like a tube of lipstick or your keys.

For Shoulder Bag

• 420 m/460 yds of Patons 100% Cotton DK, or a similar yarn, such as Tivoli Cruise DK
• 3.75mm (US size F/5) hook
• 3.25mm (US D/3) hook for edging
• 12" x 24" material (to line the shoulder bag)
• Sewing needle
• Sewing thread

For Passport Bag

• DMC Cebelia Crochet Cotton, size 20 (370 m/405 yds per 50 g), 1 skein, black.  I know black isn't very summery, but I wanted to make a bag that would match my traveling clothes and since my traveling clothes consist of whatever I shoved into my bag at the last minute, black is a safe bet for me.  Feel free to use whatever colour is the safest bet for you. Any size 20 thread can be substituted.
• 1.50 mm (US size 8) steel hook or size needed to obtain gauge
• 280 – 450 seed beads (see Passport Bag instructions, below, for options)
• 5" x 14" material (to line the bag)
• cord for strap (optional)
• Sewing needle
• Sewing thread

Passport bag is 5" x 6.5"; shoulder bag is approximately 11" x 11" (will stretch if unlined). Strap length can be easily adjusted.

Shoulder Bag: 18 sts x 19 rows of sc = 4" x 4" (10cm x 10cm)

Passport Bag: 46 sts x 25 rows of dc = 4" x 4" (10cm x 10cm)

Shoulder Bag

This is a really simple pattern and can easily be adjusted to a different size, a different yarn, even a different stitch pattern. As long as you get the gist of how the bag works up, you should have no trouble making adjustments. For example, I made the bag in Debbie Bliss Cotton Denim Aran yarn and ended up with a 12" x 14" bag. The only bit of the pattern I had to adjust was the bottom - I decreased [sc2tog, sc 1] by 3 on each side instead of 5. I suggested cotton yarn for this bag because it does not stretch (the stitches themselves will give the bag a bit of stretch, however). If you do not want to make this bag using cotton, I would suggest lining the bag in a sturdy material and crocheting the finishing section in a cotton yarn. (I learned this the hard way a few years ago - the first shoulder bag I made was in a cotton/acrylic blend.  It stretched down to my knees and I was stuck carrying it around Seattle all afternoon!)

Body

Foundation Row:  Ch 100. Taking care not to twist chain, sl st in first ch to form ring.

Sc in the round, in a spiral, for a total of 50 rows or until work measures about 10". 

Bottom

[Instead of folding it in half and seaming it like a tote (and like the passport bag), this gives the bag a rounded oval-shaped bottom.]

Round 1.  *Sc2tog over next 2 sts, sc in next st,* rep from * to * 2 more times, sc in each of next 35 sts, rep from * to * 5 times, sc in each of next 35 sts, rep from * to * 2 times. (90 sts)

Round 2.  *Sc2tog over next 2 sts, sc in next st,* rep from * to * 2 more times, sc in each of next 30 sts, rep from * to * 5 times, sc in each of next 30 sts, rep from * to * 2 times. (80 sts)

Round 3.  *Sc2tog over next 2 sts, sc in next st,* rep from * to * 2 more times, sc in each of next 25 sts, rep from * to * 5 times, sc in each of next 25 sts, rep from * to * 2 times. (70 sts)

Round 4.  *Sc2tog over next 2 sts, sc in next st,* rep from * to * 2 more times, sc in each of next 20 sts, rep from * to * 5 times, sc in each of next 20 sts, rep from * to * 2 times. (60 sts)

Round 5.  *Sc2tog over next 2 sts, sc in next st,* rep from * to * 2 more times, sc in each of next 15 sts, rep from * to * 5 times, sc in each of next 15 sts, rep from * to * 2 times. (50 sts)

Seam: Turn inside out, seam bottom edges tog with sl st. I like the look of the blo sl st (where you sl st the inner loops tog), but use whatever you please. Fasten off, weave in ends. Turn right side out.

Strap

The strap is worked on the top of the bag, using the other side of the foundation chain.

Row 1. Lay bag flat to roughly gauge the “side edge”. Count 7 sts back from the left edge, attach yarn, ch 1, sc in same st as join and in each of the next 14 sts, ch 1, turn. (15 sts)

Row 2. Sc in each st across to last two sts, sc2tog over last 2 sts, ch 1, turn. (14 sts)

Rows 3-10: Repeat Row 2, ending Row 10 with 6 sts.

Row 11. Sc in each st across, ch 1, turn. (6 sts)

Repeat Row 11 112 more times (or more, if you prefer a longer strap). (Note: this strap will stretch a bit -- my finished strap measured 33" after wearing the bag around a few times.)

Row 12. Sc in each st across to last st, 2 sc in last stitch, ch 1, turn. (7 sts)

Rows 13-20. Repeat Row 12, ending Row 20 with 15 sts.

On opposite side of where the strap began, sl st edge to foundation chain leaving 35 foundation ch spaces between straps on both sides.

Note: there is no need to fasten off; begin finishing at this point.

Finishing

Sc into each of the 35 foundation ch sts between the strap ends. Using a smaller hook (this helps counter strap stretching), sc along edge of strap (working one sc for each row), sl st in 1st sc, fasten off, weave in ends.  Repeat for other side.

Passport Bag

This bag kills two birds with one stone as it's a good introduction to both thread crochet and crocheting with beads. If you've never done it before, crocheting with thread takes a little getting used to. My first attempts were a little wonky, but I got used to it with a little practice. This bag is done entirely in dc and believe me, after crocheting all 96 rows, you will have your tension and gauge down!

Bead crochet is easy -- to work the dcb stitch, start as you would a regular dc: yo, insert hook into stitch, yo, pull through, as you do the next yo, slip a bead onto the bit of thread that you're yarning-over (see Figure 1), and finish the stitch as you normally would (pull through 2 loops, yo, pull through 2 loops).

Figure 1

There are two ways to do make this bag, the hardcore bead way, where the entire bag is beaded, and the easy bead way, where only the front of the bag is beaded.  

Preparation: String 450 seed beads onto the thread for hardcore way or 280 beads for the easy way.

Body

Foundation: Ch 61, turn.

Row 1. Dc in fourth ch from hook, dc in each st across, turn. (59 sts)

Row 2. Ch 3 (counts as 1st dc), dc in each of next 4 sts, *dcb in next st, dc in each of next 5 sts,* repeat from * to * 8 more times, turn.

Row 3. Ch 3 (counts as 1st dc), dc in each st across, turn.

Row 4. Ch 3 (counts as 1st dc), dc in next st, *dcb in next st, dc in each of next 5 sts,* repeat from * to * 8 more times, dcb, dc in each of next 2 sts, turn.

Row 5. Repeat Row 3.

For hardcore:  Repeat rows (2-5) 24 times (for a total of 96 rows).

For easy: Repeat rows (2-5) 10 times, ending last repeat on Row 4 (for a total of 40 rows), repeat Row 3 for 45 rows, and repeat Rows (2-5) 3 times, ending last repeat on Row 4 (for a total of 12 rows).

Seaming

Fold at 42nd row from foundation chain, sc sides together, working 2 sc in each dc row, for 42 rows. The remaining material is the front flap. To finish the flap, sc along the sides, working 2 sc in each dc row. Fasten off. Weave in ends.

Strap

The easiest way to put a strap on the bag is to sew a cord to the top corners of the bag. A more time-consuming way, however, is to crochet the strap:

Ch 5, turn.

Row 1. Sk 3 ch (counts as 1st dc), dc in each of next 2 sts, turn. (3 dc).

Row 2. Ch 3 (counts as 1st dc), dc in each of next 2 sts, turn.

Repeat Row 2 until strap is desired length. Note: unlike the shoulder bag, this strap should not stretch too much, as this is a much smaller bag and will not be carrying as heavy a load.)

Attach straps to top corners of the bag (wherever you like, I prefer to attach them on the foundation chain) with sc. Weave in ends.

Lining the bags

Lining the bags is easy if you know how to sew and easier still if you are armed with a sewing machine and know how to use it. Simply fold the lining material in half, sew up the sides, slip the lining into your bag, and sew the top of the lining to the top of the bag!

This is a light scarf for spring that can also be used as a belt, tied at the hip. It is made up of triangular, rather unusal motifs. The beaded fringe adds a little glamour – and it looks great with jeans!

• Yarn: Phildar Licorne (100% cotton, 120 m/131 yards per 50 g/1.75 oz ball), 2 balls colour Jacinthe
• Hook: 3.5 mm / US E-4
• Tapestry needle
• Beads for fringe. When purchasing beads, bring a needle threaded with the yarn to check that the hole in the bead is large enough.

Approximately 12 x 157 cm / 4 ¾ x 62 inches, excluding fringe. The scarf pictured is composed of 16 motifs.

The side of a triangle measures 10 cm / 4 inches. Please note that gauge is not critical for this project.

Ch – chain
Sc – single crochet
Sl st – slip stitch
Dc – double crochet
St(s) – stitch(es)

Triangle motif

Start with a magic adjustable ring.